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40 The Maryland Constitution of 1851. [418
Under these circumstances it was seen that a comprom-
ise was necessary between the contending parties and their
interests to secure a new constitution. The act itself, by
which the convention was called, was a virtual acknowl-
edgment that the constitution to be framed should be a
work of compromise on the subject of representation,
since it fixed the representation in the convention. Each
county and Baltimore City was given the same number of
representatives as they then had in both branches of the
General Assembly.
The majority of the members were hampered in making
compromises by the instructions given by their constitu-
encies. These instructions were generally of such a char-
acter as to give to certain parts of the State some superior
advantage, or prevent a reduction of their relative in-
fluence in the future legislatures.
Closely connected with the subject of representation was
that of slavery, the only subject upon which the conven-
tion was unanimously agreed. Mr. Presstman, of Balti-
more City, had anticipated the representatives of the coun-
ties more particularly interested in slavery, and submitted
a proposition providing that the legislature should have
no power to abolish the relation between master and slave
as it then existed in the State,9 and that the committee on
the legislative department be instructed to report a bill
to that effect.10 This was regarded as a decided advance in
the way of conciliation on the subject of representation,
since it came from the part of the State where no great
interest in slavery was felt; and a reciprocal concession was
expected in return from the southern counties in regard
to representation.
The southern counties were considering not only the
immediate protection of slavery within the State, but the
future, when the institution of slavery would be practically
confined to southern Maryland. At the present rate of
8 See chap, i, p. 20. 10 Debates, vol. i, p. 113.
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