The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1867-09-05
Remarks of Col. w. p. Mauls-
by, in The Constitutional
Convention, ON the E3th Of
August, In Favor Of the AdOp-
ti0n OF the New Constitution.

/ AuSuSt, hu htOf Oh the AdOp-
ton Ofthe New Coastitution.
| Mr.. Maulsby said that he had to cx.
press the hope that there would be no
majority and minority vote taken, but
that Me sense Of the Convention, wheth-
er IN favor OF or against the proposition
OF his friend from st. Mary's, would be
expressed bya unanimous vote. lie
thought that there wero two sides to the
question, but which predominated he
was not clear. Ills own judgment was
that the people OF the State would find,
on careful examination, that the solid
intrinsic merits Of the Constitution
which was now in substance completed
and about to be submitted to them, COM
mended it TO the confidence and regard
Of citizens Of all shades Of political opin-
ion. One OF the most prominent Of the
great evils under which the people Of
the State were laboriug was the aecu-
mutation OF public debl--State. couaty
aud municipal The mania Tor lavish
expenditure in every imaginable amount
had seemed. for several years past, TO.
have seized on the public authorities of
every branch. Taxes were levied and
bonds aud obligations were issued by
county, city aud town authorities with
an openncss of hand which indicated
either recklessncss or an enlargement of
liberalized views, which could not look
down SO low us to the people who were
to pay for all from the hard wrupg pro-
ceeds Of theirlabor. The plowmen, the
seedmcn aud the hoemeu, from whose
muscle aud sweat the taxes at last conc
to make good the magnificent schemes
Of grand operators in public bonds sand
evidences OF indebtedness, on lesser
scale to be sure, because they are only
OF counties, cities aud towns, but still
grand within their lesser sphe e, appear
to have been thought to be too low 10
the scale OF citizenship to have been
worthy the notice Of the egoyerni, z class.
The Constitution which we have framed
lays the axe to the root Of the tree
No more such debts viii be incurred
no more such bonds will be issued until
the people shall have Grst deliberately
voted on and authorized il. If this
Constitution embraced bus this single
! feature, its Importance could hardly be
over estimated; and it ought 70 receive
tho hearty approval of every citizen Of
the State, But beyond the feature re-
ferred TO, our work affords, ia the provi-
sion comforting on the Governor the
veto power guarantee against the too
liberal appropriations made by our Leg.
islatnres. The liquidation Of our State
debt, by the application Of the surplus
funds coming iuto the Treasury over
the absolutely necessary expenses Of
State Government, has been almost, IL
not quite arrested, by the appropriations
Of these funds 10 Other and unnecessary
purposes. The amounts now paid out
| by the Treasury to various of the col
ieges Of the State are too great The
striking, but illustrative instance Of the
spprop iation Of more than thirty thous-
and dollars for the single item Of the
publiestion Of the annual report of tho
superintendent Of the schoal system
points to a practice too long and much
indulged Ia Of seeking excuses for cx-
peuditure Of public nlouey rather than
Of jealously watching aud guarding
| against IT, An effective remedy viii be
found in the veto power Henceforward
the people viii be euabled to concen-
trate their views, IN seeking for rcspon.