schemes of works of internal improvement were
projected, and allured by the brilliant prospects
of success, pictured in the most glowing colors,
by most zealous advocates of the measure, the
State was induced to embark her credit in the
scheme.
Its failure and consequences have been most
wofully felt, and by none so much as by the
southern counties. With her rapid growth of
wealth and population, new sources of wealth
and trade will be looked for, and discovered, and
afresh impetus will, e'er long, develop new
plans and shemes of similar works, which even
at this moment, may be in embryo.
The northern and western counties of the
State, from their relative location to the city of
Baltimore, already brought in close proximity
to her, by the iron bonds of rail roads, will desire
new and additional facilities for transportation
and travel, and will sympathise and act in con-
cert with her, in such new schemes, and again
the credit of the State will be embarked if neces-
sary, to carry them out, with a strong probability
of a second edition of the direct tax which is
now grinding us, under which St. Mary's county
alone has already paid nearly two hundred thou-
sand dollars, for the benefit of whom, I will
leave others to say, sir.
Interest, the most powerful stimulant to action,
will band them together, sir, for the accomplish-
ment of their object, and with the power in their
hands, or the means of obtaining it, no obstacle
which we can interpose, will have the effect of
staying their progress,
This, sir, is no over-wrought picture of the in-
terests and feelings of that portion of the State,
which stands arrayed against the interests which
we have to guard and protect, not for ourselves
alone, but for the benefit of coming generations.
it is not with the present alone we have to deal
—nor for the present alone, we have to pro-
vide.
This, sir, is but the first act of the Convention-
al drama. Others await us, if I may be allowed
to speak in anticipation of the mode likely to be
prescribed for revising or reforming the Consti-
tution hereafter. Ten years hence, it may be,
the second act will come off. Ten years later,
the third and so on.
Now, sir, according to my humble conception
of our duty and our interest, we are impelled by
both, so to play our part in the present, as to be
able to perform our part in the subsequent acts
in such a manner as to ensure a continued pro-
tection and security to our interests.
But how, sir, shall we be able to do this, if the
proposition of the gentleman from Washington
be adopted? How does that proposition distri-
bute the representation relatively, between what
I call the northern and western portion, and the
southern portion of the State? That, sir, is the
enquiry by which we are to ascertain what will
be our strength in the exhibition of the second
act of the drama, which I have just supposed will
take place ten years hence,
Including the senatorial representation, this
plan gives to Allegany, Washington, Frederick, |
Carroll, Harford, Howard, Cecil and Baltimore
counties and Baltimore city, an aggregate of
fifty-one members for the next Convention, (as-
suming that the same basis of representation for
the next Convention will be adopted, as that up-
on which the present is formed.) while it gives
to the remaining thirteen counties, which I call
the southern counties, forty-four. Thus, sir, the
northern and western portion of the State, will
have in the nest Convention a clear majority of
seven members They will then be able to ac-
complish any thing that their combined will may
suggest, without the aid of delegates from south-
ern counties. They can then take any additional
representation they may desire, in both branches
of the legislature. Will they take it? No gen-
tleman will have the temerity to answer. No!
The lion will then be uncaged, and free from
his toils, and, sir, he will never be satisfied until
he gets the lion's share. But wo to those who
helped to tree him from his toils. That mercy
and kindness which he is fabulously said, to have
exhibited towards the mouse, as an act of grati-
tude for having gnawed in two the meshes which
entrapped him, need not be cotinted on by those
gentlemen who are about to aid in liberating
him, when their interests forbid it. It will not
be enquired at the next Convention, whether
Caroline, Talbot, Queen Anne's and a portion of
Montgomery counties, aided in setting him free,
and clothing him with full liberty and power to
do whatever his will or interest might prompt.
No consideration of that kind will operate favor-
ably to those counties then, on account of their
generousity now, for which heaps of the most
loving compliments have been lavished upon
them, "They have magnanimously consented to
disfranchise themselves " says the gentleman
of Baltimore county, (Mr. Howard,) "for the
sake of compromise." This, indeed, is a magnanimity
beyond what I had conceived of. But
sir, there is no virtue in such a deed. No neces-
sity for it exists. It is a suicidal magnanimity
for which I am at a loss to account, in any other
manner than that alleged by the gentleman from
Montgomery, ( Mr. Kilgour,) and repeated by
the gentleman from Somerset, (Mr. Crisfield,)
which is by attributing it to a desire to secure
The political ascendency of the democratic party
in the legislature. The veil of self-disfranchising
magnanimity, which the gentleman from Balti-
more county has charitably thrown over them,
has proved too flimsy and thin, to conceal the
motive. They, loo, have been so restless and
anxious for its success, that it would stick out
from beneath the covering which was intended
to hide its deformity. It could not be concealed.
Acts speak louder than words, and stand forth
in bold relief, telling as plainly as language can
speak it, that this is their object. I ask, sir, is it
worthy of such a sacrifice? Does this furnish a
sufficient reason for self-disfranchisement ? Are
political parties so stable that they will likely
achieve a durable conquest? I will leave these
questions for those whom it most concerns, to
answer "in foro conscientiae."
I cannot bring these remarks to a close, Mr.
President, without calling attention to the basis |
