one of the United States of America. It received that name in honour of Henrietta Maria, the consort of King Charles I., who made a grant of this country, with very extraordinary powers, to Lord Baltimore. It lies between 38 and 40 degrees north latitude, and in longitude from 74 to 78 degrees west from London. It is bounded on the north by Pennsylvania; on the east by the Delaware state; on the south-east and south by the Atlantic ocean, and a line drawn from the ocean over the peninsula (dividing it from Accomack county in Virginia) to the mouth of Patomack river, thence up the Patomack to its first fountain, thence by a due north line till it intersects the southern boundary of Pennsylvania, in Lat. 39° 43' 18"; so that it has Virginia on the south, south-west, and west. It contains about 10,800 square miles, of which about one-fifth is water. It is divided into 18 counties, 10 of which are on the western and 8 on the eastern shore of Chesapeak bay. Each of the counties sends four representatives to the house of delegates; besides which, the city of Annapolis and town of Baltimore send each two, making in the whole 76 members. The climate is generally mild and agreeable, suited to agricultural productions and a great variety of fruit trees. In the interior hilly country the inhabitants are healthy; but in the flat country, in the neighbourhood of the marshes and stagnant waters, they are, as in the other southern states, subject to intermittents. Chesapeak bay divides this state into the eastern and western divisions. It affords several good fisheries; and, in a commercial view, is of immense advantage to the state. It receives a number of the largest rivers in the United States. From the eastern shore in Maryland, among other smaller ones, it receives Pokomoke, Choptank, Chester and Elk rivers; from the north the rapid Susquehannah; and from the west Patapsco, Severn, Patuxent, and Patomack, half of which is in Maryland and half in Virginia. Except the Susquehannah and Patomack, these are small rivers. East of the Blue ridge of mountains, which stretches across the western part of this state, the land, like that in all the southern states, is generally level and free of stones. Wheat and tobacco are the staple commodities of Maryland. The growth of tobacco in 1826 was estimated at 19,000 hogsheads. In the interior country, on the up-lands, considerable quantities of hemp and flax are raised.

The number of inhabitants in this state, in 1810, was 380,346, of which 111,502 were slaves, and 33,927 free blacks. Maryland is the eighth state in the union in point of population. The militia of this state in 1814 amounted to 41,000. The inhabitants, except in the populous towns, live on their plantations, often several miles distant from each other. To an inhabitant of the middle, and especially of the eastern states, which are thickly populated, they appear to live very retired and unsocial lives. The effects of this comparative solitude are visible in the countenances as well as in the manners and dress of the country people; there being among them very little of that cheerful sprightliness of look and action which is the invariable and genuine offspring of social intercourse; nor do they pay that attention to dress which is common, and which decency and propriety have rendered necessary, among people who are liable to receive company almost every day. As the negroes perform all the manual labour, their masters are left to saunter away life in sloth, and too often in ignorance. These observations, however, must in justice be limited to the people in the country, and to those particularly whose poverty or parsimony prevents their spending a part of their time in populous towns or otherwise mingling with the world. The value of lands and houses in this state in 1799, was $32,372,290 dollars; and in 1814 it had increased to $122,577,572 dollars.

