THE CHANCELLOR'S CASE.—1 BLAND. 591

the approaching danger. The Government was put into a condi-
tion to disperse, to fly, and to reassemble in a place of safety.
The payment of all drafts upon the Treasury was prohibited, that
the public finances might be husbanded for the occasion. It was
resolved, that a request be sent to the General Court to adjourn;
the expected interruptions of the usual and periodical movements
of judicial proceedings were provided against; and the Executive
was armed, for the season, with a vigor far beyond the temperate
restrictions of the newly adopted Constitution. But, fortunately,
this awfully threatening cloud broke before it reached us; and we
suffered nothing from the bursting of that storm, the terrifying
advances of which, had stimulated every nerve in the State. The
capture of the British Army at Yorktown relieved our apprehen-
sions, without, however, allowing any immediate relaxation of our
efforts. Better times were approaching, but their tardy develop-
ment was accompanied with such alterations of hope, doubt, and
fear, as to forbid those retrenchments, which would certainly have
* been made on a strong assurance of peace. The signature
of the preliminary treaty of peace was not formally an- 630
nounced to the Legislature until the 8th day of May, 1783.(n)

The independence and freedom of Maryland were thus finally
recognized and established; but the State was left in debt, and in
poverty. We commenced a new era, with a new set of political
institutions, founded on principles original in themselves, or never
before so connected and tried. The several public functionaries
were called to their respective stations; and the constitutional
principles and restrictions, applicable to each, began to operate.
Maryland, with her confederates, then, but not until then, set out
upon that career of prosperity to which there is no parallel among
the nations of the earth.

Hence it appears, that our Government was not brought forth at
once, complete in a]l its parts; that it was not the work of one
election, of one, or of two sessions; of one or two years; but, that
it was created and established by parts, as times, means, and cir-
cumstances would allow. But, the matter, now under considera-
tion, does not involve an inquiry into the manner in which all the
several parts, and provisions of our Constitution were put into

(n) The battle of Camden was fought on the 16th of August, 1780: and the
British army was captured at Yorktown on the 19th of October, 1781. (2
Ram. His. U. S, 349 & 454; See the Votes and Proceedings of the House of
Delegates of the 3d of January, the 2d February, and the 25th, 29th, and
30th of May, and the 9th of June of the year 1781: the loth of May, 1782;
and the 8th of May, 1783; with the Acts of May, 1781, ch. 1, 5, 13 and 13,
and November, 1781, ch. 5.) The necessity of immediately reinforcing the
army and filling its ranks seems to have been deemed so urgent, that the
acceptance of able bodied slaves as recruits was authorized with the consent
of the owner.—(October, 1780, ch. 43, s. 4; 2 Life J. Jay, 31.)