USA > Maryland > Anne Arundel County > Annapolis > The Ancient City.: A History of Annapolis, in Maryland, 1649-1887 > Part 7
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The sixth and seventh paragraphs recounted the removal of the Leg- islature and Courts to the Ridge in 1683. and those inconveniences that brought again the capital to the "antient seat of government."
The eighth reason given was that, for the encouragement of the in- habitants of St. Mary's to make provision for the accommodation of the persons who would be called to the town by public business. Lord Baltimore promised the seat of government should not be removed from St. Mary's during his life.
The ninth section states that "upon which encouragement given. several of the Inhabitants of the said city have launched out, disbursed considerable estates to their great impoverishment and almost utter ruin, if they should be defeated of such, their promised encourage- ment, and not only so, but divers others the inhabitants for several miles about contiguous and adjacent to the said county, upon the same encouragement of his Lordship, have seated themselves upon mean and indifferent lands, and laid out their estates, and made im- provements thercon, barely for the raising of stock wherewith to sup- ply the said city for the end and purpose aforesaid, which is now be- come their whole and only dependence for their future support and maintenance."
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"THE ANCIENT CITY. "
The tenth paragraph laid down the advantages of St. Mary's, as to its convenience for masters of vessels and others coming in and going out of the province. for the dispatch of letters and expresses, its ac- cessibleness from Patuxent and Potomac Rivers, and the "Main Bay." and the colony of Virginia, "with whom" the petition affirmed, "mu- tual intercourse and correspondence is most undeniably necessary and material."
The eleventh reason given announced that the capital should not be removed because Gov. Copley had been required to enter upon his gubernatorial duties at St. Mary's !
The twelth set forth that "scarce any precedent can be produced of so sudden a change. as the removal of the antient and chief seat of government, upon the careless suggestion and allegation of some par- ticular persons for their own private interest an advantage ;" and evi- dently to array Gov. Nicholson upon the side of St. Mary's, the peti- tioners flattered him with the soft impeachment that the removal of the capital was invested with him as their majestys' representative, and, at his Excellency's "feet," continued the petitioners, "we humbly cast ourselves for relief and support against the calamities and ruin wherewith we are threatened. and wholly relying upon your Excel- lency's grace and favor thercin, with whom, we also conceive, should be good manners in all persons first to treat and interceed, before they presume to make any peremptory result, in case of so high a nature as this may be."
The thirteenth and fourteenth paragraphs reminded the Governor that. in 1692, "it was put to the vote of a full house, whether the holding of the Courts and Assembly at Saint Mary's were a grievance, or not, and carried in the negative." and they. the petitioners "hum- bly conceive that house did well consider all difficulties and outlays, losses, an l expenses to be incurred in moving the capital, besides the hazards and casualties of removing and transporting the records from one place to another, of which already some experience hath been had."
To meet all the objections of inconvenience of travel to the "antient and chief seat of government." the petitioners offered to provide as soon as possible "a coach, or caravan, or both, to go at all times of public meeting of Assemblies and Provincial Courts, and so forth, every day, daily, between St. Mary's and Patuxent River, and at all other times, once a week, and also to keep constantly on hand a dozen horses at least, with suitable furniture, for any person, or persons, having occasion to ride post, or otherwise. with or without a guide, to any port of the province on the Western shore."
The sixteenth and concluding paragraph argued that the objection that St. Mary's was not in the centre of the province, and, therefore, not suitable as the capital, was conspicuously untenable from the fact that the Imperial Court is held in London, "as far from the cen- tre of England as St. Marie's in this province : Boston, in New Eng- land : Port Royal, in Jamaica ; Jamestown, in Virginia ; and almost all other, their Majesties American plantations, where are still kept and continued in their first antient stations and places, the chief seat of government and courts of judicature."
Then follow the names of the Mayor, Aldermen and Councilmen of St. Maries, with the freemen thereof, among the latter being that of JOHN COODE.
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After the signatures comes an especial sop for the governor's vanity, in which the same parties hoped that the reasons and motives herewith offered to his Excellency and the Council will prevent their assent to the contemplated law, and affirmed that they placed their reliance on "his Excellency's known experience, assisted by so worthy a council." They urged again that it was a royal prerogative only to change the seat of government, and when that authority was invaded "the State is in a confusion." Knowing their Majesties' respect for the rights of their subjects, as "sufficiently evidenced by their placing a person of your Excellency's known regard to the same at the helm of the gov- ernment, the petitioners do humbly conceive that it is not consistent with the rules of gratitude for so great a blessing, as .to pass a law which your petitioners are well informed, is an apparent incroach- ment upon their Majesties' prerogative."
