Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1851-04-16
MARYLAND REFORM CONVENTION
ANNAPOLIS, April S, 1851.

ri Ak LAND kEFORM CON VEN Jun .
ANNAPOLIS, April S, 1851.
The President announced the appointment of the
following committee of revision under the order "a
dopted yesterday-Messrs. Tuck, Grason, Cham
bers of Kent, Randall and Magraw
The Convention then proceeded with the uBfin-
lshed portions of the Legislative report.
MIR. Brent, of Baltimore, had moved yesterday
to amend said report by adding at the end thereof
as an additional section, the following:
cit shall be the duty of the General Assembly at
its first session after the adoption of this consttu-
ton, to regulate by law, the time of holding cleo
tions for Senators of the United States, that the
said elections shall not take place earlier than at
the regular sessions of the General Assembly next
preceding the commencement of the Senatorial
term to be filed, and the said time when so
fixed, shall not be altered by any subsequent
law
Mr. Bowie, moved to amend said amendment
by adding at the end thereof the following:
sAnd it shall be the duty of the General Assem-
bly, to lay off the State ntosx Senatorial districts,
and to pass such laws will ensure the alternate
election of Senator from each of said dis
tricts, as the vacancies therein may respectively
occur
The question being on The amendment offered by
MIR. Bowie, the proposition was argued by Mr..
Chambers, of Kent, and Mr.. Howard up to the
hour Of adjournment.
April 7, 1851.
The Convention met, but there being noyuorum
an town, those present adjourned.
April 8, 1851.
The Convention met, and resumed the conside-
ration of the order of the day, being the unfinished
portions Of the report of the Legislative Committee.
The question being on the amendment of MIR.
Bowie, requiring the Legislature to lay off the
State into six districts for the election of u. S.
Senators, MIR. Bowie so altered his amendment as
to make two districts instead of six-one of which
to be the Eastern, and the other the Western
Shore.
Mr.. Chambers, of Kent, moved to make it re-
commendatory to the Legislature instead of posi-
lively, but withdrew it.
Messrs. GwinD, Chambers, of Kent, Bowie
Thomas, Stewart, of Caroline, and others, ad-
dressed the Convention. The last named gentle
man offered amendment, that it be recommend
ed to the Legislature to select the u S. Sena-
tors as that one shall always be from the Western
and one from the Eastern Shore, instead of max
ing it a requirement.
MIR. Bowie asked for division of the question:
and it was first put upon striking out his amend
ment, and the Convention agreed to strike out.
The question recurring on the amendment pro-
posed by Mr. Brent, of Baltimore on Friday, it was
rejected The Convention then adjourned.
April 9, 1851.
NJ. Stephenson offered an order that the Con-
vention hereafter meet at 9 o'clock, 4. NJ, and
o'clock, P. M.
On motion of Mr.. Ware, o'clock was stricken
out, and 10 inserted, and the order adopted-yeas
SO, nays %.
The Legislative report coming up, the question
being on the substitute offered by Mr.. Sprgg for
the 10Th section in regard to impeachments requir-
Ing ''two-thirds" for an Impeachment, and the "a
mendment of Mr.. McHenry to strike out sstwo-
thirds and insert ''majo rity.' The amendment
was rejected and the substitute adopted.
The 23d section then read, regulating the
creation of new counties, specifying the number
of inhabitants they shall contain, Sc
On motion of Mr.. J. Newcomer, the first blank
was filled with 1000 MIR. McMaster moved to
fill the second blank with $4,000. Mr. Phelps
moved to fill with $4,000. The motion of MIR
On motion of Mr.. John Newcomer the vote fill
ing the first blank with 5000 was reconsidered,
and on his futher motion, 1T filled wall 20 900
by vote Of 90 to 90, Mr.. Smith giving notice of
motion to reconsider, and Mr.. Phelps of his inten-
ton to move to reconsider the article dividing AL
legany county.
MIR. McMaster gave notice Of a motion to recon-
slider the article creating Howard county
Mr.. Phelps then offered the amendment to said
section, OF which he gave notice on Friday Mr.
Schley moved to strike out the proviso rejected
Mr.. McHenry offered a substitute that all new
counties hereafter created shall have population
which will entitle itata.ia members, and leave
population in the counties divided to entitle them
also to members. New counties to be thus Gre
ated whenever majority of the voters of the
COunLeS TO Ue OlVaueO, through the ballot box
may be prescribed by the Legislature, declare in
favor thereof-the division to be made by Com
missiOners elected by the voters of the counties
proposed to be divided.
Mr.. Dorsey moved proviso to require the acts
of two successive sessions to create new counties.
The substitute of Mr.. McHenry was rejected.
and the amendment of Mr. Phelps adopted Said
section was then rejected.
Mr.. Blackstone offered section that the Le-
gislature carry out in good faith the several acts
and resolutions in regard to the school fund.- and
the revenue from the State s internal improvement
stock
Amendments were offered thereto BY Messrs
Gwinn and Brent, of Baltimore, and rejected
That of Mr.. Brent provided that the distribution
be so made as to return to each county and BaHi-
more city, the amounts contributed by them, and
distribute the residue according to white popula-
ton for educational purposes.
The section Of Mr. Blackstone was then adopted
by vote of 46 to 16
April IL, 1851.
Mr.. McMaster moved to reconsider the article
creating Howard county. Rejected, Is to 49,
Mr. Brown gave notice of motion to reconsider
the 18th section, and Mr. Donaldson of the 4th
section Of the Legislative report
The Convention next took up the report of the
executive committee. The pending question be-
ing the additional section offered by Mr. McHenrv
to give to the Governor the veto power He ad-
dressed the convention IN support of his section,
adducing number of authorities, showing the ne
cessity of confding such power to the Eexecu-
tive. The section was rejected by vote of "a to
Al.
On motion of Mr.. Davis, the Convention. recon-
sidered its vote on the section offered by Mr..
Ridgy to the Legislative report, and adopted, re-
4uring the legislature to provide salaries for the
clerks and registers in lieu of fees and perquistes
On motion OF Mr. Bowie, said report and amend
ment postponed till the action is had on the
Judiciary report.
The Convention took up the report made by Mr..
Sellers, chairman of the committee on future a.
mendments and revisions of the constitution. on
the Sd instant.
Mr.. fitzpatrick offered as substitute, the report
made BY him from the m inrf1r of