1860.] OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES.           357

STATE OF MARYLAND,
Executive Chamber,

Annapolis, June 29, 1859.
To the Clerk of the Circuit Court for                 County,

Sir:—The House of Delegates, at the last session of the
General Assembly of this State, passed the following order:

Journal of proceedings of the House of Delegates; (page
794,) March 5, 1858.

Mr. McPherson offered the following order :

"Ordered, That the Governor of this State be requested to
cause such statistical facts to be carefully gathered and kept by
the proper officers, in the several counties of this State, and
in the city of Baltimore, during the period elapsing between
the close of this and the meeting of the next General Assem-
bly, as will best show the cost to the State, and her actual
expenses incurred by the evils and crimes arising from the
use or abuse of ardent spirits: which information shall be
sent into the Governor by the several county officers, and
those of the city of Baltimore, on the first Wednesday of Jan-
uary, 1860, and by him transmitted to the House of Dele-
gates, for their consideration and guidance, as soon as prac-
ticable thereafter ;"

Which was adopted.

In pursuance of this order, and to enable the Governor to
transmit to the House of Delegates the information therein
sought, he instructs me to address this communication to you
to request that you will be good enough to cause to be made
out and sent to him, on or before the first Wednesday in
January next, a statement embracing—

1.  The number of indictments found by the grand jury of
your county during the year 1858 and during the year 1859.

2.  The number of criminal cases tried in your county dur-
ing said years, specifying the number of convictions had ;
the crimes or misdemeanors of which the parties were con-
victed, and indicating also, particularly the number of said
convictions in which the offence was proven, or believed to
have been committed while the accused was under the influ-
ence, or had been in the habit of drunkenness.

3.  The amount of the costs in such cases, which were paid
by the State or by your county; and,

4.  Any other information in addition which you may have.