Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1849-12-12

looked to the legislature, and to the legisla-
ture alone, with delegated powers from the
people to do all tina, might be required on
that subject. And, sir, will the gentleman
say that our ancestors, who framed tina,
constitution and bill of rights, were not as
vigilan. of the peoples rights as we, their
defendants, are at the presen. day? Were no,
the men of the revolution, sir, quite as zeal
ously engaged in the cause Of popular lib-
erty as we are now? RecoIIec,, sir, they
were engaged in the mos. glorious struggle
that ever animated the bosoms of men,
Their cause YVES empha,icalIy the cause oil
popular freedom. In state of resistance to
the government that then bound them. In
the act of throwing off the old, and establish
ing new form Of government for them
selves, who so likely to have studied more
thoughly, or to have imbibed more largely
the principles Of human rights than these
same men Of the revolution Sir, com
mend the silence Of such men on the sub
ject Of reform by convention Of the peo-
pie, to the discreet and sober consideration
Of gentlemen on the other side. Conven-
tlonal reform were not words, sir, to be found
in their vocabulary.
But, sir, the gentleman from Baltimore
city, in his zeal to discover new sources
of power for the people in the for,y-second
article of the bill of rights, entirely over
looks the restrictions and limitations to thai
power, to be found in the ffty-ninth of the
constitution itself. That article declares
shat this form Of government aid the de-
clara,ion of rights, and no part thereof, shall
be altered, changed or abolished, unless q
bill so to alter, change or abolish the same
shall pass the general assembly, &C. &c.
1t then goes on to prescribe the manner in
which, and in which only, the general as.
semb!y shall alter, change or abolish any
part Of either Of them. 1t contains also a
provision, in the event that any changes OIL
alterations are made by the general assem-.
bly,, that such amendments shall be submit
ted to the people for their ratification or re.
lection through the action of succeeding
legislature. Now. sir, said Mr.. B.. this Ian.
guage Is directed not to the general assem-
bly, only. 1t addresses itseif to the whole
people, and 10 every department and portion
OF The government. 1t not only prescribes
and and directs, in accordance with the pro.
visions OF The iorty-second article of the
DILL Or nights, "the manners in which the
legislature shall make changes and aItera.
lions, but it goes still further. 1t declares
that no changes and alterations shall be
made, unless they be made blythe legislature
and in the mode prescribed. No changes
shall be made by the people-none by any
other department of government none
even by the legislature itself, bu. in the man
ner prescribed. ask the gentleman if words
more clearly expressing a denial of powers
to the people, on the subject of reforming
the constitution, could have been used p
This article is not, as the gentleman srp-
poses and has argued, a mere designation
"of The manner" in which the general as
sembly shall make amendments TO the con-
sti,u,ion. Blu, it is prohibi,ory Of every
other mode Of change-prohibi,ory to the
egislalure-prohibi,ory to the people-and
prohibitory of every other power or mode
of amendment. It's language is general and
comprehensive, and embraces every form
and variety of power to which the subiec,
matter Of amendment could appropriately
belong. Then, sir, with what semblance oil
reason can the gentleman and his political
friends upon this floor call upon this general
assembly. in violation of this provision OIL
the constitution, to sanction or adopt any
other mode of amending the constitution
than the one there specifically designated
Do they not know that we are bound BY
the solemnily Of our oalhs to support ant
TO maintain the constitution as it is? Sir
with my understanding Of this article of the
CONSTITUENCIES find it there written dowr
not yet altered or ct,anged-but blazing on
in letters Of living light do solemnly de-
clare that should consider myself as hav
ing committed that most foul and damnabit
of all sins-foul and damnable, both in the
sight of God and man-the sin of perjury
were vote for the bill in the form in which
it now lies on your table. With other gen
ilemen's conscences, sir, have nothing Il
dol will not cali in question their sens
of proprie,y, nor will suffer myself Il
doubt for moment the purity Of purpose
which has induced them to bring forward
such bill for the deliberate sanction of the
general assembly.
Mr.. B. said he agreed with the gentleman
that the people had some powers which the
legislature had not. But when he spoke o.
the powers of the legislature, he spoke Of
their constitutional powers, such as they
might rightfully exercise under and by vir-
tue Of the constitution Of the State. We
were, it was true, the representatives Of The
people-sent here with powers delegated
by them, but our powers, as representatives
of the peonle. were limited and Defined
As a legislature, we had no right to do any
thing tina, as forbidden by the constitution.
Sir, if gentlemen propose to do any thing
more than what may righlfully be done,
under this constitution, let Them do SO Let
them 60 forth, and invoke the mountains
and the hills, the waters and the floods, and
all the elements to their aid Let them call