should be forever prohibited from receiving back,
in the shape of similar works, to be made for its
convenience and benefit, some remuneration for
its large outlays. He hoped his amendment
would be adopted.
Mr. BLAKISTONE said, he should vote against
the proposition of the gentleman from Somerset.
(Mr. Crisfield,) and he, (Mr. B.,) would briefly
assign his reasons for so doing. Ever since the
first appropriation had been made for works of
internal improvement, the promise had been held
out to the people, that when those works should
have been completed, they would confer im-
mense benefits upon the whole people—that every
portion of the state was to be ornamented with
school houses—and that there would be money
enough to defray the expenses of the govern-
ment, and all local expenses, without the neces-
sity of sending the tax-gatherer round to collect
the taxes If the proposition of the gentleman
from Somerset should be defeated, it was his,
(Mr. B's,) intention to offer an amendment to
carry out in good faith this expectation. So far
as his section of the State was concerned, there
was no need for internal improvements. They
were blessed with canals, natural canals, rivers
and streams sufficient for all their purposes.
They had a direct communication with Baltimore
—they had a direct communication with the
District, They wanted no roads and canals, and
the only benefit, if any, which they were to re-
ceive from Hie works now constructed, would be
from the revenues they would: yield after the pub-
lic debt should have been paid.
According to the proposition of the gentleman
from Somerset, (Mr. Crisfield,) the whole of
these revenues, contrary to the pledge of the
State, might be diverted by the Legislature to
purposes which might be in conflict with the in-
terests of certain portions of the people. His,
(Mr. B 's,) plan was, that after the debt was
paid, the stock of these internal improvement
companies, so far as pledged at the time of the
appropriation, should be given to the counties in
proportion to the sums they might have paid into
the state treasury for the redemption of the
State debt.
His second proposition was, that after the
State debt should have been paid off, or if the
sinking fund should be sufficient to meet the debt
as it became redeemable, it should be the duty of
the Legislature to appropriate the surplus reve-
nues among the several counties and the city of
Baltimore equally, having a just regard to the
amount paid into the treasury by each, and ta-
king into consideration the advantages and dis-
advantages resulting to each from the works of
internal improvement, after deducting so much
as might be required to meet the current expen-
ses of the State and to provide for any sudden
exigency that might arise. This, he thought,
would carry out the good faith of the State of
the people in every portion of it.
If a provision should be engrafted on the or-
ganic law, giving power to the Legislature to
appropriate to purposes of internal improvement,
in any section of the State, a fund which had
been pledged for the specific use of the people |
of Maryland, it would produce feelings of dis-
satisfaction and discontent, not to be quelled by
the eloquence of gentlemen here, or by their
high-sounding appeals to the patriotism of the
people beyond these walls. Their confidence in
those to whom they had entrusted their interests
and their destinies, would be irrecoverably lost.
And if it were not for the intense vigilance and
jealousy with which the people, guarded the
honor of the State, and for the love which,
as her own children, they bore her, they would
almost feel justified in declaring that they would
not pay at all. But he would not go so far as to
say that they would do that. For however badly
this Convention might behave, he did not believe
that the people could be induced to follow their
example. [Laughter.]
Mr. B. then read his amendment, (which will
be found in a later portion of the day's proceed-
ings.)
Mr. CRISFIELD. The gentleman from St. Ma-
ry's, (Mr. Blakistone,) complains that the adop-
tion of my proposition would be a violation of
the public faith—that the proceeds to be derived
from these public works are pledged for purpo-
ses of education. Will the gentleman tell me
what portion of these revenues are pledged, and
whether he, himself, in the amendment be indi-
cates, does not propose to establish a new rule of
distribution which sets at naught the very pledge
to which, I suppose, he has reference?
Mr. BLAKISTONE. I allude to the tax law of
1840, The last section of that act is in the fol-
lowing words:
Chapter 23, Session 1840 and 41.
Section 64. And be it enacted, That it shall be
the duty of the treasurer of the Western and
Eastern Shores respectively, to keep an accurate
account of the moneys that are paid into the
treasury by the city of Baltimore, Howard dis-
trict, and the several counties in this State, un-
der the provisions of this bill; and the said city,
district and counties respectively, be authorised,
through their corporate authorities, levy courts
or commissioners respectively, to commute the
sums of money so paid by them into the treasury,
into so much of the state's stock in the Chesa-
peake and Ohio canal company, as may equal the
amounts respectively paid by them, whenever the
said canal company shall be able to pay six per
cent. upon the said stock, and the treasurer of
the Western Shore is hereby directed to cause
the necessary transfers of stuck to be made to the
said city, district, or counties respectively, and
they shall be considered stockholders in said canal
company, and thereafter be entitled to receive
the dividends that may accrue on the amounts of
stock so held by them respectively.
Now, (remarked Mr. B.,) I want to carry this
law fully out, and not to authorise the Legisla-
ture to divert these funds to any purpose what-
soever.
The question was stated to be on the substitute
of Mr. CRISFIELD.
Mr DORSEY said, he was in favor of striking
out the amendment of the gentleman from Har-
ford, (Mr. McHenry,) as now amended, because,
however much he, (Mr. D.,) might have been |
