stigated the gentleman from Montgomery, that
it was intended for the benefit of the counties.
But, he denied that he ever introduced this mat-
ter of internal improvements. He was not re-
sponsible for it.
Mr. CHAMBERS interposed a remark, that al-
though the gentleman from Baltimore had not
addressed him, he gave him an expressive glance
which could not be misunderstood His friend
from Montgomery needed no prompting from
him. He has mentioned facts which he did not
know before. The gentleman from Baltimore
was alone responsible for this debate. The gen-
tleman from Baltimore rises and tells us, that
Baltimore has borne two thirds of the whole taxation
of the State, and this led to the discussion
concerning which he appears so sensitive.
Mr. PRESSTMAN wished it to appear that when
he referred to the auxiliary taxation, no one had
risen to contradict him. Whatever collateral in-
ferences might be deduced from his remarks, no
one could say that he had introduced the subject
of internal improvements. He would ask whe-
ther Col. Merrick, of Charles, had not introdu-
ced and carried through the legislature, the in-
ternal improvement act ?
Mr. DAVIS resumed. The question propounded
by the gentleman from Baltimore is one of
those skilful manoeuvres, which he so well un-
derstands, and which is intended to divert him,
[Mr. D.,] from his purpose.
The gentleman from Charles is fully able take
care of himself. He should not interfere be-
tween him and the gentleman from Baltimore.
But he would have the gentleman from Balti-
more to understand that he, and he alone, was
responsible for his course in this Convention,
and what he said in debate, and he hell himself
responsible for it. The gentleman insinuated
that he was prompted.
Mr. PRESSTMAN said, he had certainly meant
no personal offence by the remark.
Mr. DAVIS was glad of it. The gentleman had
asked with point, if Baltimore had not paid two-
thirds of the taxes of the State.
He, (Mr. D.,) asked, in return, what share
Baltimore had contributed to create the necessity
for these taxes? The gentleman answered, and
this led to the discussion which followed. Mr.
D. also read an extract from a. report of the
Board of President and Directors of the Balti-
more and Ohio Rail Road Company, in which
the completion of the canal is used as a measure
necessary to the prosperity of the state and to
the city of Baltimore.
He bad only risen to show, in reference to this
great work, this Serbonian bog, as it had been
called, which bad swallowed up so much of the
resources of the State, and from which, accord-
ing to the gentleman from Frederick and the gen-
tleman from Anne Arundel, the State was never
to derive any revenue, where the responsibility of
these lost appropriations ought to rest, and hav-
ing accomplished his object, he would conclude
his remarks.
Mr. TUCK made a few remarks, which will ap-
pear hereafter.
67

Mr. HARBINE demanded the previous question.
Mr, DORSEY took the floor, and requested the
gentleman from Washington county, (Mr. Har-
bine,) to withdraw the demand, to enable him
(Mr. D.,) to say a few words.
Mr. CHAMBERS, of Kent, made a similar sug-
gestion or enquiry.
Mr. HARBINE refused to withdraw, remarking
that if he did so, the debate would be intermina-
ble.
Mr MERRICK now sent to the Clerk's table the
amendment which he had indicated his intention
to offer,
And which was as follows :
Strike out, in the second line, the word " invi-
olate," and insert ' inviolable," and after the
word " sufficient," in the fourth line, insert, •' by
its regular accumulations," and after the words
" payment thereof," insert " by the time it be-
comes redeemable."
Mr. DORSEY enquired of the Chair, whether
the demand for the previous question had been
sustained ? because, if it had not, he desired to
state some facts which he knew were not in the
possession of the Convention.
The PRESIDENT stated that the previous question
had not been sustained. The question would
be put so soon as the state of the question befora
the Convention had been ascertained.
The question, "is there a second to the demand
for the previous question," was then taken, and
the vole stood, ayes 32—noes 34.
So there was not a second.
Mr. DORSEY said he should not have said a
single word on this subject if he had not thought
it incumbent on him to define his position, and to
warn the Convention against the dangerous sug-
gestions of the gentlemen from Carroll and Fred-
erick counties, that the next session of the Legis-
lature was the time to commence the repeal of
our taxes These suggestions, Mr. President,
have alarmed me and induce me to concur in
the proposition of the gentleman from Worces-
ter, as the best means of counteracting them.
He thought the proposition of the member from
Worcester would be better without the amend-
ment suggested by the gentleman from Charles,
(Mr. Merrick.) Who, it is asked, is to judge of
the sufficiency of the sinking fund ? The Legis-
lature only, are the exclusive judges thereof,
and no judicial tribunal can inquire into the
correctness of their decision. The proposition
of the gentleman from Worcester if the true
course for this State to pursue. The people
at present pay their taxes without murmur or
complaint; congratulating themselves that in the
course of ten or twelve years, under the present
financial system of the State, its credit and honor
being fully redeemed, its entire public debt being
fully paid or its payment, at the earliest period,
which, by the terms of its creation was practi-
cable, so provided for, that all public taxes or
burdens should be discontinued and the state
receiving an annual income of some hundred
thousand dollars from its works of internal im-
provement, to be appropriated as it saw fit. He
apprehended there was some misapprehension as
to the powers of the Treasurer in the manage-