1874.1 OF THE SENATE. 765

AMENDMENT PROPOSED.

"Provided, that nothing in'this Act contained, shall be con-
strued to render valid any subscription to the capital stock of
said company, or any promissory note or writing obligatory
given therefor, which was obtained by fraud or any material
misrepresentation, as to the amount of prior subscriptions to
said railroad, or as to the amount of prior subscriptions to
the capital stock of said company.''

Which was adopted.

Said bill, as amended, was then passed by yeas and nays
as follows:

AFFIRMATIVE.

Messrs. President, Longwell,
Blake, Lloyd,
Brewer, McCulloh,
Billingsley, Phelps,
Brattan, Steiner,
Claggett, Spencer,
Davis, Suit,
Earle, Tuck,
Fields, Williams—19.
Knight,

NEGATIVE—None.

Mr. Fields submitted the following

JOINT RESOLUTIONS.

WHEREAS, Ah action is now pending, or may hereafter be
brought in the Superior Court of Baltimore city, at the suit
of the State of Maryland vs. The Northern Central Railway
Company, to recover the State tax on the gross receipts of said
company; and

Whereas, Said Northern Central Railway Company is re-
sisting the payment of said tax under a claim that a clause
exists in the charter of said company, exempting the shares
of its capital stock in the hands of its stockholders from taxa-
tion, and that, therefore, said company is exempt from any
form of taxation on its business or property ; and

Whereas, The question thus raised or to be raised, is of the
highest importance to the State, involving the right of the
State to tax said company and other companies similarly
situated ; and

Whereas, Every means should be employed to have an en-
lightened and correct decision of said question ; and

Whereas, It is believed that very able counsel will be em-
ployed by said company to resist the payment of said taxes ;
therefore