6

cessary display. In looking for arms to place in the hands of
these troops, Gov. Ligon finds that those of the State are unfit for
service; arms must of course be had; for clearly the same laws
which empowered the Governor to call out the troops, made it
incumbent on him to arm them. In this crisis he turns for aid
to the Governor of Virginia, who, with that comity and prompt-
ness which characterizes him, immediately sent them on. It
was for the transportation of these arms from Richmond to Wash-
ington, and back again to Richmond, that the heaviest charge on
the contingent fund was incurred; other arms were brought from
Frederick and Easton, and a sum of $273 09 expended for ammu-
nition. These several sums go to swell up the amount to some
$1,700 paid out of the contingent fund.

These acts of the Governor have been denounced in the most
sweeping manner, as "extravagant," "extraordinary," and "un-
constitutional," by the majority of your committee in their re-
port.

The minority of your committee are at a loss to compre-
hend how that act can be "unconstitutional," which is made ob-
ligatory by the Constitution itself.

As to the acts of the Governor being "extraordinary," the mi-
nority of your committee are of the opinion, that all that was
"extraordinary" in his course, was caused by the condition of
things in Baltimore city, and by the rebellious and contumacious
conduct of the mayor of that city, Thos. Swann, who, although
a sworn servant of the State, threw in the way of the Executive,
his appointed chief and ruler by the people, every obstacle that
his insubordinate temper could suggest.

In conclusion, the minority of your committee can find nothing
in the course of Ex-Gov. Ligon to disapprove, but much to ad-
mire and recommend; and in their opinion, so far from his course
having been "unconstitutional" he proved himself a wise and
honest Executive, and a good and faithful servant of the people.

Respectfully submmitted,

JOHN CONTEE,
GEORGE H. MORGAN,
B. TONGUE.
February 19th, 1868.