National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-04
Gov. NnmlIton,n Enrc,vnIi.

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Sow. HamlIton's Farewell.
fhe state government of Maryland in all
its branches-executive legislative, and judi
cial-has been exclusively under the control
of the democratic party since 1867. All the
officers of the state charged with the man
agomont and disbursement of its revenues
have been democrats. The gentlemen who
have had the immediate custody of the treas.
ury are not only representatives of the
democratic party, but of select ring that
has had control of the party for the past
twelve years. The legislature during all
this period has been strongly democratic in
both houses and no appropriation could be
made except through the action of the ma
jority party.
This being the fact, the arraignment of. the
financial policy of the state, which Gov
Hamilton makes in the message sent
to the legislature on Wednesday last
is most significant. Gov. Hamilton is "a
staunch democrat himself, and by nature and
temperament a strong partisan, but withal q
thoroughly honest man. During his whole
term he has maintained that the taxes levied
and collected for tho payment of certain
specific loans have been improperly and un-
lawfully devoted to other purposes. The
money has been used to meet extravagant
and unnecessary expenditures, while new
loan was created for the redemption of the
maturing bonds. Tho constitution of tho
state expressly provides that no debt can be
contracted by the general assembly unless
provision is made in tho law creating the
debt for the levying of tax sufficient to pay
the interest as it falls due, and to discharge
the principal at the end of fifteen years.
Gov. Hamilton shows that this provision Of
the constitution has been wantonly and reck-
lessly disregarded by the legislature and The
financial officers of the state. 'f.
The bounty loan act Of 1868 created o debt
of $500, 80, and an annual tax of 81 cents on
the 500 has been levied ever since for the
payment of the interest and the extnguish-
ment of the debt; but, although the bonds
matured in 1858, not ono dollar of tho whole
amount raised by taxation was put into the
sinking fund for their redemption, and, as
already stated, new loan was made. A loan
of S225,000 was made for the benefit of the
deaf and dumb asylum in 1870 and 1874, and
q tax of I of a cent on the 800 levied for the
payment Of the annual interest and tho
principal at maturity. Part of this loan
will be due in 1885, but no
part of the money collected undor
the provisions of the law creating tho debt
has been put into the sinking fund. The
same may BIO said of the Maryland hospital
loan (Sl65,0OO), maturing in 1867 and 1863,
and the treasury relief loan (S500,000), ma
turing in 1893. Under the various acts cre-
ating these three loans first mentioned the
sum of 81, 92l $40 has been collected from the
people for the payment of interest and the
extinguishment Of tho debt. The interest,
amounting in the aggregate to 1884, l41, has
been paid; but tho balance ($1,557, 237),
which ought to be in the sinking fund, grow
ing with the annual accretion of interest, is
entirely missing. The people have been
taxed for the payment of the several loans,
but the money has bceen misapplied.
The state owes another debt of 100000
contracted under the act of 1873, and during
the past i've years the portion of the annual
tax levied for its extinguishment has regu.
larry been put into the sinking fund. The
result is that the sum of S233,S77 has already
accumulated for the payment of the debt, and
in tho next five years it will cease to be a
charge upon the taxpayers. So much for tho
honest management of public trust, Thespo-
liation of thesinking fund is one of the strong
est counts in tho bill of indictment agains
the Maryland ring which Gov Hamilton has
exhibited to the Legislature in the form of @
farewell message.