The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1858-05-08
Caws af 1flarnlan0.
PUBLISHED By AUTHORITY.
rXECUT1vE DEPARTMENT, A

HoVerhor directs tue puDllCatioh VI Tie SaIne,
with is entitled:
AN ACT to prorids for the taxing Of he sense
ofthe people upon The crpediency Of eaAi.g
Convention 10 frame Il Ncw Constitution and
Form Of Government 70, his STATE. and 10
pror,dc for the election Of Delegates 10 sad
Convention.
WHEREAS, experience has demonstrated the
existence Of many and serious defects in
the present Constitution OF this State, and
ii is necessary that the people should have
speedy relief from the inconrenicnceS
arising therefrom; Therefore,
SECTION |. Be IL enacted by The General u.s.
| sen,bly Of Maryland, That for the purpose of
asccrtaining the sense Of the people Of this
State, rs to the cxpediency of calling u con-
vcntion ofDelegatcs to be elected by the peo-
pie to frame a new Constitution md Form of
Government, it is hereby provided that on
the fourth Wednesday of May next, and at
the same places where city and county cleo
tons are now held by law for the election of
Delegates to the House Of Delegates, that
every person entitled to vote in the election
of Delegates to the General Assembly, shall
be entitled ~ vote with reference to the
question of a convention to frame New
Constitution and Form of Government, by
expressing in writing or in printed form on
| the ballot that he may cas-, the words " For
| vention," as the case may be, and in case
there be any blank ballots cast at said cleo
ton, the same shall not be counted the
| sheriff Of the several counties and the city Of
| Baltimore, shall give notice Of the day on
| Which by the provisions Of this act. the peo-
| pie are to vote for or ag2inst the said conven-
| tion, in the same manner as notice is now
given of the election of Delegates to the
General Assembly.
J.II l.. T..
| the duty of the several judges Of election of
this State, who shall be appointed in the same
manner as in cases of judges Of election for
Delegates to the General Assembly, to re-
| ceive, accurately count and duly return the
number of ballots so cast for and against
convention, as the case may be, to the clerks
| OF the circuit courts, respectively, in the
| several counties of this State, and to the
clerk OF the superior court Of Baltimore city,
| as the same are now required to be returned
| in the election of Delegates to the House OF
| Delegates ; and the several clerks aforesaid
| shnil make return to the Governor, within
| twenty days after said election, OF the num-
Der OF ballots given for and against the call
| of convention, in the same manner as they
return the number of ballots in the case of
| the election for the Governor of this State
and the laws regulating the return for the
election of said Governor, shall regulate
| govern and apply to the vote taken by the
| provisions OF this act.
| SEC. 3. .1n1 be enacted, That as soon as
the Governor shall receive the returns as
| aforesaid, of the number of ballots cast in
this State for and against a convention, it
| shall be duty Of said Governor to count and
cast up the same, and if upon counting and
casting up the returns as made to him, it
shall appear to the Governor that majority
OF the ballots cast are favor of call Of
convention, the Governor shall issue his
proclamation announcing the result to the
people Of the State, and ordering an election
to be held in the several counties of this
State. and in Baltimore city, on the second
Wednesday Of October, eighteen hundred
and hfty-eight, for Delegates to the conven-
ton to frame New Constitution and Form
OF Government
SEC. 4 Ind b. il enacted, That at the cleo
ton to be held for Delegates to tho conven-
ton as prescribed in the third section of this
act, the legal voters shall, by ballot, elect
Delegates to a convention and each county
and Baltimore city, shall be entitled to the
same number Of Delegates to the convention
S they now have respectively in both Houses
of the General Assembly Of Maryland; and
the laws relating to the election of Delegates
to the General Assembly, shall in III aspects
govern and apply to the election of Dele gates
to the said convention, and the said conven-
ton shall determine on the validity of the
election and qualification of its members
and any legal voter shall be eligible to a seat
in said convention.
SEC S. find be ii enacied, That the Dele
gates elected to said convention, shall meet
at the city of Annapolis, on the first We'd
ncsday of January, eighteen hundred and
tifty-ninc, and shall continue in session until
the business for which they we're convened
shall ha fullv .,pnnpefed and Enio hod
the compensation Of said Delegates to said
| convention shall be four dollars per day dur
| ing the session thereof, and the mileage now
| allowed by law to members of the House of
Delegates; and said convention shall have
power to appoint such clerks and other
officers as may be necessary to facilitate the
business Of said convention, and the compen-
sation Of said clerks and other offices Shall
be the same as is now paid to similar clerks
| and officers OF the House Of Dele gates; and
tho said sum of four dollars per day, and the
mileage aforesaid to each Delegate to said
convention. and the pay aforesaid Of tho said
| clerks and other officers Of said convention
shall be paid to them respectively, in the
same way and manner as the per diem and
mileage of Delegates to, and pay of clerks
and other officers Of the House Of Dele gates
are now paid.
Sec. 6. .and be il enacted, That if any va
Caucy UT vacancies occur by dt ath, rcSlgna-
ton or otherwise, in either Of the dele cations
! hereinbefore provided for, either before or
after the qualification of said delegates, the
sheriff of the county, or of the city of Balti-
more, in whose delegation the vacancy or
vacancies may occur, shall, upon the order
Of the Governor of this State, if the conven-
ton shall not yet have assembled, or on the
warrant Of the President of said convention,
if said convention shall have assembled, i'm
mediatcly issue pubic notice for holding
special election to be held at the usual places
for holding elections in the county, or Balti-
more city, as the case may be, in not less
than five, nor more than ten days after said
notice, for the purpose Of supplying said
vacancy or vacancies.
Sec. 7. find be ii enacted, That in the case
of refusal or neglect Of any of the judges of
election, or of any clerk OF the court, or
sheriff Of any county, or Of Baltimore city,
to make any Of the returns, or perform any
of the duties required Of them respectively,
by the provisions of this act, such Judge,
clerk or sheriff so refusing Or neglectng,
shall be liable to indictment for such offence,
and upon conviction thereof, shall be SEN
fenced to a fine Of not less than five hundred
dollars, and to imprisonment in the Jail of
the county or city where such offence NAV
be committed, for term Of not less than s'a4 b