30

of the Militia of Maryland. It contains many valuable sugges-
tions, and is eminently worthy of your consideration. If is proper
for me again to remind you, that the Legislature have failed, as
vet to pass any law for the enrolment of the militia, although ex-
pressly required to do so by the 9th Article, Sec. 1, of the Consti-
tution. With the exception of the volunteer corps in the city of
Baltimore, and a few Uniform companies in three or four counties,
there is, in truth, no organized militia in the State. There are
scarcely any "official returns" to the Adjutant General, and in the
event of a call being made in a sudden emergency, upon the mili-
tia to "repel invasion, suppress insurrection and enforce the exe-
cution of the laws," the State would be literally without men and
without arms. The existing statutes requiring the Adjutant Gen-
eral to furnish arms when applied for, to all Volunteer and Uni-
form companies, has squandered a large amount of the public
arms without any corresponding or adequate benefit to the State,
and left the armories destitute of a sufficient number of arms for
any public emergency.

On the occasion of my late interposition in Baltimore, I deemed
it proper in the discharge of a high public duty, to apply to the
Governor of Virginia, for a loan of two thousand muskets to arm
the force which I contemplated calling out, for the preservation of
the public peace in Baltimore, and the protection of her citizens in
the exercise of their political rights. My position and the necessi-
ty of immediate action were fully appreciated. With a promptness,
generosity and courtesy, characteristic of the distinguished Gov-
ernor of that State, the necessary orders were immediately given
for the transportation to this State, of the arms required. For this
act of comity, the Governor of Virginia is entitled to the thanks of
all who desire to see our laws faithfully executed, and the supre-
macy of constitutional authority, maintained. The exigency and
necessity for such a call could only be properly judged of and deter-
mined by the Executive of Maryland, who assumed that duty with
a full knowledge of its responsibility. A portion of the arms ar-
rived in Baltimore, the rest were detained by my orders in Wash-
ington, and at the proper time returned to the Governor of Vir-
ginia.

CONTINGENT FUND.

1 herewith transmit as required by the Constitution, a statement
of the disbursements from the Executive Contingent Fund, for the
last two years, and respectfully ask, that you will appoint a com-
mittee to examine my vouchers for the expenditure of this fund,
as well as for the expenditure of the sum of $4,000 appropriated
by the act of 1854, to repair and furnish the Government House.

In closing this communication already too much extended, I
avail myself of this opportunity to express through you to my fel-
low-citizens of the State, my sincere acknowledgments of the hon-