The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-06-10

auu the ayes ana nays were called resulting in
ayes 5, nays 40-sO the order was rejected
| The bill reported by Mr.. Maxwell to paw O. Her-
sey $3.50, as commissioner to Virginia, was passed
| Leave was granted Mr.. Scott to introduce a bill
to incorporate the Baltimore Catonsville and Eli
colts Mills Passenger Railway Company.
FREDERICK CORRESPONDENCE.
FREDgRICK, June s. 1861.
Upon the bill reported yesterday by Mr.. War
held, aad which came up in regular order to-day,
authorizing the ci ty of Baltimore to increase its
public Gebt 81 SOC, 600 beyond the sum now allowed
! by law, whenever such increase may be deemed ne
cessary by the Mayor and City Council, there arose
an unexpected and very animated debate between
| Mr. Morfitt, of Baltimore, in opposition to, and
Messrs Pitts, Wallis and Gordon in advocacy of the
bill
Mr.. Morftt, who, despite the formidable odds ar
rayed against him, argued his opposition with
sterdness and yigor, based his chief objection to
the measure upon the already enormous debt of the
city, which had been increased, be sad by species
of legislation, not legtimately within the sphere of
municipal duty, to nearly $4,000 900, entire
ly beyond the power of the city to liqudate within
the present generation at least 1t time there
fore that upon a matter of such magnitude. and a
period SO momehtous as the present, when the de-
probation Of values of all kinds was heavily in
creasing the ratio of taxation to exercise the
most caution, and to require the most ample ezhibi
tion of for the enlargement of the ctys al
ready onerous obligations.
The bill was introduced, he said, without that
municipal sanction which has heretofore accom-.
panied if it did not suggest, the request for ad-
| ditional power for taxation, and he had never
before heard of Legislature originating city
| debt
Mr.. Wallis said, in response, that the bill, which
| did not propose to create debt, but only to pro-
vide the city with the means to meet its lust
obligations, should extraordinary means become
necessary, was drawn up by the City Counsellor,
acting under the direction of the Mayor; and that
with the single exception of Mr.. M0ritt, it had
received the sanction of the entire delegation
| from Baltimore.
The bill contemplated the depreciation of values
spoken of by Mr.. Moriitt and the failure of those
ordinary sources of revenue which had hitherto
enabled the city to keep its faith with its credit
| ors. The object of the measure to avoid the
disgrace OF Baltimore being compelled to Tepud-
ate her obligations. He was as much opposed to
| heavy taxation as any man could be, but rather
than entail upon the city the shame of reputation,
he would gladly become a tenant ins tead of owner.
Mr.. MOrttt expressed his determination to vote
against the bill in any form, but should the House
pass it, he would propose an RJis to protect the
people of Baltimore against the perversion of the
fund from its proper purposes the following amend
ment:
| "Prorded That no part of the money raised under
this bill shall be applied paid to the extingushment
payment of interest upon railroad stock water
tax any debt which the city of Baltimore is
the guaanto for other purposes interest than
| debts of its own original creation.
| The adoption of the amendment, Mr.. Moritt con-
tended, would prevent repudiation; for the resour-
ces of the city, if applied properly to city purposes
only, amply suffcient-properly husbanded-
| to meet her obligations.
Mr.. Pitts said the intent of the proposed amend
ment was to advocate reputation. This Mr.. Moritt
| empbaticalF denied, saving the resources of the
city sufficient, if applied to legitimate NUM-
cipal egislation-opening and repairing Streets
&C. but that obligations incurred by the guaran-
tee of railroad stock, &c., purposes outside of
proper city legislation, were OF secondary cOnsid-
| Grafton.
Mr.. Pitts warmly contended that the explanation
had not changed the character of the gentleman 5
argument, which simply meant reputation, and
| nothing less. There difference, he main
| tanned, between debts originally created and
those guarantied they were both equally binding
| upon the city.
side of Baltimore, VINO had been induced to in
vest their means in stocks to which the faith of
| the city was pledged, were now to be told that
| because the times were troublous they would
be cut off from the enjoyment of the interest
| upon their investments. So ia: from this princi-
| pie being one likely to obtain favor with the
citizens of Baltimore, he would undertake to say
| for them that now heretofore, they would meet
every honest obligation Of theirs as long as
dollar was left in the ctys treasury could be
| raised upon her faith.
A cOlloquv OF some length ensued between Mr.
Gordon and Mr.. MOrftt, in which the former con-
tended that the aid asked was to meet obliga
tions already incurred, under sanction of the
Legislature; and the latter that the object of the
measure to create Indebtedness.
