CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF MARYLAND

State House
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

301-269-0161

H. VERNON ENEY
PRESIDENT

November 1, 1968

To HIS EXCELLENCY, SPIRO T. AGNEW, Governor of Maryland:
To THE HONORABLE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND:

To THE HONORABLE, THE DELEGATES To THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
OF MARYLAND OF 1967-1968:

To THE PEOPLE OF MARYLAND:

On behalf of the Constitutional Convention of Maryland of 1967-1968, I
have the honor to present this volume showing in parallel columns a section-by-
section comparison of the present Constitution of the State of Maryland adopted
originally in 1867 and amended many times since, with the proposed Constitution
of 1968 adopted by the Constitutional Convention on January 10, 1968.

Although the proposed Constitution was rejected by the people at the special
election held on May 14, 1968, so that the Constitution of 1867 remains in effect,
nevertheless a useful purpose will be served by this detailed comparison of the two
constitutions. The consensus of opinion is that there were many provisions of the
proposed Constitution which, if presented separately, would have been adopted by
the people and the fact remains that the present Constitution is still very much in
need of a thoroughgoing revision. In recognition of this fact, a special legislative
committee on constitutional revision appointed by the Legislative Council is pres-
ently conducting a study of constitutional revision by means of legislatively pro-
posed amendments. This volume comparing the present and the proposed Constitu-
tions will be of considerable help to this and other committees of the General As-
sembly, to other interested groups and to the people of the State of Maryland
generally.

Obviously, a comparison of two documents as dissimilar in many respects,
and particularly in structure and form, as the present Constitution and the pro-
posed Constitution of 1968 has presented many difficulties and in some instances
an exact comparison in parallel columns has been impossible. Nevertheless, the
attempt has been made and it is believed that the resulting product has been worth
the effort.

Respectfully submitted,

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
OF MARYLAND OF 1967-1968

H. VERNON ENEY

President

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