Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1851-02-12
MARYLAND REFORM CONVENTION.
ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 3, 1851.

ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 3, 1851.
The Convention having taken up the order o
Inc day, being the report of the Committee on De
claration of Rights, as made by MIR. Dorsey, tn,
first article of which declares
"Ihat all government of right originates from
the people, is founded in compact only, and nsti
tuted solely for the good of the whole.''
To this article Mr.. Freshman moved on thu
2Sth ult., the following amendment sAnd they
have at all times the unalienable right to alter
form or abolish their form of government, in sucl
manner as they may think expedient."
On the the 29th ult , Mr.. Chambers moved tc
amend said amendment by adding at the end there
of the following: ssAccordng to the mode autho
rzed by the Constitution or laws of the land y
The pending question being on the amendment
of Mr.. Chambers of Kent, to the amendment pro-
posed by Mr.. Freshman to the lst section of said
report.
Messrs. Freshman, Buchanan and Spencer, de-
bated these propositions, favoring the amendment
of MIR. Freshman. Mr.. Chambers, of Kent, com
menced in vindication of his proposition, when
without coming to any vote, the Convention ad-
journed.
Feb A, 1851.
The Convention.met at 10 o'clock this morning
under the order previously adopted, but the atten-
dance was rather slim, and after several motions
the hour for meeting was carried back to IL
O'Clock.
On motion, the order of the day taken up
being the articles reported to form the Declaration
of the Rights of the People of Maryland.
The pending question being upon the amend
ment offered by MIR. Freshman to the first section
of said report, proposed to be amended by Judge
Chambers, the latter gentleman being entitled to
the floor, concluded his speech commenced yes
terday
Mr.. Spencer spoke in reply, when Mr. Brent of
Baltimore, moved the previous question, but waiv-
ed it to enable Judge Chambers to withdraw his
amendment, in order to allow Mr. McLane to
move substitute therefor.
Mr.. McLane then moved the following substi-
tute, which Mr.. Freshman accepted
"Provision ought therefore to be made in the
constitution now to be formed, whereby the eXer-
else of such right at reasonable periods and in
rentional assemblies, would be secured and regu-
lated
MIR. Dorsey moved to amend said substitute by
inserting after ''they have,' 1st line, saccording
to the mode prescribed in this constitution and the
laws made in pursuance thereof"
The latter amendment was agreed to by yeas
and nays follows
Yeas. Messrs. Morgan, Blackstone, Dent,
Hopewell, Lee, Chambers of Kent, Mitchell, Do
madison, Dorsey, Wells, Randall, Kent, Weems,
Dalrymple, Bond, Sellers, Brent, of Charles, Mcr-
rick, Colston, John Dennis, Crisfeld, Dashic,
Williams, Godsborough, Eccleston. Phelps, Bow
lie, Sprigg, McCubbin, Spencer, Wright, Dirick-
son, McMaster, Hearn, Fooks, Jacobs, Fiery,
John Newcomer, Kilgour, Cockey-40.
.Nays.-Messrs. Jenifer, Buchanan, Bell, WEIGH,
Ridgely, Chambers, of Cecil, Miller, McLane,
Grason, George, Shriver, Sappington, McHenry,
Magraw, Nelson, Thawley, Hardcastle, Gwinn,
Stewart, of Baltimore city, Brent, of Baltimore
city, FRESHMAN, Ware, Jr., Brewer, Weber,
Holiday, Slicer, Fitzpatrick, Shower-2S.
Mr.. Dorsey then proposed further to amend Mr..
Presstman's proposition by inserting the following:
"Accordng to the mode prescribed in this Consti-
tuition and the laws made in pursuance thereof. -
The question on this amendment was taken and
resulted as follows:
Yeas.-Messrs. Chapman, president j Morgan,
Blackstone, Dent, Hopewell, Lee, Chambers, OF
Kent, Mitchell, Donaldson, Dorsey, Wells, Ran
dali, Kent, Weems, Dalrymple, Bond, Sellers
Brent of Charles, Merrick, John Dennis, Crstied
Dashiell Williams, Goldsborough Ecceston
Bowie, Phelps, Sprigg, McCubbin, Dirickson
Hearn, McMaster, Fooks, Jacobs, kilgour-35.
.Nays.-Messrs Jenifer, Buchanan, Bell, WEIGH
Ridgely, Colston, Chambers, of Cecil, Miller
McLane, Spencer, 'Grason, George, Wright
Shriver, Sappington, McHenry, Magraw, Nelson
ThawIey, HarGcastk, Gwm, Stewart OF Balti-
more city, Brent, of Baltimore city, Freshman
Ware, Jr., John Newcomer, Fiery, Brewer
Webb, Holiday, Scer, Fitzpatrick, Shower,
Cockey-34.
(Mr. Spencer said he voted in the affirmative
that he might move a reconsideration-several
members being absent.)
The article, as thus amended, was adopted.
Progressing with the articles of the Bill of
Rights, Mr.. kgour moved an amendment as in
the present Bill of Rights, declaring a poll tax
grievous and oppressive, which, after debate,
was adopted by vote of 81 to 81.
The articles, to section thirteen, were reached
{there being forty-one articles in all, when the
Convention adjourned.
Feb. 5, 1851.
Messrs. Dorsey and Donaldson presented petit
tons of citizens of Howard District that the
may be erected into county, to be called How
ard county. Referred to the select committee on
that subject.
The Convention then resumed the order of the
'day-being the report of the Committee on Decla-
ration of Rights.
The question being on the 18th article, as a.
mended yesterday on the motion of Mr.. kgour,
declaring poll taxes grievous and oppressive.
On motion of MIR. Donaldson, this article was
passed over informally.
The 18th, 18th, 10th, 18th, and 18th articles
were severally adopted.
MIR. Dirckson moved to amend the 10Th article
by adding thereto the following "And upon his
trial, his counsel shall have the privilege of max
ing the closing address to the court or jury
Mr. Dorsey moved to amend said amendment
by "gving the State the same right to challenge
Jurors that the accused has,. - This was rejected
ayes IS, nays AZ.
MIR. Dirickson's amendment was debated by
Messrs. Donaldson, Erickson, Jenifer, Brent, of
Baltimore, Chambers, of Kent, and Dorsey, when
the question was taken and the amendment adopt
ed BY yeas 43, nays 36.
Mr. Brent, of Baltimore, moved to amend said
article by adding thereto ''that in criminal trials
the jury shall decide the law as well the facts
in evidence, and the truth shall always be admis-
sable in evidence
Mr. Spencer moved the following amendment
thereto, which Mr.. B. accepted ''All questions
of law arising in the of trial to be explain
ed BY the court before his defence shall be stated
by counsel.
Mr. Freshman moved the following additional
amendment, which Mr.. B. also accepted "And
the court may determine what is evidence proper
TO 60 to the jury"
The question then taken on the said amend
ment of Mr.. Brent as amended by Messrs. Spen-
Ger and Freshman, and it was reiected-yeas %