THE CHANCELLOR'S CASE.—1 BLAND. 593

paid in Spanish milled dollars at seven shillings and sixpence
each, or in gold, or other silver in proportion, or in bills of credit
at the passing value. The provision for the payment of judicial
salaries, during each of these five first years, was made simply by
a resolution passed at the last session of each previous year. As a
compensation to the Chancellor, for his services for the year 1782,
he was to be paid seven hundred and fifty pounds in bills of credit
of the last emission at par, or in wheat, at seven shillings and
* sixpence per bushel. For the year 1783 his compensation
was fixed at six hundred pounds. For the year 1784 it was, 632
in like manner, settled at six hundred pounds; and it was declared,
that for the year 1785, the Chancellor shall be allowed a salary of
six hundred and fifty pounds current money. The provision for
the payment of the salaries of the Chancellor and Judges, for each
of those four years, was made by an Act passed annually, ami
usually entitled " an Act to settle and pay the civil list."(o)

Hence, it appears, that during a period of nine years, all judicial
salaries were in a most unstable, and insecure condition. The
Chancellor's salary, within that time, fluctuated from three hun-
dred pounds to twelve thousand five hundred pounds, in nominal
amount; and, except for the years 1783 and 1784, it was continued
at the same amount no two years in succession. The causes of
these variations, and of this uncertainty, will be found in the then
condition of the circulating medium; and in the low, distracted
state of the public finances; not in any mere caprice of the Legis-
lature; or in any strange whims of theirs about the Court of Chan-
cery; for, during that period, the Court continued its course
steadily, and Avas then acknowledged to be one of the most valua-
ble tribunals of Maryland.

"These United States (said the Congress of the Union) having
been driven into this just and necessary war, at a time when no
regular civil governments were established of sufficient energy to
enforce the collection of taxes, or to provide funds for the redemp-
tion of such bills of credit as their necessities obliged them to
issue, and before the powers of Europe were sufficiently convinced
of the justness of their cause, or of the probable event of the con-
troversy, to afford them aid or credit; in consequence of which,
their bills increasing in quantity beyond the sum necessary for the
purpose of a circulating medium, and wanting at the same time
specific funds to rest on for their redemption, they have seen them
daily sink in value, notwithstanding every effort that has been

(o) Resolutions of the 14th of April, 1777; the 16th of December, 1777; the
12th of December, 1778; the 29th of December, 1779, by which also the
Chancellor was allowed £875 for his past services of that year; and the 6th
of January, 1781; and the Acts of November, 1781, ch. 29: November, 178:4,
ch. 28; November, 1783, ch. 31; and November, 1784, ch. 68.

38 1B