The CONSTITUTION and FORM of
GOVERNMENT agreed to by the
Delegates of Maryland in free and full
Convention assembled.
1. That the legislature consist of two
distinct branches, a senate, and a house
of delegates, which shall be stiled the
General Assembly of Maryland.
2. That the house of delegates shall
be chosen in the following manner: All
freemen above twenty-one years of age,
having a freehold of fifty acres of land
in the county in which they offer to vote,
and residing therein, and all freemen
having property in this State above the
value of thirty pounds current money,
and having resided in the county in
which they offer to vote one whole year
next preceding the election, shall have
a right of suffrage in the election of
delegates for such county; and all free-
men so qualified shall, on the first Mon-
day of October seventeen hundred and
seventy-seven, and on the same day in
every year thereafter, assemble in the
counties in which they are respectively
qualified to vote, at the court-house in
the said counties, or at such other place
as the legislature shall direct, and when
assembled they shall proceed to elect,
viva voce, four delegates for their re-
spective counties, of the most wise, sen-
sible, and discreet of the people, resi-
dents in the county where they are to be
chosen one whole year next preceding
the election, above twenty-one years of
age, and having in the State real or per-
sonal property above the value of five
hundred pounds current money, and
upon the final casting of the polls the
four persons who shall appear to have
the greatest number of legal votes, shall
be declared and returned duly elected
for their respective county.
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3. That the sheriff of each county,
or in case of sickness, his deputy, (sum-
moning two justices of the county, who
are required to attend for the preserva-
tion of the peace) shall be judge of the
election, and may adjourn from day to
day, if necessary, till the same be
finished, so that the whole election shall
be concluded in four days; and shall
make his return thereof, under his hand,
to the chancellor of this State for the
time being.
4. That all persons, qualified by the
charter of the city of Annapolis to vote
for burgesses, shall, on the same first
Monday of October seventeen hundred
and seventy-seven, and on the same day
in every year for ever thereafter, elect
viva voce, by a majority of votes, two
delegates, qualified agreeable to the said
charter; that the mayor, recorder, and
eldermen, of the said city, or any three
of them, be judges of the election, ap-
point the place in the said city for hold-
ing the same, and may adjourn from day
to day as aforesaid, and shall make re-
turn thereof as aforesaid; but the inhabi-
tants of the said city shall not be entitled
to vote for delegates for Anne-Arundel
county, unless they have a freehold of
fifty acres of land in the county, distinct
from the city.
5. That all persons, inhabitants of
Baltimore town, and having the same
qualifications as electors in the county,
shall, on the same first Monday of Oc-
tober seventeen hundred and seventy-
seven, and on the same day in every
year for ever thereafter, at such place in
the said town as the judges shall ap-
point, elect viva voce, by a majority of
votes, two delegates, qualified as afore-
said; but if the said inhabitants of the
town shall so decrease, as that the num-
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