The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1864-03-19
THE CONVENTION BILL.

| ton and ,Jorm Of government for this iSt,tte,
to proride for the election Of Delegates to
said Concention and the assembling fhcregf.
Section l. Be it enacted by the Genearl
Assembly of Maryland, That on the first
Wednesday In April next, at the same
places where the polls are by law held in
the several counties and the city of Balti-
more for the election of delegates to the
General Assembly, every persof, entitled to
vote for delegates to the General Assembly
shall vote upon the question of the call
OF Convention to frame new Con-
stitution and form of government, by
expressing in writing or in printed
form, on the same ballot he may cast
for delegates to said convention, the
words, !" for Convention " or "against a
Convention" as the case may be, and in
case there should be any ballots east with
out the designation hereinbefore prescribed
the same shall not be counted either for or
against Convention, but separate return
shall be made of the same by the judges of
election the legal voters of this State shall,
by ballot, elect delegates to the said Couven.
ton whose qualifications shall be the same as
those now required for seat in the House
OF Delegates, and each county and the city
OF Baltimore shall be entitled to elect the
vention as they now Loro rosrant;,,oI,. =;
both Houses of the General Assembly of
Maryland and it shall be the duty of the
sheritis OF the several counties and of the
city of Baltimore, to give notice of said
election, in the same manner and for the
same length of time as is now required in
the election of delegates to the General AS
sembly OF this State, and that the several
accurately count and duI,, rat,nn tho NV
her of ballots 90 coet 70 tha sorarai oIanl. =,
of the C;rcu;; Courts ~ th,s Stntn ''J ="
the olerk nj tho Sunor;or C,nnt ~ Ill;
moro civ reeroot;voI, ul Iii -:
ten davs ofter said eIect;on ,raI.a - d,a no
turn tn tho Governor or ,ho nn,,,,au 81
ballots cast for and ,no;nst tLa ali 81 -
Couvention. and of Tia nm,,har af lIoni
ballots cast and also Of tho nnn,hor of hnl
lots east fnr the snvrral nnrsons uotad f,r %
dnlogatns 70 said Convention od =, 'o no "n
ony orq,niyad m;l;tor,, or od flnoo 81
the JTnitcd states shall .nnaor W tl' to rlooos
whore tbe rolls sb,ll he bald and Oh iii ~
tertere with said elect;on. nnIoss srnh nil.
lnrv or armed fnrcn sb,II ha o,ilod art hr
the indgns of elec,ion mr. otbor I'LL ovIhnn
itv CHARGED with The nresnrvation of th.
neoce. the said ;udaae If oleot;nn .bou IN.
IN ,,l,,,
warranted military interCcrencs with sa;d
nect;nn in smnb ssc;nn d;str;o, ,r wv" roo; 1".
and tLe Gnvnrno, shaI ;,nm'.d;,t.f,. ,hnro
unon order q now n,tion far daI.y.f.s 70
said Conycntiou. after ten dovs, nHt;cn to
be given by the sheriff rs aforesaid, in snch
election district or precinct, and sncb new
election shall be held and conducted in tbe
manner and form hereinbefnre nrnvided
and the Governor shall order a new election
for delegates from time to time, as often as
such illegal military or armed Interference
with the election hall he certified ia him
as aforesaid: but such order or orders for
such new election or elections shall not in.
terferc with. hinder or DELAY the assembling
of said Convention as herein before nroyido
ed, if il shall appear from the count that :,
maiarity of all the votes cast in the election
districts and precincts, where no such lille
cal military or armed interference shall hc
certified to have taken place, are in favor of
the call of such Convention under this act .
the said Judges in the said return shall Ger
tify that no organized military or other arm
ed force had appeared at the place where
the polls had been held and iutertered with
the said election, unless such military force
! shall be called for by the said Judges of
election. or by other civil authority CHARGED
with the preservation of the peace. and in
case of such military interference within
any election district Of the counties or pre-.
cinct in the city of Baltimore, to be certified
by the judges of election, under oath, it
shall be the duty of the Governor to order
anew election, after tVn days notice in said
election district or precinct, but such return
and order of Il new election shall not inter
tere with the assembling of the Convention
as herein provided: provided, however,
that at least sixty five members shall be
elected according to the provisions of this
act, before said Convention shall organize,
and proceed to business provided further,
that fifty members at least shall be necc ssary
to constitute a quorum after organization :;
and the judges of election shall at said cleo
ton administer the oath of affirmation to
every person offering to vote, whose vote
shall be challenged on the ground that such
person has served IN the rebel army, or has
either directly or indirectly gwen and, comfort
or encouragement To those III armed rebellion
against the Government OF the United
States, or Is Tor any other reason not legal
voter IN the manner and form provided by
section twenty one, OF article thirty'hve, OF
the Code OF Pubic General Law, relating
to elections and Judge or Judges OF cleo
ton, failing to comply with the provisions
OF this act, shall be liable to the same pen,
altes as he or they would be by the non
compliance with the existing election laws
OF this State.
Section .. And be it enacted That as
soon as the Governor shall receive the re-
turn of the number of ballots cast in this