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The motive to this cession is stated in her instructions of
February, 1781, to be, that the "common enemy is encou-
raged, by her not acceding to the confederation, to hope
that the union of the sister states may be dissolved, " "and
that our friends and illustrious ally are impressed with an
idea that the common cause would be promoted, by her
formally acceding to the confederation. " After an elo-
quent recital of the reasons in addition, and the strenuous
efforts of the State in maintaining the war, she proceeds to
authorise her delegates to "subscribe the articles of the
confederation, " with the following distinct reservation of
her unrelinquished claims: "And it is hereby understood,
that by acceding to the said confederation, this State doth
not relinquish, or intend to relinquish any right or interest
she hath with the other united or confederated states, to the
back countries; but claims the same as fully as was done by
the legislature of this State, in the declaration which stands
entered on the journals of Congress, this State relying on
the justice of the several states, hereafter, as to the said
claim made by this State. " "And it is further hereby de-
clared, that no article in the said confederation, can or
ought to bind this, or any other State, to guarantee any ex-
clusive claim of any particular State to the soil of the said
back lands, or any such claim of jurisdiction over the
said lands or the inhabitants thereof. "
Such was the position of Maryland— a position not assum-
ed by the action of mercenary motives, because at that pe-
riod the most sanguine scarcely hoped that the subject of
the controversy would be realised to the union — but be-
cause a high moral conviction of duty, would not permit
the sages of the State, to abandon the assertion of her
rights, though in the chances of a doubtful war, the State
herself might fall and her claims be forever extinguished.
Your committee may he permitted here, to indicate the
contrast Maryland now presents to the truth, firmness and
pride of her position then.
No enemy is on our coast — universal peace is shedding its
benign influence over our efforts — leaving to industry and en-
terprise, on unimpeded path to successful results. Her gi-
gantic and magnificent schemes of internal improvement,
undertaken in part, with a view to the support she would
receive from the general government, obstructed in their
progress by fiscal embarrassments — her treasury almost
exhausted — her general revenues inadequate to the mainte-
nance of her public faith; at this, the time of her need,
when she so strongly requires all the aid she can of right
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