Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1851-04-30
MARYLAND REFORM CONVENTION.
ANNAPOLIS, April 10, 1851.

from the committee on the judiciary, was resumed
The question Immediately before the Convention
being the amendment offered yesterday by MIR.
Donaldson, to the 5th section of the report made
by Mr.. Bowie.
Mr. Crisfield's substitute for said section, and
the following, offered by Mr.. Spencer, substi-
tute for said 9Th section and substitute, still pend
ing:
"The Court of Appeals shall consist of chief
justice and three assistant justices, any three OF
whom shall form quorum whose judgment shall
be final and conclusive in all cases of appeals and
who shall have like jurisdiction with the present
Court of Appeals of this State, and such other ur
isdicton as may hereafter be prescribed by the
General Assembly of Maryland. The Governor
for the time being, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, shall designate the chief
Justice Their salaries shall be respectively twen-
ty-fve hundred dollars per year, and shall not be
diminished during their continuance in office.
ssThe State shall be divided into four districts
Gas prescribed in the article creating a Board Of
Public Works,) and one person of integrity and
sound Judgment in the law, who shall have been
a citizen of this State at least five years, and
resident of the district, and not above the age Of
years, shall be appointed by the Governor
for the time being, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate from each of said districts,
as Judge of the said Court of Appeals, who shall
hold his office for the term of ten years from the
time of his appointment, until he shall have at
tanned the age of-years, whichever may first
happen, and be re-eligible thereto until he shall
have attained the age of-years, and not after
wards
1.-THE Judges of the Court of Appeals and of all
other courts in this State, during the term of their
appointment shall be subject to removal for incom
potency, in the neglect of duty, misdemeanor in
office, and such other causes as may be prescribed
by law, by presentment of the grand jury and con-
viction of petit jury of the county in which they
shall respectively reside, or by the Governor upon
the address Of the General Assembly, two-thirds
of the members of each house concurring in said
address.
MIR. Donaldson made speech in favor of his
amendment, and Mr.. Gwinn replied. Judge Dor
sey and Mr.. Spencer also made some remarks.
The question REQUIRED upon the adoption of Mr..
Donaldson's amendment, when MIR. ID. asked for
a division, and the vote was first taken upon the
mode of election reported by the committee.
Mr.. Spencer moved to adjourn, there were
but Ga members in attendance being out of order,
he moved to adjourn simply. Rejected-yeas 10.
nays SO.
Mr. Spencer then withdrew his substitute for
the present. Mr. Crisfeld Withdrew his substitute
also.
Some remarks were made by Messrs. Merrck,
Tuck, Phelps, Bowie and Hicks. The vote was
taken striking out, as proposed by Mr.. Donald
son, and it was rejected-yeas 90, nays As.
Mr.. Crsfeld moved SO to amend as to provide
for four districts instead of three-the Eastern
Shore counties to compose one district Allegany
Washington, Frederick, Carroll, Baltimore and
Hartford another Baltimore city another; and
Anne Arundel, Howard, Montgomery, Prince
Georges Calvert, Charles and St. Mary another.
Mr.. Dorsey moved an amendment, that the said
Judges Shall be citizens of the United States and
inhabitants of this State.
Pending these amendments the Convention ad-
journed.
April 81, 1851.
The Convention met this morning and resumed
the consideration of the subject of the judiciary,
the question being on Mr.. Crisfelds amendment
for four districts instead of three 1t was reject
ed, 80 to a.
The amendment of Mr.. Dorsey was also re-
.jected.
Amendments were proposed by Messrs. Stephen
son, Hicks, Dorsey, Dirickson and Fitzpatrick,
and rejected
MIR. Sellers proposed substitute to allow the
present system to remain, and comforting upon
the Legislature power to increase the judicial dis
tricts. Rejected-yeas Is, nays so.
On motion of Mr.. Welsh, the military commit
tee were directed to inquire as to imposing fine
for neglect, upon persons who refuse to perform
military duty, who are not exempted.
The Convention adjourned.
April %, 1851.
counties, reported (Mr. Harbine dssenting) in
favor of creating new county out of parts of Ere
derrick and Washington counties, by the name Of
Lee, whenever ma jority of voters within the
limits of said proposed new county are in favor
thereof, and that until the next said county
shall have one Senator and two Delegates-the
latter to be deducted, one from Frederick and one
from Washington county.
Mr. Shriyer presented a petition of sundry citi
Zens of said counties, adverse to such new county.
MIR. Sellers, chairman of the select committee
to which the communication of the Governor in
regard to the demand of the Governor of Pennsyl
vania for J. S. Mitchell, was referred, made re-
port fully ustifying the Governor of this State in
his refusal to deliver up Mitchell, and that the
Attorney General institute such proceedings as
will bring to the notice of the Supreme Court of
the U. States the of the two agents of Mitch
ell convicted in Pennsylvania of kidnapping, for
aiding Mitchell in the capture of his slaves, and
that 900 copies of the correspondence between
the Governors of Maryland and Pennsylvania on
this subject be printed.
The special order of the day-being the report
of the committee on the judiciary department, was
then resumed.
motion being made by Mr.. Hicks, that the
Judges shall not be reelgible, long debate arose,
The amendment was reiected-yeas 40, nays IS.
On motion of MIR. Chambers. Of Kent, the vote
of the Convention on the amendment of MIR. Girls
field to have four districts instead of three, was
Mr.. Thomas offered substitute therefor for
four districts instead of three-the districts to be
the same as those laid off in the article creating
Board of Public Works. Adopted-50 to 81.
Mr.. Gwnn moved so to amend as to elect said
Judges by general ticket, and not by districts At
ter debate thereon by Messrs. Gwinn, Spencer,
Johnson, Brent, (of Baltimore, y and Thomas, the
amendment was rejected-13 to SO, and the Con-
yention adjourned.
April %. 1851.
The report and resolutions submitted by Mr..
Sellers yesterday in regard to j. S. Mitchell and
his agents in the recovery of his slaves were taken
up and adopted.
The Convention then took up the Judiciary Re-
port. Mr.. Stephenson moved an amendment for
classification of said Judges into four classes Of
g, 8, 6, and 8 years. Rejected.
Mr.. Biser moved that the salary of each Judge