Before coming to Annapolis for its historic session in this City on the
Severn, the Congress had been humiliated by mutinous soldiers in
Philadelphia. Moving from Philadelphia to Princeton, New Jersey, the
Congress was outraged by the inadequate provisions for its accom-
modations, and vowed that all future sessions would be held only
where arrangement befitting the dignity of Congress would be assured.
This fine State House was then only four years old. Then, as now,
it was a beautiful and functional building. Maryland offered it to
the nation as a permanent Capitol. The General Assembly offered to
appropriate 30, 000 pounds to build a home for each of the 13 State
delegations. Congress accepted Maryland's invitation, but only on a
temporary basis.

In November, 1783, Delegates to the Congress began arriving in
Annapolis. Four states failed to send representatives. Two sent only
one delegate each. Many grave problems faced that Congress. It was
a Congress without money—without a quorum—without public con-
fidence. It was truly a time to try men's souls.

The British Parliament had submitted a preliminary treaty nearly
two years earlier, and negotiations had been going on between British
and American Peace Commissioners in Paris for more than a year.
In September, 1783, the formal agreement was signed in Paris, but
was not effective until it could be ratified by the Continental Congress.
Until this was done, the United States of America had no official
status as a sovereign, free and independent nation. As the year drew
to a close, only seven of the 13 States had sent legal delegations
to Annapolis. To transact major business such as ratification of a
treaty, the presence of representatives of nine States was required.

The year ended. It was now January, 1784. And still there was
no quorum. The Congress met here in this building—there was talk—
but there was no action. On January 13th, Congress was about to
adjourn its Annapolis session for the lack of a quorum, when two dele-
gates from Connecticut arrived. But still another delegate was needed.
On the very next day, South Carolina's Richard Beresford, who had
been detained by illness, arrived in Annapolis. At last a quorum was
present. Congress lost no time in getting down to business, and on that
very day—January 14th—the Treaty of Paris was ratified in our Old
Senate Chamber.

This Act of Ratification officially ended the American Revolution. The
United States of America, by this Act, became a full-fledged member
of the community of nations. Nine years had passed since our War

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