xx Introduction.

of format and editorial procedure. Many peculiarities of calligraphy, contrac-
tion, and punctuation in eighteenth century manuscripts cannot be duplicated
in standard fonts. Purists, therefore, will settle for nothing short of facsimile
reproduction, an arrangement neither consonant with the letterpress tradition
of the Archives nor feasible in point of cost. Accordingly, the Publications
Committee has elected to follow the example of the great sets—The Jefferson
Papers, Franklin Papers, and others—now being produced. Briefly, the Com-
mittee has adopted—with some modifications—the "expanded method" fully
sketched by Dr. Julian P. Boyd in The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, I, xxv.

The manuscript text of the matter reproduced in the following pages is in
the custody of the Hall of Records Commission, Annapolis, Maryland under
the archival listing, Proceedings of the Governor and Council. The proceedings
between the dates November 27, 1784 and November 10, 1788 are entered in
a bound volume, large folio in size, containing 396 pages of minutes and a
final blank page. This entire volume is reproduced in the following pages. The
succeeding volume, also large folio of 354 pages, contains the proceedings from
November 14, 1788 to November 12, 1791. Only the first thirty-six pages are
reproduced here, to bring the record up to the meeting of the Governor and
Council on February 23, 178(3.

Dr. Morris L. Radoff, Archivist of Maryland, sat with the Publications
Committee in its deliberations and agreed to furnish the Society with photostat
copies of the above proceedings. From these Dr. St. Julien R. Childs care-
fully prepared the typescript for the editor of the present volume. Mr. Gust
Skordas, Assistant Archivist, has given technical advice and expedited produc-
tion of the photostats. Mr. Frank White of the Hall of Records compiled the
lengthy index. Miss Beverly Baker of the Hall of Records has obligingly
verified a number of difficult readings by comparison with the originals during
the final editing of the text. On behalf of the Publications Committee I wish to
thank Dr. Radoff, Mr. Skordas, Dr. Childs, and Miss Baker for these indis-
pensable services to producing Volume LXXI of the Archives. Finally,
Mr. Harold R. Manakee, Director of the Maryland Historical Society, has
earned the gratitude of the Publications Committee and the editor for expediting
in so many ways the resumption of this sub-series of the Archives of Maryland.

Aubrey C. Land
Editor

Publications Committee

Rhoda M. Dorsey, Chairman C. A. Porter Hopkins

Royden A. Blunt Wilbur H. Hunter, Jr.

Joseph Cox Benjamin Quarles

Jack P. Greene Dr. Morris L. Radoff

Mrs. William T. Harper, Jr. A. Russell Slagle