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417] The Convention. 39
City was one of the first to be considered by the conven-
tion, and one of the last to be disposed of. To many this
took precedence over all issues before the convention. It
was the most difficult and embarrassing question upon
which that assembly was called to act. The issue was
between the smaller counties of southern Maryland and
of the Eastern Shore on the one hand, and Baltimore City
and the larger counties which claimed representation ac-
cording to population on the other. The smaller counties
were generally willing to give representation according to
population to the counties, but desired to restrict the rep-
resentation of Baltimore City to equal representation with
that of the largest county, or giving the city the same rep-
resentation as was agreed to in 1836. The city of Balti-
more and the counties which were prominent in wealth
and population protested against the injustice of the
smaller counties controlling the state legislature. The
smaller counties having a majority in the legislature under
the old constitution insisted that they would never sur-
render the rights and privileges which that constitution
conferred upon them. Under the constitution of 1776 the
people of the Eastern Shore enjoyed certain privileges,
among which was that no constitutional amendment could
be made touching the interest of the Eastern Shore with-
out a two-thirds vote of all the members of two successive
General Assemblies, requiring only a majority vote for the
rest of the State.8
This provision was the result of a compromise between
the Eastern and Western Shores at the time of the forma-
tion of the original constitution. The smaller counties of
the Eastern Shore and southern Maryland having the ma-
jority in the legislature practically held control over the
institution of slavery and the public treasury. This power
they were determined not to yield to the larger counties
and especially to the people of Baltimore City.
8 Constitution 1776, art. 59.
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