They supplemented their lengthly review of the case with a prayer, which showed how solicitous the people of St. Mary's were for the reputation of the State. "Least," said the petitioners, "the province may be so blamed as to have it said that it was the first of the Ameri- can plantations, that offered violence to the prerogative of so worthy a prince," they ask that the governor will reject the bill, until, at least, leave be first obtained from his Majesty. An apology for putting with so much freedom his Excellency in mind of a matter which they knew was his "chiefest care to preserve," concludes the paper. The Governor sent the petition to the lower house.
The quaint and jeering reply of that body to this petition was found in a yellow and musty MS, at the Land Office, Annapolis, Md. It is quoted entire :
"By the Assembly, Oct. the 11th, 1694.
"This House have read and considered of the petitions and reasons of the Mayor, Aldermen, and others, calling themselves Common Council and Freemen of the City of St. Maries, against removing the Courts and Assembly of, from this Corner and poorest place in the province, to the Center and best abilitated place thereof. Although wee conceive the motives there laid downe, are hardly deserving any answer at all, many of them being against the plain matter of fact, . some against reason, and all against Generall good and wellfaire of the province ; yet, because your Excellency has been pleased to lay them before us, wee humbly returne this, our sence of the same, that as to the 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7 : and 8: Reasons, relating to what his Lord Proprietary has thought fitt to doe to the city of St. Maries, it is noe Rule, nor Guide to their Majesties, your Excellency, nor this house. Itt seemes in some parts to reflect on his Lord Proprietary more than this house believes is true, or deserved by his Lord Proprie- tary.
"2. As to the 9 : this house say that it is against the plain matter of fact, for wee can decerne noe Estate, either laid out, or to lay out in, or about this famous City comparable with other parts of this pro- vince. But they say, and can make appeare that there has been moore Money spent here, by three degrees or more, than this city and all the inhabitants for tenn miles round is worth, and say that having had 60ty-odd years experience of this place, and almost a quarter part of the province devoured by it, and still, like Pharoah's kine, remain as
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"THE ANCIENT CITY."'
at first, they are discouraged to add any more of their substance to such ill improvers.
"As to the Tenth and Eleventh. wee conceive the being of St. Maries soe neare Virginia, is not soe great an advantage to the pro- vince, as the placeing the Courts in the Centre and Richest part of the same, which is noe great distance from thence of Virginia either, and nearer New York and other Governments which wee have as much to doe with as Virginia, if not more, and the place as well watered and as Commodious in all respects as St. Maries, which has only served hither to cast a Blemish upon all the rest of the province in the Judgment of all discerning strangers who, perceiving the meanness of the head, must rationally judge proportionably* of the body thereof.
"To the 12 : 13 : and 14 : they say that they doe not hold themselves accountable to the Mayor and his Brethern for what they doe for their countrey's service, nor by what measures they do the same, nor what time they shall take to doe it in, nor for what reasons ; and are, and will be as carefull of the records and properties of the people, as the proprietary.
"To the 15th : the house say the petitioners offer faire as they have done formerly ; but never yet performed any, and this house believes that the Generall welfare of the province ought to take place of that sugar plum of all the Mayor's Coaches, who, as yet, has not one.
"To the 16 : this house conceive that the citty of St. Maries is very unequally rankt with London, Boston, Port Royall, &c.
"All which wee humbly offer to your Excellency's juditious Con- sideration."
All the honeyed words of flattery that fell from the lips of the pe- titioners upon the ear of his "Excellency," were also unavailing. On the reception of the answer of the House of Delegates, the council tersely recorded its view of the matter, in this brief paragraph-"This Board concur with the said answers made by the House of Burgesses."
The removal was consummated the ensuing winter, and the Assem- bly met first on the 28th of February, 1694, (old style,) in its new capital.
