posed to confining its reference to any of the committees. If it shall hereafter appear that we have not already enough committees to do justice to that subject, which I assure the gentleman from Prince George's we intend to do, if we have not now enough on the roll, we will make more. I do not wish to have this subject bound down as the gentleman purposes, to any one committee, or referred, as the gentleman from Baltimore city proposes, to any two committees. When the subject arises I hope we shall be able to dispose of it properly. Mr. CLARKE. I do not think that the gentleman from Baltimore city needs any defence; and I certainly intended no reflection upon him. The records will show that the gentleman from Howard (Mr. Hopkins) offered a proposition for the appointment of a standing committee on that subject, and it was distinctly stated that it was unnecessary, because the standing committees already ap pointed provide for it. My colleague asked which of those committees, and the reply was, the committee on the Bill of Rights; that was the appropriate committe. I certainly think that it is a subject which the Convention ought to refer to some committee. I have no doubt that the Convention intends to deal with the subject, for if not I certainly should not be one to precipitate action on the subject; and my constituents would like to know where the subject belongs But as the gentleman from Baltimore city is absent, I move that the consideration of the order be postponed. The motion was agreed to. COMMITTEE CLERKS. On motion of Mr. GALLOWAY Ordered, That S. C. Gorrell, one of the Committee Clerks, be designated as Clerk for the Committee on Accounts. ADJOURNMENT. Mr. STOCKBRIDGE moved that the Convention adjourn, but withdrew the motion at the request of Mr. BERRY of Baltimore county who asked and obtained leave of absence, having been summoned to Baltimore on official business. Messsrs. KENNARD, SANDS, and BARRON asked and obtained leave of absence. Mr. STOCKBRIDGE renewed the motion to adjourn. Mr. KING moved to amend by adding "until Tuesday next." Mr. STOCKBRIDGE. If the motion is to adjourn until Tuesday or any other time than to-morrow morning, it is such an adjournment as almost uniformly takes the members away, and delays of course by just so much the progress of the Convention, as the committees will not continue in session and do the work in their hands. Although there is nothing before the Convention, I think it better that we should come here even for fifteen minutes to-morrow, in order that the commit | I tees may remain in session, and go on with their work this afternoon and to-morrow. am opposed therefore to the motion to adjourn until Tuesday, or Monday, or any other day than to-morrow. Mr. SANDS. When we urged the removal of the Convention to Baltimore city for the purpose of facilitating business, I thought it seemed to be the general understanding under which we all acted, that our business was here, $5 a day and attention to duty. I knew that the $5 a day and attention to duty was not going to work; and so it turns out. Mr. STOCKBRIDGE I suppose the gentleman referred to the gentleman from Baltimore county and not Baltimore city. Mr. SANDS. I did not know that I referred to any member; I did not intend to do so. That was the argument, that we were to give our undivided time to the Convention for $5 a day. I determined that it should be my business to remain here; and should have done so if it were not that I am exceedingly unwell, and unable to be in my place. I should not have asked to be excused merely on the score of business, it having been decided that our chief business is here. Mr. BERRY of Baltimore county. If the gentleman from Howard noticed it, I asked leave of absence because I had been called to Baltimore on official business. It is not sick. ness that keeps me away, or I should have mentioned it. The gentleman simply asked leave without giving any reason for it. Mr. SANDS. I had stated my reason, that it was sickness. I will say that I meant no reflection upon the fairness of the gentlemen's reasons. I have no doubt he has business in Baltimore, and I have no doubt that many of us will have business calling us to Baltimore city. Mr. PUGH. I sincerely hope the motion will not prevail. I, for one, came here for the purpose of working. I do not want to lose a day. To adjourn over from Friday might be necessary for members to go home; but we shall only lose another day if we adjourn to-day. I am anxious that we shall remain here all the time we can. I hope members will not adjourn until we have something in our hands to do, for we certainly came here to do something. Mr. NEGLEY. I am opposed to adjourning until Tuesday next. I was in favor of going to Baltimore city, believing that the business of the Convention would be expedited by the removal. I understood the member from Baltimore county (Mr. Berry) to say yesterday in reply to the gentleman from Howard, that it was a fair bargain between the State of Maryland and each delegate, that each delegate should receive $5 a day, and each delegate_should give his undivided attention to the Convention. Here is a manifestation of a divided attention already. The gentleman from Howard (Mr. Sands) was