ROBERT BOWIE, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR. NOVEMBER.

1803.

certified by the said commissioners, and have further stated, that great loss, damage and inconve-
nience, would be sustained by all the parties interested if partition were to be made of the said
lands under the existing laws of Delaware and Maryland, and have prayed that the agreement as
aforesaid entered into should be rendered binding on the infant representatives of the said James
Black, as well as those of full age; and this general assembly, being of opinion that the infants
aforesaid will be greatly benefitted by a confirmation of the partition so as aforesaid made, therefore,

CHAP.
XC.

II. BE IT ENACTED, by the General Assembly of Maryland, That if the return oF the proceedings of
the commissioners aforesaid, together with the plots certified by them, be made to the respective
county courts of Caecil and Kent, and shall be approved by them, and ordered to be recorded among
the records of their county, in that case the partition and allotment as made, returned and recorded
as aforesaid, shall remain firm and stable for ever, and the said partitions and allotments shall be
held and enjoyed in severally, subject nevertheless to the payment severally of the certain sums of
money in gross for owelty and equality of partition, as contained and specified in the said return of
the said commissioners, and subject also, and severally charged, with the payment annually, by way
of rent-charge of the certain sum of money each, as contained in the said return, to the said Mary
Black, widow, for and during her natural life, which shall and is hereby declared to be in lieu of,
and full satisfaction for, her dower of and in the said real estate.

On return, &c.
partition to re-
main firm, &c.

III. AND BE IT ENACTED, That a duly certified copy or copies of the return of the said com-
missioners of their proceedings, together with the plots aforesaid, when so returned, approved and
recorded as aforesaid, shall and may be given in evidence in all courts of law and equity; provided
nevertheless, that this acl shall not be in force until a law similar in principle, and co-operative in
effect, shall be enabled by the legislature of Delaware,

CHAP. XCI.

Copy, when re-
turned, may be
given in evi-
dence, &c.

An ACT empowering the chancellor to direct a sale of the real estate
of Richard Jacob Duckett, late of Prince-George's county, de-
ceased, for the purposes therein mentioned.

Passed 7th of
January, 1804.

WHEREAS Sophia Duckett, widow of Richard Jacob Duckett, late of Prince-George's county,
deceased, Isaac Duckett, brother and administrator of the said deceased, and Thomas Bucha-
nan, guardian to the infant children of the said deceased, have, by their petition to this general
assembly, represented, that it will be greatly to the benefit and advantage of the children of the said
Richard Jacob Duckett, that his real estate, at or adjoining Queen-Anne, in the county aforesaid,
should be sold, and the money produced thereby loaned out on interest for the benefit of the said
minors;

Preamble.

II. BE IT ENACTED, by the General Assembly of Maryland, That on application of the said Sophia
Duckett, Isaac Duckett and Thomas Buchanan, the chancellor shall and he is hereby authorised and
empowered to direct the real estate of the said Richard Jacob Duckett, at or adjoining Queen-Anne,
In Prince-George's comity, to be sold on such terms, and in such manner, as to him shall seem pro-
per, and that the money arising from the sale thereof shall be applied to the use and benefit of the
children of the said Richard Jacob Duckett, in such manner as the chancellor may or shall direct
and appoint; provided, that such sale not be decreed, unless it shall appear to the chancellor,
on an examination of all circumstances, that it will be for the advantage of said minors; and
in case a sale shall be decreed, under or in virtue of this act, and the said Sophia Duckett shall
be willing to relinquish her dower therein, she may do it, by signing a relinquishment thereof in
writing, and the chancellor shall thereupon allow her such an equivalent for her dower, out of the
proceeds of the land, as to him shall seem equitable and right.

CHAP. XCII.

On application,
chancellor may
dived a sale,

&c.

An ACT for the valuation of real and personal property within
this state.

Passed 7th of
January, 1804,

BE IT ENACTED, by the General Assembly of Maryland, That all real and personal property, in this
state, except property belonging to this state, or the United States, houses for public worship,
burying-grounds, or property belonging to any county, or to any college, or to any county school, and
except also the crop and produce of the land in the hands of the person whose land produced the
same, or in the hands of the tenant, and provisions necessary for the use and consumption of the
person to whom the same shall belong, an.d his family, for the year, and plantation utensils, the
working tools of mechanics and manufacturers, actually and constantly employed in their respective

Properly to be
valued, &c.