THOMAS G. PRATT, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

1846.

a court of equity, in which an ex parte commission may
be returned, after an interlocutory decree, for want of
appearance, or answer under the act of eighteen hundred
and twenty, chapter one hundred and sixty-one, the said
cause may be set down for a final hearing, after the ex-
piration of thirty days from the return day of the said
commission, unless in the meanwhile the defendant shall
have obtained leave to file an answer on terms, which in
the opinion of the court, ought to postpone the time of
final hearing, or may make such postponement necessary
and proper.

CHAP. 61.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That in any case in which
a commission in chief may be issued, to take testimony
under the act of eighteen hundred and thirty-six, chapter
one hundred and twenty-eight, alter an interlocutory
decree against some one or more of the defendants, under
the said act of eighteen hundred and twenty, chapter one
hundred and sixty-one, it shall be competent for the com-
plainant or complainants, immediately on the return of
such commission, and at any time afterwards, with the
consent of the defendant or defendants, who may have
answered, to set said case down for final hearing, unless
in the meanwhile the said defendant or defendants, against
whom such interlocutory decree may have been passed,
shall have obtained leave to file an answer on terms,
which, in the opinion of the court, ought to postpone the
time of final hearing, or may make such postponement
necessary and proper.

CHAPTER 61.

Complainant
to set the case
down for final
hearing.

A further additional supplement to the act imposing du-
ties on Promissory Notes, Bills of Exchange, Speciali-
ties and other instruments of writing to aid in paying
the debts of the State.

Passed Feb.
17, 1847.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of
Maryland, That all mortgages and releases of mortgages,
and all such deeds and bills of sale as are now required
by law to be recorded, which have been, or may here-
after be printed or written on vellum, skin, parchment,
paper or other material, without the same having been
first stamped according to the provisions of the second
section of the act passed at December session, eighteen

Valid and
available.