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A. W. BRADFORD, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.
jacent to said wharf, for the purchase of one acre
of land or a less quantity adjoining to said wharf,
for the purposes of said company, and in case of
disagreement, or in case the owner or owners shall
be a feme-covert, under age, non compos mentis, or
out of the State, on application to a Justice of the
Peace of the county, the said Justice shall issue
his warrant, under his hand and seal, to the Sheriff
of the said county, to summon a jury of twenty
freeholders of said county, not related to the par-
ties or in any manner interested, to meet on the
land to be valued at a day to be expressed in the
warrant, and the Sheriff, upon receiving said war-
rant, shall forthwith summon said jury, and when
met shall administer an oath or affirmation to every
juryman who shall appear, being not less than
twelve in number, that he will faithfully, justly
and impartially value the land required by the
company, according to the best of their skill and
judgment, and that in such valuation he will not
spare any person for favor or affection, or any per-
son aggrieve for malice, hatred or ill-will; and
the inquisition thereupon taken shall be signed by
the jury and Sheriff, and returned by the Sheriff
to the clerk of his county, and unless good cause
be shown against said inquisition, it shall be affirm-
ed by the Circuit Court for Talbot county; but if
the said inquisition shall be set aside, or if from
any cause no inquisition shall be returned to such
court within a reasonable time, the said court may
direct another inquisition to be taken in the man-
ner above prescribed, and upon such valuation the
jury is hereby directed to describe and ascertain
the bounds of the land by them valued, and the
nature of the estate acquired by the company in
the same, and their valuation shall be conclusive
on all persons, and shall on demand be paid for
by the said President and Directors, to the owners
of the land, or his, her or their legal representa-
tives, and on payment or tender of payment thereof
the said company shall be seized of such lands as
of an absolute estate in fee, or with such less quan-
tity and duration of interest in the same as shall
be described as aforesaid, as if conveyed by the
owner or owners to them.
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