the purpose of education, as hereinafter may be
provided, to or for the use of any association or
corporation, or for or on account of any work of
internal improvement, but after the payment of
the public debt as provided by law, the revenue
which may accrue from the State's investments
in works of internal improvement may be appro-
priated to the improvement of existing, and the
construction of additional works,"
Mr. C. said, he had yesterday given notice of
his intention to offer this amendment, and he
now offered it, because, as the matter now stood,
it appeared to him, that the legislature would be
precluded from giving any aid to the improve-
ment of the internal condition of the State, and
from assisting the development of her resources.
He wished it to be distinctly understood, that
no gentleman was more opposed than he was, to
increasing the public debt. He saw no necessi-
ty for it. No new debt, in his opinion, ought to
be contracted; except some great emergency, as
the public defence for instance, should require
it, and it was not likely that such an emergency
would arise.
But he thought the ordinary revenue of the
State, derived from that system of indirect taxa-
tion now in force, and which must for reasons
other than financial, be maintained, with that
derived from our investments, other than for
works of internal improvements, was quite suffi-
cient for the ordinary expenses of the government
and should be so applied. He could see no good
reason why the revenue to be derived from the
State's investments in works of internal improve-
ments, after the payment of the public debt,
should not be applied to the improvement of the
works already constructed, and to the construc-
tion of new ones where the public interest may
require.
Improvements were greatly needed in his
own section of the State. His constituents had
been severely taxed on account of the works al-
ready constructed, and had secured no direct
benefit from them; and more than one half of
the State was in the same condition. He was
not willing to preclude his constituents from all
hope of advantage from their large expenditures,
by withholding from the legislature all power of
appropriation lor this object. He hoped that at
some time, far distant though it might he, 'his
people would be compensated, at least in part,
for their contributions, by having the navigation
of their rivers improved, their swamps drained,
and the facilities of inter-communication in-
creased.
But, he added, he did not intend to inflict a
speech on the Convention; the general subject,
he thought, had been sufficiently discussed, and
he would trouble the Convention no further than
to ask that his amendment might be read before
the vote was taken.
The amendment having been recorded,
Mr. SOLLERS remarked that he had but a word
to say. He understood that the sense of the
Convention had been expressed yesterday dis-
tinctly and emphatically upon this proposition
He could not imagine any thing more dangerous
than this very amendment of the gentleman from |
Somerset, (Mr. Crisfield.) If there ever was an
accumulation in the treasury, (a matter proble-
matical in his opinion,) arising from the revenues
received from our works of internal improve-
ment, he did not desire to see them appropriated
to works hereafter to be made. If there was
one single question upon which the judgment of
the people had been passed, it was that the Le-
gislature of the State was never again to be per-
mitted to contract another debt for any such pur-
pose. If there was one reform which they had
demanded, it was this : He warned the Conven-
tion to take heed what it did with this proposi-
tion, introduced as it was for the purpose of de-
feating the action which had yesterday been de-
liberately taken.
Mr. CRISFIELD said he could not conceive by
what process the gentleman from Calvert, (Mr.
Sollers,) could arrive at the conclusion just an-
nounced, that this was a project for the creation
of additional debt. The amendment declared, in
the most distinct terms, that no debt should be
created for internal improvement, or for the use
of any association or corporation, except for the
purposes of education. The purpose of the amend-
ment was, and its effect will be, to prevent the
creation of new debts; and he really was sur-
prised to hear a different object and effect attributed
to it. But while he desired to prevent
the increase of debt. he (lid not desire that those
portions of the State, which had not yet received
any direct benefit from the vast sums which had
been expended on works of internal improve-
ment, should forever be precluded from enjoying
any of the fruits of those expenditures, if these
works fulfil the promises of their projector,
large revenues will come into the treasury from
that source; and he would ask what is to be done
with the money after the payment of the public
debt? It will not be required, and ought not to
be used, for the ordinary expenses of the govern-
ment. Must it lie idly in the treasury? Was it
to remain as a fund on which politicians might
speculate? He hoped not. There had been
quite enough of folly and extravagance, to say
nothing of corruption, already in the manage-
ment of our affairs. Let us, as far as possible, re-
move all temptation out of the way of those who
may hereafter be called to administer them.
The improvement of the social condition of
the people, and the development of the numer-
ous sources of wealth which abound in every
quarter of the state, are objects worthy the pa-
tronage of the State, and next after the educa-
tion of her people, should claim the attention of
the government. Here were purposes highly
useful and beneficial, and quite sufficient to ab-
sorb all the revenue which will be received from
the source referred to; and he hoped the Legislature
would not be prohibited from devoting it
to them. And this amendment too. he would
add, addressed itself quite as strongly to the jus-
tice of the government as to that wise and liberal
policy which should actuate it. As already re-
marked, a large part of the State, without any
direct advantage to itself hitherto received, has
contributed equally with the rest to pay for these
works, and it would be exceedingly unjust if it |
