1841.

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

chap. 273.

be the duty of the grand juries to cause to be summoned
before them at every term of the said courts, all the post
masters, their agents and deputies in their respective coun-
ties, districts and the said city, and to examine them parti-
cularly touching the subject matter of this act.

CHAPTER 273.

Passed March
7, 1842.

An act to prevent unlawful dealing with Negroes, and Ik
reception of Stolen Goods in Anne Arundel County and
in Howard District.

Judge may
take away
license.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That from and after the passage of this act, it may be law-
ful For any inhabitant of this State, to go before the county
court of Anne Arundel county, or the court of Howard
district of Anne Arundel county, or if such court be not in
session, to any judge thereof, and make oath that he verily
suspects or believes that any person having a license to sell
or trade in said county or district deals unlawfully with ne-
groes or mulattoes, or is in the habit of receiving stolen
goods, and upon the receipt of said oath by the court or
judge, the said court or judge shall issue a summons, re-
turnable upon a certain day, to such person so authorized
to trade or sell, directing him to appear and answer the
charge in the said affidavit contained; and upon the return
day of said summons, if the parly shall be returned sum-
moned, or the summons shall have been left for ten days at
his or her place of abode, it shall be the duty of said judge
or court to examine the case, and if he or it shall be satis-
fied that such person licensed to trade or sell, is generally
reputed to deal with negroes contrary to law, or to receive
stolen goods, or if said court or judge shall have good rea-
son to believe that such person deals or receives goods in
the manner aforesaid, it shall be the duty of said court or

Proviso.

judge to take away and annul said license; provided, that if
the said judge shall so take away and annul said license, the
said person so licensed to trade, may appeal to the next
county or district court, which shall pass upon the matter
in the manner aforesaid, but such appeal shall not operate to
allow the said person to trade or sell during the pendency
of such appeal.