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pecuniary in its character, was equally obligatory as an
evidence of gratitude tor inestimable services rendered by
unexampled generosity to patriotism, struggling with diffi-
culties and power. It would be difficult to justify either
of these exercises of power, under the general authority
of Congress, as a legislative body; and it is only by pressing
into service their trustee capacity to administer this public
fund, that they can be justified.
Your committee have confined themselves, in this report,
to reasoning upon a proper distribution of the territory ac-
quired by conquest and treaty from Great Britain. The
subsequent acquisitions they deem equally subject to the
operation of the rules they have attempted to apply in this,
that they consider the public domain, whether acquired by
common conquest, or purchased by common treasure, as
being properly the subject of a common application, in just
proportions, to such objects of expenditure, within the
limits of the several States, as may most nearly tend "to
the common use and benefit of all the States. "
They also deem that, to rely upon this latter domain as
a source of annual revenue for the defraying of the civil
expenses of the General Government, would be repug-
nant to the powers granted to Congress for that specific
object, and equally obnoxious to the argument they have
used in this report against such an application of the terri-
tory acquired by "conquest and treaty from Great Britain. "
Your committee have considered it unnecessary to pro-
long this report by an examination of the accuracy of His
Excellency's statement with reference to the sum Mary-
land would receive if a distribution were directed. The
annual income to the State, in such an event, would depend
entirely upon the aggregate amount of sales, and as this
amount varies, no accurate scale of receipts can be ad-
justed.
We contend for the right to ask for and share in such
distribution, and the assertion of this principle is not de-
pendent upon a large or limited profit.
In conclusion, your committee most respectfully state,
that they have carried into the investigation of this ques-
tion a deep concern Cor the best interests and the honor of
the State of Maryland — both of which, they confidently
believe, would be seriously affected by a departure from
the high ground which her Convention and several Legis-
latures have heretofore proudly occupied in relation to the
public lands. They have felt too deeply the sacrifice of
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