The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1875-07-10
.MNTyLN11d LegiSLGtaIre.

Maryland Legislature.
Correspondence of the Baltimore American.
A calm and attentive retrospect of the Legisla-
lures Of Maryland, in times gone by, would
probably prove highly interesting and profitable
to the searchers after truth.
Surely no more propitous time than the pres
ent could be chosen to institute comparison be-
tween the affairs tnat were and the actions, or
rather the non-action, of late date. From l776
to 1886 our State Legislature would, in peint Of
ability, honesty and dignity of character, COM
pare favorably with the Congress of the United
States in its palmy days. During this eventual
period Baltimore city sent two delegates and one
Senator to the Legislature. She now sends eigh-
teen delegates and three Senators, possessing,
probably, less of the requisite qualification of
legislators than those representing the small
counties.
Notwithstanding the obvious degeneracy that
is fast closing around US, it is some consolation
to dwell, at least for moment, ON the glorious
record of Maryland when intellectual ability and
manly honesty were not considered lost virtues
when the selection of the personnel for Offices OF
trust and confidence was directed by individual
fitness, and not by positive un6tness; when in
dependence of thought and action were esteemed
laudabe, and not disqualification in an aspirant
for official stations; when in word, the trusted,
good citizen was sought for, because the unbiased
public sentiment pointed him out as the suitable
representative of its views and interest.
1t is not, however, altogether wise or proper
10 look alone upon the gloom and political decay
around US. 1t would be well, for the time being
at least to veil them from our view, and gaze
upon and contemplate the bright record which
history has truthfully made.
Our last Legislature was, in some respects, a
remarkable body, having no precedent for many
of its actions 1t would seem there was not one
man in the Legislature capable of preparing the
'revenue bills"
Not only was this Legislature selected, as it APP
pears, TO obey the instructions Of its masters,
| rather than originate any thing themselves, g-
norant of the most ordinary matters of legislative
| procedure, but it was meek and shameless enough
to 90 beyond the sphere of its own membership
and employ the services of one supposed to be Ca
pable of performing the work which common de-
cency and the smallest modcum Of self-respect
should have induced these confessed nefficien ts
to make the effort TO perform; duty which all
other precedent legislative bodies have done for
| themselves. 1t is true they may have failed, but
| the failure could not have been more signal than
the aborlive attempts of the gentleman called to
| their assistance.
Our last so-ealled Legislature was not only ut.
| terly unfit to be where they were, but in despair
and shame they admitted their unworthiness by
offering the Comptroller of the State, then in Of
| fee, twenty-five hundred dollars to prepare the
revenue bill for them, and he obligingly consent.
| ed to undertake the work for that sum. This
| business, confidently assert, has no parallel in
| the legislative annals of this country. A parcel
Of ignorant, presumptuous persons, picked up
more because of their obscurity and willingness:
to execute the orders of their superiors are SEM
mot electedl to the State House at Annapolis tc
disgrace the high calling OF true Maryland legis
| lators.
Well, the Comptroller having consented to pre-
pare this bill for So, 500, did present something
which he called revenue bill, and it passed both
Houses and received the signature of the dstin
guished gentleman occupying the Executive Chai
of Maryland.
When, however, it was attempted to be execu
ted, it was found to be radically defective. lr
fact, nothing could be done with this joint pro
ducton of so-called legislators and the Cemptrol
ler of the State-he attempting to prepare tn,
bill, and they, the aforesaid legislators, goiul
through the empty form of voting "yea" wheI
| hidden to do se
The bill, having been shown to be noperatv
and void, was dead letter on the statute book
1t is the irst and trust it will be the last, o
that peculiar character to blur the legislation o
the State.
In speaking of this act of 1874 Mr.. Justice Bar
tol says, in 40th Md, p. 287, that 'the act is
long one, consisting of thirty-six sections, CON
tanning many complex provisions and requiring
in its preparation considerable care and SKILL
Either from haste or inadvertence in its prepare
ton, or careessness in its engrossment, it Is full
OF imperfectons some of the sections are ncom
plete, some of them are unintelligible, and man,
of its provisions are contradictory with one an
other. Such is the worthless production, pre-
nounced by the highest Court in the State to b
"ful of imperfectons' and altogether ''unintel
ligible" So much for the last Legislature. Will
the next be better | fear not There is nothini
in the nominations, thus far made, to encourag
hope But this communication is more particu
larly intended to point public attention to tn
Comptroller, who is a candidate for reelection
Are the good people of the State prepared to en-
dorSe his reprehensible, his scandalous conduct
Co-officias assuming the attitude of employer an
employee have no warrant or precedent anywher
in this broad land save and except at Maryland
Athens of America" Verify, how the might
hath fallen, "fallen from her high estate'