as able to pay, but who were not willing to
pay, after the obligation bad actually been
imposed upon them; after they had been
standing years and years we had to discharge
them.
I am not aware of the precise number of
men who do not pay the one dollar in the city
of Baltimore. My colleague who was in the
board before I was thinks that not more than
one-half, I think that probably one-third or
one-fourth at any rate do not pay the one
dollar, and there would be more who would
not pay if the commissioners did not really
require it,
The hour having arrived for taking up the
order of the day, being the report of the
committee on the judiciary department,
On motion of Mr. BERRY, of Prince
George's,
It was postponed until after the considera-
tion of the report of the committee on educa-
tion.
The question then recurring upon the adop-
tion of the amendment submitted by Mr.
MILLER,
Mr. DANIEL resumed: When I first saw
this proposition in the bill on yesterday, I
was inclined to favor striking out that part
of it, and leaving it to the superintendents to
decide; but upon consideration I thought
perhaps it was well enough to let that re-
main, and let the schools be free throughout
the State, as it does not interfere with our
system. In the city of Baltimore, we have
found that the one dollar system works
very well, has increased the schools, and
brought into the schools a class of persons we
should not have otherwise. I believe that
such a course will work well in the counties.
I shall therefore vote for the imposition of a
tax, and shall vote for the section as it is, al-
lowing free schools without taxation to be
ha in me counties, ana this does not inter-
fere with our system in the city of Baltimore
But I merely rose to put myself right as to
the question of fact.
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE. How much is paid by
that sort of taxation ?
Mr. DANIEL. I do not know.
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE. Is it $1,000 or $100,000
in the counties?
Mr. DANIEL. I do not know; and I do not
know that it is necessary to know in order
to settle the question about the city of Balti
more.
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE, I was speaking of the
State—not of the city—and by the book
too.
Mr. DANIEL. When in the county of Som-
erset I was president of the board for a long
time; and everybody wanted to get free there
in the game way.
Mr. EDELEN. I do not propose to consume
time in arguing this question; but I desire
merely to put the house right on the reference
Made to some of the counties by the gentle |
man from Baltimore city (Mr. Stockbridge.)
1 understood him to say that in most if not
all the counties of the State, the parents of
children who went to the primary schools
were required to pay a certain amount. 1
will state that in reference to Charles county
the law has never required that parents of
children attending schools supported by this
fund should be required to pay. The schools
are as free, under certain limitations and re-
strictions with regard to districts, &c., as the
air we breathe.
1 desire to call the attention of the con-
vention to one point arising under this last
section which we are now considering, name-
ly, the question of taxation. We all know
that from causes which it is not necessary for
me here even to advert to, we in Maryland,
not only in Southern Maryland, not only on
the Western Shore and Eastern Shore, where
we have been despoiled of our property by the
action of this convention, but throughout the
State, there never has been a time in our his-
tory when the people were so little able to
endure heavy taxation. Gentlemen keep
studiously out of sight the fact that we are
required to pay, and will be required perhaps
to pay for years to come heavy amounts for
a national tax, as something that has been
unknown to us heretofore. It strikes me as
passing strange that with all these facts star-
in? gentlemen in the face they should be
willing to impose additional taxation. My
friend from Baltimore city said last night that
Charles county had not lost by this war more
than he or his people were losing; that he in
his business bad been expending $2,000 or
$3,000 in supporting his family, and had not
been making one cent since 1860, I submit
to the most zealous friends of public educa-
tion here, if this be the time to pass a law
raising a fund for public instruction, or any
Other purpose, that Is to operate in futuro and
weigh down the energies of the people for
years to come. Why not let us provide for
the present; for our immediate wants? Why
tax our overburdened people this day, to pro-
vide for the wants of those who are to live
twenty years hence? Why take any step
to raise a permanent fund? Can it be in-
sisted here that the people of the State will
not be as able fifteen or twenty years hence to
pay money for the support of public schools
as they now are? Why, at this time, seek
to make a fund from the interest of which
yon are to support this primary school sys-
tem? I say therefore that I am altogether
opposed to that branch of the proposition.
1 say further that the amendment of my
friend from Prince George's is very proper
and right and should be adopted by this con-
vention. We halve already, last night, passed
a section, under the operations of which,
whether rightfully or wrongfully it is not now
for me to argue, we are certain to have this
uniform school system after the next legisia- |
