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52 The Maryland Constitution of 1864. [398
tion and its workings as a whole, we now come to the far
more important consideration of the results as shown in
the new Constitution submitted to the people.
The first report made by the standing committees having
in charge the various provisions for the Constitution was
that on the "Declaration of Rights" on May 12.52 As
reported, and, in fact, as finally adopted, it was largely
identical with the original "Bill of Rights" adopted in
1776, and incorporated in the Constitution of 1851.53
The consideration of the report was immediately begun,
and consumed more time than any other part of the Con-
stitution, occupying the larger part of the first half of the
entire session of the Convention, for it settled some of the
questions that had helped to influence the call for a new
Constitution.
Foremost in importance was the new article of the report,
which abolished slavery in Maryland, providing that "here-
after in this state, there shall be neither slavery nor invol-
untary servitude, except in punishment of crime, whereof
the party shall have been duly convicted; and all persons
held to service or labor as slaves, are hereby declared
free."54 This article was reached on June 17, and was hotly
debated for a week. It is hardly necessary to review the
various speeches, as the usual arguments were set forth by
both sides, and though most ably presented, were largely
a re-statement of those heard throughout the nation during
the preceding hundred years. For instance, the minority
would absolutely justify slavery by long quotations from
the Bible, and the majority, on the other hand, would in-
sist that the American slave system differed radically from
that acknowledged by the Scriptures. In addition, these
latter members denounced the institution as immoral, un-
just, and an incubus upon the life of the state. Ancient
52 Proc., 58-64. (The minority report was defeated.)
53 Deb., i, 185.
54 Article 23 in report, Article 24 in t he Constitution as adopted.
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