censured, I think, for saying that he would be necesssitated on the ground of business, to return to Ellicott's Mills. I understand he is State's Attorney, and therefore as much an officer of the State as the gentleman from Baltimore county; and if that was not a sufficient excuse for him to absent himself from the Convention, and not a sufficient excuse for him in wishing to get nearer home in the sittings of the Con ention, I cannot possibly see why it should be a reason for the gentleman from Baltimore county to urge. I think he wound up his speech yesterday with saying that the very reason why he did not wish to move from here was a personal reason. The reason why the gentlemen from Howard urged the removal to Baltimore was a personal reason, and he was censured for it, and that very identical reason was urged for retaining it here. Since I am here, I want to go on with the work as rapidly as possible. I have no idea that we of Washington county can get home. We came here to work; and we have no idea, since we are penned up in this place, of voting for any leaves of absence or any adjournments. We want to keep to our work. Mr. CUSHING. I hope the House will not begin its session, so far as the work is con cerned, for we are now just beginning to work, by adjourning from Thursday over to Tuesday morning. If this Convention is every week to adjourn over from Thursday untii Tuesday, I do not see any limit to the session before us, at all. Already we have done that once. Then there was a good reason, that we had no work to do. But I think the motion of the gentleman from Baltimore city (Mr. Abbott) comes up to-morrow, and when that is taken up there will be enough to do, to read over the Constitution and refer it to the committees. Or if the Convention itself does nothing the committees cau meet; whereas if we are all out of the city, excepting two days and a half each week, I do not see how we shall make any progress. Mr. TODD demanded the yeas and nays, and they were ordered; and the question being taken, the result was-yeas 15; nays 60-as follows: Yeas-Messrs. Miller, Harwood, Bond, Henkle, Hatch, Brooks, Barron, King, Larsh, Briscoe, Parran, Hodson, Peter, Belt, Lee 15. Nays-Messrs. Scott, Goldsborough, President, Hebb, Thruston, Wickard, Robinette, Kennard, Stockbridge, Abbott, Cushing, Thomas, Audoun, Berry of Baltimore county, Hoffman, Parker, Smith, of Carroll, Ecker, Swope, Wooden, Jones of Cecil, Earle, Scott, Pugh, Turner, Todd, Carter, Noble, Keefer, Markey, Annan, Baker, Cunningham, Schlosser, Galloway, McComas, Hopper, Russell, Hopkins, Sands, Sykes, Chambers, Blackiston, Hollyday, Landsdale, Clarke, Berry of Prince George's, Marbury, Wilmer, Morgan, Horsey, Valliant, Mullekin, Dellinger, Ny. man, Negley, Mayhugh, Davis, Sneary, Pur nell, Farrow, Murray-60. So the amendment was not agreed to. The question recurring upon the motion to adjourn, it was agreed to; and the Convention adjourned. SIXTH DAY. FRIDAY, May 6, 1864. The Convention met. Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Davenport. The Convention proceeded to the consideration of the following resolution submitted by Mr. Abbott on Tuesday last: "That this Convention take up the Bill of Rights and Constitution, commencing a careful reading of the same by the clerk; that as the sections are read each member of the Convention be required to propose in writing such alterations or amendments as he may desire, which shall be submitted without argument or debate during the reading, all said propositions to be printed and referred to appropriate committees, upon whose report ample opportunity shall be given for discussion. When the reading shall have been finished and each member has handed in his proposition to alter or amend, all further proposition to alter or amend shall be deemed out of order." Mr. BERRY of Prince George's. It appears to me that the object of that resolution would be fully met by referring it to the Committee on Rules. It seems to be a resolution as to the manner in which we shall proceed with the business. of the Convention. A committee has been appointed to prepare rules for the conduct of this body, and I move that the resolution be referred to that committee. Mr. ABBOTT. I have no objection to that course. My only object in offering the resolution was to bring something before the Convention that we could act upon, and the plan indicated by the resolution seemed to me to be the proper plan for the Convention to pursue. I presume that every member here has some ideas of his own, and some derived from conference with his constit. ents before coming here, as to certain alterations and amendments proper to be made in the Constitution. I desire that each member shall present these views, and that they shall then be considered by the various standing committees. The motion to refer was agreed to. On motion of Mr. MARKEY, it was ordered to be entered on the Journal that Frederick Schley, of Frederick county, is detained from his seat in the Convention by indisposition. On motion of Mr. MORGAN, it was ordered to be entered on the Journal that Chapman Billingsley, of St. Mary's county, is detained from his seat in the Convention by indisposition. NUMBER OF TAX PAYERS. Mr. McCOMAS submitted