A. W. BRADFORD, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

tion to hold, shall be only such as shall be requi-
site for its immediate accommodation in relation to
the convenient transactions of its business, and such
as shall have been bona fide mortgaged or conveyed
to it, by way of security or in satisfaction of debts
contracted in course of its dealings, or purchased

41

at sales upon judgments which shall have been ob-
tained for such debts ; provided, however, that it
shall not be lawful for any such corporation to hold
any real estate, purchased at sales upon judgments
as aforesaid, for more than seven years from and
after the time of purchase.

Proviso.

Article 14. That the corporation shall not deal
or trade in anything except bills of exchange, pro-
missory notes and bullion, or in the produce of their
lands, or of such goods and effects as shall have
been bona fide pledged or mortgaged to it by way of
security, or conveyed to it in satisfaction of debts
contracted in the course of its dealings, or pur-

Business re-
stricted.

chased at sales upon judgments which shall have
been obtained for such debts ; provided, however,
that nothing herein contained shall be construed to
prevent the said corporation from making tempo-
rary investments of its funds in purchase of the
public debt of the United States, or any one of the
United States, or of the city of Baltimore, as the
President and Directors for the time being may
deem safe and beneficial.

Proviso.

Article 15. That all bills or notes which may be
issued by order of said corporation, signed by the
President and countersigned by the Cashier thereof,
promising the payment of money to any person or
persons, his or their order, or bearer, though not
under the seal of the corporation, shall be binding
and obligatory upon the same, in the like manner
and with the like force and effect as upon any pri-
vate person or persons, if issued by him or them
in his, her or their private or natural capacity or
capacities ; and shall be assignable and negotiable
in like manner as if they were so issued by such
private person or persons, that is to say, those which
shall be payable to any person or persons, his, her
or their order, shall be assignable, by endorsement,
in like manner and with the like effect as foreign
bills of exchange now are, and those which are
payable to bearer shall be negotiable or assignable
by delivery only.

6

Bills or notes
to be binding.