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32 CITIZENSHIP AND SUFFRAGE I.N.31ARYLAIND.
After the election, the judges should count the votes and have tile clerks
attest the result, and on the second day in the counties, and the next day
in
Baltimore, the -presiding; judges must appear with the poll-hooks and
ballot-box, and having counted the vote of the county, declare the result.
If the presiding judge be sick, another judge, or any one present at the
close of
the election, may take his place."'
AVe now have seen the old election system of the State fully formed and
mast pass more rapidly through the later history of suffrage. Indeed, tile
changes were few for a number of years. In 1810, the a.noma.ly2 of granting
certain inhabitants of Annapolis a dual vote was dune away with ; in 187:),
the judges were empowered to swear3 any intending voter to answer their
queries truly. In 1838, betting at elections was forbidden, the fines
arising
therefrom to go to the school fund.'
The State was first Federalist in its political tendencies, then
Republican,°'
until the infamous mob of 1812 excited a reaction. From 1820 to 1860 it was
a close State, with sympathies in general a little stronger towards tile
AVlligs.
In 1810, attempts were made to alter the Constitution, so as to elect
the Governor and Council by the people ; but they were successfully opposed
by the Federalists, on the ground that it would throw tile wMule government
into the hands of Baltimore, which, with her 62,000 people, one-third of
them
foreigners, could, by voting for any candidate, carry the State. A like
prejudice prevented the increase of Baltimore's representation.
-The Legislature' of 1825, indeed, was induced to pass an Act providing
that the Governor should be elected by the people front the Eastern and
Western Shores of the Chesapeake alternately, that the President of tile
Senate should open and count the votes for Governor sent hint from the
presiding judges of election in each county. From the two men receiving tile
greatest number of votes, the Legislature, by majority vote, were to choose
a.
Governor to serve for three years. In case the position should become
vacant.
during that term, there should be a new election at the time of the next
election for Delegates.
Another law," enacted abort this time, shows clearly how completely the
election districts had taken the place of the old hundreds. The boundaries
of the latter, "by vacating old roads, opening new ones and other causes,"
we are told, are in great measure obliterated and forgotten," and therefore,
constables, henceforth, are to be chosen from election districts instead of
hundreds.
(i) Returns of delegates and senatorial electors were to he sent to the
Governor and duplicate made be clerk
of County Court also to be sent him. Ties were all decided be lot, ride
183.5, ch. V. Speaker of House of Delegates
issued trarrant for election when vacancy occurred within, Statute of 1823,
ell. 213.
(2) Art. 15, Amendt. Statute of 1809, ch. LSSSIII ; Statute of 1810, ch.
LS\SIII.
(3) Statute of 1819, ell. CLaaI\'. In force.
(4) Still in force.
(5> The tinequal system of representation caused great discontent, as may
be seen in the columns of Niles'
Register, e, g., wol. V, p 2;2 (1818). There was a famous contested
election in Allegany county that year.
i6) Scharfs :1Id., III, 198.
(7) Statute of 1825,ch.13-,.
(R) Statute of 1824, ch. 140.
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