of public accounts, shall receive directly or indirectly, at any time the profits or any part of the profits of any office, held by any other person, during his acting in the office to which he is appointed, his election, appointment and commission, on conviction in a court of law, by the oath of two credible witnesses, shall be void, and he shall suffer the punishment for wilful and corrupt perjury, or be banished this state forever, or disqualified forever, from holding any office or place of trust or profit, as the court may adjudge.

50. "That if any person shall give any bribe, present, or reward, or any promise, or any security for the payment or delivery of any money, or any other thing, to obtain or procure a vote, to be governor, senator, delegate to congress, or assembly, member of the council, or judge, or to be appointed to any of the said offices, or to any office of profit or trust, now created or hereafter to be oreated in this state, the person giving and the person receiving the same, on conviction in a court of law, shall be forever disqualified to hold any office of trust or profit in this state.

51. "That every person appointed to any office of profit or trust shall, before he enters on the execution thereof, take the following oath, to wit, "I, A. B. do swear, That I will be true and faithful to the state of Maryland, and the government thereof, as by the convention of Maryland established, and that I will to the utmost of my power, support, maintain and defend the said state and government thereof; and that I will use my utmost endeavors to disclose and make known to the governor, the council, or some of the judges or justices of this state for the time being, all treasons and traitorous conspiracies or attempts which I shall know to be against this state and the government thereof; and I do declare, that no king, prince, or state, hath, or ought to have, any power, jurisdiction, superiority, or authority, within this state." And shall also subscribe a declaration of his belief in the christian religion.

52. "That there be a court of appeals, composed of persons of integrity and sound judgment in the law, whose judgment shall be final and conclusive in all cases of appeal, from the general court, court of chancery, and court of admiralty: That one person of integrity and sound judgment in the law, be appointed chancellor : That three persons of integrity and sound judgment in the law, be appointed judges of the court now called the provincial court; and that the same court be hereafter called and known by the name of the general court; which court shall sit on each shore for determining the business of each shore respectively.

53. "That the style of all laws run thus, "Be it enacted by the general assembly of Maryland:" That all public commissions and

grants run thus: "The State of Maryland, &c." and shall bear test by the governor with the seal of the state annexed: That all writs shall run in the same style, and be tested, sealed, and signed as usual: That all indictments shall conclude: "Against the peace, government and dignity of the state."

54. "That all penalties and forfeitures, heretofore going to the king or proprietary, shall go to the state, save only such as the general assembly may abolish or otherwise provide for.

55. "That this form of government, and the declaration of rights, and no part thereof, shall be altered, changed, or abolished unless a bill so to alter, change, or abolish the same, shall pass the general assembly and shall be confirmed by the general assembly after a new election of delegates, in the first session after such new election.

56. "That to introduce the new government, an election be held for the electors of the senate on the third Monday of November in this present year, and that the electors of the senate meet at Annapolis on the first Monday of December in this present year, and there choose senators, and that an election be held on the third Monday of December for delegates to serve in general assembly, and for sheriffs; and that the said elections be made by such persons in the same manner and under the same qualifications as such elections are herein before directed to be made at the periodical times beforementioned; the returns of all which first elections shall be made to the council of safety for the time being, and the general assembly shall meet at Annapolis on the

day of

and shall in their then session, or in such future session as they shall think proper, choose a governor and council for the residue of the year in the manner before directed: and for filling in the first instance only all the offices in the disposition of the governor, with the advice of the council; the house of delegates may also propose to the senate a list of all officers in the appointment of the governor, with the advice of the council, and on the senate concurring therein, or the recommendation of any of the persons therein mentioned, such persons so recommended shall be commissioned by the governor; but if the senate shall not concur in the recommendation of any of the persons proposed as aforesaid, then shall a joint ballot of both houses be taken in manner aforesaid for persons to be recommended for such offices, and the persons in whose favor such ballot shall pass shall be commissioned as aforesaid."

Convention adjourns till Monday morning, 9 o'clock.

MONDAY, November 4, 1776.

Convention met. All members present as on yesterday. The proceedings of yesterday were read. Mr. Barnes, Mr. J. Mackall, Mr. B. Mackall, Mr. B. Hall, Mr. Sprigg, Mr. Hammond, Mr. S. Chase, Mr. J. T. Chase, and Mr. J. Wilson, appeared in the house. On motion of Mr. Gustavus Scott, That all civil officers now in commission for this state under the old form of government, shall continue to act in their respective departments until others shall be appointed and commissioned in their stead by the legislature or executive power of this state, and qualified to act? An amendment was proposed in the words following, "and that the county courts assess the county charges as usual." On which amendment the question was put, and resolved in the affirmative.

The question was then put on the motion so amended, and resolved in the affirmative.

Ordered, That the same be published in the Maryland Gazette and Baltimore papers.

The convention took into consideration the report of the form of government for this state from the committee of the whole, and in progression on reading the same, on motion of Mr. Bayly, the question was put, That the second article thereof be struck out? Carried in the negative.

On motion of Mr. T. Wright, the question was then put, That the word "five" be inserted instead of the word "thirty" in the second article? Carried in the negative.

On motion of Mr. Bayly, the question was then put, That the words "or paying taxes for the support of government," be inserted in the second article instead of the words "or having property in the state above the value of thirty pounds currency?" Carried in the negative.

On motion of Mr. S. Chase, the question was put, That the word "third" be inserted in the second article between the word "every” and the word "year?" Carried in the negative.

On motion of Mr. S. Chase, the question was then put, That the word "second" be inserted in the same place? Carried in the negative.

On motion of Mr. Earle, the question was put, That the words "by ballot" be inserted in the second article instead of the words "viva voce?" Carried in the negative.

In progression on reading the form of government, on motion of Mr. J. Hall, the question was put, That the following be an addition to the fourth article; "but the inhabitants of the said city shall not be entitled to vote for delegates for Anne Arundel county, unless they have a freehold of fifty acres of land in the county distinct from the city? Resolved in the affirmative.