Art. 3.] State of Maryland. 39

Or establishing, locating or affecting the construction of
roads, and the repairing or building of bridges.

And the General Assembly shall pass no special law for
any case for which provision has been made by an existing
general law. The General Assembly at its first session after
the adoption of this Constitution, shall pass general laws
providing for the cases enumerated in this section, and for
all other cases where a general law can be made applicable.

General Laws to
bo provided.

Sec. 33. No debt shall be hereafter contracted by the
General Assembly, unless such debt shall be authorized by
a law providing for the collection of an annual tax or taxes
sufficient to pay the interest on such debt as it falls due,
and also to discharge the principal thereof within fifteen
years from the time of contracting the same, and the taxes
laid for this purpose shall not be repealed or applied to any
other object until the said debt and interest thereon shall be

Debts not to bo
contracted.

fully discharged. The credit of the State shall not, in any
manner, be given or loaned to, or in aid of any individual,
association or corporation, nor shall the General Assembly
have the power in any mode to involve the State in the con-
struction of works of internal improvement, nor in any enter-
prise which shall involve the faith or credit of the State, nor
make any appropriations therefor. And they shall not use
or appropriate the proceeds of the internal improvement
companies, or of the State tax now levied, or which may
hereafter be levied, to pay off the public debt, to any other
purpose until the interest and debt are fully paid, or the
sinking fund shall be equal to the amount of the outstanding
debt; but the General Assembly may, without laying a tax,
borrow an amount never to exceed fifty thousand dollars, to
meet temporary deficiencies in the treasury, and may con-
tract debts to any amount that may be necessary for the
defence of the State.

Credit of the State
not to be given.

15 Md. 205.

Sec. 34. No extra compensation shall be granted or
allowed by the General Assembly to any public officer, agent,
servant or contractor, after the services shall have been
rendered or the contract entered into; nor shall the salary
or compensation of any public officer be increased or dimin-
ished during his term of office.

Extra compensa-
tion not to be
allowed.