WHEREAS doubts exist, with respect to the powers of the corporation
of the city of Annapolis in passing laws to restrain the mischiefs
arising from vagrants, loose and disorderly persons, free negroes,
and
persons having no visible means of subsistence or support; and the
great increase
of such persons, to the prejudice of the morals and safety of the city
of Annapolis
is apparent,
II. Be it enacted,
by
the General Assembly of Maryland, That the mayor, recorder,
aldermen and common council, of
the city of Annapolis, be and they are
hereby authorised and empowered
to pass, make and ordain, all laws necessary to
take up, fine, imprison or punish,
any and all vagrants, loose and disorderly persons,
free negroes, and persons having
no visible means of subsistence or support,
that may be found within the limits
or jurisdiction of the said city, provided that
they shall not in any case pass,
make or ordain, any law to fine for any one offence
a sum exceeding twenty dollars,
or imprisonment exceeding thirty days, or
punishment beyond fifteen lashes.
III. And
be it enacted, That if any free
negro or mulatto, or other free person,
be committed to gaol in virtue of
this act, and shall not, at the expiration
of the time for which he is committed,
pay to the sheriff the amount of his fine
and prison fees, it shall and may
be lawful for the sheriff, with consent of the
mayor in writing, to sell such negro
or mulatto, or other free person, as a servant
for any time not exceeding four
months, such time to be expressed in writing by
they mayor in giving his consent
as aforesaid. |
Preamble.
Mayor, &c.
to pass laws,
&c.
Free negroes,
&c. may be
sold, &c. |
BE it enacted, by
the General Assembly of Maryland, That the commissioners
of the town of Elkton, in Cæcil
county, shall have power to levy
annually of the inhabitants of said
town, in lieu of two shillings and six-pence
authorised by the act to which this
is a supplement, a sum not exceeding
one dollar for every hundred pounds
worth of assessable property in
said town; and the said commissioners
shall have power to appoint a person
to collect said tax, who shall have
the same power therefor as the collector
of the county in the collection
of the county tax; and said money shall be
applied, at the discretion of the
commissioners, to the general benefit of said
town.
II. And,
whereas
by the act to which this is a supplement the inhabitants of
said town are empowered to elect
annually, on Easter Monday in each year, or as
soon thereafter as convenient, seven
commissioners for said town, And be
it enacted,
That should the inhabitants fo said
town at any time neglect to make an election,
in manner and time required by said
act, the power of appointing such commissioners
shall not thereupon cease, but the
rights and power of the inhabitants of
said town in that respect shall
continue in the same manner as though such appointments
had been duly made, and no neglect
of sid inhabitants heretofore
in respect to appointing such commissioners
shall be held to impair the
rights and powers of the inhabitants
of said town, but the laws relating to
the regulations and police of said
town shall thereafter be as full and perfect
as if no neglect had ever taken
place in respect to the appointment of such commissioners. |
Commissioners
to levy
money, &c.
Power not to
cease, &c. |
