OF BALTIMORE. 9

der his whole force; and we would ask, is it a matter of sur-
prise, that this veteran Briton should have been forced by
the fate of war, to yield to the prowess of the legions of that
"boy, " as he contemptuously called Lafayette, when his
army was panoplied in garments cemented by the toil of
beauteous woman—whose ardent prayers for success had
been already heard and registered above?
This unexpected and disastrous turn to the British army,
terminated the conflict, and though peace was not finally
settled till 1783, the hostile array of bayonets, except in a few
instances, where directed by the rancorous hate and subtle
cunning of the tories, were then brought to an end. But,
hough relieved from the pressure of "war's desolation, "
Baltimore had come out of the contest poor in every thing
but the gallantry of her sons, and the priceless virtue of her
laughters; but in the possession of these, when backed by
hat irrepressible enterprise and unimpeached integrity of
ber merchants, she was Truly rich.

In 1782 our townsmen had so far recovered from that para-
lysis consequent, on a state of war, as to turn their attention
towards paving the streets, and other regulations connected
with building, and the removal nuisances. A line of stages
was also established between this city and Philadelphia.
The town at this time contained eight places of worship and
is said to have numbered 8. 000 inhabitants.

On the llth of April, 1783, the hostilities between the two

countries were formally suspended by Congress, and on the

light of the 21st of the same mouth, the inhabitants of Bal-

timore town celebrated the joyful event by a general illumi-

lation. The barriers to trade being now removed, our

citizens were left free to indulge their spirit of enterprise as

best comported with their views and interests: and we soon

and the inventive genius of our countrymen awakened from

state of lethargy to one of healthful activity. The din of
battle had hardly subsided before Mr. James Rumsey, of
Caecil County, of this State, obtained an exclusive privilege
from the General Assembly, tor making and vending boats to
be propelled by steam. In 1787 Oliver Evans's newly invented
steam carriage was patented by the state, and the year fol-
lowing, Mr. Cruse erected a steam-mill near Pratt-st. wharf.
I As our limits admonish us that we must be brief, we shall
pass over many intervening events, and of course omit
noticing the creation of man}' of those civil institutions,
which arose out of the growing wants of our people, and only
grasp at these more striking incidents which demand a place
I a sketch of this kind.

In 1790 the Bank of Maryland was chartered with perpet-
ual powers; this was not only the first bank in this city but
the state. In 1792 the branch of the old U. S. bank, com-
menced its operations here. The influence of these institu-
ions were soon felt in the increased facilities afforded to
commerce, the augmented stir which it imparted to the
mechanic arts, and in the general impulse which was given
business in every direction of our town. In this year our