course; and the moment the State shows a determination to pay punctually, there will not be the smallest difficulty in obtaining, by a permanent loan, the means of paying the arrears of interest.

Maryland is another delinquent State, which has failed, during the last two years, to make payment of the interest on her public debt. The bonds of this State which have been issued amount to a little more than $15,000,000, but of these about $ 3,175,000, issued to the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-road, have not been negotiated, and should they be negotiated, the interest on them will be paid by the company. Of the residue, nearly $1,300,000 are the property of the State, having been purchased by the income of the sinking fund. These bonds are subject to different rates of interest, the greater part being at five per cent., and the whole interest, after deducting what goes to the sinking fund, amounting to something less than $600,000 a year.

The whole of this debt, with the exception of $ 215,947, was contracted for purposes of internal improvement, partly by subscriptions to stock in canal and rail-road companies, on account of the State, and partly by grants, in the form of loans, to such companies, they being bound to pay the interest on the bonds, and ultimately to repay the principal, the works of the said companies being mortgaged for the security of the respective debts. In making these large advances, and entering into these engagements, the legislature of the State relied upon the income of the works to meet the interest of the debt. In this expectation they have been disappointed. The Baltimore and Ohio Rail-road alone has made an adequate return for the expenditure. The sum of $1,022,000, invested in the stocks of this rail-road, earns an income of seven per cent. per annum. The sum of $2,232,000, invested in the bonds and stock of the Baltimore and Susquehannah Rail-road, has made some small return, and there is a prospect, that the income from this source will slightly increase. On $1,000,000, loaned to the Susquehannah Tide-water Canal, no return has yet been received; but it is confidently anticipated, that this canal will shortly be able to pay the interest on the loan, amounting to $55,000 per annum. The largest investments have been made in the stocks and bonds of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal company. This canal being yet unfinished, and requiring a fur

ther sum of a million and a half or two millions of dollars to complete it, no income is expected from it, until the means shall be found to raise that sum, and extend the canal to the coal-mines near Cumberland. Some smaller advances, which have been made to other companies, are not expected to make any return. The annual income, therefore, which can be, for the present, anticipated from the public works, is limited to about $150,000. The residue of the interest, amounting to about $ 450,000, must, therefore, be met by taxation. A direct tax, sufficient for this object, was voted by the legislature; but in consequence of the severe embarrassments of the last three years, and of the want of a proper system for the collection of direct taxes, a large proportion of the taxes for the years 1841, 1842, and 1843 has been suffered to fall in arrear, and in consequence, the means of the treasury have been inadequate to the payment of the interest on the debt. From January, 1842, this interest has not been paid, except that for some part coupons have been issued, promising payment at a future day, and receivable in payment of taxes. For the restoration of the credit of the State, it is necessary that the arrears of interest should be provided for, which can be done in the manner spoken of in the case of Pennsylvania, and by enforcing a more prompt payment of taxes. The taxes already levied appear to be fully sufficient for this object, if collected. Maryland has other revenues, independent of the direct taxes, amply sufficient for meeting all the other expenditures of the State. These taxes, to nearly the whole amount now levied, will be necessary to pay the interest on the debt, until an income shall be derived from the large investments in the loans or stocks of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and Susquehannah Rail-road and for this purpose these taxes must be enforced. As levied by the legislature, they amount to twenty-five cents upon every hundred dollars of taxable property in the State. We do not say this is a trifling burden. It requires resolution to sustain it. But the case presents every motive which can operate upon the minds of honorable men to induce them to make the effort. The money was borrowed by their agents. It has been expended upon their soil. Its results, thus far, may not be such as they desire; but for this their own agents, and they themselves, who selected those agents, and from year to year

sanctioned their proceedings, are alone to be blamed.

