876

LAWS OF MARYLAND.— 1826.

which this is a further supplement ; and it is right and proper,
and for the benefit of all parties, that the stipulations of the
contracts of apprenticeship so made, should be fulfilled:
Therefore,

Certain
contracts
confirmed.

SEC. 1, Be it enacted, by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That all contracts of apprenticeship, heretofore made by justices
of the peace as aforesaid, during the sessions of the orphans
courts of the county in which they reside, be and the same are

Provisos.

hereby confirmed and made valid : Provided always, that this
act shall not be construed to extend to any contract of appren-
ticeship, so made as aforesaid, which shall not have been ap-
proved and recorded agreeably to the sixth section of the law,
to which this is a further supplement; And provided also, that
said contracts shall, in all other respects, be in conformity with
the terms, regulations and restrictions, of said original act, and
of the several supplements thereto.

Two jus-
tices autho-
rized to
bind ap-
prentices.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That at any time after the passage
of this act, any two justices of the peace of the county, in
which the person to be bound out may reside, shall, and they
are hereby empowered, to bind out as an apprentice any child
which the orphans court of such county may lawfully bind out,
subject to the terms, regulations and restrictions, prescribed by
the act of seventeen hundred and ninety -three, chapter forty-
five, and of the supplements thereto, to which this is a further

Proviso.

supplement ; Provided always, that the contract of apprentice-
ship so made shall be approved and recorded agreeably to the
sixth section of the said law.

Evidence or
contract of
apprentice-
ship.

SEC. 3. And whereas, it is represented to this general assem-
bly, that the manner of binding apprentices in the several or-
phans courts in this state is not uniform, and that certain of the
said courts use an instrument of writing in the nature of an
indenture, and certain other of the said courts use an instru-
ment in the nature of a recognizance, as evidence of the said
contract of apprenticeship, in order therefore to prevent any
inconveniences which may hereafter arise therefrom, Be it
enacted, That the several orphans courts of this state be and
they are hereby authorized and empowered, to use an instru-
ment of writing in the nature of an indenture, or an instrument
of writing in the nature of a recognizance, as evidence of any
contract of apprenticeship entered into in any one of the said
courts, according to the provisions of the act of assembly to
which this is a further supplement, and of the several other
supplements to the said act.

Certain
contracts
not vitiated
for defect
of form.

SEC. 4. And be it enacted, That all contracts of apprentice-
ship heretofore entered into in the said courts, either in the na-
ture of an indenture or of a recognizance, shall not be vitiated
for defect of form, but shall be good and valid to all intents and