ART. 8.] STATE OF MARYLAND. 39

Or establishing, locating or affecting the construction of

roads, and the repairing or building of bridges.

And the General Assembly shall pass no special law for

General Laws to

any case for which provision has been made by an existing

bo provided.

general law. The General Assembly at its first session after

the adoption of this Constitution, shall pass general laws

providing for the cases enumerated in this section, aud for

all other cases where a general law can be made applicable.

SEC 33. No debt shall be hereafter contracted by the

Debts not to be

contracted

General Assembly, unless such debt |hall be authorized by

a law providing for the collection of an annual tax or taxes

sufficient to pay the interest on such debt as it falls due,

and also to discharge the principal thereof within fifteen

years from the time of contracting the same, and the taxes

laid for this purpose shall not be repealed or applied to any

other object until the said debt and interest thereon shall be

fully discharged. The credit of the State shall not, in any

Credit of the State

manner, be given or loaned to, or in aid of any individual,

not to be given.
15 Md 205

association or corporation, nor shall the General Assembly

have the power in any mode to involve the State in the con-

struction of works of internal improvement, nor in any enter-

prise which shall involve the faith or credit of the State, nor

make any appropriations therefor. And they shall not use

or appropriate the proceeds of the internal improvement

companies, or of the State tax now levied, or which may

hereafter be levied, to pay off the public debt, to any other

purpose until the interest and debt are fully paid, or the

sinking fund shall be equal to the amount of the outstanding

debt ; but the General Assembly may, without laying a tax,

borrow an amount never to exceed fifty thousand dollars, to

meet temporary deficiencies in the treasury, and may con-

tract debts to any amount that may be necessary for the

defence of the State.

SEC. 34. No extra compensation shall be granted or

Extra compensa-

allowed by the General Assembly to any public officer, agent,

tion not to be
allowed

servant or contractor, after the services shall have been

rendered or the contract entered into ; nor shall the salary

or compensation of any public officer be increased or dimin-

ished daring his term of office.