xxii

The license system of the State, as it now stands, works
exceedingly well, and produces a handsome revenue. The
only legislation called for, is in relation to Agents of Foreign
Insurance Companies, in some suitable provision to punish
infractions of the law by those acting without the required
license. Attempts hitherto to reach such persons, have been
unavailing by the mode provided.

A custom prevails with some of the Clerks of Circuit
Courts to issue what they call " Permits," which are under-
stood to be licenses from themselves without the Comptroller's
stamp thereon. This custom destroys the check intended to
be provided by the law requiring the Comptroller's stamp
on every license issued, and requiring the Comptroller to
keep always on hand the necessary licenses to meet the orders
for them. It is difficult, under such circumstances, to keep
the accounts with the Clerks for licenses furnished them ; or
to make the accounts of licenses delivered and charged to
them, agree with those issued by the Clerks and those re-
ported on hand.

By an oversight of the Legislature of 1862, the increase of
Direct Tax by fifteen cents on each one hundred dollars, was
not made applicable to the Section 103 of Article 81, Code
of General Laws, relating to the tax on the Public Debt.
At the time of providing the payment of the July interest
of 1862, as required by Section 104 of same Article, the
Treasurer believing that the intention of the Legislature was
to tax all property alike, retained one quarter per cent. It
was generally acquiesced in by the holders of State Stock at
that time ; but dissatisfaction having been expressed subse-
quently by some of the holders of the Stock, to. avoid diffi-
culty the Treasurer, in providing the July interest for 1863,
retained only a tax of one-tenth of one per cent., as author-
ized by the Section 103 of Article 81. To correct this mat-
ter, it is suggested that the Legislature pass an Explanatory
Act, supplementary to the Act of 1862, legalizing the tax
on this item at one-fourth of one per cent. ; or otherwise re-
funding the additional fifteen cents on each one hundred dol-
lars, retained by the Treasurer in July, 1862, to the then
holders of the Public Debt.