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of this work and direct its management. The great fal-
lacy had been that the State of Maryland had undertaken
this work for mere financial purposes, but he thought she
had undertaken it for a higher and nobler purpose—to
develop the resources of that great region, to throw open
to civilization a land but hitherto trod by the savage.
He thought the proposition of the gentleman from Al-
legany was not only fraught with danger to the State,
but with fraud. The result might be that you will have
the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal under such direction that
the State would lose her control by the failure to name
her representatives. Mr. Wickes spoke with much abil-
ity, but the reporter was unable to do proper justice to
his argument in consequence of the great confusion which
prevailed on the floor.
Mr. McKaig would only say, Et tu Brute ? He was sur-
prised that the gentleman did not know better. The peo-
ple of Allegany were much Interested in this matter, and
to show the feeling there, he would read an address issued
by the representatives of that county, appealing to the
citizens to go to the polls and cast their ballots for a Con-
vention, and adducing as a great reason the necessity of
changing the provision in the constitution relative to the
canal. As for the debts, it was well known what they
were. The books of the company should show, and the
records of the committees show it. The State of Mary-
land was bound for these debts, but they did not ask the
State to recognize it or to pay it, but to combine the bond-
holder with the stockholder, and perfect a plan to make
the work pay.
The Convention then, at 3. 30 P. M., took a recess until
7 o'clock.
SEVENTY-FOURTH DAY—EVENING SESSION.
The Convention met at 7 o'clock and ninety-four mem-
bers answered to their names.
The report of the committee on public works was
taken up.
The substitute proposed by Mr. Wilkinson for the third
section was rejected.
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