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 sub-
ject 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 Conven-
tion 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 wheth-
er 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. Under
the rules of the House, they cannot be invited
upon the floor of the House without a suspen-
sion of the rules. If this order is passed, the
President can invite them lo 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 to 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, Pur-
nell, Daniel, Hollyday, and Berry of Prince
George's.
The committee retired in the dischargee
the duty assigned them; and subsequently, |
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 11.
P. Jordan, State Librarian, asking' for an
increase of salary;
Which was rend, and referred lo the Com-
mittee on Civil Officers.
On motion of Mr. DAVIS,
Ordered, That the Committee on the Legis-
lative Department enquire into the expediency
of reducing the number of the members of the
House of Delegates, and of halving annual
instead of biennial sessions of the Legislature.
Mr. CLARKE submitted the following resolu-
tions which were read and laid over under
the rule:
Resolved, That it is inexpedient, in the or-
ganization of the House of Delegates, or the
I 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 property of limit-
ing 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 lo 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
Senate: who shall serve for six years from the
lime 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-
cessive day.
ADJOURNMENT OVER.
Mr. SCOTT submitted the following order :
Ordered, That when the Convention ad-
journs, 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 ad-
journ give us time to go home. If we adjourn
over now we can get no further than Balti-
more, 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- |
