405]           The Maryland Constitution of 1864.              59

proposition, was'finally reconsidered and defeated on Sep-
tember 2. The yeas and nays were demanded in the vote
on the main proposition and showed that a number of the
minority were now against it, the cause of this change
being in all likelihood the same as that given by Mr.
Chambers, who now opposed the proposition as "encum-
bered with loyalty oaths."⁸⁵

From the above results of the action on the slavery and
emancipation questions it can be seen that although the
minority skilfully advocated one point after another, and
tried their best to secure some of the old privileges from
the general ruin that threatened them, they were over-
powered and defeated on every point of importance, and
had only the poor consolation of a vague chance of na-
tional compensation which after all never came to pass.

A second great question involved in the Declaration of
Rights, and one which vitally affected several of the pro-
visions of the Constitution, was that of allegiance to the
United States. The report of the committee contained
the following as Article 4⁸⁶—"the Constitution of the
United States, and the laws made in pursuance thereof,
being the supreme law of the land, every citizen of this
state owes paramount allegiance to the Constitution and
Government of the United States, and is not bound by any
law or ordinance of this state in contravention or subver-
sion thereof."

This declaration, enjoining upon the citizen a proper
allegiance to the Constitution of the United States, which
presupposes allegiance to the Government when constitu-
tionally conducted, thus contained in addition the danger-
ous principle of absolutely denying any original or inherent
rights on the part of the State of Maryland, which would
enable it to make the least opposition to any acts the
National Government might see fit to commit. While the

⁸⁵ Proc., 689-91; Deb., iii, 1797-1800.

⁸⁶ Proc., 58. (Article 5 in Constitution as adopted.)