1788] REV. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. 255 



the year 1788. The violent party by which the cliarter of the old 

 College of Philadelphia had been taken away, had itself now, after 

 a life not long, come to a sudden and complete and rather igno- 

 minious end; and Dr. Smith devoted no small portion of his time 

 and labor to having a repeal of the unjust enactments by which 

 the chartered rights of the institution which he had founded and 

 built, were so unjustly taken away by it in 1789; "a repeal," says 

 Bishop White, in speaking of Dr. Smith, " which but for his labors 

 and perseverance would probably never have been effected, not- 

 withstanding the justice of the case." * Much of Dr. Smith's time 

 therefore was spent in Philadelphia; and he published in that city 

 in 1788, by the respectable firm of Robert Aitken & Son, " An 

 Address to the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, in the Case 

 of the Violated Charter of the College, etc., of Philadelphia;" a 

 powerful document, which I regret that my space prevents my here 

 inserting. 



But his Masonic friends at home were not forgotten. On the 

 29th of August, it being the feast of St. John the Baptist, he 

 preached in the hall of Washington College, at the desire cf the 

 Grand Communication of the Maryland lodges. 



The following letter has reference to the rights of St. John's 

 College and of the Maryland churches. I am not able to explain 

 it particularly from other sources, and therefore leave it to explain 

 itself: 



Rev. Dr. Smith to the Rev. Dr. West. 



Annapolis, December 11, 17S8. 



Dear Sir: I should have been much pleased if you had pursued 

 your journey to Annapolis, as Mr. Hanson and the other gentlemen 

 visitors of St. John's College are exceedingly desirous of a meeting, or 

 a conference at least of as many of their Board as possible, but neither 

 Clagget, Baines or Thomas have yet appeared, and Mr. Chase and my- 

 self are left to act by ourselves in behalf of our Church also, but we 

 shall be sufficient, as we have drawn up a clause, preserving all our 

 former rights, and under the vestry laws, and entitling our vestries, on 

 the footing of equal liberty, to the like extension of their property, 

 viz., 4000 bushels of wheat per annum, and to take by deed, gift, 

 devise, etc., as other vestries, with a new clause also, viz. : that if by 

 neglect or failure of an election on any Piaster Monday, a vestry has 



*" Wilson's Life of White," page 19. 



