1878.] OF THE SENATE. 297

Papers, comprising five volumes of Proprietary Council Books,
1637—50, 1650—69,1656—68,1669—71, 1721—28. Gover-
nor Sharp's Literary Books of 1754—56, and 1767—71; also
the Journal of the Council of Safety, at Annapolis, 1775—76.
Moreover, 3 portfolios of papers and correspondence from 1638
to 1769; 1684 to 1775; 1751 to 1778. In addition to the above,
we own the Gilmor Collection of Maryland Historical Papers,
Letters, &c., which was obtained chiefly by the late Robert
Gilmor, from the Treasures of Mr. Ridout, whose father had
been Governor Sharp's Secretary. This collection is comprised

and systematically arranged in three thick volumes or cases,
viz:

1st, from 1689 to 1770 ; 2d, from 1755 to 1776 ; 3d, from
1751 to 1766.

With this brief sketch of what we still have, as well as of

our losses, your memorialist respectfully solicits your Hon-
orable Body to consider this appeal, which, you will observe,
has been warmly seconded by an additional memorial, for-
warded herewith from the Maryland Historical Society.

Your memorialist prays that a proper commission may be
appointed and authorized by your legislation to carry for-
ward this work, with directions to report to the next General
Assembly of Maryland, and that a sum of money, not to ex-

ceed $ , be appropriated to defray the necessary expen-
ses of the commission during the next two years—one-half
thereof only to be drawn from the Treasury in each. year.

BRANTZ MAYER.

To the General Assembly of Maryland:

The Maryland Historical Society having been apprised of
the memorial of Mr. Brantz Mayer to your Hoaorable Body,
in which he sets forth the importance of speedily re-assem-
bling the scattered and decaying State papers and records of
Maryland during its early period of existence, begs leave
very respectfully to commend the project to you, and at the

same time to express the hope that these State papers and
records may be placed in a permanent archive, systematically
arranged in chronological order, bound and indexed, so as to
be made permanently useful for ready historical reference ;
and moreover, that the most valuable thereof may be printed
in the style adopted by several of our sister States, Con-
necticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina,
Vermont and Virginia, of the original thirteen Colonies,
have, in this way, already enriched the historical literature
of America ; and this Society indulges the confident belief,