the following order: Ordered, That each delegation from the counties and the city of Baltimore, designate some member or members thereof to ascertain the actual number of tax payers in each county and city aforesaid, and report the same to the Committee on Representation, as early as practicable. Mr. BERRY of Prince George's. It appears to me that the object of that order will be better reached by making the request of the several clerks to furnish the number. It would be a very laborious duty for members of the Convention to go home and look over the assessment books of their several counties. The clerks of the several counties may very properly furnish them. I heartily approve the object of the inquiry, but would prefer that the request should be made of the clerks. Mr. McCOMAS. I presume the case will be that the members will request the clerks to furnish them. That would be the most expeditious way. The order was adopted-ayes 32; noes 28. Mr. ABBOTT. It is suggested by some gentlemen that it will be some expense to procure this list from the counties; and that it would be better to make an appropriation for that purpose. getting in that way. But if it is to be an expense, it is certainly very important that we should know how much the expense will be before we act upon it. By a postponement we shall have time to ascertain the fact. Mr. MILLER. I think the information the gentleman from Harford (Mr. McComas) requires can be obtained from the census of the Ünited States, which was very full, giving the amount each person is worth in all the counties of the State, if there has been a full return of the census published. The mere abstract in our hands, I agree, will not give us the information we seek. 1 think it can be obtained from the Census Department in Washington without any difficulty, so far aş the State of Maryland is concerned. And if that can be obtained in printed form and distributed among members of the Convention, it will be much better than calling upon the various counties. It certainly is information which I should like to obtain as well as any other member of the body; but I do not think the clerks of our various counties would go to the trouble of making out a list on a mere request, unless there was some compensation to be given. I am in favor of the motion to postpone until we can ascertain whether the clerks will do it without pay or not. The PRESIDENT. I do not know what pow- Mr. HENKLE. I understand the order to be er the Convention has to appropriate money. an inquiry relating to the number of tax Mr. ABBOTT. What power has the Con-payers in the different counties, and not revention to call upon the clerks of the different counties for the list? Mr. CLARKE. I would suggest that some member who voted in favor of the order move a reconsideration. Mr. PUGH. I move a reconsideration. The motion to reconsider was agreed to. Mr. BERRY of Prince George's. I move the postponement of the subject, to enable us to look into the subject of the expense. I took it for granted that at the request of the Convention the clerks of the several counties would furnish the information. But it is a work of great labor, and some of them may not do it. We would better act knowingly on the subject. Mr. McCOMAS. I see no necessity for a postponement. I obtained the information from my county merely by corresponding with the clerk of commissioners. I wrote a few days ago, and he at once sent me the statement. I suppose it could be done by | correspondence, and the expense would not be very great. The commissioners would furnish it upon a respectful application without any expense being incurred. Mr. PUGH. I understand the object of the motion to postpone to be to enable members of the Convention to ascertain that fact from the clerks of commissioners. If they are willing to furnish the information without cost, I should have no objection at all to quiring a list of the tax payers in the different counties. If a list is required, it would impose a heavy duty upon the clerks; but to give the number simply would involve a very small amount of labor. It can be done in an hour in any county of the State. The clerks surely will not object to performing that labor, even gratuitously. I ask if it is expected to have a list of the tax-payers, or simply the number. Mr. McCOMAS. The object is to get simply the number, and not the names of the taxpayers. With regard to the Census Bureau, in Washington, any person familiar with the manner in which the last census was taken, is well aware of the imperfection of it; and certainly every State may have a better report from its own officers. Besides, I wish to obtain the actual number this day, and not the number four years ago. Mr. CLARKE. As this may be the beginning of orders calling for various information I would merely suggest that the proper mode would be for the House to adopt some order of this character, that its officers shall obtain the information, and that the work shall not be imposed upon members. Furthermore, with regard to the expense, whatever expense should be incurred would be paid out of the appropriation fund provided for the Convention, upon being authorized by the Committee on Accounts, without requiring any legislative power