The chief towns in this state are Annapolis and Baltimore.—Annapolis, the capital, and the wealthiest town of its size in America, is situated just at the mouth of Severn river, 30 miles south of Baltimore, and contained 2000 inhabitants in 1810. The houses are generally large and elegant; and the stadhhouse is the noblest building of the kind in America.—Baltimore has had the most rapid growth of any town on the continent, and is the fourth in size and the fifth in trade in the United States. It lies in Lat. 39° 21' on the north side of Patapseo river, around what is called the Bason. The situation of the town is low. The houses were numbered in 1787, and found to be 1955; about 1200 of which were in the town, and the rest at Fell's point. The number of stores was 152; and of churches 9, which belong to German Calvinists and Lutherans, Episcopilians, Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, Quakers, Nicolites or New Quakers. The number of inhabitants was 46,555 in 1810, and in 1817 had increased to 55,000. They bear a high character in the United States for hospitality, liberality, and commercial enterprise. The trade of Maryland is principally carried on from Baltimore, with the other states, with the West Indies, and with some parts of Europe. The exports in 1817, amounted to $8,933,930 dollars, of which $5,887,884 dollars were domestic, and $3,046,046 foreign produce. The exports are wheat, flour, corn, tobacco, flax-seed, beans, pork, and timber, which are sent to the West Indies, to England, France, and the north of Europe. The imports are dry goods, hardware, wines, rum, sugar, &c. In 1815, 222,000 barrels of flour were exported to foreign places, besides 140,000 sent coastwise. The amount of manufactures in 1810, was $11,468,794 dollars. The Roman Catholics, who were the first settlers in Maryland, are the most numerous religious sect. Besides these, there are Protestant Episcopalians, English, Scots, and Irish Presbyterians, German Calvinists, German Lutherans, Friends, Papists, Methodists, and Nicolites or New Quakers. The clergymen are supported by voluntary contributions. The colleges in this state have all been founded since the year 1782, and are yet in their infancy. The names of the several seminaries are, Washington College at Chestertown, instituted in 1782; St John's College at Annapolis, founded in 1784 (these two united form the university of Maryland, and include a Medical Institution); Cakesbury College at Abingdon, instituted by the Methodists in 1785; and a college founded by the Roman Catholics at Georgetown. There are a few other literary institutions, of inferior note, in different parts of the state. In 1811 the sum of 25,000 dollars a year was appropriated by the legislature for the support of common schools, which are established in every county.

The legislature of this state is composed of two distinct branches, a senate and house of delegates; and styled The General Assembly of Maryland. The senate consists of 15 members, chosen every five years. Nine of these must be residents on the western shore and six on the eastern; they must be more than 25 years of age, must have resided in the state more than three years next preceding the election, and have real and personal property above the value of 1000l. The house of delegates is composed of four members for each county, chosen annually on the first Monday in October. The city of Annapolis and town of Baltimore send each two delegates. The qualifications of a delegate, are full age, one year's residence in the county where he is chosen, and real or personal property above the value of 500l. Every free white male citizen above 21 years of age, and who has resided 12 months in the city or county, has a vote in the election of senators and delegates.

On the second Monday of November annually, a governor is appointed by the joint ballot of both houses. The governor cannot continue in office longer than three years successively, nor be elected until the expiration of four years after he has been out of office. The qualifications for the chief magistracy are 25 years of age, five years residence in the state next preceding the election, and real and personal estate above the value of 5000l.; 1000l. of which must be freehold estate. This constitution was established by a convention of delegates at Annapolis in 1776, and has since received some amendments.

Maryland was granted, as has been already noticed, by King Charles I. to Cecilius Calvert, baron of Baltimore in Ireland, June 20, 1632. The government of the province was by charter vested in the proprietary; but it appears that he either never exercised these powers alone, or but for a short time. The honourable Leonard Calvert, Esq. Lord Baltimore's brother, was the first governor or lieutenant general. In 1638, a law was passed, constituting the first regular house of assembly, which was to consist of such representatives, called burgesses, as should be elected pursuant to writs issued by the governor. These burgesses possessed all the powers of the persons electing them; but any other freemen, who did not assent to the election, might take their seats in person. Twelve burgesses or freemen, with the lieutenant general and secretary, constituted the assembly or legislature. This assembly sat at St Mary's, one of the southern counties, which was the first settled part of Maryland. In 1687, the government was taken out of the hands of Lord Baltimore by the grand convention of England. Mr Copley was appointed governor by commission from William and Mary in 1692, when the Protestant religion was established by law. In 1716, the government of this province was restored to the proprietary, and continued in his hands till the late revolution; when, being an absentee, his property in the lands was confiscated, and the government assumed by the freemen of the province, who formed the constitution now existing. At the close of the war, Henry Harford, Esq. the natural son and heir of Lord Baltimore, petitioned the legislature of Maryland for his estate; but his petition was not granted. Mr Harford estimated his loss of quit-rents, valued at 20 years purchase, and including arrears, at 259,488l. 5s.—dollars at 7s. 6d. and the value of his manors and reserved lands at 327,441l. of the same money. See United States, Supplement.