tion, let understanding of the present pro-
vide confidence, and let vision of the future
offer inspiration.
Lay shoulder to the great points, know-
ing as did Thomas Jefferson, that the little
ones will follow..
Let the wisdom of our nation's enduring
Constitution be your example.
And let these Biblical proverbs be your
creed:
"Behold, a good doctrine has been
given unto you; forsake it not.
"It is a tree of life to them that hold
fast to it, and its supporters are happy.
"Its ways are ways of pleasantness
and all its paths are peace."
(Applause.)
THE CHAIRMAN: The Committee will
escort the Governor from the chambers.
The next order of business is the presentation
of the report of the Temporary
Rules Committee, and the Chair would like
to recognize the Honorable Alfred L. Scan-
lan to make this report.
DELEGATE SCANLAN: Mr. Chairman,
fellow delegates, I have the honor of pre-
senting the unanimous recommended opin-
ion report of the Committee on Rules. The
Committee on Rules met for five hours on
Friday night in the City and under the
auspices of the then Chairman of this
Committee, Temporary Chairman of your
Convention, Senator James, we have pre-
pared the report which is now on your
desk. Before, however, moving its adoption,
I would like very briefly to explain the
general philosophy of those rules and per-
haps just touch upon a couple of the major
chapters. It is. not our intention to go over
these rule by rule.
The rules in some measure were drawn
from the rules under which the Michigan
Convention in '61 and '62 was held. These
rules reflect the fact that there is a dif-
ference between the legislative body and
the Constitutional Convention. It would be
very easy if we had taken the Rules of the
House of Delegates, the General Assembly
or the Rules of the Senate; but in many
places those rules would not fit. For in-
stance, the legislative body sits year after
year. The Constitutional Convention, if
past experience is any criterion, sits once
in a century. That is one fundamental dif-
ference reflected in these rules. |
Secondly, the structure: This is a uni-
cameral body. The legislature of this State
is and has been a bicameral body.
Thirdly, the issues which this Convention
will deal with are much different from the
issues with which the General Assembly in
ordinary—course wrestles. In ordinary
course the legislature has many detailed
provisions. This Convention will be called
upon to define, and lay out, the broad
structure of government and government
powers. Here, too, is a difference.
With respect to the powers of the two
bodies, there is a fundamental difference.
All this Convention can do in the end is
recommend. It is the people who will vote
it up or down. The legislature on the other
hand can pass laws that bind. Finally, ac-
countability. We are accountable to no con-
stituency. We will be judged by our final
product. Legislators and legislatures have
to seek re-election and go back to the elec-
torate. For all these reasons the rules
provided for this Convention have not been
strictly modeled on the legislative body.
Now, I want to make one further point.
The great majority of these proposed rules
will not come into play until September 12
when we next gather to begin to work at
the Convention. Therefore, there may be
many suggestions for changes in the rules
that you may not have formulated, but
may wish to make. I suggest that the
amendments you contemplate deal with
powers and important rules that have to
be settled now. You might consider refer-
ring some of your suggestions to whatever
permanent committee rules would be es-
tablished after the Convention is organized.
For example, if you read the report, you
will note at least .one instance the Commit-
tee itself postponed until September 12 a
decision on a fairly significant matter, I
refer you to the rule of the proposed limi-
tation on debate, Rule 37 [39]*. There was
much agreement that there should be some
limitation to debate, whether it be in the
length of time the speaker could speak on
any given subject or whether it would be
setting the rules of debate in the Committee
of the Whole to allow the proponents an
hour and a half and opponents an hour and
a half or what have you. There was some
agreement there should be some limitation.
The hour was late and the night hot, and
we felt it better to let this lay over until
September 12. In another instance there is
*The number in brackets refers to the
final number assigned to this rule in
Rules of the Constitutional Convention of
Maryland. |
