WM. T. HAMILTON, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR. 259

create an annuity, and to pay annually to a board
of nine trustees, and their successors, the sum of
fifty thousand dollars, perpetually, hereafter, forever,
in equal quarter yearly payments, for the purchase
and maintenance of the said library, with not less
than four branches in different parts of the city,
said branches to be established by said trustees
within such time as can be reasonably accomplished
out of said quarterly payments, the title to said
library, its branches, books and all other property
to be vested in the Mayor and City Council of Bal-	Preamble.
timore, the control and management of the said
library and other property to be in said Board of
Trustees; and whereas the plan thus proposed offers
the means of perpetually promoting and diffusing
knowledge and education among the people of the
city of Baltimore, and it is therefor pr iper that full
power should be conferred on the corporation of the
Mayor and City Council of Baltimore to avail itself
thereof for the purposes aforesaid, therefore —
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assem-
bly of Maryland, That the Mayor and City Coun-
cil of Baltimore be and they are hereby authorized
and empowered to accept the said proposal of the	Empowered to
said Enoch Pratt, as set forth in the preamble to	accept.
this act, and full power and authority are hereby
given to said Mayor and City Council of Baltimore,
upon the conveyance of said lot of ground and im-
provements aforesaid, and upon the payment to
said Mayor and City Council by the said Enoch
Pratt of said sum of eight hundred and thirty-three
thousand three hundred and thirty-three dollars and
thirty-three cents, to contract and agree by ordi-	Contract and
nance, to be approved by the legal voters of said	agree.
city as hereinafter provided, to pay perpetually for-
ever to the Board of Trustees of Enoch Pratt Free
Library of Baltimore city, as hereinafter provided
for, the sum of fifty thousand dollars per annum in
equal quarterly payments forever.
SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That Enoch
Pratt, George Wm. Brown, Nathaniel H. Morrison,
Henry James, Charles J. Bonaparte, George B.	Board of trus-
Cole, Edward Stabler, Jr., James A. Gary, John	tees.
W. McCoy, and their successors, be and they are
hereby constituted and appointed " The Board of