30                The Maryland Constitution of 1851.             [408

considered that there was ample reason for asserting that
the vote could be constitutionally taken upon the propriety
of holding a convention, and reported a bill to that effect,
with provisions to put it in execution.³¹

On the 16th of January, Mr. Causin of Anne Arundel
county, from the same committee submitted a minority re-
port, denying the constitutional authority to submit to the
vote of the people a proposition relative to a call of a con-
vention. The report was also accompanied by a bill, which
provided for the repeal of the 42nd article of the Declara-
tion of Rights,³² and the 59th article of the constitution.³³
If the act for the repeal of these articles of the constitution
should be confirmed by the succeeding legislature, then
it would be lawful for the legislature to call a convention
of the people, to reform or make a new constitution.³⁴

To secure the sanction of the legislature for a conven-
tion, it was seen that a compromise must be made between
the different sections of the State. Baltimore City and
the larger counties maintained that representation in the
convention should be apportioned among the counties and
city of Baltimore according to population. The Eastern
Shore and the smaller counties considered that all neces-
sary changes in the constitution could be made by the
legislature, and that their rights and interest would be put
to hazard by a convention, having population as the basis
of representation. They required, if such a convention
should be called, a vote of two-thirds of the convention to
pass any constitutional provision touching the interest of
the people of the Eastern Shore,³⁵ as guaranteed to them
by the constitution.

The radical reformers were unwilling to consent to the
delay and uncertainty of the succeeding legislature con-
firming the amendments proposed by the report of the mi-

³¹ Report of Majority on Constitution, January 15, 1850.

³² See p. 10. ³³ Ibid.

³⁴ Report of Minority on Constitution, January 26, 1850.

³⁵ House Journal, January 7, 1850.