Preamble.

the year eighteen hundred and twenty; and whereas,
a majority of the commissioners appointed by the
said commissioners, did make a report to said
Court, setting forth that the division of the said
real estate into two equal parts in value was im-
practicable, but that they had divided the same
into two parts unequal in value and quantity, and
had allotted to the said James Dennis, the larger
and more valuable share, and to John Dennis, the
only other child and heir-at-law of the said Wheat-
ley, the remaining share, and had awarded that
the said James should secure the payment to the
said John of a sum of money to equalize said di-
vision, which said report and return, the said Court
did at its succeeding term ratify and confirm; and
whereas, the said report and proceedings of the
said commissioners were defective, inasmuch as they
had no authority in law to make such allottments,
and the ratification by the said Courts did not cure
said defect; and whereas, the said James and John
Dennis, and those claiming under them respec-
tively, have held and enjoyed without molestation
for more than forty years' the shares of said real
estate as aforesaid, to the said James and John
respectively .allotted: therefore,

Proceedings
ratified and
confirmed.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly
of Maryland, That the proceedings of the com-
missioners appointed by Worcester County Court
at its November Term, in the year eighteen hun-
dred and twenty-four, upon the petition of James
Dennis for a commission to value and divide the
real estate of Wheatley Dennis, late of said county,
deceased, be and the same are hereby ratified and
confirmed, and that the title of James Dennis, and of
any person or persons claiming under him, to that
portion of said real estate allotted by the said
commissioners to the said James Dennis, and of
John Dennis, and of any person or persons claim-
ing under him, to that portion of real estate allot-
ted by said commissioners to the said John Dennis,
he and the same is hereby made valid, notwith-
standing any irregularities in the proceedings of

Proviso.

the said commissioners; provided, that such titles
are in all other respects legal and regular.