70 CONVENTION. [1846, CH. 5.

provisions of this act before said Convention shall organize; and
provided further, that fifty members at least shall be necessary to
constitute a quorum after organization; and the judges of elec-
£tion shall, at said election, administer the oath to every person
offering to vote, whose vote shall be challenged on the grouud
that such person has served in the rebel army, or has either
directly or indirectly given aid, comfort or encouragement to
those in armed rebellion against the government of -the United
States, or is for any other reason not a legal voter, in the manner
and form provided by section twenty-one of article thirty five
of the Code of Public General Laws, relating to erections; and
a judge or judges of election failing to comply with the pro-
visions of this act, shall be liable to the same penalties as he or
they would be by the non-compliance with the existing election
laws of this State.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That as soon as the Governor shall
receive the return of the number of ballots cast in this State for
or against a Convention, and the blank ballots cast, it' shall be
the duty of the Governor to count and cast up the same, and if
upon casting up and counting said returns so as aforesaid made
to him, it shall appear to the Governor that more votes have
been cast by the legal voters of this State in favor of the call of
a Convention than have been cast against the call of a Conven-
tion, then is shall be the duty of the Governor to issue his
proclamation for the holding aud assembling of said Convention,
and of the delegates duly elected thereto, at the time and place
hereinafter specified.

SEC. 8. And be it enacted, That in case a majority of the
ballots cast shall be in favor of the call of a Convention as
aforesaid, then the said Convention shall meet at the city of
Annapolis on the last Wednesday of April, in the year eighteen
hundred and sixty-four, and shall continue in session from day
to day until the business for which said Convention shall have
been assembled, shall be fully completed a,nd finished; and said
Convention shall have full power and authority to determine on
the validity of the election and qualification of its members,
and the compensation of the delegates to said Convention shall