Then if they had committed no wrong toward
Baltimore, but had always dealt fairly with it,
would the representatives of that city, ask
them to allow them representation according to
population, on the ground that this was the true
theory of a republican government? Was not
this a government based upon compromise? Al-
though the Declaration of Rights declared, that
all men were born free and equal, would a man
in England have a tight to come to the State and
vole? Not at all; and thus it would be perceiv-
ed, that there were those who were not equal, so
far as political privileges were concerned?
Did they not know that a portion of the com-
munity were proscribed, and that minors were
not free and equal? Look wherever they might,
and they would find that government was at best
but a compromise, established for the protection
and security of the whole people,
Now, half of the delegates of Baltimore city
had come forward, and met them in the spirit of
compromise, and he trusted that the remaining
half would yet join them on this common ground
One portion of the Convention, in this spirit of
concession, had gone to the last extremity, and
what was left to be done? Nothing but to sur-
render, one by one, of the proposed number, un-
til she should have a delegation equal to that of
the largest county only
One reason why he had voted for giving Balti-
more city an increased representation was, be-
cause the action of the Convention would not be
final. The Convention did not make a Constitu-
tion. It might take a preliminary step, and by a
majority adopt a Constitution; but that Constitu-
tion was yet to be submitted to the sovereign
people of Maryland for ratification, and without
their adoption and confirmation, our labors would
be in vain and useless.
If after having sat here for five or six long
months, deliberating upon the formation of a
new Constitution, we should fail to affect a compromise
of this question, all our deliberations,
in his opinion, would be vain. And why did he
say this? Because the representatives from Baltimore
city would not be willing to go to their
constituents, and tell them to vote for a Consti-
tution, which gave them but five delegates. It
was known to all that there were a portion of
the inhabitants of Maryland, who were opposed
to any reform in the Constitution, and that certain
portions would vote against any Constitution.
Let this portion combine, and bring to
its aid the whole of Baltimore city and the western
counties, and then what would become of
the action of the Convention? We should look
lo the people to ascertain whether they will rat-
ify what we door not. If we were not going to
give the people a Constitution which we thought
would be ratified, let us adjourn at once, and
save the people any further expense and anxiety.
But the gentleman from Baltimore city, [Mr.
Brent,] had said that he might ultimately vote
for the Constitution, if it should put a restriction
upon the Legislature, preventing them from tax
ing western Maryland for local purposes. |
Mr. BRENT [interposing] explained, that his
position was this: That if they would provide
in the Constitution for restricting the power of
the Legislature to tax the counties of the whole
State, for the benefit of sectional improvements,
be would go for it. If the article on this subject
already adopted, was not strong enough, he was
prepared to go further.
Mr. STEWART thought that this was as much
as to say that Baltimore city had been taxed for
the benefit of other portions of the State, to her
injury, by the counties. The restriction alluded
to by the gentleman, might well come from the
counties, particularly the smaller ones, but com-
ing from Baltimore city, it could have no force.
'The counties had never injured Baltimore city;
but look at the counties of the Eastern Shore,
intersected by creeks and rivers, meandering
through them; and yet, for the purpose of confer-
ring upon Baltimore, and the western counties,
the benefits that they enjoyed, given them by
nature, they manfully agreed to run railroads
and canals, where the God of nature had not
made rivers— they had thus subjected themselves
to the weighty, burdens of taxations, for the
construction of works, whose benefit did not
accrue to the Eastern Shore, but to the city of
Baltimore. Notwithstanding all this, they were
asked to yield up their constitutional control of
Baltimore city. Could a child tear the protec-
tion of its parent? Could the offspring fear the
nurture, and love, and care of its mother? As
well might the city of Baltimore fear the pro-
tection of the counties, as the infant fear the
protection of its parent.
Much money had been appropriated for inter-
nal improvements, but there had never been an
outlay made from the public treasury that ever
benefitted the county from which he came. Not
even a judge resided in his county, there to spend
his salary—not a single officer, paid from the pub-
lic treasury ever resided there to spend one dol-
lar for the benefit of the county. No—out of all
the taxes that were levied, for the State, upon
the industrious and honest people of Caroline—
out of all the money that was taken from it, to
the public treasury, nothing came back, except
the little the judges left with the hotel-keeper to
pay for board, whilst attending court. Notwith-
standing this—notwithstanding they were oppres-
sed with taxes for Western Maryland and Balti-
more city, they had come forward with the spirit
of compromise and liberality, which he was
shocked, and pained, and grieved, to say had not
been responded to by some of the delegates from
the city. He hoped that in a spirit of magna-
nimity and conciliation, they would all unite and
bring to an end the proceedings of the Conven-
tion. There was beauty in cheerfully receiving
as well as in cheerfully giving. They were
cheerful givers, but he could not say that they
were cheerful receivers, A portion of the dele-
gation from Baltimore, had declared that they
would not receive this proposition except in the
last resort. This last resort might never come.
The offer to accept hereafter may come too late.
He did not speak as a prophet, but spoke with |
