34               The Maryland Constitution of 1851.             [412

The peculiar geographical features of Maryland are such
that the State is divided into sections whose interests have
always been regarded as opposed to each other. Sectional
jealousy was particularly strong before the Civil War.
The Eastern Shore and southern Maryland had some
interests in common; both were agricultural districts, and
both were deeply interested in the maintenance of the in-
stitution of slavery within the State. The number of
slaves was increasing in the southern counties of both the
Eastern and Western Shore. The number of slaves in
three of the counties: Prince George's, Calvert and
Charles, exceeded the number of whites.¹

On the Western Shore the city of Baltimore was clam-
oring for greater political power. The city's representa-
tion in the General Assembly of the State was limited to
equal representation with that of the largest county,
though with a population more than four times as great.
The rapid growth of population of Baltimore City, and
her great commercial expansion; while producing a sense
of pride among the inhabitants of the agricultural districts,
filled them with alarm for their own political influence in
the government of the State, and thereby the control over
the institution of slavery. This alarm was greatly in-
creased by the relative decrease of slave population in the
northern and western sections of the State.

The commercial interest of Baltimore City was not
deeply concerned in the maintenance of slavery in the
State, because the employment of slaves in commercial
pursuits was not considered to be profitable.

The sectional jealousy of the two Shores was greatly in-
creased by the system of internal improvement, which was
financially aided by the State. For advancing its commer-
cial interest, the small State of Maryland had become in-
debted to the extent of over sixteen millions of dollars.
The citizens of Baltimore City were the real promoters

¹ U. S. Census, 1850.