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their bank parlors and discounted notes in Wall Street
telegraph. The wiping out of the usury laws would be
far more beneficial to the agricultural classes than to an,
other. England was greatly wedded to all her old prac-
tices and customs. It had abolished the laws of usury in
1854, and no man's voice in that country had yet been
raised for their re-enactment. From an active business
experience of twenty-five years, he, (Mr. P., ) was satis-
fied that it would be to the benefit of the whole State
these laws were rendered inoperative.
Mr. Dent had not been so enlightened by any of the
arguments on this subject as to change the views which
he had entertained. He confessed that he belonged to the
fossil party, which was not yet up to the advanced ideas.
If he lived among the purlieus of Wall Street, or among
the money brokers of Baltimore, he might think as some
others do, but he lived among a plainer people, and he
knew that the debtors were not able to pay a higher rate
than six per cent. He was in favor of making the laws
so stringent that it would be impossible to exact a higher
rate than this. The people had been so long accustomed
to six per cent, that they were not prepared for this in-
novation. Mr. D. argued the subject at considerable
length, and concluded by remarking that the monetary
affairs of the country are unsettled, the times are dis-
jointed, and a crash is anticipated sooner or later. In
this view it can scarcely be politic to increase the rate of
interest now allowed by law. No man can look forward
with confidence to the payment of the public debt. He
did not think it would be paid from the lights before him.
The administration of affairs at Washington was not or
such a nature as to inspire confidence. The taxes were
becoming so onerous, and, when the burden became such
as no longer to be bearable, the cry of repudiation would
arise. It might, at first, be faintly whispered, but ii
would soon roll out in thunder tones, and could not be re
sisted.
Mr. Stoddert would not have again trespassed upon
the House, but after the remarks of the gentleman from
St. Mary's, (Mr. Dent, ) he felt it incumbent on him. The
interests of the people of Charles and St. Mary's were
identical, and he must say the policy argued for by the
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