The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1864-05-21
Ora gging its Slow Length Along.

The State Constitutional Convention after
"recess" from Friday, assembled ut
Annapolis, on Wednesday last; but there
being no quorum, it again adjourned till
Thursday. It's about time that Convention
was beginning to do something more than
meeting and adjourning, the people think.
Last week the Majority and Minority
reports of the Bill of Rights were submitted
to the Convention. Many of the sections
are identical with the present bill, whilst in
others verbal alterations have been made.
Two new sections have been introduced, in
which the greatest public interest will be
felt-one asserting the paramount allegiance
OF citizens to the Constitution aud Govern.
ment of the United States, the other abolish.
ing Slavery in the State and declaring all
slaves therein free. In relation to the latter
subject, the 23rd article declares:
"That hereafter, in this State, there shall
be neither Slavery nor involuntary servi.
tude, except in punishment of crime, where.
Of the party shall have been duly convicted:
and all persons held to service or labor ss
slaves are hereby declared tree.'
The 4th section defines the question OF
allegiance as follows:
"The Constitution Of the United States
and the laws made in pursuance thereof
being the supreme law Of the land, every
citizen of this State owes paramosH4 allie
g.ance to the Constitution and Government
of the United States, and is not bound by
any law or ordinance of this State IN contra.
vention or subversion thereof"
The minority report dissents from both
these sections.
-Ths following dsmagogue article of
the present Bill Of Rights, has been returned
by the Committee who have reported to- the
Convention the new Bill:
Article II. That the levying Of taxes by
the poll is grisvous and oppressive, and
ought to be abolished; that paupers ought
not to be assessed for tho support ofthe Gov.
eminent, but every other person in the State
or person holding property therein, ought
to contribute his proportion of public taxes
for the support OF Government according to
his SEXUAL worth in real or personal property
yet fines duties or taxes may properly and
justly be imposed or laid on persons or
property, with political view for the good
government and benefit of the community
Is the present Convention going to retain
this aboninable demagogue article ~ the
Declaration of Rights to the new Constitu-
ton?
Wherein is poll-tax grevous? Will
our august Convention answer, and satisfy
the people, before it sticks this disgusting
mess Of clectioneering pcttage under their
noses?
And if "paupers should not be assess
cd for support of government" they should
not be voted like cattle, as is too generally
the practice, for the support Of pipe laying
politicians.
Among thousands who do not pay ceut
toward the support of government under the
present arrangement, a few worthy voters
might find a polltax onorous." But do
the vast majority of the non. taxpaying-
voters consider this in the light the Com
mittee seem to view it? We dare assert
they do not. Any man who has not public
spirit enough to be willing to pay light poll
tax, has not sufficient patriotism to cart
whether the government is administered
fairly or corruptly. We know that the PED.
pie desire that the new Constitution shall be
freed of all such demagogue Establishments,
designed solely to tickle the ears of the
poor man, and that no such restrictions be
placed upon the power Of future Legislatures.