VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS, NOVEMBER SESSION, 1805. 85

received by a fall from his horse during action, so as to be rendered unable, at an advanced age in life, to obtain
for a wife and five children a scanty subsistence. His merits as a brave officer, his age and his infirmities, in
the opinion of the committee, strongly recommend this highly deserving character to the humanity and bene-
volence of the legislature, and that the prayer of his petition ought to be granted; they therefore submit the
following resolution:

RESOLVED, That David Hopkins, a captain of horse during the late revolutionary war, whose merits as an
officer stand honourably established by letters from the late general Washington and his aids, and by letters
from generals Heath and Maylan, and whose infirmities, occasioned by military fatigues and hardships, render
him unable to earn a scanty subsistence for a wife and five children, shall be and he is hereby entitled to receive
half pay as a captain of horse in the Maryland line, during life, and the treasurer of the western shore is
hereby authorised and directed to pay the same annually to the said David Hopkins, or to his order, in quar-
terly payments.

By order, E. H. STONE, clk.
Which was read.

Mr. Montgomery, from the committee, delivers to the speaker a bill, entitled, An act to provide for render-
ing passable through Baltimore county the public road leading from the city of Baltimore by Belle-Air, in Har-
ford county, to Peach Bottom Ferry, on the river Susquehanna; which was read the first time and ordered to
lie on the table.

The amendments proposed to the bill for draining part of a branch of Tuckahoe, known by the name of Bea-
ver Dam Branch, in Queen-Anne's county, were read the second time by especial order, agreed to, and the
bill ordered to be engrossed.

Mr. Ellicott, from the committee, delivers to the speaker a bill, entitled, An act appropriating a sum of mo-
ney for the erection of a penitentiary; which was read the first time and ordered to lie on the table.

A petition from Peregrine Briscoe, of Caecil county, stating, that he became security for James Sharer in the
purchase of ten acres of land in said county from the state, who hath since absconded, in consequence of which
the petitioner was compelled to pay for said land, and praying that a law may pass authorising him to sell the
same for the purpose of reimbursing him, was preferred, read, and referred to Mr. Cox, Mr. Scott and Mr.
Porter, to consider and report thereon.

The report on the petition of Daniel Sheredine was read the second time and the resolution therein con-
tained assented to.

The bill authorising the chancellor in certain cases to decree conveyances for lands the title to which is in
British subjects, was read the second time and passed.

The house proceeded to the second reading of the bill to provide for the erection of a new court-house for
Baltimore county; on progression, the question was put, That the following words be stricken out of the first
clause ? viz. " contract for and purchase a site for said court-house, if in their opinion it should be necessary,
by reason of the inconvenient position of any public ground now belonging to said county, and to order and su-
perintend the building of the same, in such manner and upon such terms as to them shall seem most advantage-
ous to the community. " Resolved in the affirmative.

The question was then put. That the words " contract for and superintend the building of a new court-house
on the public ground now belonging to said county, situated at the north end of the dwelling occupied by John
Hollins, Esq; upon such terms and in such manner as to them shall seem most advantageous to the community, "
be inserted in lieu of the words stricken out? Resolved in the affirmative.

On further progression, the question was put, That the eleventh enacting clause be stricken out? Resolved
in the affirmative.

On motion, That the following be inserted in lieu of the clause stricken out ? viz. " And be it enacted, That
so much of the public ground in North Calvert-street, on which the court-house now stands, as shall be equal
to the present width of said street, shall be condemned as a public street of the said city, not to be built upon
or used but as one of the streets of said city. "

The question was put, That the further consideration of the said bill be referred to the next general assem-
bly ? Determined in the negative.

The question was then put. Will the house agree to the said amendment ? Resolved in the affirmative.

On motion, That the following be inserted after the said amendment? viz. " and the same shall be valued by
the commissioners aforesaid, and the said valuation shall be paid by the corporation out of the funds belonging
to the same, to the order of the levy court of Baltimore county. "

The question was put, That the further consideration of said bill be postponed until to-morrow ? Resolved
in the affirmative.

The clerk of the senate delivers sundry papers, the reading of which was postponed until to-morrow.

The house adjourns until to-morrow morning 9 o'clock.

TUESDAY, January 14, 1806.
THE house met. Present the same members as on yesterday. The proceedings of yesterday were read.