AUTOGRAPH LETTER, SIGNED AT ANNAPOLIS 13 NOVEMBER 1789, DESCRIBING THE FIRST SESSION OF THE NEW MARYLAND GOVERNMENT AFTER RATIFICATION OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION

Annapolis, 1789. Eleven pages, 6" x 7-3/4." Entirely in ink manuscript. Signed at the end, "Your friend, William Craik." The Letter is unaddressed, but its salutation appears to be, "Dear Wat." Some spotting and ink bleeding, but text legible, one leaf with a tear costing about four words. Good+. In transcribing portions of the Letter below, I have created paragraphs where the author had none, for ease of reading.

House of Delegate member William Craik (1761-1814) was a Maryland lawyer who would become Chief Justice of Maryland's Fifth Judicial District. A Federalist and family friend of George Washington, he would serve as U.S. Congressman from 1796-1801. His Letter is an elaborate discussion of the establishment of Maryland's government at its first session under the new Constitution.
This is doubtless one of the earliest contemporary records of Maryland's political history as a State in the Union. The U.S. Constitution went into effect on 21 June 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth State to ratify it. The first session of Maryland's General Assembly convened on 2 November 1789, eleven days before Craik, a representative from Charles County, wrote this Letter, which begins:
"We have yet no Senate and the attention of our House has been pretty much engaged in attending to Petitions of a private nature. Our Committees are busy in preparing Business of much importance to the State. Being one of a committee appointed to bring in a Bill for a reform and Change to the Judiciary of this State and particularly in our County Courts I feel some what alarmed at the difficulty of the Business. It is a subject which embraces a variety of objects, a complicated Machine which requires much tenderness and caution in the management.
"We are this evening to have a meeting in Committee on the proposed Bill for the alteration of the Manner of electing Delegates to Congress. There will be a powerful opposition in point of getting to our intended proposition, but I believe a considerable majority of Votes in its favor. Pinkney and myself I imagine will hold the labouring oar in this Business opposed to McHenry, William Tilghman, James Tilghman all speakers and well acquainted with the subject as being in the last Assembly where was so fully debated. I think I am right and shall generally think so when I am with so great a majority of the People of Maryland.
"I imagine the Senate will object to any alteration in the present Law - you may remember I always told you I feared they would. Had a former Senate been against me I should have doubts. To the present there is no reason I should sacrifice my opinion. The Inspection Law is under the Consideration of a Committee, and I fear by attempting amendments they will very much retard its progress. There appears to be a great difficulty with the Committee how to prevent the exportation of trash without such regulations and restrictions as will be oppressive to the People. The plan is to oblige every man to carry his Tobacco to the nearest warehouse. This I think will meet with considerable opposition. I should be glad to hear from you and the Govr. or any other gentlemen on the subject
"The year ninety and the numerous applications from the Public Debtors for indulgences open to our view a very difficult and interesting subject." Craik discusses the conflict between "individual distress" and considerations of "public faith and public honour." "I believe there never was a Session before so many Private Petitions and Memorials as at the present."
Craik opines on the possible appointments of "Swan and Barney" to Masters positions "for Baltimore Town. . . They say Barney is a brave man, fought hard and that he is very poor and should be provided for. We have not yet chosen our Governor and Council." Various names are suggested. Craik closes the letter expressing concern for "our friends [who] are still fatigued with the Influenza in Charles. I am afraid of the second attack.