The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-06-03
LOCAL "REMINISCENCES.
A LEGEND OF MARYLAND.
IAN OWRE TRUE TALE
CHAPTER ".
DRYASDUST.

DRYAsDUsT.
/ | have now to change my scene, and to
pursue in another quarter more important
| Investigations. ! break off with some re-
greet from my visit to St. Mary's, because
it had many attractions of it's own, which
would form a pleasant theme for descrip-
ton. Some of the results of that visit
embodied, several years ago, in fiction
which | fear the world will hardly credit
me in saying has as much history in it as
invention. But my journey had no further
connection with the particular subject be-
fore us, after the discovery of the tomb
therefore take my leave, at this juncture,
of good Father Carberry and St. lnigoes,
and also of my companion in this adven-
ture, -pausing but moment to say, that
the Superior of st. Ingoes has, some time
since, gone to his account, and that am
not willing to part with him in my nara
tive without grateful recognition of the
esteem | have for his memory, in which
share with all who were acquainted with
him,-an esteem won by the simple, unos-
tentatious merit of his character, his liberal
| religious sentiment, and his frank and cor
dial hospitality, which had the best flavor
of the good old housekeeping Of st. Mary's,
IA commentator which every one con-
versant with that section of Maryland will
understand to imply what the Irish school
master, in one of Cartoons tales, calls
''the hoighth of good living
After my return from this excursion, |
resolved to make search amongst the
records at Annapolis, to ascertain whether
any memorials existed which might furnish
further information in regard to the events
to which had now got clue. And here
comes in a morsel of official history which
will excuse short depression.
The Legislature had, about this time,
directed the Executive to cause search
through the government building, with
view to the discovery of old State papers
and manuscripts, which, having been con-
signed, time out of mind, to neglect and
oblivion, were known only as heaps of pro-
of damp cellars and unfrequented garrets.
The careless and unappreciative spirit of
the proper guardians of our archives in
past years had suffered many precious
folios and separate papers to be disposed of
as mere rubbish; and the not less culpable
and injurious Incidence of their successors,
in our own times, had treated them with
equal Indifference. The attention of the
Legislature was awakened to the import
snce of this investigation by Mr.. David
Ridgely, the State Librarian, and he was
appointed by the Executive to undertake
the labor. Never did beagle pursue the
chase with more steady foot than did this
eager and laudable champion of the ancient
fame of the State his chosen duty. He
rummaged old cuddies, closets, vaults, and
cocklofts, and pried into every recess of
the Chancery, the Land Office, the Com
mittee Rooms, and the Council Chamber,
searching up stairs and down stairs, wher-
ever truant paper was supposed to lurk.
Cropping with lantern in hand and body
bent, he made his way through narrow
passages, startling the rats from their fast
nesses, where they had been intrenched for
half century, and breaking down the
thick drapery-the Gobeln tapestry might
call it-wOven by successive families of
spiders from the days Of the last Lord Pro-
prietary. The very dust which was kicked
up in Annapolis, as the old newspapers tell
us, at the passage of the Stamp Act, was
once more set in motion by the foot of this
reselute and unwearied invader, and every
where something was found to reward the
toll of the search. But the most valuable
discoveries were made in the old Treasury,
made, alas! too late for the full fruition
of the Librarians labor. The Treasury,
State, is that lowly and quaint little edice
of brick which the visitor never fails to
notice within the Enclosure of the State
House grounds. 1t was originally designed
for the accommodation of the Governor
and his Council, and for the sessions of the
Upper House of the Provincial Legislature;
the Burgesses, at that time, holding their
meetings in the old State House, which
occupied the site of the present more i'm
posing and capacious building: this latter
having been erected about the year 1872.
In some dark recess of the Treasury
Office Mr.. Ridgely struck upon a mine of
was found to contain many missing ,Tourn-
ais of the Provincial Council, some Of which
bore date as far back as 1866. 1t was sad
disappointment to him, when his eye was
greeted with the sight of these folios, to
see them crumble, like the famed Dead Sea
Apples, into powder, upon every attempt
to handle them. The form of the books
was preserved and the character of the
writing distinctly legibe, but, from the
effect of moisture, the paper had lost its
cohesion, and fell to pieces at every effort
to turn leaf. | was myself a witness to
this tantalizing deception, and, with the
Librarian, read enough to show the date
and character Of the perishing record.
Through this accident, the Council Jonrn-
ais of a most interesting period, embracing
several years between 1866 and 1892, were
irretrievably lost. Others sustained less
damage, and were partially preserved
Some few survived in good condition.
Our Maryland historians have had fire.
quent occasion to complain of the detc-
ency of material for the illustration of sew
eral epochs in the Provincial existence,
owing to the loss of official records. No
research has supplied the means of descrih-
ing the public events of these intervals,
beyond some few differences, which are only
sufficient to show that these silent periods
were marked by incidents of important
interest. The most striking of these pri-
vations occurs towards the end of the sew
enteenth century,-precisely that period to
which the crum bling folios had reference.
| This loss of the records has been ascribed
to their frequent removals during periods
of trouble, and to the havoc made in the