Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1850-04-10
CONVENTIONAL REFORM BILL.

delegates to such convention.
Sec l. Be it enacted by the General Assembly
of Maryland, That for the purpose of ascertaining
the of the people of this State to the expe-
diency of calling convention of delegates to be G.
lected by the people to frame new constitution
and form of government, except so far as regards
the rights and relations existing between master
and slave as now established and sanctioned by the
constitution and form of government of this State,
it is hereby recommended to the legal voters of this
state that on the second Wednesday in May next,
and at the places where county and city cleo
tons are now held, that every person entitled to
vote in the election of delegates to the general as
Isembly, shall vote with reference to the question
ton proposed by this act, by expressing in writing
or in printed form, on the ballot he may cast the
words ''For Convention" or the words "Agalnst
Ia Convention the may be, and in case there
should be any ballots without the designation here
inbefore prescribed, the shall not be counted
either for against convention but separate re-
turn of the same shall be made by the Judges OF
election aforesaid, and it is also provided that
the shers of the several counties, OF Howard Dis
trict and of the city of Baltimore shall give notice
of the day on which under the provisions of this actr
the people are recommended to ASSEMBLE to vote
for or against the said convention in the same man
ner notice is now given OF the election OF dele
gates to the general assembly.
Sec. 2. Ard be it enacted, That it shall be the
duty Of the several of election of this State
number Of ballots SO cast to the several clerks OF
the county courts of this State the now
required to be returned in the election ofmenbers to
the House of Delegates, and the several clerks a.
foresaid shall make return to the Governor with
in ten days after said election the number of ballots
given for against the call of a convention, and
the number of blank ballots cast in the same man
ner as they return the number of ballots for the
governor of this State, and the laws regulating
the returns for the said governor, shall regulate,
govern and apply to the vote recommended to
be taken by the provisions of this act, and judge
or Judges Of election failing to comply with the
provisions of this act, shall be liable to the same
penalties as he or they would be by the non-com-
pance with the existing election laws of this
State.
Sec g. And be it enacted, That as soon as the
governor shall receive the ree hs of the number
of ballots cast in this State for against conven-
vention and blank ballots cast it shall be the duty
of the governor, the chancellor of this State, and
the chief Judge of the court of appeals, or majo-
riy of them to proceed to count and cast up the
same and if upon casting up the returns made to
him by the judges of election as hereinbefore pre-
scrbed, it shall appear to the governor, chancellor
and chiefudge Of tho court of appeals or MAORI
ty of The said officers that majority of legal voters
of the State in favor of call of convention,
the governor shall issue his proclamation ordering
an election to be held in the several counties and
city of Baltimore on the first Wednesday of Sep
TENDER, eighteen hundred and fifty, for delegates to
the convention to form new constitution and form
of government in such manner and under such re-
gulations as are hereinafter provided Provided,
That if the chancellor and chief judge shall refuse
to act then the governor shall alone proceed to dis
charge the duties specified in this section.
Sec. a. And be it enacted, That at the election to
be held for delegates to the convention as prescrib-
ed in the third section of this act the legal voters
shall proceed, by ballot to elect delegates to the
convention, whose qualifications shall be the same
as those now required fer q seat IN the House of
Delegates and each county and city of Baltimore
shall be entitled to the same number of delegates to
the convention, as they have respectively in
both houses of the General Assembly of Maryland;
and it is also provided, that the sheriff Of each coun
ty Of Howard District, and ofthe city Of Baltimore,
shall give notice that the vote is to be taken to
convention as hereinbefore provided for by publca-
ton, at least week for three weeks before the
period fixed by the provisions oft act for holding
Of the same.
Sec. 5. And be it enacted, That the laws rela-
ting to the election of delegates to the General AS
sembly, shall in all respects govern and apply to the
election of delegates to the said convention and the
said convention shall determine the validity of
the election and qualification of its members.
Sec. 6. And be it enacted, That the convention,
in accordance with the call ofthe people,
and this act of assembly, shall meet at the city OF
Annapolis on the first Monday of November eigll-
teen hundred and fifty, and the said convention shall
continue in session from day to day, until the bust
ness for which they have been convened, shall be
fully completed and finished, and the compensation
of the delegates to the said convention shall be four
dollars day, and the mileage now allowed by law
to members of the House of Delegates; and the said
convention shall have power to appoint such clerks
and other officers, as may be deemed necessary to
facilitate the transaction of the business of the
vention, and to fix their compensation and that the
Treasurer of the State of Maryland shall pay upon
the order of the President of said convention, to
each member thereof, the said sum Of four dollars
per day, and the mileage now allowed by law to
members of the House of Delegates, as herein pro-
vided and shall also pay to the said clerks or other
officers, upon the order of the said President, such
as the said convention shall determine
to allow.
Sec. 7. And be it enacted, That if any vacancy
or vacancies by death, resignation, or other
wise, in eitherof the delegations hereinbefore pro-
vided for either before after the qualification of
said delegates, the sheriff of the county, Howard
district or Baltimore city, in whose delegation such
vacancy or vacancies may occur, shall, upon lnfor-
nation thereof by said delegation, by the presi
dent of said convention, or by the governor of the
State Immediately issue public notice for special
election to be held at the usual places for holding
elections in said county, Howard district, or Bat
more city, in not less than five, more than ten
days after said notice, for the purpose of supplying
said vacancy or vacancies.
Sec. s. And be it enacted, That the constitution
reported and adopted by the convention assembled
as aforesaid. shall on the first Wednesday of June,
eighteen hundred and fifty one, be submitted to the
legal and qualified voters of the State, for their
doption rejection, and the voters shall on their
ballots, plainly designated, express their assent or
dissent TO the adoption of the constitution, submit
ted to them by the following words, written or
printed on their ballots, to wit "For the new Con-
stitution" or against the new Constitution" which
said ballots shall be counted by the judges of cleo
ton, and the number of ballots given for against
the adoption of the said constitution submitted to
the people by the convention, shall be returned to
the governor Of the State of Maryland, by the clerk
aforesaid. within thirty days after the time Of hold
ing the election, and in there shall he any bal