1831.

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

CHAP. 323.

they shall be considered as unlawful and tumultuous meet-

Such meetings

ings, and it shall be the duty of the nearest constable, or

deemed unlawful

any other civil officer knowing of such meetings, either

from his own knowledge or the information of others, to

repair to such meeting, and disperse the said negroes or

Duty of constables
&c to disperse

slaves, and if any such constable shall fail to comply with

them.

the provisions of this act, he shall be subject to a fine of

Incur penalty for

not less than five nor more than twenty dollars, at the dis-

neglecting.

cretion of a justice of the peace of the county in which he

resides, whose duty it shall be to impose the fine, on infor-

Magistrates duty
to inflict the penal

mation being given of such neglect; and return the proceed-

ty
Return proceed-
ings

ings and judgment on the same to the clerk of the county,
who shall enter it upon the pioper docket to be collected

and applied as other fines and forfeitures now are; Provided,

Proviso.

That this act shall not interfere with any right of an owner

or employer of any slave or slaves, to allow his own ser-

vants or those employed by him or her, to have prayers or

other religious service upon his own land; And provided

also, That nothing contained in this act shall be constiued

Further exception
— Baltimore and

to prevent the assemblage, within the limits of Baltimore

Annapolis

city and Annapolis city, of such slaves, or free negroes and

mulattoes for the purpose of religious worship, if said meet-

ings are held in compliance with the written permission of a

white licensed ordained preacher, and dismissed before ten

o'clock at night.

Free negroes

Sec 8. And be it enacted, That all free negroes or mu-

found associating
in such unlawful

lattoes who shall be found associating, or in any company

meetings, liable to

with slaves, at any unlawful or tumultuous meeting, either

be punished as
as slaves

by day or mght, or who shall in connection with any slave

or slaves, as principal or accessary, be guilty of, and con-

victed of, any offence for which slaves are now punishable,

before a justice of the peace, such free negro or mulatto

shall be subject to the same punishment, and be liable in

every respect to the same treatment and penalty as slaves

thus offending.

Purchasing from
negroes forbid

Sec. 9. And be it enacted. That it shall not be lawful for

any person or persons to purchase of any free negro or mu-

Articles mention-

latto, or from any slave or slaves, any bacon, pork, beef,

ed.

mutton, corn wheat, tobacco, rye, or oats, unless such free

negro or mulatto shall, at the time of such sale, produce a

Without certifi-

certificate from a justice of the peace, or three respectable

cate.

persons residing in the neighborhood of said negro, of the

county in which such negro resides, that he or they have

reason to believe and does believe, that such free negro or

mulatto came honestly and bona fide into possession of any

such article so ottered for sale, or unless such slave shall

produce a written authonty from his or her owner, employ-