GEORGE HOWARD, ESQ. GOVERNOR.

1831.

the said city or county of any of said visitors within the
year for which he shall have been appointed, the Governor
by and with the advice and consent of the Council shall
immediately thereafter supply such vacancy, by appointing
and commissioning another fit person residing within the
said city or county as the case may be, and the said visitors
and their successors to be appointed as aforesaid shall be

CHAP. 58

and they are hereby incorporated and constituted a body
politic and corporate, by the name, style and title of the
visitors of the jail of Baltimore city and county, and by
that name shall have perpetual succession; shall have, and
use a common seal, and the same at their pleasure, shall
break, alter, and renew, and shall have and exercise all the
powers, authorities and privileges of a corporate body, so
far as the same are necessary to a due discharge of their
duties, as fully to all intents and purposes as any other cor-
porate body may or can have and exercise.

Incorporated.

Sec. 2. And be it enacted, That each visitor appointed by
virtue of this act before he proceeds to perform any duties
as such, shall before some judge or justice cf the peace,
take and subscribe an oath or affirmation, that he will duly
and faithfully execute the duties and trusts, and exercise the
powers committed to, and vested in him as a visitor of the jail
of Baltimore city and county, according to law, to the best
of his ability and judgment, and the said visitors shall pro-
vide a book or books in which shall be entered the minutes
of their proceedings under this act, and the certificate of
of each visitor having taken and subscribed the oath or af-
firmation aforesaid, and when the said visitors or any three
of them appointed in virtue of this act, shall have taken
and subscribed the said oath or affirmation, they shall be
qualified and competent to exercise all the powers, and per-
form the duties herein granted and required; three members
shall at any time form a quorum for the transaction of bu-
siness.

Oath required.

Sec. 3. And be it enacted, That the said visitors shall
have full power and authority as often as they may deem it
necessary, to visit and inspect the said jail and the prisoners
confined therein; to make by-laws for the internal police
and good government thereof, and for the preservation of
the buildings and other property; to regulate and provide
the diet of the prisoners, procure necessary bedding and
clothing for their use, to make such repairs, alterations and
improvements in and about the jail as they may deem ne-
cessary; to provide medicines and attendance for such of
the prisoners as are sick, and that they shall have a discre-
tionary power of employing any prisoners, including debtors

Visit and Inspect