1837.

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

CHAP. 174.

by the gift, purchase, or devise of or from any person
or persons, bodies politic or corporate, capable to make
the same, and the same at their pleasure to alien, sell,
transfer or lease in such manner as they may judge
most conducive to the charitable uses of the said socie-

Estate limited.

ty; provided nevertheless, that the said corporation or
body politic, shall not at any time, hold or possess pro-
perty, real, personal or mixed, exceeding in total
value the sum of twenty thousand dollars.

Annul meet-
ing.

SEC. 4. And be it enacted, That the members of the
said corporation and their successors may meet to-
gether on the fourth Monday in December, in the year
of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-
eight,at some convenient place in the city of Baltimore,
or in the precincts thereof, and on the same day an-

And elections.

nually thereafter, and then and there elect the officers
of the said society, and enact such bye-laws as may be
necessary for assuring and carrying into effect the be-
nevolent purposes of this act; provided, such rules,

By Laws.

regulations and bye-laws be not repugnant to the con-
stitution and laws of the United States, or of the State
of Maryland, or of the corporation of the city of Bal-
timore.

Present officers.

SEC. 5. And be it enacted, That all appointments of
officers for the said society heretofore made by the
members thereof in their private capacities, shall re-
spectively continue and be in full force until the time
specified by this act for the first election of officers for
the said corporation.

Legal capacity.

SEC. 6. And be it enacted, That the said corporation
and their successors, by the name aforesaid, shall be
hereafter able and capable in law to sue and be sued,
plead and be impleaded, answer and be answered unto,
defend and be defended, in all or any courts of justice
and before all or any judges, officers or persons what-
soever, in all and singular actions, matters and de-

Process.

mands whatsoever, and that all legal process that may
be hereafter instituted by the said corporation shall be
in the name of the president and standing committee of
the German Beneficial Society of the State of Mary-
land, and that all process that may be hereafter insti-
tuted against the said society, shall be served on the