The

debt is a just debt. They can, and they will pay it. We look upon the position and future conduct of this State as of the greatest importance to the honor, the credit, and the future reputation of the whole country. It occupies a position, and is placed in circumstances, which render its action almost decisive of the fate of this great question of public morals. Pennsylvania can pay, almost without an effort. Her debt is really nothing compared with her resources. Indiana and Illinois are differently situated, and at present cannot pay. Maryland occupies an intermediate position. She can pay, but it costs her a strong effort to do so. Her condition is such as to try her sense of honor. Hers is the opportunity to settle the question, whether a popular government is too selfish to be just. Her people have it in their power to say to the world, "We are capable of governing ourselves, for we can make sacrifices for the sake of duty and honor; no human power can force them upon us, but we freely make them. We owe allegiance neither to kings, nor princes, nor to any earthly potentate; but we obey His will who created us, and we are governed by His laws. Freely and cheerfully, because we know it to be our duty, will we do this thing." Let the people of Maryland remember, also, that, if they make this effort, they will transmit to their children the inheritance of an untarnished honor; that they will lay the foundations of public prosperity deep and strong in the public faith; that the sacrifices which they are now called upon to make cannot long be necessary, and will grow less with the increase of population and wealth, and the rising income from the public works. That they may see these things, and act as if they saw them, is the earnest wish of many who love their country, and think that its honor and welfare are deeply involved in the issue.

The miserable sophistry, for we can call it by no better name, with which some have attempted to delude the people of Maryland into a belief, that their legislature had not the constitutional power to contract these debts, would not be worthy of a moment's attention, if the subject on which it is employed were not of such importance. There is an article in the Bill of Rights of this State of the following tenor : "Every person in the State ought to contribute his proportion of public taxes for the support of government, accord

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ing to his actual worth in real and personal property." The argument is, that the legislature has power to tax the people only for the support of government"; that the construction of rail-roads and canals is not one of the legitimate objects of government, and, therefore, it is not within the constitutional power of the legislature to tax the people to make or pay for them.

We can hardly call this an ingenious argument, for ingenuity would certainly have devised something which should have the appearance of truth; but here is involved so palpable a falsehood, that it is difficult to believe it could ever impose on any body. Not one of the legitimate objects of government to build rail-ways and canals! How is this question to be settled? First of all, by the universal practice of all civilized governments. That which every civilized people, under every form of administration, has caused its government to do, may well be thought to be within the legitimate powers of a government. And what people has ever doubted, that the building of roads and bridges was a subject not only fit for the action of government, but necessarily under its exclusive control? Have the people of Maryland ever doubted this? Let them consult their own statutes and ordinances, and see, whether, from the first moment when they acted in a political capacity, this subject has not always been ranked among the powers which the government has exercised. Not only has this been the universal practice, but it is absolutely requisite that the practice should continue. Keeping open the means of communication between one part of the territory of a State and another, and affording facilities of passage for persons and property over land by means of convenient roads, and over the waters by means of bridges and ferries, is absolutely necessary. Hardly any object of civil society can be accomplished without them, and the right of eminent domain not only always has been, but always must be, exercised for this end. It has been seriously doubted, whether a government acts wisely in delegating this power to private corporations, even where they are held in check by the legislature; but we never heard it suggested, that a government could delegate this power without first possessing it. It is very clear, therefore, that these objectors would never have a road made, or a bridge built, or a ferry established, or a canal dug, within

the limits of their State; - not by the government, for it is not within the powers delegated to the State; not by those authorized by the government, for the administration certainly cannot empower a corporation or an individual to take land and other private property for a purpose which the government itself has not a right to effect. We suppose no one will be so hardy as to attempt to make a distinction between a ferry and a canal, or a bridge and a rail-road. The power of states over this subject arises from the nature of the object to be accomplished, which is, to effect an easy, cheap, and safe passage; and, of course, it is restricted to no particular means.

The truth is, the whole argument betrays lamentable ignorance of the nature and objects of all social institutions, or it betrays something worse. The first object of government undoubtedly is, to secure its citizens from violence and wrong. But this by no means exhausts its powers, or fulfils its duties. It may do much towards the increase of knowledge, the advancement of education, both religious and secular, the progress of the sciences, the promotion of a free intercourse between communities and nations, and the increase and diffusion of wealth and comfort; and what it can do towards these objects, securely and wisely, it is bound to do. This duty has been felt by all governments, and to some extent has been performed by all. Great public works, designed for the common benefit, and executed by the combined power of the whole people, have always been looked upon as monuments of civilization, and of the wisdom and virtue of the administration which planned them. It is now for the first time denied that they are within its legitimate powers.

Of course, we do not here refer to the national government. The question, whether the Constitution of the United States gives the power to construct roads within the States, is an open and difficult one; but it has nothing to do with the subject here discussed. It turns, not on the general question, whether such works are legitimate objects for the action of government, but on the question, whether this power is granted in the Constitution of the United States. The question in Maryland is exactly the opposite; namely, Has this power been taken away from the legislature by the