1782] REV. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D . 83 



The Instrument of Trust. 



To the Honorable the General Assembly of Maryland. 



We, the subscribers, agreeable to our appointment by " the Visitors 

 and Governors of Washington College, in the State of Maryland," and 

 on their behalf, beg leave to present and deliver to the General Assem- 

 bly, the instrument of writing, or declaration of trust, required by law, 

 as the condition upon which the operation of their charter is to 

 commence. 



The very numerous and liberal subscriptions which have been 

 obtained towards founding and supporting this College, in the different 

 counties to which our applications were directed, are a proof of the zeal 

 of the subscribers for the advancement of knowledge, virtue and public 

 spirit. By that zeal, the Visitors of Kent county school have been 

 enabled to give existence to a Corporation for the advancement of liter- 

 ature, in less than five months, for which they were allowed five years 

 by the indulgence of law. We trust, and are assured, that such exer- 

 tions of individuals, for the public emolument, do not only merit, but 

 will receive the most public approbation, as well as future protection 

 and encouragement of the Legislature. Together with the Declaration 

 of Trust, and list of subscriptions, we beg leave to present to the Gen- 

 eral Assembly, copies of a letter from the Visitors of Kent county school 

 to his Excellency, the illustrious Commander in Chief of our armies, on 

 the subject of this College, and of the answer which they had the honor 

 to receive from him. The exalted and patriotic sentiments which it 

 contains can only be truly conveyed to the public by the letter itself. 



We would further humbly pray the General Assembly, that the several 

 papers and subscription lists herewith presented may be preserved among 

 their journals and printed with the same ; that the names of the first 

 founders, benefactors and patrons of this seminary may remain on 

 perpetual record. The names of future benefactors will be reported 

 and recorded as occasion may require. 



William Smith. 

 Pere. Lethbury. 



November 26, 1782. 



Declaration of the Visitors and Governors. 



To the Honorable the General Assembly of Maryland. 



We, the subscribers, " Visitors and Governors of Washington College, 

 in the State of Maryland," beg leave to declare, that, agreeable to the 

 act, whereby we are incorporated, entitled, "An Act for founding a 

 College at Chester Town," there are ten visitors and governors duly 

 chosen in different counties of this shore, upon subscriptions of ^500 

 each, in addition to the seven visitors of Kent County School ; and 

 that "we are willing and desirous to take upon us and discharge the 



