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CITIZENSHIP AND S17FFIt.kGE, IN -MARYLAND. 19
foreigners, settled in the State, echo have acquired real property in any
way, shall hold it as natural citizens. They shall receive any property,
which
escheated to the State,' since the pa.ssa.ge of the naturalization Act of
1779,
and lchich they would have received if citizens. The title to all real
property
purchased from foreigners was also made good, and, during the time allowed
by the Act for naturalization, no applications should be received by the
courts
to the prejudice of the foreigners.
The Governor and Council were directed to have the Act printed in the
newspapers in English, French and CTerma.n, for six weeks after the end of
the Legislature's session, together kith tile Act of 1779, which latter Act
was
to be so published two weeks every year.
In the ensuin year or two, we find several provisions in tile charters of
Corporations allowing aliens to subscribe to their stock,2 and just
previous to
the cession of the District of Columbia., an Act was passed that, in
Maryland's
part of that cession, a foreigner might hold land as freely as a citizen ;
but
' should, "in virtue hereof," hove no further privileges of citizenship,
such as
voting and holding office.-'
1\7e next find the Legislature Yahin; a different view of the treatment of
aliens. Hitherto, they have granted privileges, the theory being that an
alien
could not do what was not granted to him. The contrary idea, now so preva-
lent, that an alien can do whatever is not prohibited him, was probably even
then making headlcay: At any rate, in Hanson's Act,' which is the basis of
Maryland's system of Orphan's Courts, it is especially stated that an
executor
or administrator cannot serve, unless a citizen of the United States, and
that
y ;: if any such person be alleged to be an alien, he mast be summoned
before the
Orphan's Court, or given notice 1)y advertisement, if without the State,
that
he maw be llearfi, if he desire, in his own defence and prove his
citizenship by
producing certificate of naturalization, or by furnishing competent and
suffi7-
cient evidence that he is a native of the United States.
The next. year, a closer drawing of the privileges of citizenship was shown
in that section of the Act fur the benefit of insolvent debtors, which
provided
that it should only apply to citizens of the State.'
The fall ri-ht to hold landed property in Maryland was the chief privilege
conferred on aliens in the ni.n,eteemt7z century. Apart from the special
Acts,
conferrin:.e <.m certain persons, by name,' the right, to hold land and
allowing
aliens to ~l>ecunle land-wieners in Havre de (Trace,' there are three Acts
of im-
portance in the history of tile subject. The first is that of 1514, which
allows
j~ : aliens, who hove immigrated into Maryland since the adoption of the
United
States Constitution, and have been naturalized and thus become citizens, to
(1! The right., of those who had taken such Propett from the State should
be saved.
W Act of I.tK), ch. \\\1•, Company for opening, an( extending the
navigation of the river Patowmack. 1.90, ch.
1tSVI, eusqnehanna Canal <'o. I~al, ch. L\I\, ltd. Insurance Fire Co.
~3; A ct of 1791, ch. X LV. see. 6.
At o 1 798
! c f . ~ ch. CI: ch. IV, sec. I, •.'., d: ch. 'V, sec. 1.
- i;l Act of 7799, ch. L\Xw1•III, sec. 3.
te> Act of 183ft, chs. XT IT, CL1'I, C'DSl•II. 1845, eh. LII. 1853, ch.
DCI1'.
lS:I Act of 180'2, ch. SXIS.
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