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453] The Constitution, 75
vote. A new duty was imposed upon the governor, by
making it obligatory on him to examine semi-annually the
treasury accounts.22
In the legislative and judicial departments the changes
made by the constitution were more radical and numerous.
The term of office of state senator was reduced from six
to four years. One-half of the Senate was to be elected
biennially, instead of one-third as formerly. The six-year
term was thought to be so long as to take away, in a meas-
ure, the responsibility of senators to the people, for their
conduct. No change was made in the mode of electing,
nor in the numbers of senators. Each county and Balti-
more City was given one senator.23 For the first time in
the history of the State, representation in the House of
Delegates was based on the aggregate population.24 This
principle extended only to the representation of the coun-
ties. Baltimore City was limited to four more delegates
than the largest county. Baltimore county was the most
populous county in the State. Its population in 1850, in-
cluding free black and slaves, was 41,589. The popula-
tion of Baltimore City was 169,012, a difference of 127,-
423 ."
The duty imposed upon the legislature to appoint two
commissioners to revise and codify the laws of the State
deserves to be noticed. There had long been need of a
proper codification. Several attempts had been made, but
without success.
Another salutary change in the constitution was the
provision that no bill should become a law unless it was
passed in each House by a majority of the whole number
of members elected, and unless, at its final passage, the ayes
and noes were recorded.26 Formerly a great number of
laws were passed by the silent assent of many of the mem-
bers of the legislature. No vote being recorded, the mem-
22 Art. ii, sec. 17. 23 Art. iii, sec. 2.
24 See ch. i, p. 17.
25 U. S. Census: Debates, vol. i, p. 287.
26 Constitution 1851, art. iii, sec. 19.
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