Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1851-01-29
MARYLAND REFORM CONVENTION.

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MARYLAND REFORM CONVENTION.
| ANNAPOLIS, Jan. le, 1851.
Mr.. Smith presented memorial praying that a
poll tax may be imposed, to be appropriated to the
purpose of Education. Referred to the Committee
on Education.
MIR. Merrick presented communication from
the Superintendent of the Census giving the white,
free black and slave population of Baltimore city,
and the several counties, except Carroll; ordered
to be printed.
| The Convention resumed the consideration of the
motion of Mr.. Randall, to amend the 18th Rule.
Mr.. r. explained the object of the amendment to
be, that when the previous question is demanded,
it shall be put only on the particular proposition
then pending, and not upon the whole subject mat
ter under consideration. The amendment was a.
greed to.
Mr.. Sellers then called up his proposed amend
ment to the 23d rule, viz ssExcept that part of
Goth which restricts members from speaking more
than twice on the same question, and to dispense
with taking the yeas and nays in the Committee
of the Whole.' This amendment was also agreed
to-yeas 36, nays %.
| Mr.. Fiery submitted resolution, that on and
after the 9th instant, the Convention will hold two
sessions day-commencing at 10 O'Clock A. NJ,
and o'clock, P. Nj. Messrs Fiery, Harbine,
and Stewart of Caroline spoke in favor of the
resolution, and Messrs. Buchanan and Kilgour in
opposition.
Pending this resolution, the hour arrived for TAX
ing up the order of the day. being the articles re-
ported by the Committee on the Elective Fran
! chise.
The question being on the proviso proposed yes
terday by MIR. Weber, to the substitute proposed on
the 18th by Mr.. Chambers, of Kent, as amended
yesterday on the motion of Mr.. Dorsey.
Mr.. Chambers withdrew said substitute, and Of
fered in lieu thereof the following:
| ''Every free white male person of 81 years of
age or upwards, who shall have been for one year
next preceding the election, resident of the State,
and for six months resident of the city of Balti-
more, Howard district, or any county in which he
may offer to vote, and being at the time of the elec
ton citizen of the United States, shall be entl
tied to vote in the ward or election district in which
he resides. in all elections hereafter to be held,
and at all such elections the votes shall be taken
by BALLOT
Mr. Stephenson moved to strike out sssix months -
in said amendment, and insert s'three months. -
Negatived
The amendment of Mr.. Chambers, of Kent, was
then agreed to.
On motion of Mr.. Chambers, of Kent, the said
section was amended by adding the following:
And in any county city shall be so di-
vided to form portions of different electoral dis
tricts &ar the election of Congressman, Senator.
Delegate or other officer officers, then to enttle
person vote for such officer he must have been
resident of that part of the county city, which
shall form part of the electoral district in which
he offers to vote, for six months next preceding
the election, but person who shall have acquired
residence in such county or city emitting him to
vote at any such election shall be entitled to vote
in the election district from which he removed un-
til he shall have acquired residence in the part
of the county or city to which he has removed
| Mr.. Jenifer moved to amend said section by add
ing "And that the Legislature may provide for
a uniform registration of the names of the voters
within the State of Maryland, which shall be tax
en- and held as the only evidence of the qualifca-
ton of said voters at any election which may here
after be held in the State.''
! Mr.. Ricaud moved to amend said amendment,
by adding after the word ssMaryland:'' "And from
time to time hereafter of all who may become such
qualified electors and by adding at the end the
following: s'Or some other uniform provision
whereby the legal and qualified electors may be
fully and truly ascertained, and the elective fran
chise protected from all fraud.
Mr. Kigour moved to strike out the word 'smay''
in the first line of Mr.. Jenifer's proposed amend
ment and insert 'sshal not
Pending these resolutions the committee rose.
On motion of Mr.. Chambers, of Kent the Con-
vention adjourned till Monday IL o'clock
/ Jan. 90, 1851.
On motion of Mr. Jenifer, Committee No. IA
was discharged from the consideration of an order
relating to the free colored population, and it was
referred to the committee on that subject.
The motion to reconsider the order authorising
the preparation of map of the counties, &C., was
withdrawn by Mr.. Weems, after some explanation
by Mr.. Thomas.
On motion Of Mr.. Stephenson, the Committee
on Corporations were directed to inquire as to linn
ting all corporation charters to 90 years. and re-
serving to the Legislature the right to repeal any
such charter at any time.
Mr.. McHenry submitted an order to terminate
the debate in Committee on Elective Franchise at
2 O'Clock Wednesday, when the voting shall COM
mence without debate, allowing FIVE minutes for
explanation Postponed till tomorrow.
The Convention in Committee of the Whole, pro-
ceeded to the order of the day, being the subject
of the Elective Franchise. The first amendment
proposed on Saturday by Mr.. Ricaud to the amend
ment offered by Mr.. Jenifer in regard to general
registration, Sc, accepted by Mr.. Jenifer.
The other amendment proposed by Mr. Ricaud
was rejected.
/ Mr.. J. U. Dennis moved to amend the amend
ment proposed by Mr.. Jenifer, by striking out
smay' and inserting ''shall so as to make it OBJ
lgatory on the Legislature to provide for gene
raj registration. Rejected.
Mr.. Morgan proposed to amend by providing
that the Legislature ought to pass laws as will as
certain the legal voters of the State and to protect
the Elective Franchise from fraud. Rejected
The amendment proposed on Saturday by Mr..
Kilgour, forbidding the Legislature to provide for
a registry of votes, Sc, was also rejected.
t All the propositions, so far, looking to general
regitration of votes, have been rejected The
Committee and the Convention adjourned