The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-06-05

| will be the fifth which the State has
had since it was settled, in 1884. Each
has marked the material and politi-
cal progress of the State.
The first State House of the State,
or, rather, of the colony-for Mary
land was not then State-was erect
ed in the original seat of the colonys
government, at st. Marys. This
building, together with the settle
ment that surrounded it, has long
since disappeared.
1t was, no doubt, primative affair,
probably being constructed Of logs,
/ The next State House was built in
Annapolis in 1896 1t was destroy ed
by fire in 1904. Its successor was
built during the same year. 1t served
its purposes until 1892, when the
growing colony demanded a larger
( structure. 1t was torn down and the
present editice was begun on the same
site. The dome was not added until
after the Revolution.
The legislature of 1869 had appro-
priated $35, 700 for the building of the
new house and the building commit
tee named was composed of Daniel
D. Dulaney, Thomas johnson, John
Hall, William Paca, Charles Carroll,
Launcelot Jacques and Charles Wal
lace. The original building was 1870
feet in length, 80 feet in depth. The
architect was Joseph Clarke and the
frescoer Thomas Dance. The latter
fell from a scaffold just as he had fin
ished his work and was instantly
killed.
With the erection of the new State
House and the abandonment of the
Senate chamber that historic room
will be restored to its ancient appear
ance prior to 1776, when the gallery
which surrounded its walls was torn
down and other changes were made.
The sacrilege has never been forgot
ten or forgiven. The gallery will be
restored. On the platform will be
placed a chair of the same design as
that occupied by the presiding officer
of the Continental Congress when
that patriotic body met there. The
chairs and desks of the same period
will be provided. The room will be-
come a depository of relics.
In this room Washington resigned
his commission after the Revolution.
Here also the Congress of the United
States ratified the treaty of Peace
with Great Britain in 1884, thus es-
tablishing the independence of the
American colonies. In 1856 a com
mission met in this room to establish
harmonious commercial relations be-
tween the several States of the Union.
New York was represented by Alex.
ander Hamilton and Egbert Benson:
New Jersey by Abraham Clark, VIM.
G. Houston and James Schureman
Pennsylvania by Tench Coke; Dele.
ware by George Ready, John Dicken,
son and Richard Bassett; Virginia by
Edmund Randolph, James Madison
Jr., and st. George Tucker. The
meeting was the parent of the con.
vention of 1887 that framed the Fed
eral constitution.
1t isproposed to make the hall OF
the House of Delegates an auditor
ium, where public meetings of com
mittees will be held.
The new State House has long been
needed, as every member of the Gen
eral Assembly and every visitor in
recent years has recognized. It's cost
will be $250,000, which is small sum
as compared with what other States
have lavished upon their capitols
The present building at Annapoli,
has cost the total sum of 100000 In
recent years there has been tenden
cy to replace the old buildings by
new and more costly structures, as il
being done in Arkansas and Missis
sippi. Thus, in Sacramento, the cap
ital of California, the new building
and grounds represent total expen
diture of $3,0OO,OOO. Pennsylvania
has at Harrisburg $500, 900 capitol
The little State of Rhode Island has
at Providence, a 100000 capitol
and the Iowa State Capitol, at Det
Moines, represents total Investment
of So, 100000. The Illinois Capitol, al
Springfield, represents total invest
ment of 81, $780, 900, and the Nebraska
Capitol at Lincoln, represents a cost
of $750,000. The Wisconsin Capitol
in the small town of Madison, repre-
sents an investment of 81 900, 900, ant
Michigan has, at Lansing, a 81, 800,
capitol.
The Missouri Capitol at Jefferson
City, represents an investment O
$500, 900; the Florida Capitol, at Tai
lahassee, $500, 900; the Arkansas Cap
itol, at Little Rock, $1,000,O00, ant
the Alabama Capitol, at Montgomery