RETURN FROM PITTSBURG 367 



and at the same time as the Assembly. In the interim 

 the Governor, with his Council, is charged with the 

 execution of those laws approved by both of the state's 

 Assemblies, and in so far he possesses the highest, but 

 not an arbitrary, power, and must give a strict account 

 of any thing done by him without authority. In the 

 choice of the Governor there is an especial prudence 

 shown. He must have lived five years in the state, his 

 property must be five times greater than that required 

 of a Senator, and he can fill the office only three years 

 in seven. After all these and other careful measures 

 adopted with a view to having a wise, experienced, and 

 rich Governor, he finds himself none the less very 

 answerable and under manifold restrictions. 



At present the taxes in Maryland amount in the 

 average to some 31 and a half to 32 shillings in the 

 100 pounds, or i^ pro cent of the value of real 

 estates. However little this can be regarded as a 

 heavy burden, it is nevertheless held to be such, in 

 consideration of the fact that under the former con- 

 stitution almost nothing was paid in taxes. Mean- 

 while it is fondly hoped that in future the public im- 

 posts will grow less again, but this will hardly be the 

 case. 



It is well known that from the beginning of the 

 province of Maryland, the territorial lordship of the 

 province lay in the Baltimore family ; after the death 

 of the last Lord Baltimore Mr. Harford, his natural 

 son, succeeded to all his possessions and estates but 

 not to the title. The general revolution offering an 

 opportunity, the state of Maryland held it convenient 

 to regard no overlordship as henceforth valid, and 

 consequently to declare that the rightful claims of the 



