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READING CLERK: Delegate White.
(Applause.)
(The Honorable John W. White, Jr.,
Delegate from the Fourth District, Balti-
more City, seated at the historic desk from
the Old Senate Chamber, affixed his sig-
nature to the draft constitution.)
READING CLERK: Delegate Willis.
(Applause.)
(The Honorable Charles W. Willis, Dele-
c/ate from Harford County, seated at the
historic desk from the Old Senate Chamber,
affixed his signature to the draft consti-
tution.)
READING CLERK: Delegate Willoner.
(Applause.)
(T lie Honorable Ronald Willoner, Dele-
gate from the Second District, Prince
George's County, seated at the historic desk
from t J) e Old Senate Chamber, affixed Iris
signature to the draft constitution.)
THE PRESIDENT: The Clerk will ring the quorum bell.
The Convention will please come to order.
I cannot resist at this moment mention-
ing several things. Sometimes I feel that
we plan too well. The Secretary went to a
great deal of trouble to have pens that you
not only could keep as a momenta of this
occasion, but which would also contain
indelible ink which was guaranteed to last
at least 100 years without fading.
1 asked him if it would not be possible
to eradicate at least some part of my sig-
nature to make it more legible. He said,
"You wanted it to stay."
(Laughter.)
One other thing I want to mention be-
cause it illustrates the great extent to
which all of you have gone to make this
truly magnificent gift of a mace to me
mean so very, very much.
I heard the resolution read adopting the
mace as the duplicate original mace of
this Convention. I did not know at that
time, and I did not know until while the
signing was going on, that all of you, but
not me, were in on the secret that this
mace was actually brought into the cham-
ber and used as the official mace of this
proceeding.
I cannot imagine any attention to detail
that would surpass that, and I cannot tell
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you how very much it adds, it immeas-
urably adds, to that mace. It truly is the
duplicate original mace, and I shall always
cherish it as such.
It also proves very conclusively some-
thing else that I had long suspected, but I
now have absolute proof beyond the
slightest doubt.
The President of this Convention indeed
did now know everything that was going
on.
(Applause.)
I am still a little astonished at how it
was possible for 142 delegates, and I do
not know how many additional people of
the staff, to keep that secret so closely
guarded that I had not the slightest sus-
picion of it.
On a pleasant note, I think it is in-
teresting, and I know you will want to
hear of it, that today, as a very historic
date, is also a very important date to one
who has played a very large role in pre-
paring for this Convention and seeing it
through to this day. Today happens to be,
among other things, the 31st birthday of
the Chief of Staff, John C. Brooks.
(Applause.)
I have been asked to advise you about
several more, more mundane matters.
Your pay checks will be sent to you by
mail, as will also be the expense checks,
and to those delegates who have requested
copies of the transcript, they will be for-
warded by mail — not first class mail, but
the cheapest possible method of getting
it there.
The Chair recognizes Delegate Needle.
DELEGATE NEEDLE: Mr. President,
on this most memorable day of my life, I
would like to recognize in the balcony my
family: my wife, Sue, who has been here
on a number of occasions and who has
come to know and grow fond of so many
of the delegates, and my parents who have
not been here before, whom I am so proud
of, who happen to be celebrating their 45th
wedding anniversary. I hope you will give
them a very warm welcome.
(Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Delegate Ross.
DELEGATE ROSS: Mr. President and
fellow delegates: when Delegate Tawes
was making the introductory remarks
preliminary to the presentation of the
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