The archives of the province, which were the objects of such disin- terested solicitude on the part of the people of St. Mary's were ordered to be carried "in good strong bags, and to be secured with cordage and hides, and well packed-with guards to attend them night and day, to be protected from all accidents, (!) and to be delivered to the Sheriff of Anne Arundel County at Anne Arundel Town." These re- cords reached Annapolis in the winter of 1694-95.
* This word is found in a later copy. In the e: rlier records it seems to be "exporconably."
CHAPTER XVII. CHRONICLES OF ANNAPOLIS FROM 1694 TO 1700.
[1694.] By chapter 8, acts of 1694, passed Oct. 18th, the name of .Town-Land at Proctors." now Annapolis, was changed to the "Town and Port of Ann-Arundel." The commissioners by the act of 1694
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HISTORY OF ANNAPOLIS.
were Major John Hammond, Major Edward Dorsey, Mr. John Ben- nett, Mr. John Dorsey, Mr. Andrew Norwood, Mr. Philip Howard, Mr. James Sanders, and the Honorable Nicholas Greenbury, Esq. The concluding section of this act, appointing the commissioners, says: "That, at the Town and Port at Severn in Anne Arundel county, shall be bought or valued by the Jury as before in this act is mentioned, all that parcel or neck of Land within Leary Neck-Cove# and Acton's Covet lying and adjoining, or near, to the said Town as aforesaid, or so much thereof as by the commissioners shall be found convenient, to be fenced in and called THE TOWN COMMON, OR PASTURE, and paid for, and fenced in at the Public Charge: And shall be for the public use and service, when need shall require, and that the inhabitants of the said Town shall not raise any of cattle or hogs, horse's or sheep, more than what they can contain and raise upon their respective lot or lots, and not more, at the discretion of the commissioners."
This same act also constituted Ann-Arundel town a port of entry and place of trade, and made it the place of residence of the collector of the district, naval officer, and their deputies, "for the dispatch of shipping."
[1695.] Dignified with the seat of government, Annapolis put on its honors with the stir of a new vitality. The Legislature ordered one or more places to be laid out and reserved as ship-yards, and passed an act giving Anne Arundel the Town the more euphonious title, of An- napolis, "Chap. II of this session enacting that the port shall for ever hereafter be denominated, called and known by the Name and Port of Annapolis, and by no other Name or Distinction whatever."
The first session of the Legislature in Annapolis was held in the house of Major Edward Dorsey, begining on February 28, 1694, O. S .. (or 1695, N. S.)
One day during this session, the Legislature adjourned in a body to an ale-house, if, for other than the inferential reason, is not stated ; but the affair excited the indignation of Governor Francis Nicholson.
Brick clay of good quality having been discovered near Annapolis, contracts were made with Casper August Herman. a burgess from Cecil, for building the parish church, school-house, and Stadt-house .*
This Assembly voted "that a publique ferry be kept upon Severn river at Annapolis, for the accommodation of the publique." Allen Robinett was appointed keeper of the ferry and was required to reside in Annapolis, and for his services was paid 9000 pounds of tobacco a year, out of the public revenues. This ferry was maintained by the Anne Arundel county authorities to the year 1887, when it was super- seded by a bridge.
In the act of 1695, "for keeping good rules and orders in the Port of Annapolis," it was enacted that "for encouragement of all sorts of tpadesmen, or men of calling, to come and inhabit the town aforesaid, # * * * * that when any baker, brewer, tailor, dyer, or any such tradesmen, that, by their practice of their trade, may any ways annoy, or disquiet the neighbors or inhabitants of the town, it shall and may be lawful for the commissioners and trustees aforesaid, to allot and appoint such tradesmen such part or parcel of land, out of the pre- seut town pasture, as to the said commissioners shall seem meet
- In Gruvevard Creek.
F In aspa Creek.
. State-house.
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"THE ANCIENT CITY."
and convenient for the exercise of such trade, a sufficient distance from the said town as may not be annoyance thereto, not exceeding the quantity of one lot or acre of land to any one tradesman afore- said. And provided. the same trade and lots of land for that use, may be as near together and contiguous as the nature of the trade will allow, without hindering or annoying one another, which said ap- pointment and parcel of land aforesaid, allotted by the commissioners and trustees aforesaid, shall be to such persons, tradesmen, and their heirs for ever, and to the maintenance of such trades and not others."
