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433] The Convention. 55
murderers? None of these crimes have been alleged
against them; yet in the opinion of the committee they
were guilty of a crime, which should forever disfranchise
them as citizens of the State." 50 Twenty-one states out
of the thirty-one in the Union at that time had no pro-
scription measure against the clergy. Mr. Chandler's mo-
tion to strike out the section was defeated by a vote of
two to one.51
The report of the committee on the executive depart-
ment was submitted by ex-Governor Grason, chairman, on
the 7th of March. The report provided for the election
of the governor by popular vote, for a term of three years.
The State was to be divided into three gubernatorial dis-
tricts. The counties on the Eastern Shore composed one
district; and the Western Shore the other two. From
each district the governor was to be chosen in rotation.
Mr. Dorsey, of Anne Arundel county, moved to amend
the report by the election of the governor by an electoral
college. This amendment was rejected by a vote of sixty
to nine.52 Several unsuccessful attempts were made to
have the State divided into four gubernatorial districts.
The report was amended by making the term of office four
years instead of three; and to be eligible to the office the
candidate was required to have been a citizen of the United
States for five years instead of ten, and a resident of Mary-
land for five years instead of seven.
The system of districting the State for the election of the
governor, was also attempted for the selection of United
States senators. In 1809 the legislature passed a law divid-
ing the State into United States senatorial districts of the
Eastern and Western Shores.53 A discussion arose in the
convention as to its legality. The law of 1809 had always
been observed by the General Assembly in selecting United
States senators. The question had never come before the
50 Debates, vol. i, p. 389. 51 Debates, vol. i, p. 394.
52 Debates, vol. i, p. 455. 53 Act 1809, ch. 22.
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