MARYLAND. 



533 



The average number of oysters to a bushel is 

 about 175, at which rate there are annually 

 taken from the Chesapeake Bay and its tribu- 

 taries (in Maryland and Virginia) over 3,000,- 

 000,000 oysters (17,406,332 bushels), or about 

 sixty for each inhabitant of the United States. 

 In this trade nearly 10,000 vessels and over 

 40,000 people are employed ; while the total 

 amount of capital invested reaches $7,606,976, 

 and the amount of wages earned $6,956,444. 



The following table gives the population of 

 the State by counties, as finally returned by 

 the census of 1880, and as compared with the 

 returns of 1870: 



The Democratic State Convention met in 

 Baltimore on the 24th of June, and renomi- 

 nated Comptroller Keating. Thefollowing plat- 

 form was adopted : 



To the Democratic Voters of Maryland : 



You have passed since 1867 through many severe 

 conflicts ; but you have maintained the control of the 

 internal affairs of the State, and have kept the State 

 in steadfast opposition to the purpose of the Republi- 

 can party to centralize the powers of the Federal Gov- 

 ernment. 



Your success has been wholly due to your collec- 

 tive power of grasping the questions winch concern 

 your interests, and of enforcing obedience to your re- 

 quirements. 



Under the influence of different causes, an undue 

 part of the burden of taxation, on account of the in- 

 debtedness of the State, and for the payment of the 

 expense of the State, county, and municipal .govern- 

 ments, was imposed for many years upon your houses 

 and lands. 



In 1876 your representatives in the General Assem- 

 bly, supported by your hearty encouragement, com- 

 menced to check this growing evil. 



They were of the opinion that all forms of wealth 

 in this State not exempt from taxation by irrevocable 

 contract or because or considerations of public good, 

 ought to bear their just proportion of the public bur- 

 dens. 



The General Assembly of 1878 and of 1880, influ- 

 enced by the same convictions, maintained the same 

 policy, and, aided by the wise adjudications of your 

 courts, succeeded in distributing more equally the bur- 

 dens of the public debt and of the expenses of State, 

 county, and municipal government. 



The registration of the voters of this State made by 

 the Republican party under the Constitution of 1864 

 admitted to the privilege of the elective franchise per- 

 sons not entitled to vote hi this State, and excluded 

 from tliat franchise a large body of citizens who act- 

 ually possessed the right to vote. You have endeav- 

 ored, to correct the lists then made by means of the 

 revisions authorized by the acts of 1867, chapter 336 ; 

 1868, chapter 297 ; 1870, chapter 459 ; 1874, chapter 

 490 ; and 1876, chapter 249. 



A more thorough method of correction must be ap- 

 plied. The remedy to be adopted is open to debate. 



The State Convention declared in 1879 that the 

 General Assembly ought further to secure fairness in 

 elections by providing for a correct and accurate regis- 

 tration by competent officers, at the earliest practicable 

 period of time, of the names of all persons entitled to 

 vote in this State. 



The great majority of the Democratic - Conservative 

 members of the General Assembly endeavored to ful- 

 fill this obligation. 



It is the duty of the convention to insist upon the 

 ample redemption of the pledges given by its prede- 

 cessor in 1879. 



Laws regulating the registration of qualified voters, 

 and laws regulating the conduct of elections at which 

 such voters may cast their ballots, are collectively in- 

 tended to aifora opportunity for the fair expression of 

 the opinions of those who form the elective body of 

 the State. Such laws ought to form part of one well- 

 digested article in the Code. 



This convention, therefore, assumes the responsi- 

 bility of naming a committee, whose duty it shall be 

 to prepare and present to the next General Assembly, 

 at the opening of its session, a complete and impartial 

 system, embodied in one article, providing for the 

 registration of qualified voters, and for the conducting 

 of all elections in this State at which such qualified 

 voters may be authorized to cast their ballots. 



The committee shall consist of the Governor and 

 Attorney- General of the State, Charles B. RobertSj of 

 Carroll ; Henry D. Farnandis, of Harford : Philip 

 Francis Thomas, of Talbot ; and S. Teackle Wallis, of 

 Baltimore City. We ask you to instruct the Senators 

 and delegates whom you may nominate to give their 

 fullest and most cordial aid in perfecting the bill thus 

 presented, and enacting it as a law. 



The convention is of the opinion that the interests 

 of public justice require that the methods of selecting 

 the grand and petit juries, of which the greater part of 

 this State has now the advantage, should be by prop- 

 er legislation extended to those portions of the State 

 which are denied the protection of this improved sys- 

 tem. 



It is also of the opinion that further changes are 

 necessary in our criminal law to make it completely 

 effective as a means of prevention and punishment. 



We, therefore, request those to whom we have de- 

 puted the public service of presenting to the General 

 Assembly the draft of a new article in the Code relat- 

 ing to registrations and elections, to add to their duty 

 the framing of such bills necessary to the perfection of 

 our jury system and criminal law as they may have 

 time and opportunity to prepare. 



We ask you to instruct your Senators and delegates 

 to give their cordial aid in perfecting such reforms. 



This convention expects you to enjoin upon those 

 who may represent you in the Senate and House the 

 duty of reducing the expenses of the General Assem- 

 bly to the smallest amount compatible with efficient 

 public service, and of regulating such expenditures 

 by positive laws. The services rendered oy repre- 

 sentatives to their constituencies or to the people of 

 the State are marred, if such agents afford any oppor- 

 tunity for renroach by their negligence or waste in 

 publfc expenditures. 



In conclusion, we now commit to you the conduct 

 of the campaign. It is your duty to select as your 

 representatives in the General Assembly of 1882 the 

 ablest and most respected of those who share your 

 cpnvictions, to the end that your proper influence 



