374 Assembly Proceedings, Oct. 2-Nov. 17, 1753.

Liber H. S.
No. I

Be it Enacted, by the Right Honourable the Lord Proprietary, by
and with the Advice and Consent of his Lordship's Governor, and
the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly, and the Authority of

[If any Slave
be killed in
resisting
any Officer,
the Party
killing, to
under go a
Trial.]

the same, That nothing in the above recited Act contained shall be
construed to indemnify any Officer, or other Person, killing any
Slave or Slaves resisting, or refusing to surrender, from undergoing
a legal Trial; any Thing contained in the said Act to the contrary
notwithstanding: But that it shall and may be lawful for any Person
upon his or her Trial, for killing any Slave or Slaves, to give this,
and the above recited Act, in Evidence, upon Not guilty pleaded
and if it shall appear, upon the Evidence, that such killing as afore-
said, was done in the lawful Execution and in Pursuance of the
aforesaid Act, that then such Person or Persons, so killing as afore-
said, in Pursuance and in the lawful Execution of the aforesaid
Act, shall be acquitted and discharged thereof, and from all Penalties,
Forfeitures and Punishments, for such killing as aforesaid.

[The Ex-
pence to be
borne by the
Public.]

And be it Enacted, That where any Person or Persons shall be
prosecuted for killing a Slave or Slaves resisting, as by the said Act
entituled, An Act for the more effectual Punishment of Negroes and
other Slaves, and for taking away the Benefit of Clergy from certain
Offenders; and a Supplementary Act to an Act entituled, An Act
to prevent the tumultuous Meetings, and other Irregularities, of
Negroes and other Slaves, That then, and in such Case, the Public
of this Province shall pay such Person, or Persons, all his Costs
and Charges, which he or they shall be at by Means of any such
Prosecution.

16.^th November 1753
Read and Assented to
by the Lower House of
Assembly
Signed p Order
M Macnemara Cl lo ho.

On behalf of the Right
Honourable the Lord
Proprietary of this Prov-
ince I will this be a Law
Hor.° Sharpe

the great seal in
Wax Appendant

16 Novem.^r 1753
Read and Assented to
by the Upper House of
Assembly
Signed p Order
J. Ross Cl Up Ho

No. 26

p. 117

An Act to prevent injuring the Navigation to Baltimore-Town, and
to the Inspecting House at Elk-Ridge Landing, on Patapsco River.

[Preamble.]

Whereas, it is represented to this General Assembly, that by open-
ing and digging into the Banks of Patapsco River, for Iron Stone,
large Quantities of Earth and Sand are thrown and washed into
the said River, and navigable Branches thereof, by which Practice
(if continued), the Channel of the said River, and navigable
Branches aforesaid, will, in a short Time, be so filled up, that Ves-
sels of any Burthen must be prevented from coming into the best and
most secure Harbours in the said River, and the Navigation thereof
greatly obstructed: For Remedy of which Evil, it is prayed that it
may be Enacted,