FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETA RY OF THE Society for the History of the Germans in Maryland. N briefly reviewing the history of the fifth year of our exis- tence, the Society has reason to look with satisfaction upon its result. It is true, the attendance upon the monthly meetings on the part of the members was not as large as may have been desired, but what these meetings may have lacked in num- bers, they made up in interest and in activity. The average attendance was twelve. The number of active members reported at the close of last year, was seventy six. Seven new members were added during the present year. The names of four members were dropped for non- payment of dues, two resigned, and one, Rev. L. Vogtmann, whose obituary was published with those of last year, died during the same period, thus leaving at the close of the present year again the number of seventy six active members. Nor has the number of our corresponding members been changed. THE  DOCUMENT published by the Society during the present year contained besides an extract of the Secretary's Annual Report, the Treas- urer's Report, list of active members and obituary notices of eight departed members, four articles prepared by members of this Society, viz: 4 "Auszüge aus den Archiven des Staates Maryland" and " The First German Settlement in North America."   Both by L. P. HENNIGHAUSEN, Esq. " Sketch of Dr. Seyffarth" and "An Incident in the History of the Germans in Mary- land." Both by Rev. J. G. MOR®IS, D. D. During the year just closing, the following gentlemen prepared and read in the monthly meetings the ARTICLES RESPECTIVELY DESIGNATED: Rev. J. G. MORRIS, D. D. 1. "The humane treatment of the black slaves by their German Masters." 2.    "The famous Muhlenberg Family." 3. " Biographical sketch of Rev. Ulhorn, formerly Assis- tant Pastor of Zions German Church in Baltimore City." Prof. M. D. LEARNED, D. Ph.: "Gottlieb Mittelberger's Reise nach Pennsylvanien und ihre Bedeutung als ein Culturbild." Mr. I. LOEWENTHAL: "The Origin of the so-called better classes of Society in different Countries." Rev. H. SCHEIB delivered in the April meeting an eloquent address on "Luther's deutsche Bibel und ihr Einfluss auf seines Volkes Sprache und Geist Daheim und in der Fremde." Prof. C. F. RADDATZ compiled and offered: 1.    " A record of the Diffenderfer-Family," and 2.    "A biographical sketch of Ph. R. J. Friese." Mr. Ed. F. LEYH entertained the Society at different meetings with improptu and instructive addresses, giving special valuable statistical information of the representation of the German element in the Armies of the United States during the wars of 1812—'13 and 1861—'65. 5 The most happy result of the Society's activity during the past year was, beyond doubt, the great success in a proper celebration of the 6th October, THE ADOPTED GERMAN DAY. The Committee appointed for this purpose consisting of Messrs. Ed. F. Leyh and I. Loewenthal (Mr. L. P. Hennig- hausen, though also originally appointed, was unable to serve on account of absence abroad), addressed themselves with a desire of co-operation in this movement to the different German Societies and Organizations of the city. They were met not only with great readiness on the part of the Societies thus addressed, but with an enthusiasm so general and so generous as to give the strongest proof of the sympathy and interest on the part of our German-American population with the very object, which this Society is pursuing, viz: to keep in grateful remembrance the merits of our German forefathers in the development of this our adopted country, proving at the same time that it needs but a proper stimulus to develop this slumbering feeling into an overwhelming demonstration. The result of the arduous labours of our Committee, which was now supplemented by large and influential additions from other bodies, was indeed marvellous. For weeks before the day set apart arrived, not only the German press of the city, but also our American dailies felt themselves induced, to pay special attention to the coming event, and gave expression of their interest and their sympathy with its object by publishing historical extracts and editorial leaders bearing on the subject. THE 6th OF OCTOBER 1890 found the entire city in a flutter of excitement on account of the event of the day. Many of the public buildings and private houses in all parts of the city were gaily decorated with ban- ners, garlands and inscriptions; the public schools were by order of the School Board closed during the afternoon, the Governor of the State came to the city to manifest by his presence, together with that of other dignitaries of the State and the city their interest in and sympathy with the event. 