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Charles Carroll from Carrolton, esquire, from the Senate delivers to Mr. Speaker a letter from James Brice, Esquire, Mayor of the City of Annapolis, enclosing the proceedings of the Corporation of the said City signifying their Consent that if the General Assembly will offer the City of Annapolis and its precincts to the Honourable Congress for their permanent residence that the said Corporation and their Constituents will most cheerfully agree to such offer and be subject to such Jurisdiction and power within the City and its precincts, and over the Inhabitants and residents thereof as the General Assembly will think proper to grant to Congress.

Endorsed by the Senate, May 15th, 1783.

Read and referred to the Consideration of the House of Delegates.

Which were read and thereupon ordered that the said Letter and proceedings of the Corporation of Annapolis be referred to a Committee to consider and report their opinion thereon, and Mr. Chase, Mr. Hall, Mr. Michur, Mr. Stone, Mr. Quynn, Mr. Griffith, & Mr. Oneale were a Committe for that purpose.

The House took into consideration the report of the Committee to whom was referred the Letter from the Mayor of the City of Annapolis enclosing the proceedings of the Corporation of the said City, and thereupon came to the following resolutions.

Resolved 1st, that it is the unanimous opinion of this House, the Honor, the dignity and welfare of the United States, require that their representatives should have a fixed and permanent place of residence with Jurisdiction and Authority over all Inhabitants and Residents within the District or Territory assigned, for the reception of Congress and their Officers and the Ministers of Kingdoms and States in Amity or alliance with the United States.

Resolved 2nd, That it is the unanimous opinion of this House that the City of Annapolis with its precincts is the most eligible and proper place within the United States for the permanent residence of the Honourable Congress, for the following reasons: First,

the City of Annapolis is more central than any other City or Town in the Federal States; and equally convenient to the Delegates to travel there by land or water. Secondly, the City standing within three miles of the Bay of Chesapeake and on a large Navigable River, with a high dry soil and many springs of excellent water remarkably healthy. Thirdly, the Bay of Chesapeake and rivers falling into it, will afford safe and capacious harbours for fleets of ships of any size & force, and dispatches may be received or conveyed with great facility to or from Europe or any other part of the World. And Lastly, the City is very capable of defence with a small force against Numbers there being only eighteen feet water within five miles thereof, and two large Creeks running on each side and heading above said City within a quarter of a mile of each other, and the ground in and near the City well calculated for works of defence.

Resolved 3rdly, That it is the unanimous opinion of this House that the General Assembly (the Corporation & Citizens of Annapolis having signified their consent) offer the said City with its precincts to the Honourable Congress for their permanent residence, and to invest that Body with such Jurisdiction Authority and power within the same, and over the Inhabitants and Residents thereof, as may be required by Congress as necessary for the Honour, dignity, Convenience and safety of that body.

Resolved 4thly, That it is the unanimous opinion of this House, that the General Assembly present the State House, and public Circle in the City of Annapolis (exclusive of the School house and Court-House of Ann Arundel County and Loan Office standing on said Circle) to the Honourable Congress for their use.

Resolved 5thly, That it is the unanimous opinion of this House that the General Assembly present to Congress the buildings and grounds in the said City appropriated for the residence of the Governor of this State for the habitation of their presidents.

Resolved 6thly, That it is the unanimous opinion of this House that the General Assembly offer to Congress to erect at the expence of this State thirteen dwelling houses and other buildings for the residence of the delegates of each of the thirteen Confederate States, and that a sum not exceeding thirty thousand pounds Specie, be applied for that purpose.

Resolved 7thly, That it is the opinion of this House that a Copy of the proceedings of the Corporation of the City of Annapolis be transmitted with the determination of the General Assembly to the Honourable Congress.

By the Senate, May 26th, 1783.

In testimony that the aforegoing are true extracts from the Journal of the proceedings of the House of Delegates of the State of Maryland I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of May, 1783.

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