Mr.. Wallis said, with much warmth, that be was
sure the Houses sense of prOpriety would shrink
from endorsing the proposed amendment. The pro-
| position of Mr.. Morftt was that the CITY should
| provide only for the payment of those obigati Ms
she has herself directly contracted for: but in the
cases of works of internal Improvement by which
her prosperity has been largely increased she sh Ill
not pay, though innocent parties have been induced
by confidence IN her integrity to invest their wealth
| in stocks 0t that character. 1t was repudiatiOn
and he regretted that such a proposition should
ever have been uttered upon the foo- of this House
| He thought the principle of reputation had
ceased to exist-pinned to the earth in Pennsy Iva
MIA by thespear of Sydney Smith. Let it not be
| revived in Maryland God knows said the speaker,
the troubles of the times have brought more than
her share of sorrow and of suffering upon Balti-
more-but God forbid there should be superadded
the shame of repudiating obligations equally bind
| ing in their moral or legal aspects.
| Mr.. Gordon took a similar view of the binding
| character of the obligations of Baltimore to that
| of Mr.. Wallis, and said it may be that reputation
by the State and city of Baltimore might be inev-
table. Then let it come Amid the general crush
| of such calamity the people of Baltimore would
meet reverses of fortune beyond their resistance
with the same proud patience and forttude which
| has characterized their submission to a despntSm
| too powerful to be repelled But when the shac-
kles shall be stricken from their limbs, when they
| shall again be restored to the free use of their
:,
| blow-will meet every obligation appealing to her
| honor, whether commercial or political.
Prior to casting his vote, Mr.. Kilbourn, the
Speaker, briefly addressed the House from the
| Chair in advocacy of the bill. The question be-
ing put upon Mr.. Morfitts amendment, it was re-
| jected by vote of ayes s. nays 81; and recurring
then upon the original bill, it was passed-ayes so,
| nays7.
The strong auti-administration Southern Rights
| resolutions introduced into the House to-day by
| Mr.. Dennis, of Somerset, creates general sensa-
ton in political circles here. Mr. Dennis who
wields widespread influence in his section of the
| State was the able leader of the American or op-
position party in the House during the last session,
and their candidate for the United States Sen
| atorship. His adherence to the Southern Rights
| party leaves the opposition in the House, at this
iuncture, without leader, unless Mr.. Fiery, who is
said to be gentleman of ability, should aspire to
| that position.
| These resolutions lay under rule of the
| House. Nr. Chaplan's resolution, instructing the
| Representatives of MARYLAND in Congress to vote
for the recognition of the Southern Confederacy,
| in accordance with the report of the Committee on
Federal Relations, came up to-day by special order
| The speech of Mr. Chaplain in advocacy of their
| adoption was marked with freshness of argument
and compactness. He held that it the duty of
| MARYLAND to speak the side of humanity and of
loyalty to that cornerstone of the temple of Amer
| ican independence that the consent of the gov
erned was essential to the continuance of the Gov
| erDment.
The question now at issue was not whether a
| Federal Government has the right to interpOse
force to prevent secession. The right of secession,
| if exercised, must be exercised a sovereign
right, one inherent in the State and never surren-
| dered. In the Convention which framed the Con
stituion this question OF coercing State by force
was directly brought up. 1t was vigorously op-
posed and finally postponed indefinitely by unani-
nous consent.
1t was said in 1888 that the Constitution was ga
commercial trick" and John Adams in a letter to
| Jay, says if submitted directly to the people wonld
have been voted down. Patrick Henry upon this
question, prophetically warned his counrymen that
elf the Pres ident violates the laws one of two
things will happen: He will come at the head of his
army to carry everything before him, or do what
| Mr.. Chief Justice will order him.
The result OF the civil war inaugurated by the
horrible policy of Lincoln he did not doubt.
The South was invincible Humanity dictated
an immediate acknowledgement of its independence.
| The House adjourned without coming to vote.
1t is likely MIR. Wallis, and Mr.. Dennis OF Somer-
set, will speak to the resolutions. y. r.
| . --.s ..r. FREDERICK, June s, 1861.
The subject of adjournment sine die was
broached in the House this evening, upon motion
of Mr.. Routzahn, suggesting Monday the day.
MIR. McIntire, the new member from Cecil, gifted
up his voice and spake" to the molten for adjourn
ment. He accepted the many memorials which had
been presented to both Houses, suggesting an i'm
mediate adjournment, as conclusive evidence that
the "universal wish of the people of Maryland"
was for early vacation of this Legislature as
| could possibly be accomplished, Sin fact" that 'fhe
interests the State" required it, and this latter
| truth he was assured, was "felt by maj j0rty Of
| the members"
| if the wish for adjournment was so general
| among the people, the memorials to that end weYa