[1696.] In this year, the Legislature passed an act for "keeping good rules and order" in the town of Annapolis, and Gov. Nicholson, the Honorable Sir Thomas Lawrence, the Honorable Nicholas Green- bury, the Honorable Thomas Tench, Major John Hammond, Major Edward Dorsey, Mr. James Sanders, and Captain Richard Hill, or any five of them, were made the body corporate for the town. The same act gave Governor Nicholson a lot of land within the town common, "for planting or making a garden, vine-yard, and summer-house." This land comprised all that part of the town beginning on the north east side the present dock, (then called Nicholson's Cove,) running with a straight line to East street. with the said street to State House Circle, with the Circle to Francis street, then down Francis to Church, down Church to the south east side of the dock. There stood within the lines of this lot, until fifteen years since a house, for many years occupied by Mrs. Richard Ridgely, which tradition says was the house where the first Governor who lived in Annapolis resided. That Gover- nor was Francis Nicholson. The house stood on the corner of Hyde's alley and Cornhill street and was of frame and of an architecture curious and ancient.
It appears from the same act that Mr. Richard Beard had made a map, or plot, of Annapolis.
The commissioners were authorized to erect a market-house and to hold a market once a week, and a fair every year.
At the same session it was proposed to have a Bridewell, "if any person would undertake to build and keep it that all idle and vagrant perpers may be taken up and put to work there."
The house declared, "that such Bridewell, or house of correction, was very necessary and convenient, but that the present ill circumstances of this province will not admit the beginning or carrying on of any new building then already undertaken."
For the improvement of Annapolis, it was proposed and adopted by the house "that ye townes poeple be empowered to purchase a com- mon, and for the commissioners of the said town to make bye-laws, with power to ffyne any persons, inhabitants committing breach thereof in such summe to be ascertained." "To assess ye conduit made at the publique charge. That the common be well cleaned with ye points of land. and ye place dividing the common to be well ditched." "That an handsome pair of gates be made at ye coming in of the towne, and two triangular houses built for ye rangers." "To have the way from the gate to go directly to the top of ye hill without the towne, and to be ditched on each side and sett with quick setts or some such thing."#
"That part of the land which lye on ye creeke, t by major Dorsey's
* Ridgely's Annals of Annapolis, p. 90.
t 'luis creek passed up King George street and entered the garden wh re Dr. S. D. Kenedy now resides,
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HISTORY OF ANNAPOLIS.
house, whereby his excellency at present lives," be sett aside for pub- lique buildings, and if in case the same happen to come within any of ye said major's lotts,-propose that land be given him elsewhere for it.
"To have in the said towne two ffairs a year, and persons coming thither not to be arrested for one day before the said ffair and one day after.
"That forty foot space be left along the water side within the port of Annapolis, for any person to build warehouses upon if the owners of such lotts that front upon the same do not build thereon in such a tyme to be sett." "That the holes made by grubbing up stumps and cutting off tops of stones in the said port of Annapolis be filled up."
It was proposed this session to build a church in Annapolis, and a committee was appointed to "inspect into the proposals for building the same."
Major Edward Dorsey, from the committee, reported 'that there was in Banck for building the church at Annapolis, £458 sterling. That they had discoursed workmen, and the carpenter demands for his work £250-the bricklayer, having all stuff upon the place, £220-the brickmaker £90-that they find no other means to raise money there- for without the assistance of some charitable disposed persons. That the charge of building the said church will amount to £1,200 ster- ling."
An was act passed the same day imposing a tax of "three pence per hundred on tobacco, to continue and be in force until the 12th day of May, which shall be in the year of our Lord God, 1698, and to be ap- plied to the building of ye church at Annapolis." The architect of this church was Thomas Ffie!der.
This year a Mr. Gaddess arrived at Annapolis, "being sent. out by his Lordship the Bishop of London and the house appointed him to read prayers in some vacant parish, and made a provision for his sup- port of 10,000 pounds of tobacco.'
The legislature at its May session, in 1696, passed the act, establish- ing at Annapolis the famous "King William's School," "for the pro- pagation of the gospel and education of youth in good letters and manners." At this school the distinguished William Pinkney was a student.
