| 1783.
CHAP.
XXXIII. |
LAWS of MARYLAND.
import or bring into the state, or cause to be printed, reprinted, imported
or
brought into the state, any such book or books, writing or writings, without
the consent of the proprietor or proprietors thereof first had and obtained
in
writing, signed in the presence of two or more witnesses, or knowing the
same
to be so printed, reprinted, imported or brought into the state, without
the
consent of the proprietors, shall sell, publish or expose to sale, any
such book or
books, writing or writings, without such consent first had and obtained
as aforesaid,
then such offender or offenders shall forfeit such book or books, writing
or
writings, to the proprietor or proprietors; and further, that every
such offender
or offenders shall forfeit two-pence for every sheet which shall be found
in his,
her or their custody, either printed or printing, published or exposed
to sale,
contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act. |
Titles of
books to be
entered, &c. |
III. And,
whereas many persons may, through ignorance, offend against this
act, unless some provision be made, whereby the property in every such
book as
is intended by this act to be secured to the proprietor or proprietors
thereof may
be ascertained: Therefore, Be it enacted,
That nothing in this act contained
shall be construed to extend to subject any person whatsoever to the forfeitures
and penalties herein mentioned, or by reason of the printing, reprinting,
importing,
bringing into the state, or causing to be brought into the state, selling
or exposing to sale, of any book or books, writing or writings, without
the consent
of the proprietor or proprietors, unless the title to the copy of such
book or
books, writing or writings, hereafter published, shall, before such publication
by the proprietor or proprietors, be entered in a register, to be kept
by the clerk
of the general court for that purpose; which register may, at all reasonable
and
convenient times, be resorted to and inspected by any person, for the purpose
before mentioned, without any fee or reward; and the clerk aforesaid, when
and
as often as thereunto required, shall give a certificate under his hand
of such
entry or entries, and for every such certificate may take and receive a
fee of three
shillings and nine-pence. |
Actions to be
brought within
twelve
months, &c. |
IV. And be it
enacted, That all actions or informations for any offence that
shall be committed against this act, shall be brought and commenced within
twelve months after such offence committed, or the same shall be void and
of
none effect. |
| Proviso. |
V. Provided
always, That, after the expiration of the aforesaid term of
fourteen years, the sole right of printing or disposing of copies shall
return to the
authors thereof, if they are then living, for another term of fourteen
years. |
| Commencement. |
VI. This act to continue and be in force from
and after the time that similar
laws shall be passed respecting literary property in all and every of the
United
States. |
|
CHAP. XXXV.
An ACT concerning the stock of the bank of England belonging
to this state. |
| Preamble. |
WHEREAS by the last account, dated in London the
twenty-fourth day
of July, seventeen hundred and seventy-five, tendered by Osgood Hanbury,
Sylvanus Grove, and James Russell, trustees residing in London,
to whom the direction and management of the capital stock of the bank of
England
belonging to this state was by law committed, it appears that the said
capital
stock, on the said day, amounted to the sum of twenty-nine thousand
pounds
sterling; and that on the same day, in the same year, the sum of four hundred
and seventy-eight pounds three shillings like sterling money remained in
their
hands, to be invested; and this general assembly think proper to discharge
the
said trustees, and to receive the said stock and dispose thereof; |
Power of
trustees to
cease, &c. |
II. Be it enacted,
by the general assembly of Maryland, That every trust and
power reposed in the said trustees, and every of them, except only the
power and
authority of transferring the said stock to the agent and trustee appointed
by this |
|
 |
