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1968, not concluded until the ratification
in May, and this last step may well be our
most important one.
Let all our people know that the word
will come forth from this moment on: that
a new government has been formed to fill
their wants and needs, created not in fear
of them, but with concern for their wel-
fare.
Mr. President, I am still impatient to
hear my name called, but I shall contain
myself, content in the knowledge that there
will be a better Maryland tomorrow, and
we helped to make it so.
(The delegates rose and applauded.)
THE PRESIDENT: The Sergeant-at-
Arms and the Secretary will please come
forward with the Constitution.
(The Sergeant-at-Arms and the Secre-
tary brought the draft constitution into
the chamber of the House of Delegates and
placed it on the historic desk from the old
Senate Chamber.)
THE PRESIDENT: As we reach this
most important of all moments in our
deliberations and the President must leave
the Chair in order to certify the new Con-
stitution with the Secretary, I am re-
minded that many times during our delib-
erations the First Vice-President and the
Second Vice-President have presided, and
on at least one occasion, a bewildered dele-
gate was called upon to assume the Chair
without any prior notice and not being
entirely certain what was going on at the
moment. But at no time have we had the
privilege of having our Honorary Presi-
dent assume the Chair.
It gives me great pleasure now to re-
quest Delegate J. Millard Tawes to take
the Chair.
(Applause.)
(At this point, Honorary President J.
Millard Tawes assumed the Chair.)
HONORARY PRESIDENT TAWES:
Little did I ever realize that I would have
any opportunity to preside over any ses-
sions of this Convention, but the time has
come when we have a few ceremonial
duties to perform, and I have been re-
quested by the Chairman of the Committee
for Special Presentations to occupy the
Chair for these few brief moments.
I should like to request Delegate E. J.
Clarke, the Chairman of the Committee
for Special Presentations, please to join
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me here on the postrum for the purpose of
assisting in these presentations.
I should now request the First Vice-
President, James Clark, and Second Vice-
President, Senator William James, if they
will please escort Mrs. H. Vernon Eney
to the rostrum.
Mrs. Eney insisted on a very, very spe-
cial seat in the balcony all during this
Convention, and she insisted on sitting
there this morning. That is the reason for
the little delay.
Mrs. Eney, will you please come to the
rostrum assisted by Vice-Presidents James
and Clark?
(The Convention rose and applauded as
Mrs. H. Vernon Ency was escorted to the
rostrum by Vice-Presidents Clark and
James.)
HONORARY PRESIDENT TAWES:
Now, I should like to yield to the Chair-
man of the Committee for Special Presen-
tations at this time, Delegate E. J. Clarke.
DELEGATE E. CLARKE: Will Dele-
gate Addie J. Key please proceed to the
rostrum with a token of our appreciation
for Mrs. Eney?
(Delegate Addie J. Key presented Mrs.
H. Vernon Ency ivith a bouquet of yellow
roses.)
(Applause.)
DELEGATE KEY: Mrs. Eney, the
flowers which I have just placed in your
arms are more than just a bouquet of
roses. They are the love that is stored in
the hearts of all of us, the love that has
grown through the months as we looked at
your smiling face in the midst of all the
heat. It was so cool to our furrowed
brows.
You are truly the First Lady of this
Convention.
(The delegates rose and applauded.)
MRS. H. VERNON ENEY: As the
Committee on Style could never, never im-
prove on the language of flowers, I move
that I accept these with the greatest of
heartfelt thanks.
(App/a?tse.)
DELEGATE E. CLARKE: Would Dele-
gate Beachley and Delegate Ulrich please
escort President Eney to the rostrum?
(President Eney was escorted to the
rostrum, by Delegate Beachley and Dele-
gate Ulrich.)
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