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50 The Maryland Constitution of 1851. [428
report provided. Baltimore City embraced one district,
and the counties of the Eastern Shore a second.
The convention found great difficulty in determining
whether the future sessions of the General Assembly should
be held annually or biennially. Prior to 1846 the legisla-
ture had held annual sessions. In that year the General
Assembly referred the question of biennial sessions to the
voters of the State. The referendum was held on the gen-
eral election day in 1846. Each voter was asked by the
judges of the election whether he was in favor of biennial
or annual sessions. Biennial sessions were declared for
by a majority of some five thousand voters.
The biennial bill had been passed as an anti-reform meas-
ure. Its object was to reduce the governmental expenses
and to remove the agitation for a constitutional conven-
tion. The bill received its greatest support on the East-
ern Shore. The Western Shore gave a majority of some
twelve hundred against the change.38
The committee on the legislative department favored bir
ennial sessions. When the report was read, an amend-
ment was offered providing for annual sessions. Political
considerations had great influence in the desire to return
to the annual sessions. The change in the basis of rep-
resentation would give the Democratic party the majority
in future legislatures. " Democracy demanded that elec-
tions be free and frequent."
Mr. Dirickson, of Worcester county, referring to the
vote of the people on the biennial bill in 1846, said, " It
was wonderful that those who professed to drink from the
very fount of Democracy—who worshiped at no other
shrine, and bowed to no other political god—should have
so soon not only scoffed at the mandates, but absolutely by
their speeches rebuked the very wisdom of the people."39
The argument in favor of annual sessions was made on
the ground that a greater amount of labor than usual
38 Debates, vol. i, p. 277. 39 Debates, vol. i, p. 272.
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