400 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Feb. 26,

Your petitioners therefore most respectfully, but
earnestly submit, that the facts and considerations
in this case are such that it would be inequitable and
unjust to hold them for Archer's defalcations later
than February, 1888, and if they are so held, the con-
sequence will be the total impoverishment of some of
them.

(Signed, ) H. W. & W. A. ARCHER,

Executors.

(Signed, ) J. THOS. C. HOPKINS,
(Signed, ) EDWIN H. WEBSER,
(Signed, ) J. M. STREET,
(Signed, ) ALLAN HOFFMAN,
(Signed, ) P. HOWARD,
(Signed, ) S. A. WILLIAMS.
STATE OF MARYLAND,

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
Annapolis, February 26th, 1892.
To the Honorable, the General Assembly:

I respectfully transmit to you a communication
addressed to me under date of February 16th, 1892,
by Messrs. Edwin H. Webster, Stevenson A. Williams,
Joseph M. Street, J. Thomas C. Hopkins, Patrick
Howard, Allen Hoffman, Henry W. Archer, Jr, and
Murray Vandiver, sureties on the bonds of Stevenson
Archer, late State Treasurer.

You will perceive that its object is to lay the foun-
dation for the passage of an Act for their relief, by
obtaining the recommendation of the Governor to this
effect, as prescribed by section 33, of. Article 3, of the
Constitution, without which recommendation, or that
of the "Officers of the Treasury Department, " no such
Act can properly be passed

The transactions which have led to this application
are so well known to the people, as to need but a brief
recital.

Mr. Archer was elected Treasurer for the first time
in January, 1886, and qualified on February 2, 1886,
by taking the oath of office and giving bond as re-
quired by law.

On January 13th, 1888, he was elected for a second
term and should have qualified by taking the oath of