236

OFFICIAL OATHS. [ART. 23.

clerk of the Circuit Court, or before one of the sworn deputies of
such clerks.

Id s 7
1852, c 172, s 2
Test-book to be
kept by clerks
23 Md 513

7. The said clerks shall each procure and keep in his office a well-
bound book, to be called the test-book, in which shall be printed or
conspicuously written the oaths aforesaid, and every person taking
or subscribing the same shall annex to his signature the title of the
office to which he shall have been elected or appointed, and the date
of his signature

Id s 8
Decl Bights,
art 37
1854, c 18, s 1
Oath prescribed

8. It shall only be necessary for an officer who is required to take
and subscribe the oath prescribed by the sixth section of the first
article of the Constitution, to declare orally at the time, his belief in
the existence of God; and it shall be presumed that an officer who

Declaration of
belief

has taken and subscribed the oath made at the same time such
declaration of belief.

Id s 9
1854, c 18, s 3.
Oath of office

9. The oath to be administered to a person who has an appoint-
ment which requires him to take an oath, but who is not embraced
in the provisions of the aforesaid section of the Constitution, shall
be: that he will faithfully discharge his duty; unless a different form,
of oath is prescribed by law or ordinance.

Id s 10
1852, c 172, s 5,
1854, c 18, s 9
Officer neglect-
ing to take, pre-
sumed to
decline
25 Md 217

10. Any person, whether elected or appointed to office, who shall
decline or neglect to take and subscribe the oaths prescribed by the
Constitution, or by law or ordinance, for the period of thirty days
from the day when the commission of such officer has been received
at the office of the respective clerks, or in those cases in which no
commission is sent to the clerks within thirty days after receiving
his commission or notice of his appointment, shall be deemed to
have refused acceptance of said office.

Id s 11
1852, c. 172, s 4.
Fee

11. The clerk of the Superior Court and clerks of the Circuit
Courts (who shall be entitled to a fee of ten cents for administering
the aforesaid oath, to be paid by the party), shall report to the sec-

Names to be re-
ported to secre-
tary of state

retary of state, at least once a month, the names and offices of all
officers who have taken and subscribed the same before them re-
spectively, which reports shall be carefully preserved by the said
secretary of state; and he shall be competent to certify the charac-
ter and qualification of officers equally with the aforesaid clerks.

Id s 12
1779, c 25, s 9
Oath of deputies
and under
clerks

12. All deputies and under clerks of the clerks of any of the
courts of this State, of the register of wills, commissioner of the
Land Office, and sheriffs, shall, before they enter upon the duties of
their several offices, severally take and subscribe the following oath:
I, A B., do swear that I will not for lucre or malice delay any per-
son applying to me for any business belonging to the office I offici-
ate in, and that I will not directly or indirectly ask, take, exact, de-
mand or receive from or charge to any such person to my own use
any fee or reward whatsoever, for any services I may do as deputy
of the said office, and that in making out the office fees, I will not
wittingly or willingly charge other or higher fees than are allowed
by law.