MARYLAND. 



timore, reducing the number of justices, and 

 giving the Governor power to appoint them 

 for the city at large instead of by wards ; one 

 laying a tax on the property of railroads ; 

 one prohibiting the employment of children 

 under sixteen years of age in any factory more 

 than ten hours a day; one providing for the 

 inspection of mines and the security of miners ; 

 and one repealing the law which prevented 

 grocers and others than druggists from selling 

 patent medicines. 



Two investigations were ordered, one into 

 the management of the Chesapeake & Ohio 

 Canal, and the other into the last election of 

 Governor. The former resulted in the vindica- 

 tion of the canal management from all charges, 

 and the latter in the withdrawal of Mr. Harris, 

 the contestant for the office of Governor, be- 

 fore the inquiry was completed. 



An extra session of the Senate was held in 

 the latter part of April, for the purpose of con- 

 firming appointments of assessors and Boards 

 of Control and Review under the new assess- 

 ment law, but occupied only two days. 



The public debt of the State at the close of 

 the last fiscal year, September 30th, was $10,- 

 730,525.46, of which $5,014,333.35 consisted 

 of sterling bonds, with interest payable in coin 

 in London. The reduction of the debt for the 

 year amounted to $677,088.88. The State has 

 productive investments amounting to $4,329,- 

 103.89, and unproductive investments to the 

 amount of $29,287,041.76. The receipts of the 

 Treasury for the year amounted to $3,078,- 

 241.95, including a balance of $1,038,111.33 

 brought over from the previous year. The re- 

 ceipts from ordinary sources were $1,838,158.- 

 53, the sum of $135,050.25 having been raised 

 by the hospital loan, and $(56,924.84 having 

 been received from the United States on ac- 

 count of war claims. The tax levy of the year 

 was $740,218.87, of which $429,112.41' was for 

 public schools, and $311,106.46 for interest, 

 these being the only purposes for which a tax 

 levy is made. The total valuation on which 

 taxes were levied was $429,112,418. The total 

 disbursements of the year were $2,676,810.66, 

 of which $388,564.22 was in redemption of 

 bonds; $34,469.08 for the completion of the 

 Normal School ; $20,156.62 for rebuilding the 

 State tobacco-warehouses, destroyed by fire; 

 $135,193.30 for the Maryland Hospital for the 

 Insane ; $15,000 for the Centennial Exposition ; 

 $68,956.63 for sundry special appropriations; 

 and $1,916,300.47 for the ordinary expenses of 

 the government. The balance in the Treasury, 

 at the end of the year, was $453,838.63, includ- 

 ing $23,995.47 credited to the school-fund, and 

 $28,408.87 credited to the sinking-fund. The 

 proceeds of the tax levy for public schools were 

 $565,512.11, of which $452,387.11 was dis- 

 tributed to white schools, $100,000 to colored 

 schools, and $13,125 to the State Normal School. 



The commerce of the city of Baltimore for 

 the first half of the year showed a decided in- 

 crease over that of the corresponding portion 



of. the preceding year. The total value of ex- 

 ports for six months was $18,613,144, against 

 $14,170,514 in 1875. The largest amount, 

 $9,865,793, in value, was sent to England ; the 

 next, $3,868,344, to Germany; the next, $1,- 

 631, 130, to Holland and Belgium ; and $1,292,- 

 776 to Brazil. The largest single item in the 

 export trade of the city was corn, of which 

 11,937,906 bushels were shipped, an increase 

 of 7,221,000 bushels over the first half of 1875, 

 and over 5,000,000 more than during that en- 

 tire year. The other important commodities 

 exported were, petroleum, 17,849,598 gallons; 

 bacon, 3,113,833 Ibs.; lard, 5,696,118 Ibs. ; oil- 

 cake, 6,249,294 Ibs. ; staves, 1,338,694 in num- 

 ber; lumber, 1,825,157 feet; wheat, 473,807 

 bushels; four, 215,573 barrels; tallow, 681,176 

 Ibs. ; and tobacco, 28,929 hogsheads in leaf, 

 2,976 hogsheads of stems, 2,201 cases in vari- 

 ous forms, and 373,549 Ibs. manufactured. 



There was no State election in Maryland 

 this year, but the political parties held conven- 

 tions for the appointment of delegates to the 

 National Conventions, and for the nomination 

 of electors of President and Vice-President. 

 The Republicans met at Frederick, on the 4th 

 of May, and accomplished both these purposes. 

 Resolutions were adopted expressing gratitude 

 that all investigations had failed to touch the 

 honor and integrity of President Grant, whose 

 Administration had been wise, patriotic, and 

 prudent in the reduction of the public debt, 

 and the adoption of measures looking to an 

 early resumption of specie payments. They 

 pledged the vote of Maryland to James G. 

 Blaine as a candidate for President, and com- 

 mended B. H. Bristow for his efforts to expose 

 and prevent corruption. The delegates were 

 directed to vote for Mr. Blaine as long" as there 

 was a reasonable hope for his nomination. 



The Democrats appointed their delegates to 

 the National Convention on May 31st, and 

 nominated candidates for electors on the 13th 

 of September. On the former occasion, a ma- 

 jority of the committee on resolutions reported 

 that they would submit no declarations of prin- 

 ciples, but merely a request that capable, hon- 

 est, and efficient men be sent to the National 

 Convention. One member of the committee, 

 however, submitted a minority report, which 

 was adopted, declaring that offices are created 

 for the public good, and not as a reward for po- 

 litical services and spoils, and for the victors ; 

 that the traditions of the Democratic party 

 recognize coin as the only money warranted by 

 the Constitution, and favor a speedy return to 

 specie payments, believing that the industries 

 of the country and the interests of the whole 

 people demand a fixed and not a fluctuating 

 standard of value ; and that the delegates to the 

 St. Louis Convention be left unpledged and 

 free in their judgment and discretion as to the 

 selection of a candidate for President and Vice- 

 President. At the September convention of 

 the Democrats the following was adopted aa 

 the platform of the party : 



