Mr. Hebb submitted the following order: Ordered, That the Committee on Accounts be requested to fix the per diem and mileage of the officers of the Convention, and report the same to the Convention for its action at as early a day as possible; Which was adopted. Mr. Clarke submitted the following order: Ordered, That the Committee on the Judiciary inquire how far this Convention is limited in its powers by the existing Constitution of the State, and the act of Assembly providing for the call of the Convention, and report to this Convention at as early a day as practicable; Which was rejected. The Convention adjourned. The Convention met. WEDNESDAY, May 11th, 1864. Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Owen. The proceedings of yesterday were read. The President laid before the Convention a communication from the Executive, enclosing the returns of a special election held in Charles county, for a delegate to the Convention; Which was read and referred to the Committee on Elections. The qualifications of E. P. Duvall, member elect from Montgomery county, and Peregrine Davis, member elect from Charles county, in the place of Frederick Stone, declined, were presented, and the gentleman named appeared and took their seats. Mr. Daniel submitted the following order: Ordered, That the Reverend Messrs. Davenport, Patterson, McNemar and Owens, be requested to be present alternately, at each of the sessions of this Convention, and open the same with prayer; Which was adopted. The resolution submitted by Mr. Belt, on Tuesday, to wit: Resolved, That if the principle contained in the resolution of the gentleman from Washington county be correct, in asserting that, under a republican system, population is the true basis of representation, excluding all classes not endowed with the right of suffrage, then the authors of the Constitution of the United States, were uninformed of the principles of republicanism, in that they admitted all free persons, and even a large proportion of slaves as within the basis upon which the States are represented in the Federal Congress; Was taken up. By general consent, the order was withdrawn by Mr. Belt. Mr. Stockbridge submitted the following order: Ordered, That the President of this Convention be requested to increase the Committee on the Judiciary Department, by adding thereto two members ; Which was adopted. The President appointed Messrs. Thruston and Daniel, in accordance with the above order. Mr. Sneary submitted the following order: Ordered, That the Treasurer of the State of Maryland, upon the order of the President of this Convention, pay to Alfred Miller, who has been temporarily discharging the duties of Page, the per diem and mileage allowed to the permanent Pages, for the number of days of service which he may have rendered; Which was adopted. Mr. Purnell submitted the following order: Ordered, That the Committee to consider and report respecting the Elective Franchise, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of incorporating into the Constitution an article extending the right of suffrage to soldiers, drafted or enlisted from this State into the service of the United States, and who may be out of this State, and in the service of the United States at the time of any election in this, State, and that the Legislature at its next session provide by law for the holding an election in the regiments to which such soldiers may belong, under such restrictions and regulations as may be deemed necessary to guard the purity of the ballot-box; Which was adopted. Mr. Markey submitted the following order: Ordered, That the Committee on the Judiciary inquire into the expediency of giving to the Orphans' Courts of the several counties and the city of Baltimore, jurisdiction over the real estate of persons dying intestate where the valuation thereof does not exceed the sum of three thousand dollars; Which was adopted. Mr. Mayhugh submitted the following order: Ordered, That the Committee on the Legislative Department be directed to inquire into the expediency of providing for the disposal of the incorporate stocks of the State; Which was adopted. Mr. Ridgely submitted the following order: Ordered, That the Committee on the Judiciary, consider whether by abolishing the fees of office, and the substitution of some other mode of compensation, or otherwise, the character of the office of Justice of the Peace, may not be elevated and the administration of the office to be made more efficient and faithful; Which was adopted. Mr. Galloway, from the Committee on Accounts, submitted the following To the Honorable, REPORT. The Gentlemen of the Convention: In compliance with the order of the Convention, the Committee on Accounts respectfully report, that after canvassing the various duties assigned to each, they have allowed to each officer the following sums, to wit: To William R. Cole, Secretary, five dollars per diem and mileage. To John H. Shaw, Assistant Secretary, five dollars per diem and mileage. To A. D. Evans, Sergeant-at-Arms, five dollars per diem and mileage. To each of the Committee Clerks, five dollars per diem and mileage. To each of the Post Masters, five dollars per diem and mileage. To each of the Doorkeepers, five dollars per diem and mileage. To each of the Folders, five dollars per diem and mileage. To the Chief Page, five dollars per diem and mileage. To the Assistant Pages, four dollars per diem and mileage. To the Lamp Lighter, four dollars per diem. To each of the Keepers of Committee Rooms, four dollars per diem. To Keeper of Water Closets, four dollars per diem. Which was read and concurred in. WM. GALLOWAY, E. L. PARKER. Mr. Scott submitted the following order : Ordered, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to consider and report on the propriety of electing the following officers at an election specially for that purpose, viz.: Justices of the Peace, Constables and Road Supervisors; Which was adopted. The Convention adjourned. The Convention met. THURSDAY, May 12th, 1864. Prayer by the Rev. Mr. McNemar. Present at the call of the roll, the following members: Messrs. Goldsborough, President, Hebb, Thurston, Wickard, Robinette, Miller, Harwood, Bond, Henkle, Kennard, Brooks, Stockbridge, Stirling, Barron, Daniel, Abbott, Cushing, Thomas, Berry, of Baltimore county, Ridgely, Hoffman, Parker, King, Larsh, Ecker, Swope, Wooden, Jones, of Cecil, Earle, Scott, Pugh, Turner, Edelen, Davis, of Charles, Mitchell, Todd, Carter, Dail, Johnson, Smith, of Dorchester, Hodson, Keefer, Schley, Markey, Annan, Baker, Cunningham, Schlosser, Galloway, McComas, Hopper, Russell, Hopkins, Sands, Sykes, Chambers, Blackiston, Hollyday, Lansdale, Peter, Duvall, Clarke, Marbury, Lee, Brown, Wilmer, Morgan, Jones, of Somerset, Crawford, Gale, Horsey, Valliant, Mullikin, Nyman, Negley, Mayhugh, Davis, of Washington, Sneary, Smith, of Worcester, Purnell, Murray. The proceedings of yesterday were read. Mr. Pugh submitted the following order: Ordered, That there be appointed by the President a Revising Clerk, whose duty it shall be to correct the debates, as directed by the Speaker, superintend the printing thereof, index the Journal of Proceedings, the Debates and the Constitution, and to perform such other duties as may be suggested by the Committee on Reporting and Printing; Which was adopted. Mr. Bond submitted the following order: Ordered, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire into the Expediency of providing as follows: 1st. That there shall be five Judges of the Court of Appeals, who shall hold office during life, unless removed for cause, with a salary of three thousand five hundred dollars per annum each. 2nd. That there shall be one Judge for each county, who shall reside at or near the capital or county town of his county; who shall have and exercise all the powers and jurisdiction in said county of the Circuit Courts of the respective counties, including the jurisdiction in chancery, and also, in all matters relating to testamentary affairs, with all the powers and jurisdiction of the Orphans' Courts; who shall hold their offices during life, unless removed for cause, with a salary of three thousand dollars per annum each. 3rd. That the State shall be divided into five districts, and one Judge of the Court of Appeals shall be elected by the qualified voters in each of said districts. 4th. That the State shall be also divided into ten Judicial Districts, of two counties each, and two Judges shall be in like manner elected for each of said districts, one of whom shall reside in each of the counties composing the district. |