612 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Mar. 18,

The proceedings of yesterday were read and approved.

The President laid before the Senate the following commu-
nication with accompanying Resolution:

BALTIMORE,-March 17th, 1874.
To the Honorable the

General Assemely of Maryland :

GENTLEMEN :—I have the honor to inclose herewith the fol-
lowing copy of a preamble and resolution of the Mayor and
City Council of Baltimore, in reference to the bill pending in
your honorable Body, in connection with the City Passenger
Railway Corporations and the city of Baltimore, approved
March 17th, 1874.

With high regard,

Your obedient servant,

JOSHUA VANSANT,

Mayor.

Resolution of Protest against the passage of any Act by the
General Assembly of Maryland, assuming to absolve the
railway corporations from the performance of the provisions
of their charters.

WHEREAS, The Railway Companies of Baltimore city, are
now before the General Assembly, asking an abatement of a
large portion of the Park Tax, we deem it proper to enter the
protest of the people of Baltimore; and—

Whereas, The City Passenger Railway Company has had
its Counsellor before the Judiciary Committee of the Senate,
advocating the legality of an Act to absolve the Railway
Companies from the provisions of their charter, and it being
well known that the President of the City Passenger Rail-
way Company has been attending the Session of the General
Assembly, advocating the passage of an Act to reduce the
Park Tax, and believing further that this matter of Park
Tax upon the Railway Companies, is one that should of right
be left to the city and Railway Companies to settle, as the
charter of said Companies can only be regarded in the light
of a solemn contract with the city, the city according unusual
privileges in consideration of the payment by said Companies
of a Park Tax, which tax, however, was, at the time of the
granting of their charter, a voluntary offer upon the part of
said Companies; and

Whereas, The bill now before the General Assembly, treats
of a matter of vital importance to the city of Baltimore, and
can by no possible means be tortured into a matter of con-
cern to the State, and the city being best qualified to know
what in to her best interests in the regulation of her internal
affairs: therefore—