82                The Maryland Constitution of 1851.             [460

spection of the public funds in his hands. This plan of
giving authority to the comptroller from one source; and
to the treasurer from another, was to make them, in a
measure, independent of each other, and thereby lessen
the danger of collusion.

The constitution of 1851 provided for the establishment
of an office of " Commissioners of Public Works." Such
an office had been long deemed a necessity, but no provi-
sion had been made for its establishment. The control of
the State over works of internal improvement had been ex-
ercised previously by a board of directors, appointed by
the General Assembly. An act of the legislature in 1832
required the governor, with the consent of the council, to
appoint three agents to represent the State at the meetings
of the stockholders of all joint stock companies " incorpo-
rated to make roads and canals, and vote according to the
interest of the State."⁵³

In 1840 the number of the board of directors for the
State was increased to five. The power of appointment
was taken from the governor, and given to the General
Assembly. The directors were required to keep a journal
of the proceedings of the stockholders in their general
meetings, and report the same to the legislature.⁵⁴ It will
be noticed that these commissioners were appointed to
represent the State as one of the stockholders, and to cast
the vote of the State in proportion to the amount of stock
held by the State.

The office of commissioners of public works as estab-
lished by the constitution of 1851, consisted of four mem-
bers, who were elected by popular vote for a term of four
years. One of the commissioners was to be taken from
each of the four districts into which the State was to be
divided for that purpose. The first district included the
counties of Allegany, Washington, Frederick, Carroll, Bal-
timore and Harford. The counties of Montgomery, How-

⁵³ Act 1832, ch. 318.                                        ⁵⁴ Act 1840, ch. 155.