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written by a Dr. Finley, from Princess Anne, Somerset
county, during the revolutionary war, in which, after
speaking of the festivities there, he had given an account
of a naval engagement between British and American
gunboats off the Eastern Shore, where two of the British
vessels had struck their colors, and the Americans would
have won a glorious victory but for an explosion on one
of their vessels. He had never heard of this before, and
supposed the incident was scarcely known. The letter
had been brought to him when just coming to the bar, by
an old man, who was the only survivor on the boat where
the explosion occurred, and he (Mr. J. ) had procured him
a pension. He had a copy of the letter in his possession.
Such records as this ought to be preserved, but if the
State engaged in it, it might interfere with the labors of
the Historical Society.
Mr. Barnes advocated the adoption of the report, and
alluded to several most interesting reminiscences in the
early history of the State, and the importance of preserv-
ing them. The Historical Society was controlled by New
England Puritans, who had no sympathy with us, but
whose constant effort was to exalt everything pertaining
to their own section.
Mr. Stoddert opposed the section. We had no history
now. Who would want to write the history of the last six
years ? He had at one time trunks full of papers belong-
ing to the commander of the Delaware and Maryland
forces, but deeming that they were too valuable to be in
private hands, he had sent them to the Virginia and Ken-
tucky Historical Societies.
Mr. McKaig said he had been invited once to deliver a
lecture before the abolition society of Baltimore on a most
interesting historical point in the history of Maryland, but
a day or two before the lecture was to be delivered a mem-
ber of the society, who had obtained his (Mr. McK. 's) in-
formation, published it as his own production. He (Mr.
McK. ) wanted nothing to do with such a society, and yet
to it they were asked to commit the duty of collecting our
records.
•Mr. Jones said he had supposed this society was com-
posed of sons of Maryland, but it seemed from what was
said that it was controlled by the New England element.
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