The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1864-03-05
THE CONVENTION BILL.

to proride for the election of Delegates to
said Convention and the assembling. thereof.
Section /. 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 person entitled to
vote for delegates to the General Assembly
shall vote upon the question of the call
of q Convention to frame q new Con.
stitution and form of government, by
expressing in writing or in printed
form, on the same ballot he may east
for delegates to said convention, the
words. "for a Convention " or "against q
Convention" as the case may be, and in
case there should be any ballots cast with
out the designation hereinbsfore prescribed,
the same shall not be counted either for or
against a Convention, but separate return
shall be made of the same by the judges of
election as aforesaid; and that at the same
election the legal voters Of this State shall,
by ballot, elect delegates to the said Conven
ton whose qualifications shall be the same as
those now required for q seat in the House
of Delegates, and each county and the city
of Baltimore shall be entitled to elect the
same number of delegates to the said Con-
vention as they now have respectively in
both Houses of the General Assembly Of
sheritfs 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 ia
the election of delegates to the General As.
sembly of this State, and that the several
judges Of election of this State shall receive
accurately count, and duly return, the mum.
Der OF ballots so cast, to the several clerks
of the Circuit Courts of this State, and to
the clerk of the Superior Court of Balti
more city, respectively, who shall, within
ten days after said election, make due re-
turn to the Governor, of the number of
ballots cast for and against the call of a
Convention, and of the number of blank
ballots cast, and also Of the number of bal
lots cast for the several persons voted for as
delegates to said Convention and in case
any organized military or AIMED force of
the United States shall appear at the places
where the polls shall be held, and shall in.
terfere with said election, unless such mill
l.tary or armed force shall be called out by
the judges of election or other civil author
ity charged with the preservation of the
peace, the said judges of election shall, an
der oath, certify to the Governor such UNI
warranted military interference with said
election in such election district or precinct,
and the Governor shall INN edatoly there
upon order new election for delegates to
said Convention, after ten days notice, to
be given by the. sheriff as aforesaid, in such
election district or precinct, and such new
election shall be held and conducted in the
manner and form hereinbefore provided ;
and the Governor shall order new election
for delegates from time to time, as often as
such illegal military or armed Interference
with the election shall be certified to him
as aforesaid; but such order or orders for
such new election or elections shall not in
terfere with, hinder or delay the assembling
of said Convention as herein before provid
ed, if it shall appear from the count that a
majarity OF all the votes cast in the election
districts and precincts, where no such lille
gal military or armed interference shall be
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
tity that no organized military or other arm
ed force had appeared at the place where
the polls had been held and interfe red 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
new election, after ten days notice in said
election district or precinct, but such return
and order Of a new election shall not inter
tere with the assembling of tie 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 nece ssary
to constitute 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 given aid comfort
or encouragement to those III armed rebellion
against the Government Of the United
states, or is for any other reason not legal
voter in the manner and form provided by
section twenty one, of article thirty five, of
the Code of Public General Law, relating
to elections; and y judge or judges of cleo
ton, failing to comply with the provisions
OF this act, shall be liable t. the same pen.
allies as he or they would be by the non
compliance with the existing election laws
of tins State.
Section 2. And be it enacted, That as
soon as the Governor shall receive the re.
turn of the number Of ballots cast in this
State for or against Convenio and the
blank ballots cast, it shall be Ine duty of
the Governor to count and cast up the same;
and if, upon casting up and counting said
returns so as aforesaid made to him, it shall
appear to the Governor that more votes
have been cast by the legal voters of this
State in favor OF the call of a Convention
than have been cast against the call of y
Convention, then it shall be the duty of the
Governor to issue his proclamation for the
holding and assembling Of said Convention,
and Of the delegates duly elected thereto,
at the time and place hereinafter specified.
Section 8. And be. it enacted, That in
case majority of the ballots cast shall be
in favor Of the call of Convention as afore
said, then the said Convention shall meet
at the city of Annapolis, on the last We'd
nesday in April, Of the year eighteen hun
dred and sixty four, and shall continue in
session from day to day until the business
for which said Convention shall have been
assembled shall be fully completed and flu
ished, and said Convention shall have full
power and authority to determine Oh. the
validity of the election and qualification of
its members and the compensation of the
delegates to said Convention shall DO FIVE
dollars per day, and the mileage allowed to
members Of the General Assembly of
this State; and the said Convention
shall have power to appoint such