COMPTROLLER OF THE TREASURY. 9

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company is indebted to the
State of Maryland, for stock subscribed, advances made, bonds of
the Company, and interest duo, to the present time, the large amount
of $19,330,759.13.

The immense outlay made by the State for this great work was
intended (with outlays made for other internal improvements for the
same purpose) for the development of the coal interests of Allegany
county, and the improvement of the western portion of the State.

The property of the whole State has been taxed, for upwards of
thirty years, to pay the interest on the debt contracted for the ad-
vances made for these works. The people of the State have borne-
this taxation with commendable cheerfulness, regarding the devel-
opment of any portion of the State as a matter of general interest
to all,'

The increase of wealth in that portion of the State, consequent
upon the completion of the works, for which these heavy expendi-
tures have been made, has been, as was expected, immense; and it is
time, in my judgment, that this especial interest should be willing to
bear slightly more of the burdens of taxation, which the cost of its
development has rendered necessary, and to that extent relieve
other portions of the State, sonic of which have been laboring for a
number of years under especial embarrassments. The reasonable-
ness of legislation to this end is so very apparent, that I cannot tor
a moment' doubt, that a provision by which the peculiar productions
of this section of the State, would be made to contribute to sonic extent,
to recompense the outlay made for their development and promotion,
will be favorably considered by those particularly interested. It is
but just to the rest of the State, all sections of which have con-
sented for so long a time to bear the burdens of taxation necessary
to raise the funds for the completion of the groat works of internal
improvement, without which, the production of coal could not have
been made remunerative, and the immense wealth of that portion
of the State could not have been produced, that this particular
branch of industry and production should incidentally bear some-
thing more of the burdens consequent upon the expenditures for its
benefit, than other less favored productions and properties.

I cannot but believe that legislation for this purpose will meet
with favor from all the people of the State, including those espe-
cially interested in this branch of industry. I suggest to the Gen-
eral Assembly, the enactment of a provision of law to effect this
object, and in addition urge it upon what I regard as the true theory