1856.]          OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES. 653

propriations asked for, and which the public necessity seems to
demand should be made, will, in all probability reach $120,000

    more than the usual disbursements upon the Comptroller's esti-
mate. This sum, added to the amount from stamp duties of
$73,000, and the reduction of $73,000 from the direct tax, will
make $266,000 to be deducted from the estimates of the Com-
mittee of $421,323, leaving a balance at the end of the twelve
months indicated, of $155,323. Even should these results not
be attained, as in the expectation of the Committee, and should
fall short $55,000, there would still remain a surplus sufficient for

all ordinary contingencies, and would allow a reasonable excess
of receipts over all expenditures.

Propositions are before the Legislature to buy the State's
interest in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, which in view of the
unpromising condition of that work, and the remote probability
whether that interest could ever be made productive, and as also
of the continually accruing interest upon the bonds of the Com-
pany, the Committee think it a dictate of a sound policy, that
some measure should be adopted by which the State would be
relieved from this constant accretion of debt, and any sum that
might be obtained for this interest invested and set apart to meet
the debt of the State falling due in 1890. The Committee are
of opinion that an arrangement might be effected which would
grealy add to the interest of the State, if authority should be giv-
en by this Legislature to some competent and proper Commis-
sioners to sell this interest at a minimum price, to be determined
by law.               

The Committee would also express the hope that the Legisla-
ture will make a liberal appropriation to the commissioners ap-
pointed at the session of 1852, to "revise, simplify and abridge
the rules of practice, pleadings, forms of conveyancing and pro-
ceedings of the courts of this State." The manner in which
this duty has been discharged, is best attested by the general ap-
proval of their work, and the benefits to be derived from its
adoption universally admitted. A codification and simplification
of the laws of this State, after a long series of legislation, has
been found to be absolutely necessary, and the only means by
which we can judge of the great good to be effected, is by a com-
parison of the result in other States where a wise policy, has di-

rected the adoption of a similar measure.               

In closing the Report, the' Committee cannot fail to express
the necessity which has been made apparent to them, of making
an appropriation tor the enlargement of the Maryland Penitentia-
ry commensurate with the wants of the Institution to carry out
the purposes and objects for which it was designed. The Gov-
ernor in his annual message especially calls the attention of the
Legislature to the importance of some early action, and says :—
" The capacity of the prison buildings has become wholly inade-