1826,
CHAP. 246

Passed Mar 13 1827

LAWS OF MARYLAND

CHAP. CCXLVI

An Act to repeal an Act entitled. An act to tax certain Offices, passed at
December session eighteen hundred and twenty-three, and the act to ex-
plain and amend the same, passed at December session, eighteen hun-
dred and twenty-four.

Acts repealed

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That the act, entitled, An act to tax certain offices, passed at
December session eighteen hundred and twenty-three, chapter
one hundred and forty-six, and the act, entitled, AD act to ex-
plain and amend the act, entitled, An act to tax certain offices,
passed at December session eighteen hundred and twenty-four,
chapter one hundred and ninety, be and the same are hereby re-
pealed.

State rihht to
monies due not
affected

2. And be it enacted That nothing herein contained shall
in any way affect the right of the state to monies due to said
state and which have accrued under the provisions of the act
hereby repealed, but that the said act shall remain in force for
the collection thereof, and be proceeded under for that purpose
to final judgment and execution, as if this act had never passed.

Passed Mar 13 1827
Preamble

CHAP. CCXLVII.
An Act to regulate the Fees of certain Officers.

WHEREAS the provisions of the existing laws of this state in
relation to officers fees are, in many respects, so vague and inde-
finite, as to be susceptible of various interpretations, and very
different constructions, with respect to the purport, true intent
and meaning thereof, by many of those officers whose fees were
thereby intended to have been regulated and determined; and
to this cause may be chiefly ascribed the discordant practices
that have so long prevailed, with different public officers, in re-
gard to the particular manner of charging their office fees, and
the variance in the measure of compensation to which they have
respectively conceived themselves legally entitled, for the per-
formance of official duties of a like and similar kind: And where-
as it is important that the laws of the state should, in all cases,
be rendered so clear, comprehensive and certain, by a precise
and explicit phraseology is their formation, as to preclude all
doubt, misconception or diversity of opinion, respecting the
true meaning and intention of the legislature, and to insure, in
their operation and effect on the community, a just equality, and
impartial uniformity; and for the purpose of remedying and
preventing in future, certain practices that may doubtless have
resulted from pure motives and a conscientious interpretation of
said laws, but which are nevertheless much complained of; and
of promoting the desirable and beneficial objects stated ia the
title and preamble hereof; Therefore,

Fees allowed pub-
lic officers-pen-
alty for receiving
more, &c.

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly a f Maryland,
That from and after the first day of June next, the following
fees shall be limited and allowed -to the several and respective
public officers herein after mentioned, and no officer or officers
herein after named, his or their ministers, deputies or servants,
by reason or colour of his or their office or offices, shall presume
to charge, demand, ask, receive or take, of any person or per-
sons, directly or indirectly, any other or greater fees, which shall