1878.] OF THE SENATE. 855

the United States is practically to produce perfect legal
equality between and among all the citizens of the State, and
of the United States, and Maryland has by her own Bill of
Bights, hereinbefore quoted, declared that these amend-
ments, equally with the other provisions of the Constitution
of the United States, are and shall be the supreme law of
this State, anything in the Constitution or laws of this State
to the contrary, notwithstanding," Maryland adopts in good
faith, and intends to observe, keep and maintain the said
14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution of the United
States, without inquiry into the means and manner under
which and through which the said 14th and 15th amend-
mendments were declared parts of the Constitution of the
United States, this State does not, at this late day desire or
purpose in any manner to re-open those questions, and it is
an indisputable fact, that throughout the State, the colored
citizen has accesss to the ballot-box, and exercises the elec-
tive franchise, as freely and as fully as the white.

Practically then the object sought to be attained by said
proposed Acts is already attained and secured by the Su-
preme Law of the State, without incurring the expense at-
tending a mere formal change in our State Constitution, and
your Committee prays to be discharged from the further con-
sideration of said bills.

JAMES U. DENNIS,
M. BANNON,
JOS. A. WILSON,
THOS. HUMPHREYS.
On motion by Mr. Sulivane,

Said bill was substituted for the unfavorable report of the
Committee by yeas and nays as follows :

AFFIRMATIVE.

Messrs. Combs, of Allegany, Lancaster,
Combs, of St. Mary's, Lee,
Ford, McLane,
Freeman, Steiner,
Garey, Sulivane,
Gorman, Welfley—13.
Joyce,

NEGATIVE.
Messrs. President, Hill,

Bannon, Humphreys,
Cooper, Miller,
Dennis, Stump—9.