St. Mary's beacon., 1858-05-13
GBY AUTHORTTY.1
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
.7nnGpOlis, .7Dri l5fh 1853.

.7nnGpOlis. .1prd l5th 1853.
IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE RE-
H. quiTements of the act subioined, which
| passed az the January session. 1853. Of the
General Assembly, chapter 255, the Govern
or directs the publication OF the same, which
IS entitled:
AN ACT to provide for taking the sense Of
! the people upon the expedency of calling
Convention 30 frame a New Constitution
and Form of Government for this State,
and TO provide for the election Of Delegates
to said Convention.
WHEREAS, experience has demonstrated the
existence of many and serious defects in
the present Constitution Of this State, and
u is necessary that the people should have
| speedy relief frOm the Inconvenience aris-
ing ihereirom; Therefore,
SECTION |. Be Il enacted by the General
.4ssenIbLy # Maryland, That for the purpose
of ascerlaIning the sense of the people OF this
State, as 20 the expediency OF calling a Con-
VentiOn of Delegates to BE- elected by the peo-
| pie 10 frame a new Constitution and Form
Of Government. II 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 10 the House Of Delegates, that ev-
cry person entitled 10 vote in the election of
Delegates TO the General Assembly. shall be
entitled TO vote with reference To the question
OF Convention TO frame a new Constitution
and Form OF Government, by expressing in
writing or in printed form on the ballot he
NAV cast, the words "For Convention" or
! the words "AgaInst a Convention" as the
case may be, and in case there be any blank
ballots cast at said election. the same shall
| not be counted the sherG Of the several
counties and the ci:y OF Baltimore, shall give
notice of the day on which by the provisions
of this act, the people are TO vote for or against
| the said Convention, in the same manner as
notice is now given Of the election Of Dele
gates 10 the General Assembly.
! Sec. 2. find be u enacted, That il shall he
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 Tor
! Delegates TO the General Assembly, To re
ceIve, accurately count and duly return the
number ef ballots so cast Tor and against a
! Convention, As the case may be, TO the clerks
ot the Circuit Courts. respectively. in the sew
eral counties OF this State. and 10 the clerk OF
the Superior Court OF Baltimore city, as the
same are now required 10 be returned IN the
election Of Delegates to the House of Dele
gates and the several Clerks aforesaid, shall
make return to the Governor, within twenty
! days after said election, OF The number of bal
| lots given for and against the call OF a Con-
ventiOn, in the same manner as they return
| the number of ballots in the case Ui an cleo
iion for the Governor of this State; and the
! laws regulating the return for The election of
said Governor, shall regulate, govern and ap-
ply TO the vote taken by the provisions OF this
act.
| Sec. 8. find be IL 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 Convention, II shall be
| the duty Of said Governor to count and cast
/! up the same, and il upon counting and cast
! ing up the returns as made To him, IL shall
appear TO the Governor that majority of the
ballots .ast are in favor OF a call oil a Conven-
ton, the Governor shall issue his proclana-
ton announcing the result 10 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 oi
October, eig ghteen hundred and fty-eight, for
! Delegates 10 the Convention to frame a new
! Constitution and Form of Government.
Sec. 4. find be ii enacted, That nj The cleo
ton TO be held for delegates 10 the C0nven-
] ton as prescribed in the third section of this
act, the legal voters shall, by ballot; elect Del
egates TO a Convention and each county and
Baltimore city, shall be entitled 10 the same
number OF Delegates to the Convention rs
they now have respectively in both Houses
oil the General Assembly Of Maryland; and
the laws relating TO the election OF Delegates
TO the General Assembly, shall in all respects
govern and apply TO the election OF Delegates
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. 5. find be Il enacted, That the Dele
gates elected to said Convention, shall meet
at the city OF Annapolis, on the first Wednes-
day Ut January, eighteen hundred and fifty
nine, and shall continue IN session until the
! business for which they were convened shall
be fully completed and finished and the com
pensaiion OF said Delegates to said Conven-
! ton shall be four dollars per day during the
session thereof. aud the mileage now allowed
! by law TO members OF the House oil Delegates;
and said Convention shall have power 10 ap-
| point such clerks and other officers as may
be necessary 10 facilitate the business Of said
Convention, and the compensation of said
clerks and other officers shall be The same as
is now paid TO similar clerks and officers Of
the House OF Delegates; and the said sum of
iour dollars per day. and the mileage afore-
said to each Delegate 10 said Convention, and
the pay aforesaid of the said clerks and other
officers of said Convention, shall be paid to
them respectively. in the same way and man.
ner as the per diem aud mileage OF Delegates
TO. and pay of clerks and other officers OF the
House Of Delegates are now paid.
Sec. 6. .4nd be Il enaeted, That if any va
cancy or vacancies eecur BY death, resigna-
ton or otherwise, IN either of the delegations
hereinbefore provided for. either before or at
ter the QasaEicaliOn of said delegates, The sher-
i'll OF the oou1ty. or of the city OF Baltimore,
IN whose delegation the vacancy or vacancies
NAV occus. shall, upon the order Of the Gov
ernor oil this State, il the Convention shall NOT
yet have assembled. or on the warrant of the |
President OF said Convention, if said Conven-
ton shall have assembled, immediately issue |
public notice for holding special election 10 |
be held at the usual places for holding elec- |.
tlons IN the county. or Baltimore city, as the |
case may be, in not less than FIVE. nor more
than ten days after said notice. for the pur-
pose of supplying said vacancy or vacancies.
Sec. Z. .4nd be i enacted, That in the case