by such route as may seem to said company most
suitable and proper, within the limits hereinafter
provided, and at the same time to proceed with
the construction of so much of said road as lies

Proviso.

East of the Susquehanna river; provided, that the
laid company shall within one year from the pas-
sage of this act, commence the construction of
their road at or near Stemmer's Run, and complete
and put in running order at least six miles thereof,
running eastwardly from that point, in each and
every year thereafter until the whole road shall be
finished to the Susquehanna river, and by a route
running not more than one mile from the town
of Belair, and thence by the most eligible route
to the said Susquehanna river, at or near the
former mouth of Deer creek near Stafford.

In force.

Sec. 2. And be it enacted, That this Act shall
take effect from the date of its passage.

Reservation

Sec. 3. And be it enacted, That the Legislature
reserves to itself the right to alter, amend or re-
peal this Act at its pleasure.

CHAPTER 135.

Passed Mar
18, 1867.

AN ACT to protect churches and church property
and parsonages and to punish trespasses on the
same.

Penalty for
violations.

SECTION 1 Be it enacted by the General Assembly
of Maryland, That if any person unlawfully and
maliciously shall disfigure, cut, mutilate, injure
or damage any church, house of worship, its pews,
seats, wall, windows, shutters, trees, tomb-stones,
fencing, inclosures, or other property in or belong-
ing thereto, or any parsonage, its furniture, trees,
fencing, or inclosures near and belonging to the
same, he shall on conviction before a Justice of the
Peace, or the Circuit Court of the county or city
where the said property may be situated, be deem-
ed guilty of a misdemeanor, and fined in the dis-
cretion of the said Justice or Court, in a sum of
money not less than three dollars, nor more than