441]                          The Convention.                             63

the free negro had no political rights whatever. Mr.
Brent's amendment was rejected, and a provision was in-
serted in the Declaration of Rights, which permitted the
legislature to pass laws for the government, and disposi-
tion of the free colored population.⁷³

A petition was presented to the convention from a num-
ber of citizens of Frederick county, praying that an article
be inserted in the constitution, compelling all free negroes,
annually to give bond, with responsible security to the
State, for their good behavior; in default of bond they
were to be compelled to leave the commonwealth.⁷⁴

Another question of interest that received the earnest
consideration of the convention, but upon which no final
decision was taken was the question of public education.
Maryland at that time had no general system of public
schools.⁷⁵ Each county and city maintained its own
schools, except as to certain funds distributed by the State.
These funds were derived from different sources. The
first was called " The Free-School Fund." It was derived
from the surplus revenue of the Federal Government dis-
tributed among the states.⁷⁶ The free-school fund
amounted to nearly sixty-three thousand dollars in 185i.⁷⁷
This fund was distributed among the counties and Balti-
more City as follows: one-half equally, and one-half ac-
cording to the white population of each respectively.

The second fund was derived from certain taxes on
banks.⁷⁸ It amounted to about twenty thousand dollars in
1851.⁷⁹ All fines collected from the violation of the laws

⁷³ Dec. of Rights, 1851, sec. 21.              ⁷⁴ Debates, vol. i, p. 371.

⁷⁵ See Steiner's History of Education in Md., p. 66.

⁷⁶ An act of the legislature 1836, ch. 220, sec. i, provided that of
the money received, and to be received from the Federal Govern-
ment, $274,451 should be set aside for the purpose of defraying the
interest on the public debt already created. The residue was to
be deposited with banks, with interest at 5 per cent or more; the
interest accruing was to be distributed among the counties and
Baltimore City for the support of common schools.

⁷⁷ Debates, vol. i, p. 431.

⁷⁸ Act 1821, ch. 113.                                 ⁷⁹ Debates, vol. i, p. 431.