72                The Maryland Constitution of 1864.            t⁴¹⁸

tion, and had previously been little discussed in the State,
if at all.¹³⁵ The minority members of the Committee on
the Executive Department had brought in a report against
this new office¹³⁶ and although Mr. Smith of Carroll and a
few others of the majority members joined with the other
political faction in opposing the office as unnecessary, the
measure passed without much difficulty or delay.¹³⁷ Those
favoring it brought forth as the reasons for their action the
fact that the provision gave an additional popular feature
to the Constitution by making the people doubly secure of
the choice of their chief executive, and brought the Gov-
ernment of Maryland in line with those of a majority of the
states of the Union.¹³⁸ A move to abolish the office of
Secretary of State and combine its duties with those of
the Lieutenant-Governor was quickly defeated.¹³⁹

Another new state office created was that of Attorney-
General, which also was to a great extent an idea of the
Convention members.¹⁴⁰ This office had existed before
1851, but was abolished by the Constitution of that year.¹⁴¹
The reason for that action, as given by Judge Chambers,¹⁴²
who had been a member of the Convention which framed
the instrument, was not from any belief that the office was
unnecessary, but purely from personal considerations, hav-
ing relation to an individual who it was supposed was
going to obtain the office. There was now practically no
opposition in the Convention to its re-establishment, and
it was provided¹⁴³ that the Attorney-General be elected by
the people for a term of four years, that to be eligible he
must have resided and practiced law in the state for at
least seven years next preceding his election, and must
perform the usual duties required of such an officer. The
salary was $2500 a year. There was no change of any

¹³⁵ Authority of Mr. Joseph M. Cushing.         ¹³⁶ Proc., 448-9.

¹³⁷ Proc., 402-3. ¹³⁸ Deb., ii, 1317-9.               ^l39 Proc., 493.

¹⁴⁰ Authority of Mr. Joseph M. Cushing.                 

¹⁴¹ Art. 3, section 32. ¹⁴² Deb., iii, 1463.      ¹⁴³Art. v, sees. 1-6.