140

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

Dec. Sess.

1813.

sel of such base metal as aforesaid, any stamp, mark or im-
pression which may be made by or with any stamp or
mark, directed to be used in pursuance of this act, or shall
sell, exchange, or expose or offer for sale or exchange, any-
wrought plate of silver, or any vessel of such base metal as
aforesaid, with any such forged or counterfeited stamp,
mark or impression thereon, or any stamp, mark or im-
pression, which hath been or shall be transposed or remove
ed from any other piece of plate, knowing such stamp,
mark or impression to be forged, counterfeited, or trans-
posed, or removed as aforesaid, or shall wilfully or knowing-
ly have, or be possessed of, any mark or stamp which hath
been or shall he forged or counterfeited in imitation of,
and to resemble any mark or stamp to be used as aforesaid,
every such person offending, in any such or either of the
cases aforesaid, being thereof lawfully convicted, shall for-
feit and pay the sum of five hundred dollars, to be disposed
of as hereinafter is directed, and shall be committed by the
court in which judgment shall be given thereon to the pe-
nitentiary of the state of Maryland, there to retrain and
be kept at hard labor for any time not exceeding the space
of five years nor less than one year, and until payment be
made of the said forfeiture.

Stamp duty.

6. AND BE IT ENACTED, That the assay officer
aforesaid shall, previous to the touching, assaying, or mark-
ing such silver plate or manufactured silver, ask, demand
and receive for his own use, of and from the person or per-
sons whose property is required to be touched, assayed and
Bulked, five cents for ever ounce of silver plate or manu-
factured silver, and so in proportion for any greater or less-
er quantity which shall be brought to be touched, assayed
or marked as aforesaid, and shall give a receipt for the
same to the person or persons bringing such plate or man-
ufacture.

Persons re-

fusing or neg-
lecting to pay
duty.

7. AND BE IT ENACTED, That if any person

or persons shall refuse or neglect to pay such respective
prices, sums or rewards as may by this act be demanded,
and are hereby respectively required to be paid on ac-
count for the purposes herein mentioned, or if the silver
plate, or manufacture of silver, brought to be touched,
assayes or marked, shall not be respectively stamped
with the initials of the name of the worker or maker
thereof, that then, or in either case, it shall be lawful for
the assay officer to refuse to assay, try or mark, all or
any of the plate of such person or persons neglecting to
pay or mark as aforesaid, until such prices, sums of mo-
ney, or rewards as aforesaid, shall be actually paid, or
until such silver plate, or manufactures of silver shall be
respectively stamped with the initials aforesaid.

Alloyed
plate may be
defaced by as-
sayor.

8. AND BE IT ENACTED, That when any par-
cel of silver plate, or any manufacture of silver, brought,
to be touched, assayed, end marked as aforesaid, be
found to be of a coarser allay than the standard afore-