38              The Maryland Constitution of 1851.            [416

the clear, explicit and imperative injunction of the con-
stitution." The provisions of that law could not be vio-
lated or deliberately evaded without leading to a dissolu-
tion of the Union."³

Copies of the above resolutions were sent to the execu-
tives of several states. Governor Collier of Alabama in
acknowledging the receipt of the resolutions said that
Maryland had spoken frankly and patriotically, and that
the South would be true to the Union so long as the " sa-
cred charter of our rights was respected and honored, and
the general government manifested a willingness and
ability to enforce the law made for the protection of the
South." ⁴

Similar resolutions were adopted by the citizens of
Frederick county. These resolutions declared emphatic-
ally that the fate of the Union depended upon the future
conduct of the North.⁵ The convention expressed also its
great admiration for the eminent statesmen " who, rising
above the influence of party and sectional considerations,
periled their well-earned reputations for the enduring wel-
fare of their country."

On the 25th of March, 1851, the convention entertained
at dinner the Hon. Daniel Webster. Mr. Webster took a
leading part in defense of the compromise measures in the
United States Senate,⁶ and was honored by the people of
Maryland as " the ablest defender of the Union." Amid
speech-making and toast drinking the attachment and loy-
alty of Maryland to the Union was proclaimed.⁷

The subject of apportioning representation in the Gen-
eral Assembly among the several counties and Baltimore

³ See Resolutions, Baltimore American, December 12, 1850.

⁴ Debates of Convention, vol. i, p. 384.

⁵ See Baltimore American, November 18, 1850.

⁶ See Webster's Speech, 7th March, 1850; Webster's Works, vol.

5, p. 324.

⁷ See Pamphlet, " Dinner given to Hon. Daniel Webster by
the Md. Reform Convention, 1850."