i;33] REV. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. g$ 



passed agreeably to the Bill of Rights, and to the liberty and 

 wishes of every denomination of men, who would be deemed 

 good Christians and faithful citizens of this State." However, 

 some of the vestries that presented the petitions, finding the public 

 difficulties increasing, were apprehensive that injury might be done 

 to the Church by pressing the petition, and soon afterwards signi- 

 fied their desire to the General Assembly that further considera- 

 tion of the matter might be postponed to a time of less distress 

 and danger. 



On the establishment of peace, Governor Paca, who had' been a 

 pupil of Dr. Smith's (a graduate in the year 1759 of the College 

 at Philadelphia), and between whom and the Provost there ever 

 subsisted a warm attachment, with a paternal and pious care for 

 the concerns of religion, as inseparably connected with the interest 

 of the State, was pleased, May 6th, 1783, to revive the business, 

 in an address to the General Assembly. He said, speaking for 

 himself and his council : 



"It is far from our Intentions to embarrass your deliberations with a 

 variety of objects ; but we cannot pass over Matters of so high Concern- 

 inent as Religion and Learning. The Sufferings of the Ministers of 

 the Gospel of all Denominations, during the War, have been very con- 

 siderable ; and the Perseverance and Firmness of those, who discharged 

 their sacred Functions under many discouraging Circumstances, claim 

 our Acknowledgments and Thanks. The Bill of Rights and Form of 

 Government recognize the principle of public Support for the Ministers 

 of the Gospel, and ascertain the Mode. Anxiously solicitous for the 

 Blessings of Government, and the Welfare and Happiness of our 

 Citizens, and thoroughly convinced of the powerful Influence of Relig- 

 ion, when diffused by its respectable Teachers, we beg leave most 

 seriously and warmly to recommend, among the first Objects of your 

 Attention, on the return of Peace, the making such Provision, as the 

 Constitution, in this case, authorizes and approves," 



A copy of this address, about a week after it was delivered to 

 the Assembly, came into the hands of Dr. Smith and others of 

 the Episcopal Clergy of Maryland, most of whom were assembled 

 at the commencement in Washington College in May, 1783, 

 of which we have already spoken. Dr. Smith, finding the 

 concerns of religion so strongly recommended by the executive 

 to the legislative part of government, thought it wise that 



