The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-12

the HON. James Black Groome Governor OF the
State OF Maryland, upon the approaching Gen.
tennial celebration IN Philadelphia. Governor
Groome was Chairman OF the Committee OF Fed
eral Relations in the Legislature OF 1872 when the
idea OF Centennial was first presented TO the
Stare IN an official form. He did not then express
an opinion upon the policy or proprlety OF such
celebration, but conceiying IL to be fixed fact
and the subject having been referred TO bis
committee he proposed a bill similar in its
provisions 70 thar which had passed the Legisla-
ture OF Pennsylvania. The Governor OF the State,
the President OF the Senate, and the Speaker or
the House. with six others, two or whom were to
be named by each OF the above, to form a
Commission to take charge OF the interests OF
Maryland. He at first mentioned $4,000 as the
sum necessary to defray the expenses OF the Com
mission, but the Chairman OF the Committee OF
Ways and Means ridculed the proposition. lie
subsequently proposed $4,000 but the measure
was received with such evident disavor that 1t
was suffered to die In committee. In 1874 he was
elected Governor and, as he said. he decided then
never to cross the threshold OF legislation nor
even to discuss with members questions to be de.
termined by their respective bodies.
AN APPROPRIATION OF $500.
The Centennial was revived In the Legislature
OF ia but apathy II not actual hostility, charac-
terized lis consideration by that body. ana the
utmost that could be secured by It's friends was
On appropriation OF $500 for portraits or
Governors Stone, Paca and Johnson. The first
two were signers OF the Declaration OF IDdepen-
dence. and the last made the motion IN the Con-
tinental Congress which resulted In the appoint
menr of Washington TO the command OF the
federal army. Governor Groome said that IL was
impossible TO argue from the action OF one Legis-
lature what another would do He had received
a circular from the Centennial managers IN Phil
adelphia, but Maryland could do nothing until the
meeting OF the next Legislature IN January, 1876.
CHANGE OF SENTIMENT.
In conversation with representative men
throughout the State he had become convinced
that public opinion had sensbly changed since IA.
There was growing disposition to take hold OF
the matter; the people thought as ne did. The
Presidenu ana Congress had officially recognized
the Centennial, and had invited foreign nations to
unite with tins country in It's celebration. Penn
sylvania had been induced to enlist her resources
in the scheme. A failure now would entail
tional disgrace, in which Maryland must necessa-
rily be sharer. Tue State financially was proba-
bly, In q better situation than any other in the
Union. Her debt, with the exception of SO, coo
or 81, o0O 600, was Offset by available assets. Many
of her investments IN puollc improvements were
paying heavy dividends and others would soon
become available. II the people wished to in
duge in the luxury OF patriotism they could not
select more propitious moment.
sPREAD-EAGLEIsM, ASIDE
from its expense, was harmless much would de-
pend upon the administrat on OF the government
In the interval between now and the LIST OF Janu-
airy. II the President did carry out the policy
obscurely threatened in his last Message there
was every reason to believe that the State or Ma
ryland would literally aid the Centennial but II,
as was feared by many, the state governments In
the south were overthrown and suicidai policy
adopted toward that unhappy section, the coun-
try would De In no condition Tor q jubilee. The
constitution, based upon the very event they pro-
pose TO celebrate, trampled In the dust, the only
Law the mandates or military chieftain and one
half the country struggling Ia the throes or
dissolution, would be sorry spectacle to exhibit
to foreign nations, and Maryland would never
countenance such a mockery; but he looked on the
brighter side OF tho pictore. The signs oil the
times were unmlstakable and ne did not doubt
that the Fourth OF July, 1870. would ind the
American people united and prosperous, and able
TO join heartily n the celebration or an event
which has no parallel In history. Under such cir
cumstances Maryland woulo probably NOT pe DO.
hind the other States in iursherng the success OF
the Centennial