The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1877-12-29
THE TRAMP CONVENTION.

THE TRAMP CONVENTION.
The convention to consider the tramp question,
which met in Baltimore on Thursday of last week,
adjourned, after a most interesting session. on Fri
day evening 1t was decided to frame bill to be
presented to the Legislature, and DIR. E. Lloyd
Howard submitted the following relative to the
proposed act:
WHEREAS, The several towns and counties of this
State are infested with vagabonds and tramps, to
the detriment of honest labor to the burden of the
taxpayers and the endangefing of the lives AID
property of the citizen:
ResotUed, That the president of this convention
shall appoint committee of seven, whose duty it
shall be to memorable the Legislature to enact
such laws may be deemed best for the suppress
sion of vagrancy.
Resotred, That the committee so appointed shall
use all proper means toward securing the desired
legislation, such comforting with others who
may aid them in drafting proper enactments and
visiting and consulting with such committees as
may be appointed by the Legislature to consider
the subjects involved, and inviting the cO-opera-
ton of all who may be interested.
Resotred, That in the opinion of this convention
the proposed legislation should embrace the follow
ing features
rlTsl. Every tramp anu NagaDOnu snail De Ia
BILE to arrest and Imprisonment for a specified time
at labor.
Second. That such labor may be required to be
performed upon the county roads, or other public
works, at the option of the County Commissioners
of the several counties.
Third. That the House of Correction should be
completed and opened for the reception of tramps
at the earliest day practicable; that the lodging
and incarceration of tramps and vagabonds in
ioil nd oh ehou e
be discontinued, and if necessary district work
houses shall be established to cooperate with the
House of Correction in relieving the as and aims
houses of the maintenance of able bodied paupers.
Fourth. The imprisonment of paupers and Grim
nas alike shall have for its object reformation and
instruction, with the protection of the community,
rather than punishment
Fifth. The sale of intoxicating drinks to known
tramps and vagabonds shall be forbidden.
E. Otis Hinkley moved that the resolution be
amended so that the tramp be defined as one with
out visible means of support, who wanders through
the country, sleeping in barns and out-houses;
adopted; and the resolutions as amended, were
adopted.
The president of the convention, Hon. Mont
gomery Blair, in accordance with the resolution,
appointed the following committee: Judge Robt
GilmOr, Judge William Geo. Brown, g. S. Griffith,
ST., James Alfred Pearce, Francis Miller John
Merryman of H., and E. Otis Huxley
On motion of Joseph Merrefeld, committee
was appointed ON jals and aims houses, viz =
Joseph Merrefeld, DIR. Charles w. Chancellor, DR..
John Morris, C. L. 0udesluys, Charles Abbot and
r. t. Turner.
The following resolution, offered by G. S. Crit
fifth, ST., was adopted, after which the convention
adjourned sine die:
ResOlred, That it is the sense of this convention
that all public executions are demoralizng in the
extreme, and this convention urge upon its legis-
lative committee to urge modification of the law
on this subject.
TIE MARYLAND JUDIcIARY.-The Baltimore
american gives forecast of the work to be done
by the next Legislature. Of the State Judiciary
it says:
"a subject that is being quietly discussed by
he party managers is a reduction in the cost of
judiciary system of the State. At every ses-
of the Legislature large number of petitions
leup protesting against the expense of the ju-
Pry. AT the last session of the Legislature
Constable, the Chairman of the Judiciary
ittee, endeavOred to secure the passage of a
b this object in view, but could not obtain
support. The plan of retrenchment now
is to reduce the number of Judges on
from three to one, and to establish a
oeals Of five Judges. At the same
les of the Judges are to be reduced
liars each, and the same reduction
The amount of fees which clerks
ved to retain before turning over
State treasury. In this way
be effected, while the
tenn of the Sfafa will