1797,

L A W S of M A R Y L A N D.

C H A P.

LXXXVIII.

clerk and regifter of wills offices in Queen-Anne's county, that the faid re-
cords and papers are in a famous fituation, and that many original papers in
the faid offices have not been, recorded, and are now in danger of being deftroyed

or loft ;

Chief juftice

to infpect the
records, &c.

II. Be it enacted, by the General Affembly of Maryland, That it fhall and
may be lawful for the chief juftice of the diftrict in which Queen-Anne's county
is fituate, and he is hereby authorifed and requefted, to infpect the records and
papers deposited and filed in the clerk's office of faid county, and to caufe to be
tranfcribed and recorded by the clerk of the faid county, in good leather bound
books, to which fair and regular alphabets fhall be prefixed, all fuch records and
papers belonging to the faid office as in his judgment require to be tranfcribed of
recorded.

Papers
recorded, &c.

III. And be it enacted, That it fhall and may be lawful for the juftices of
the orphans court of Queen-Anne's county, and they are hereby empowered and
required, to caufe to be recorded, by the regifter of wills of faid county, in
good leather bound books, to which fair and regular alphabets fhall be prefixed,
all fuch papers filed in the office of the regifter of wills of faid county, and
which have not been recorded, as they, or a majority of them, in their judgment,
may deem neceffary and proper to be recorded.

Fees allowed.

Clerk, &c. to
make cut a
fair account,
&c.

IV. And be it enacted, That the faid clerk and regifter fhall refpectively be
entitled to the fame fees for tranfcribing any record, or recording, any original
paper, in purfuance of the direction of the faid chief juftice, or the faid juftices
of the orphans court, or a majority of them, as are now allowed by law for the
performance of like fervices.

V. And be it enacted, That the faid clerk and regifter fhall, between the firft
and fifteenth days of April in the year feventeen hundred and ninety-nine, and
between the fame days annually until the whole recording be completed, feverally
make out a fair and accurate account of the fervices by them refpectively per-
formed in purfuance of this act, and the account of the faid clerk, when
examined and paffed by the faid chief juftice, and the account of the faid regifter,
when examined and paffed by the juftices of the faid orphans court, or a majo-
rity of them, fhall be by them certified, under their refpective hands and feals,
and transmitted to the juftices of the levy court of Queen-Anne's county, who
fhall, at the next meeting for the purpofe of laying the county levy after re-
ceiving fuch accounts, affefs and levy upon the affeffable property in faid county
a fum of money, exclufive of the commiffion now allowed by law for collecting
the fame, fufficient to difcharge the faid accounts, and caufe the fame, when
collected, to be paid to the faid clerk and regifter refpectively.

VI. Provided nevertheless, and be it enacted, That no compenfation fhall
be mad by the faid county to the faid clerk or regifter of wills for recording any
papers that fhall have been depofited and filed in either of the faid offices fince
the appointment of the faid clerk or regifter, to their faid refpective offices; and
provided alfo, that no judgments fhall be recorded in virtue of this act.

Juftices to

VII. And be it enacted, That it fhall and may be lawful for the juftices of
the levy court of Queen-Anne's county, and they are hereby authorifed and re-
quired, to make fuch allowance to the faid chief juftice as they may think an
adequate compenfation for the fervices by him rendered in purfuance of this act,
and to caufe the fame to be affeffed and levied upon the affeffable property in the
faid county.

Duration.

VIII. And be it enacted, That this act fhall continue in force until the fif-
teenth day of April, in the year eighteen hundred and one, and no longer.