437]                          The Convention,                             59

antee to the southern counties that the constitution would
be respected. If the people of Baltimore City, together
with those of Baltimore and Frederick counties, who had
less interest in slavery than any other portion of the State,
should deem it expedient to abolish slavery there would
be no means to prevent them. If the right of the majority
to abolish the constitution was recognized, the right of se-
cession must go " pari passu" with it. It would become
the duty of the Eastern Shore and of the lower counties of
the Western Shore to adopt any measures to protect them-
selves, their liberties, and their property from revolution
and anarchy.⁶²

The report of the majority, but slightly amended, was
adopted. The legislature was authorized to pass a law for
ascertaining the wishes of the people in regard to calling
of a convention, immediately after the publication of each
census of the United States.

What to do with the free-negro population of Maryland
had been a problem much discussed for several years. On
January 12, 1842, a Slave-Holders' Convention was held in
Annapolis. The purpose of this convention was to take
such measures as would influence the legislature to pass
more stringent laws for the protection of slavery. The
convention proposed laws to prevent all manumissions of
slaves; except on condition of immediate transportation at
the expense of the manumittor, to some place out of the
State, and to prevent free negroes from coming into Mary-
land. Large rewards were recommended for the convic-
tion of persons enticing slaves to run away.⁶³ In compli-
ance with the recommendations of the convention, the
legislature passed more stringent laws in reference to the
free negroes.⁶⁴

On the 4th of December, the convention of 1850 ap-

⁶² Debates, vol. i, p. 153.

⁶³ Niles Register, 5th ser., vol. 61, p. 322.

⁶⁴ Scharf s History of Md., vol. iii, p. 325.