Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1850-04-15
CONVENTIONAL REFORM BILL.

| CONVENTIONAL REFORM BILL.
An act to provide for taking the of the people
! upon the expediency of calling a conventions to
| frame new constitution and form of government
for this State, and to provide for the election of
delegates to such convention.
Sec. l. Be it enacted by the General Assembly
OF Maryland, That for the purpose of ascertaining
the sense of the people of this State, to the expe
dlency of calling convention of delegates to be
lected by the people to frame constitution
and form OF government, except so far 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
1t is hereby recommended to the legal voters of this
state that on the second Wednesday in May next
and at the same places where county and city cleo
lions are now held, that every person entitled to
vote in the election Of delegates to the general
sembly, shall vote with reference to the question
ton proposed by this act, by expressing in writing
or IN printed form, the ballot he may cast, the
words "For Convention,' or the words ''Against
Convention, as the may be, and in case there
should be any ballots without the Designate here
inbeore prescribed, the same shall not be counted
either tor or against convention but separate
turn of the shall be made by the Judges of
election aforesaid, and it is also provided that
the sherffs of the several counties, of Howard Dis
trlc, and OF the city of Baltimore, shall give notice
OF the day which under the provisions of this act,
the people are recommended to ASSEMBLE to vote
tor or against the said convention in the
ner as notice is now given Of the election of dele
gates to the general assembly.
Sec. 2. And be it enacted, That it shall be the
duty of the several Judges of election of this State
to receive, accurately count, and duly return the
number OF ballots cast to the several clerks OF
the county courts of this State as the
required to be returned in the election ofmembers 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 ba lots
lgven for or against the call of a convention, and
the number of blank ballots cast in the same man
ner 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-
pliance with the existing election laws of this
:, State.
Sec. 8. And be it enacted That as soon as the
governor shall receive the returns 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, ma o.
lrty 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 herenbetore pre-
Iscrbed it shall appear to the governor, chancellor
and chief Judge Of tho court of appeals, ori-
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
ember eighteen hundred and fifty, for delegates to
the convention to form a 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
10 act, then the governor shall alone proceed to dis
lei, he mt fed n
Sec. 4. And be it enacted, That at the election to
be held for delegates to the convention, 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 for seat in the House of
Delegates, and each county and city of Baltimore
shall be entitled to the number of delegates to
the convention, as they now have respectively in
both houses of the General Assembly of Maryland
and it is also provided, that the sheriff of each
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 pubca-
ton at least once week for three weeks before the
period fixed by the provisions of this 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
semby, shall in all respects govern and apply to the
election of delegates to the said convention and the
said convention shall determine on the validity of
the election and qualification of its members.
Sec. 6. And be it enacted That the convention,
assembling 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 egI-
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 flushed, 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 ofDeegates; and the said
shall to nf olor yc
and other officers, as may be deemed necessary to
facilitate the transaction of the business of the
venton, and to bX 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 allowed by law to
members of the House of Delegates, as herein pro-
vided and shall also pay to the said clerks other
officers upon the order of the said PRESIDENT such
compensation as the said convention shall determine
to allow.
Sec. 7. And be it enacted, That if any vacancy
vacancies occur by death, resi- gnatlon other
WISE in either of the delegations herenbefore 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 vacancies may occur, shall, upon lntor-
nation thereof by said delegation, by the presi
dent of said convention, by the governor of the
State, Immediately issue public notice for special
election to be held at the usual places tor holding
elections in said county, Howard district, or Balti-
more city, in not less than five, nor more than ten
DAYS after said notGe for the purpose OF supplying
, said vacancy 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 "a
dopton or rejection, and the voters shall 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-
sttuon or "A ganst the new Constitution" hich
said ballots shall be counted by the judges of cleo
ton and the number Of ballots given or against