6 The celebration proper consisted in a monster meeting in the afternoon of the day in the Academy of Music. Though the weather was anything but favorable, the large building was crowded from dome to floor with a select and enthusiastic audience, fully 4000 people being estimated as present. One of our most popular German citizens and a member of this Society Mr. E. G. Schmeisser, presided. The musical part was ably rendered by one of the best orchestras and the United Singers of the city, whilst a specially trained choir of 400 pupils from our German-American Public Schools sang a number of patriotic hymns in both tongues. Eloquent and stirring addresses were delivered in the English and the German language by Rev. H. Scheib, Col. F. Raine and Dr. L. H. Steiner, all honored members of our historical Society. But whilst the afternoon meeting might well have satisfied our most ardent expectations, the torch-light parade in the evening with its tens of thousands of participants, its numerous bands performing stirring music, its almost endless string of carriages, beautifully decorated wagons, floating banners and transparencies with thoughtful and ingenious inscriptions sur- passed, though in a different character, even the spectacle of the afternoon. The excitement preceding the event, had become con- tagious, and thus, at the same time that the above celebrations took place in the city, similar meetings were held in the surrounding towns and villages. Thus, thanks to the inaugurating steps on the part of this Society, "the German Day" was not only properly cele- brated in our midst, but the character and the extent of its observance may well be ranked as among the grandest of its kind throughout the United States. The Society owes THANKS TO THE BALTIMORE PRESS not only for its assistance in this, but for its friendly interest in all the movements of this Society, as far as they were of a public character. "The Baltimore American," „The Balti- more Sun," "The Morning Herald," "Der Deutsche Correspon- 7 dent" and " Das Baltimore Journal" were regularly represented at our monthly meetings, and our proceedings were faithfully reported by their respective reporters. The proprietors of the last two journals again, as in former years, so during the present generously furnished their daily issues gratuitously. THE ARCHIVES OF THE SOCIETY were during the year enriched by donations of books, pamph- lets, medals etc. from the following gentlemen: Prof. B. Sollers. — Rev. J. G. Morris, D. D. — Rev. B. Sadtler, D. D. — Mr. H. G. Hilken. — Mr. E. Heydenreich. — Mr. F. B. Mayer, — Prof. M. D. Learned, D. Ph. — Mr. John W. M. Lee. — Rev. F. Ph. Hennighausen, D. D. — Mr. Friese- — Mr. Heiskell. — Bureau of Education of Washington, D. C. — "New England Historic-Genealogical Society." — Dr. Mill. H. Egle, State Librarian of Pennsylvania. — Rev. F. W. E. Peschau. — Rev. P. F. Frischbier. — "Committee on Gelebra- tion of German Day." — " Historische Gesellschaft des Künst- ler-Vereins" in Bremen. —J. B. Lippincott & Co. of Philadel- phia, Pa." — Mr. R. M. Rother. — "New York Historical So- ciety." LIST OF BOOKS added to the Library during the year both by donation and by purchase: Geschichte der Mission der evangelischen Brüder unter den Indianern in Nord-America, von G. H. Loskiel. Löhr's Geschichte der Deutschen in America. Sammlung vorzüglicher Poesien, etc. Gesammelt von W. Meyerle. A Collection of German Poems, printed by G. Keating in 1796 and dedicated to Gen'l. G. Washington. Todtenkränze, von C. H. Schnauffer. Memoir and Genealogy of the Maryland and Pennsylvania Family of Mayer. The Pennsylvania-German Dialect by Prof. M. D. Learned, Ph. D. 8 Das kleine Davidische Psalterspiel der Kinder Zions. Ephrasa 1795. Der Amerikanische Dollmetscher.    1831. Gedichte von Rev. F. C. H. Lampe. Baltimore City Directory of 1847—48. Industrial Education in the South by Rev. A. D. Mayo. 1888. The History of Education in North Carolina by Ch. L. Smith. 1888. History of Higher Education in South Carolina, with a sketch of the Free School System. By Colyer Meriwether 1889. Education in Georgia, by Ch. Edgeworth Jones.    1889. History of Education in Florida, by Dr. G. Bush.    1889. Higher Education in Wisconsin, by Mill, F. Allen and David E. Spencer. History of Education in Alabama, 1702—1889, by Millis G. Clark. Proceedings of the Department of Superintendence of the National Educational Association at its meeting in Washing- ton, D. C., in March 1889. History of the Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Promulgation of the Constitution of the United States. 2 vols. Poems and a sketch of Hon. Wm. James Polk, by Rev. F. E. W. Peschau. The first 20 years of the history of St Paul's Ev. Luth. Church in Wilmington, N. C. The Life of Rev. Michael Schlatter, by Rev. H. Harbaugh. The German Soldier in the Wars of the United States of America, by A. G. Rosengarten.    2nd Ed. Lüneburger Bibel of 1629. Geschichte der Mennoniten, by Dr. R. Cassel. Berühmte deutsche Vorkämpfer  für Freiheit, Fortschritt und Friede in Nord-America, by Rev. Rutenick, D. D. Frontiersmen of New York, by J. R. Simms.    2 vols. 9 Luther-Denkmal, Sammlung  von Predigten etc.   bei   der 400-jährigen Lutherfeier in America in 1883. Connecticut Federalism or Aristocratic Politics in a Local Democracy by James C. Welling. The Story of an old Farm, or Life in New Jersey in the 18th Century, by Andrew D. Mellick, jr. " Bremische Werkmeister." Bremisches Jahrbuch.    XV. Bd.    1889. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, F. PH. HENNIGHAUSEN, Sec'y. Baltimore, Md., February 17th 1891.