Mr. Pinkney was a native of Annapolis, and his renown is naturally linked with that of another distinguished lawyer and son of Annapo- lis, Reverdy Johnson, who followed him in the classic halls of St. John's, the lineal descendant of King William's school. These two men, whose talents and renown have been the glory of the nation, ought to have barbed the arrows of derision that conceited minds have often aimed at the age and size of the ancient city. When the long roll of America's illustrious names is called, the little hamlet on the Severn proves its right to existence by pointing with just pride to Pinkney and Johnson as the peers of any, in virtue, intellect, and patriotism.
[1700.] A general visitation of the clergy of the province was held at Annapolis, May 23, 1700. This was summoned by Rev. Dr. Brayt
. This is the house where Mis. Margaret Marchand now lives.
+ Allen's St. Anne's Parish, p. 34.
5
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"THE ANCIENT CITY. "'
who had been appointed by the Bishop of London, commissary of Maryland. This convocation, the first held in America, is memora- ble for orginating "the first missionary effort made by any part of the church on this continent." The field selected was Pennsylvania-the people the Quakers! Three clergymen appeared at this convocation from Anne Arundel. They were Henry Ilall, of St. Jame's. Herring Creek : Joseph Colbach, of All Hallows ; and Edward Topp, of An- napolis.
CHAPTER XVIII. THE FIRST STATE HOUSE IN ANNAPOLIS.
[1696.] "The foundation of the First State House in Annapolis was laid April 30, 1696 .*
[1697.] On the 11th of June, 1697, the Legislature passed the fol- lowing : +
"Whereas, this Province hath been at great charge and expense in the building of a State House, or Public House of Judicature, at this Port of Annapolis, which is now almost finished and completed, and to the end that the said House and the several rooms and apartments therein, may in time present and to come, be applied and appropriated to the uses and purposes the same was designed for, and no other.
"II. Be it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the present General Assembly, and the authority of the same, that the said State House and the several rooms and apartments therein, for the time present and to come, be, and is hereby appointed and appropriated to the uses and purposes hereafter mentioned, and no other, that is to say,
"III. The great room below stairs, for courts and assemblies to sit in ; the little room below the stairs to be for a magazine for everything but powder to lie in ; the two rooms on the right hand above stairs, for jury and committee rooms ; the two rooms on the left hand, to be for provincial and land-office records to be kept ; and the fore-porch to be for the commissary's office, and records of probate of wills and granting administrations, &c., to be kept in; the two rooms on the right hand in the upper lofts, one for the county clerk to keep the county records in, and the other for Annapolis town clerk to keep his papers in ; and the other two rooms on the left hand, one of them for keeping the records of the Chancery court, and the other for keeping the records of the Governor and Councils in one part of it, and another part of the same room for lodging of all bonds, bills, certificates, dockets and other naval papers, transmitted from the Collectors and Naval Officers of this province. * * *
* The room above the back-porch to be for the Clerk of the House of Delegates to keep the t Bacon's Laws.
. Allen's History of St. Anne's, p. 27.
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HISTORY OF ANNAPOLIS.
Journals of Proceedings of that House in : and the loft above the fore- porch over the Cominissary's office to be for hanging a lanthorn out, and for a committee room."
Thus disposing of the apartments, the Assembly enacted that the "rooms be fitted up with all necessary and convenient boxes and shelves, desks, and tables to write on, and at the door of every office a bar be made, within which no person shall come, but the clerk of such office. unless upon urgent and great occasion."
"His Excellency. Francis Nicholson. his Majesty's present Governor of this province, the Honorable Sir Thomas Lawrence, Baronet, his Majesty's Secretary. and the Honorable Henry Jowles, Esq., Chancel- lor of the province, and the Honorable Kenelm Cheseldyn, the Com- missary General," were made a committee to carry out the provisions of this act.
[1699.] This State House had a brief and tragic history. On the journal of the House of the 13th of July. 1699. is the following :
"Memorandum. that on Thursday, July 13th. about four or five of the clock in the afternoon, a violent flash of lightning broke into the State-house at Annapolis ; the House of Delegates being there sitting, which instantly killed Mr. James Crauford, one of the members of Calvert county, and hurt and wounded several other members, and shattered and broke most part of the doors and window cases belong- ing to the said house, and sett ye said State House on fire in one of the upper chambers, and several other damages; but the fire was presently quenched by the diligence and industry of his Excellency, Nathaniel Blackistone, his majesty's governor."t
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