prayed to us—they flattered us—they almost
idolized us. They presented to our view their
forlorn and destitute condition. The paralized
commerce of our great emporium, which was
apprehended by its friends, by the divertion of
trade to other channels, was most graphically
drawn upon the picture. The rich West with
fertile fields, and the inexhaustible supplies of
mineral wealth that lay embedded in the moun-
tain regions of the Allegany, with no means of
access to any market, had their appropriate pi ice
upon the canvass. Even our cupidity was ap-
pealed to. We were told that the philosopher's
stone had been discovered, and that philosophers
stone was canals and railroads, by which the
golden age waste berealized in Maryland, and
that a grateful people would sing loud praises to
their immortal benefactors.
Did we turn a deaf ear to their entreaties?
Were we indifferent to their interests? Let the
increased prosperity of Baltimore and Western
Maryland, and the annual knocking at our doors
of the tax-gatherer, wringing from the hard earn-
ings of our people, the means of saving the honor
of the State, and paying a debt contracted exclu-
sively for their benefit, answer the question,
The mountains have been levelled—the rough
places have been made smooth—railroads have
been erected, expanding in every direction. No
longer a sparce and meagre population inhabit
our Western counties. An industrious, thriving,
intelligent and patriotic people, are seen in every
county. Every hill and every valley pays its
tribute to the occupant, and golden harvests are
yearly realized. "The depths have been broken
up," and the Chesapeake and Ohio canal has
reached its Western terminus at Cumberland.
The coal and the iron of the Alleganies are float-
ing on the bosom of our Potomac, wending their
way to every village, town and city of the Union,
and ere long will reach the most remote cities
across the Atlantic. Western Maryland has
grown great by our agency and at our cost, yet
refuses to acknowledge it with gratitude, if atall
How stands the account with Baltimore city, the
pride and ornament of Maryland ? She has growl
by our care to he a great and populous city.
Wealth is daily pouring into her lap from every
point of the compass by means of the natural and
artificial channels of communication she possesses.
Railroads looking to the far West and penetrating
the interior of the country groan under
the burden of the immense wealth that is emptied
into her bosom. Her commerce whitens every
sea—her trade is flourishing—the mechanic arts
are in the ascendant, and science and literature
crown the chaplet of her glory. May her prosperity
increase, and our own Baltimore become
the rival city of the Universe, in all that is great
and good. But how does she and Western Maryland
requite us for the part we have acted to
wards them? The honorable gentleman from
Baltimore city, (Mr. Gwinn,) says Baltimore is
not at all indebted to the State for any portion of
her prosperity arising from works of internal im-
provement. That she did all—we none. Let
truthful history put him right, I shall not attempt
it. Is this all? No; I wish it was. The mem- |
bers from Baltimore city and Western Maryland'
have combined together to deprive us of that
remnant of political power we have left—that
power which some of us exercised at the hazard
of our own destruction, doubting, yet fearing to
doubt, lest our doubts might produce delay, and
delay their ruin. We did act, and they are in
the full fruition, whilst we bear the burden.
They now seek to deprive us of that very power,
the exercise of which in their behalf has made
Baltimore and Western Maryland what they are.
Will Baltimore and Western Maryland endorse
their delegates? I hope not. I may be deceived.
'' Tempora mutanter, et nos mutamur in illis."
"Men change with fortune, manners change with
climes,
Tenets with book, and principles with times."
The gentleman from Baltimore city, (Mr.
Presstman,) Roderick Dhu like, has blown his
whistle to summon his Highland clans to our de-
struction. I call upon the sons of Maryland from
all parts of the State, to "rally to the rescue."
We ask all to come in and partake—all alike.
But, perhaps, our notions of propriety may differ
from those of other gentlemen in the State. Who
are the reformers ? Where did they come from?
Why, my friend on the left, (Mr. Brent,) would
say his colleague, (Mr. Presstman,) is not a re-
former of his stamp, because he, (Mr. Presst-
man,) goes in for compromising principle, and
whilst he, (Mr. Brent,) under no condition of
circumstances, can abandon representation ac-
cording to population, in the House of Delegates,
but is willing to make a compromise in the Sen-
ate. Sir, I like a man of pluck—I like a man
who marches up to the music. I hope that he
will do that at least.
Now, sir, who are the reformers? Why, there
is one from Baltimore city, [Mr. Brent,] there
are others, but who I understand had given up
the idea of getting every thing they wanted, and
went for compromise. Well, the gentleman
[Mr. Brent] stands alone in his glory, and he
said he did not intend to compromise one iota.
Mr, GRAYSON, So far as Baltimore city is
concerned.
Mr. BLAKISTONE, Well, then, we come to
another gentleman from Baltimore city, [Mr.
Presstman.] And these gentleman say that half
a loaf is better than no bread. Therefore, there
is another class of reformers. Is that all? Oh
no; we have a hard bargain with them. We
have a most beautiful set of reformers. There
(pointing to Mr. Biser,) we have the father of
this reform Convention, and my friend just at
my left, [Mr. Gwinn,] and there, [pointing to
him] my friend [Mr. Annan,] whom I believe I
have put to sleep—no, sir, he is not asleep, he
is in a deep study. And my two distinguished
friends from Frederick, [Mr. Thomas and Mr.
Johnson,] who, I believe, a few years ago, were
running the greatest Gubernatorial race that was
ever ran for a very high office under the Constitution.
They were bitterly opposed to each
other. No compromise then. Nothing about
reform and representation according to popula- |
