JOHN FRANCIS MERCER, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR. NOVEMBER.

1801,

II. BE IT ENACTED, by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the title to the real property,
lawfully and fairly acquired by the said Hugh Coyle, whether such title be derived by gift, grant,
purchase or devise, be and the same is hereby as amply and as fully vested in the person aforesaid,
to all intents and purposes, as if he had been naturalized agreeably to said laws before his acqui-
sition of said property ; provided always, that nothing in this act contained shall in any manner
defeat or affect any right, title or claim, to the said property, or any part thereof, acquired or
prosecuted by any person or persons whatever before the passage of this act.

C H A P. LXX.

CHAP.
LXIX.

Title vested, ,
&c.

An ACT to prevent the obstruction of the navigation of the wes-
tern branch of Patuxent river,

WHEREAS it is represented to this general assembly, that wears and hedges have of late
been erected in and upon the western branch of Patuxent river, near the town of Upper-
Marlborough, to the great injury of the navigation of said river, and of the trade of the said
town ; therefore,

Passed 313! of "
Dec. 1801.

Preamble.

II. BE IT ENACTED, by the General Assembly of Maryland, That all wears and hedges already
maade, or hereafter to be made, in the western branch of Patuxent river, below the bridge where
the road leading from said town to the town of Queen-Anne crosses the said branch, shall be and
are hereby deemed and declared nuisances, and may be by any person or persons pulled down,
prostrated and abated as such.

Wears declared

nuisances, &c.

III. AND BE IT ENACTED, That if any free person shall, at any time hereafter, put, place or
make, or caused to be made, placed or directed, any wear or hedge in the said western branch of
Patuxent river, below the said bridge, he, she or they, shall forfeit and pay the sum of twenty-
five dollars for every, such offence, to be recovered before any justice of the peace, one half to be
paid to the informer, or him or them that will sue for or prosecute to effect for the same, the other
half to be paid to the said justice of the peace, to be by him annually accounted for and paid over
to the order of the levy court of Prince-George's county.

Penalty for
erecting them,
&c.

IV. AND BE IT ENACTED, That if any free person or persons shall fish, or cause to be fished,
any such wear or hedge, he, she or they, shall for every such offence forfeit and pay the sum of
fifteen dollars, to be recovered,, accounted for and applied as aforesaid.

For fishing
them, &c.

V. AND BE IT ENACTED, That if any slave or slaves shall, without the direction of his, her
or their master, mistress or overseer, commit, or cause to be committed, any of the offences pro-
hibited by this act, he, she or they shall, for every such offence, by the judgment of a single ma-
gistrate, be punished with whipping, not exceeding twenty lashes ; provided always, that the
master or mistress of such slave, or any other person, may redeem such slave, so convicted, from
said punishment, by the payment of the fine that would by this act have been imposed in the case
of a free person.
C H A P. LXXI.

And on slaves
offending, &c.

An ACT authorising the removal of prisoners in certain cases.

WHEREAS doubts have arisen whether any sheriff is authorised to remove prisoners from
one gaol to another ; for remedy whereof,

Passed 31st of
Dec. 1801.
Preamble,

II. BE IT ENACTED, by the General Assembly of Maryland, That from and after the passage of this
act it shall and may be lawful for any sheriff of any county in this state, under the direction of the
county court of his county, to remove prisoners from the gaol in which they are or may be con-
fined to such other gaol in the said county as shall be directed by the said court, and such re-
moval shall not be considered as an escape, any law to the contrary notwithstanding.

C H A P. LXXII.

Sheriff may re-
move persons,
&c.

An ACT authorising the trustees of Charlotte-Hall school to lay
off a town in Saint Mary's county, by the name of Charlotte's
Ville, and to dispose of the lots therein by lottery.

Passed 31st of
Dec. 1801.

WHEREAS it is represented to this general assembly by the trustees of Charlotte-Hall
school, that it would much conduce to the prosperity of the said school if a part of the
land

Preamble