of this Convention to appropriate money. Mr. NEGLEY. Information never does any harm; and if we get it of what use is it? The object for which it is desired, I presume, is as a basis of representation. I happen to belong to the Committee on Representation. I do not think the information will do any injury; but for one I am opposed to making taxation the basis of representation. I do not see of what use the information will be. Mr. THOMAS submitted the following amendment: Ordered, That the County Commissioners of the several counties, and the Appeal Tax Court of the city of Baltimore, be requested to furnish to this Convention a list showing the number of tax payers and the aggregate amount of taxes paid by each county and the city of Baltimore. On motion of Mr. PARRAN, the whole subject was referred to the Committee on the Basis of Representation-yeas 32; nays 28. CONGRESSIONAL WAR COMMITTEE. The PRESIDENT. There are a number of distinguished gentlemen in the city, and if it is the pleasure of the Convention to extend any courtesies to them, this would be a proper time. Mr. BERRY of Baltimore county submitted the following order: WHEREAS, The President of the Convention has announced, that Major General Lew. Wallace, commanding this Department, Hons. M. T. Odell, G. W. Julien, B. F. Wade, D. W. Gooch and B. F. Harding, members of Congress, are now in this city; therefore, Ordered, That a committee be appointed to wait on the above named gentleman and invite them to visit the Convention. Mr. STIRLING. I have a little doubt whether that order means to invite those gentlemen to the privileges of the floor, or to give them a reception on the part of the House. Mr. BERRY of Baltimore county reported that the committee had performed that duty, and the gentlemen named has accepted the invitation and would endeavor to visit the House in the course of half an hour. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr. THOMAS Submitted a petition from H. P. Jordan, State Librarian, asking for an increase of salary; Which was read, and referred to the Committee on Civil Officers. On motion of Mr. DAVIS, Ordered, That the Committee on the Legislative Department enquire into the expediency of reducing the number of the members of the House of Delegates, and of having annual instead of biennial sessions of the Legislature. Mr. CLARKE Submitted the following resolutions which were read and laid over under the rule: Resolved, That it is inexpedient, in the organization of the House of Delegates, or the Senate, to adopt a system of representation based exclusively upon population. Resolved, That the Committee to consider and report upon a basis of representation in the two Houses of the General Assembly, and a proper apportionment of representation in the same, inquire into the propriety of limiting the number of members of the House of Delegates to eighty, apportioning them among the several counties of the State, according to the population of each, allowing to Baltimore city four more delegates than are allowed to the most populous county, and providing that no county shall be entitled to less than two members. Resolved, That in the organization of the Senate, each county in the State and the city of Baltimore, shall be entitled to elect one Senator who shall serve for six years from the time of election. On motion of Mr. ABBOTT, Ordered, That the printer and folders be required to furnish the members with their five extra copies of the Journal, on each suc Mr. BERRY of Baltimore county. Under the rules of the House, they cannot be invited upon the floor of the House without a suspen-cessive day. sion of the rules. If this order is passed, the President can invite them to seats on the floor of the House. Mr. STIRLING. I am opposed to anything like a public reception; for I do not think it is necessary to compliment every distinguished person who visits Annapolis, and introduce him upon the floor in a formal manner; but if it is to extend fo these persons the privileges of the floor, I think it is entirely proper. The order was agreed to. The PRESIDENT appointed the following committee in accordance with the above order: Messrs. Berry of Baltimore county, Purnell, Daniel, Hollyday, and Berry of Prince George's. The committee retired in the discharge of the duty assigned them; and subsequently, ADJOURNMENT OVER. Mr. SCOTT submitted the following order: Ordered, That when the Convention adjourns, it adjourn till Tuesday next. Mr. STIRLING moved to amend by striking out "Tuesday," and inserting "Monday." Mr. KING. I moved yesterday that the Convention adjourn over, and it was objected to. I presume the same objection still exists that if the Convention goes the committees go with them. I prefer that the Convention should sit to-morrow, and when we do adjourn give us time to go home. If we adjourn over now we can get no further than Baltimore, for it takes us a day to get to Baltimore and a day to return. Mr. SCOTT. I see we are doing nothing, and probably will not for several days. I think Wednesday is as early as any commit tee will report. If we adjourn to-day to meet | we can go home and return so as to be here on Tuesday next, members can have a day or two at home, and most of us have pressing