344

LAWS OF MARYLAND.— 1797.

concerning petitions for freedom, and an act passed at Novem-
ber session, seventeen hundred and ninety-three, entitled, a sup-
plement to an act concerning petitions for freedom and an act
passed November session, seventeen hundred and ninety-four,
entitled, a further supplement to an act to prohibit the bringing
slaves into this state, shall be and the same are hereby repealed ;
provided, that all rights heretofore acquired under the said re-
pealed laws, or any of them, shall not be affected or impaired by
this act.

NOVEMBER, 1797.— CHAPTER 15.
A SUPPLEMENTARY ACT to the act relating to Negroes, and to repeal the
acts of Assembly therein mentioned.

Preamble.

WHEREAS, by an act, entitled, an act relating to negroes, and
to repeal the acts of assembly therein mentioned, passed at
November session, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-

*Chap. 67.

six,* it is provided, that any citizen or citizens of the United
States, who shall come into this state with a bona fide intention
of settling therein, may import or bring into this state, at the
lime of his or her removal, or within one year thereafter, any
slave or slaves the property of such citizen or citizens at the
time of his or her removal, which slave or slaves, or the mother
or mothers of which slave or slaves, shall have been resident
of the United States three whole years next preceding such
removal, but doubts being entertained whether the privilege of
importing or bringing into this state within the year extends to
the legal representatives of such citizen or citizens, so removing
with a bona fide intention of settling therein, in case of the
death of any such citizen ; for remedy whereof,

Executor,
&c. may im-
port slaves,
&c.

SEC. 2. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That it shall and may be lawful for any executor or administra-
tor of any citizen of the United States, who shall have removed,
or may hereafter remove, into this state, with a bona fide inten-
tion of settling therein, and who shall have died, or may here-
after die, within one year from the time of such removal, to
import or bring into this state, at any time within one year
from the death of his or her testator or intestate, any slave or
slaves the property of such citizen at the time of his or her
death, which slave or slaves, or the mother or mothers of which
slave or slaves, shall have been resident of the United States
three whole years next preceding such removal, as also the
issue of such slave or slaves born after the removal of the said
testator or intestate.

Guardians,
may import
certain
slaves, &c.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That it shall and may be lawful
for any guardian or guardians of any infant entitled to any
slave or slaves by or in pursuance of the last will and testament
of, or in the course of distribution from, any citizen of the