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WILLIAM PACA, Esq; Governor.
CHAP. XXII.
An ACT, entitled, A supplement to an act, entitled, An act to raise
a sum of money
for the payment of the officers and soldiers of the
line of this state, from
the first day of August, seventeen hundred and eighty,
to the first day of January,
seventeen hundred and eighty-one. |
1783.
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CHAP. XXIII.
An ACT to prohibit the bringing slaves in to this state. |
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BE it enacted,
by the general assembly of Maryland, That it shall not be lawful,
after the passing of this act, to import or bring into this state, by land
or water, any negro, mulatto, or other slave, or to reside within
this state; and any person brought into this state as a slave contrary
to this act, if
a slave before, shall thereupon immediately cease to be a slave, and shall
be free;
provided that this act shall not prohibit any person, being a citizen of
some one
of the United States, coming into this state, with a bonâ fide
intention of settling
therein, and who shall actually reside within this state for one year at
least, to be
computed from and next succeeding his coming into this state, to import
or bring
in any slave or slaves which before belonged to such person, and which
slave or
slaves had been an inhabitant of some one of the United States, for the
space of
three whole years next preceding such importation; and the residence of
such
slave in some one of the United States, for three years, as aforesaid,
antecedent to
his coming into this state, shall be fully proved, to the satisfaction
of the naval
officer or collector of the tax, by the oath of the owner, or some one
or more credible
witness or witnesses. |
Slaves not to
be imported,
&c. |
II. Provided
always, That nothing herein contained shall be construed or taken
to set any slave free, who is brought into this state by any person travelling
through this state, or sojourning therein for a short time, such slave
not being sold
or otherwise disposed of in this state, but carried by the owner out of
this state. |
Proviso. |
III. And be
it enacted, That no slave manumitted agreeable to the laws of
this state, or made free in consequence of this act, or the issue of any
such slave,
shall be entitled to the privilege of voting at elections, or of being
elected or appointed
to any office of trust or profit, or to give evidence against any white
person,
or to enjoy any other rights of a freeman, other than to hold property,
and
to obtain redress in law or equity for any injury to his person or
property. |
Slaves manumitted
not to
vote at elections,
&c. |
IV. And be it
enacted, That no person brought into this state from any of the
United States, who is not a slave for life by the laws of the state from
which such
person is brought, shall be considered as a slave for life in this state,
but such person
brought into this state shall serve for the time which the laws of the
state from
which such person is brought oblige him or her to serve, and no longer. |
Slaves from
other states to
serve no
longer than
the laws oblige,
&c. |
CHAP. XXIV.
An ACT appointing wardens for the port of Baltimore-town, in
Baltimore county. |
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WHEREAS it is of importance to the state, that proper
persons should
be appointed to preserve the navigation of the bason and harbour of
Baltimore-town, in Baltimore county: Therefore, |
Preamble. |
II. Be it enacted,
by the general assembly of Maryland, That Samuel Smith,
Daniel Bowley, John Sterett, Samuel Purviance, Thomas Russell, Richard
Ridgely, Robert Henderson, Thomas Elliot, and William Patterson, be and
are hereby appointed wardens for the said port of Baltimore-town, in Baltimore
county, till the first Monday in October, in the year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and eighty-six, and no longer, unless elected agreeably to
the manner
hereafter prescribed; and said wardens and their successors, are hereby
invested
with full power and authority to carry into effect the several objects
and intentions
of this act; and it shall and may be lawful for them, or a majority of
them,
the chairman herein after directed to be chosen being one, as soon as conveniently
may be, having first taken the oath or qualification hereafter prescribed,
to |
Wardens appointed,
&c. |
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