business at home. I voted against the motion yesterday. We have gained one day by waiting; but we might nearly as well have gone then, for anything that we have done or are likely to do. Mr. KING. If we do adjourn, let us have a day at home, and not be all the time upon the road. on Tuesday. If we adjourn only from Friday to Monday, it will effectually keep us here all the time. We should have to remain here Saturday and Sunday. It would be no benefit at all to members who are obliged to go beyond the city of Baltimore. Mr. TODD. If the object be to let members go home, it would be necessary, in order to accommodate some of us, that we should adjourn to-day. If the Convention does not adjourn until Saturday, it would be utterly impossible for my delegation to go home. The only way in which we can reach home is to go to Baltimore to-night, and take the steamboat to-morrow for the Eastern Shore. I therefore hope, if the Convention adjourns at all over one day, it will adjourn so as to afford us an opportunity equal with those who are nearer. Mr. McCOMAS offered an order, regulating the attendance of members, as an amendment which the President voted not to be germain to the subject, and therefore out of order. Mr. STIRLING. It is very true, as the gentleman from Cecil says, that we have made very little progress The only way to make progress is to stay here and not adjourn. When a body of this size gets together, it is impossible for it to do anything definite at once. Mr. STOCKBRIDGE. I am opposed both to We have all got to get acquainted, to get the original motion, and to the amendment. settled, to talk among ourselves, before we I hope that we shall continue in session all get to a definite point. The more we stay the time until our work is done, unless we here and stay together, the sooner we shall adjourn for very grave reasons which I do get to that point. Every day we adjourn, not see at this time. There are some memwe lose so much time, and must take a fresh bers of this Convention, that, whether we start to come to the point again. If the adjourn from to-day until Tuesday or from Convention stays here, the committees will to-morrow until Tuesday can go home, and proceed much more rapidly in their work, be back to meet us again on Tuesday mornand will bring something before the Conven- ing. It seems to me that it is hardly fair tion. But if we keep on adjourning we shall toward such members of the Convention that want just as much time when we come back we should make these long adjournments. If for the committees to act, as before we ad- the committees would continue together durjourned. It think it is perfectly proper for ing the adjournment, so that our work would us to adjourn over Saturday. I think one be progressing as rapidly in committee as if day out of the week may fairly be given to we had not adjourned, my objection would the members to go home. Beyond that I be removed. But if the Convention adjourns certainly do not think we ought to go. If the committees go with them; so that nothwe adjourn to-day, and adjourn over Mon- ing is done, and we meet on Tuesday mornday, we lose two days. I think that will ing precisely where we separate to-day. absolutely prevent any of the committees from Some of the members can go home on adreporting on Tuesday; and I verily believe, journments for two days; others cannot. if we stay here on Monday, we can have a The only way is for us to remain at our post report from some of the committees on Tues-all the time, unless there are grave reasons day. I sincerely hope the Convention will stay here now, just as much as if they had plenty of business before the ordinary sessions of the Convention. Whether we have business or not, I am always willing to adjourn over Saturday; but I am not willing to adjourn over any other day of the week. Mr. PUGH. My only objection to the gentleman's amendment is just this; that I would prefer staying here until to-morrow, and then adjourning over until Tuesday. There are a great many members of this Convention to whom it is a very important matter that we adjourn we should adjourn until Tuesday. They are not benefited equally with the members from Baltimore city; for if they go home at all there is no way in which they can come back and be at the Convention on Monday. Their only chance would be to stay here all the time. But if we adjourn on Saturday, over to Tuesday, for adjourning, and to go on from day to day until the final adjournment when we can all go together. That seems to be perfectly fair to all the members of the Convention, and I hope that course will be adopted now and hereafter. Mr. KING. When committees have made their reports, members will want time to deliberate upon them; but until the committees commence to make their reports, we ought to remain here. If we go, the committees go. But after the committees make their reports, we could take some days perhaps. Mr. CUSHING. I hope that the Convention will adjourn only over Saturday and until Monday morning, excepting for grave reasons. We should come here from day to day until our work is done; or, if we adjourn over Saturday it should be only until Monday morning. Some of the committees meet on Monday morning. I was notified of a |