Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-22
MARYLAND'S MUSTY RECORDS.
Relics of Colonial Days Preserved in
the Annapolis Museum.
THE ORIGINAL ARCHIVES OF THE PROVINCE OF
MARYLAND-LoRD BALTIMORE AND THE PENIS
GRIM OLD COFFIN AND Dusty OLD MUsKETs-
THE SEALS OF THE STATE.

THE SEALS OF THE STATE.
Slumbering calmly in its sandy bed, while
the river Severn flows drowsily past, is Mary
lands sleeping beauty"-the ancient and hon.
orable city of Annapolis-wa waiting, it is not
difficult to imagine, for the coming Of the
prince who is to remove the spell of enchant-
ment, in response to whose affectionate kiss
the somnolent village is to awake to the fact
that this is almost the end of the nineteenth
century and not the middle of the eighteenth.
The visitor to Annapolis who, on a warm June
day, feels no temptation to lie down in a shady
nook and sleep, must be victim of insomnia
bad case too. Nevertheless the old state
capital is one of the pleasantest places in all
the territory which received its name from
things and at all times. During the hot after
noon the sound Of voices is low and the people
who move around the streets are soft OF step;
the dogs lie painting in the shade and the
children repose on grassy slopes or in quaint
old school-houses the birds are almost silent
as they hop around the doorsteps and eat of
the myriad weeds, while bees fit droningly in
and out OF the open windows and noiseessly sip
nectar from the sweet clover blossoms which SO
abundantly decorate the streets. 1t is the home
of Morpheus; the seat of the power of the state
and the headquarters Of the drowsy god.
MUsTY OLD RECORDS.
Nesting down under the shadow of the state
capitol Is an unpretentious brick building, and
in this the spirit of the past is everywhere
visible. Musty records are piled hi Oh in the
air and hidden away in closets and chests. 1t
is the state land Office and museum, and both
are under the care of Mr.. Geo. Shafer, the
chief clerk. guided STAR reporter through the
musty maze. OF more than ordinary inter-
est are the state records. The original
archives of the province of Maryland are COM
plete from the year 1857, and the historian and
enthusiastic antiquarian may revel in some of
the queerest old parchments anybody ever saw.
In those good old days (which were nothing
like as good as some people suppose) the pro-
vinciai ruler encouraged immigration, and
when a resident OF the province succeeded in
inducing persons to leave their homes in the
old lands and to dwell in Maryland he was pre-
scented with fifty acres Of land for each person;
there are any number Of records of patents for
these ffty-acre grants in huge, heavily-bound
volumes. For awhile these interesting records
were left to the tender mercies of the voracious
book-worm, and as result the ponderous
tones have been drilled through in thousands
Of places.
THE CITY CHARTER.
The state archives are in good condition and
complete from 1871. The originals are not al
ways to be seen, but printed copies can be in
spected at any time. When a juvenile Anna
politan is inclined to be frisky and tries to
shake of the dignity which was born with him,
he Is recommended to go to the museum and
there ''read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest"
the great truths contained in the original char
ter Of the city. granted in the year l7O3 The
huge sheet of parchment is discolored and
curled and creased but most of its sentiments
can be read by anyone who cares to struggle
with the fading ink and the peculiar chirog-
raphy. The document which gave Annapolis
the right to live, and which apparently keeps it
alive to day, commences with: Anne, by the
Grace of God of Great Brittaine France and
Ireland and the dominion thereunto belonging,
Queen, defender of the Faith, to all and singu-
lar our faithful subjects" Then follows sew
eral whereases and the license to exist. 1t is
addressed to John Seymour, captain-generai
and governor of the province Of Maryland.
LORD BALTIMoRE AND THE pHNNs.
Hardly less interesting is the agreement be-
tween Frederick, the sixth Lord Baltimore, and
Thomas and Richard Penn, sons of the great
Quaker. 1t took. six sheets Of closely written
yard-square parchments one sheet being en-
bellished by a map, to describe and define the
boundaries OF the province Of Maryland At
the foot OF the last sheet are three signatures
and three red wax seals. Each sheet had in |
corporated in it the blue and metal inland rev.
enue seal-the same in England to-day az it was
then-and each sheet cost Ave shillings. Sam
uel Mabbat (who has been dead some time and |
to whom, consequently, this advertisement will |
do no good supplied the parchment and re-
ceived therefor the sum Of one pound ten |
shillings. Mr.. Mabbat was q statoner in those |
days and kept q shop at ''Gray's Inn Gate, |
HOlbourn, London"
There was no dearth Of pompous formality
in the manner in which the power regnant was |
addressed, There was only one way TO do it |
and so far as the records at Annapolis show the |
deviations were not numerous The prefix to q |
petitionreads ITO the Right Honorable Charles
absolute lGrd and proprietor of the provinces
of Maryland and Avalon, lord baron Of Balti- |
more, &c." It hardly seems possible that that |
COLONIAL DooKBrNDNo AND PxNMANsHIP.
The general character Of the penmanship in
the records il good-abovs the average Of TO- |
day. Of course il d that sti6. crsmped, M
right and downright writing which was then |
universal those who could write-but |
It h not dinHcult 70 read, end in time Il be- |
comes really attractive. There were book |
bindsrs in those days; men who put covers on