T. WATKINS LIGON, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

101

be, and are hereby authorised to issue executions, or
other proceedings upon the judgments obtained be-
fore their respective predecessors as fully and to the
same effect as though such judgments had been ori-
ginally obtained before them; and that copies of all
such judgments, or of any of the official papers ap-
pertaining to said dockets, given by them under
their respective hands and seals, shall be as good ev-
idence, and of the same use and effect in law as offi-
cial copies of all papers of the like character would
have been if given by the clerks of the Circuit Courts
for said counties in case this law had not been en-
acted.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That this act shall
take effect from the day on which it may be passed.

CHAPTER 87.

In force.

AN ACT to authorise the Orphans' Courts of Kent,
Caroline, Somerset and Worcester counties and
justices of the peace, binding out negro children,
to regulate freedom dues to the apprentices, and
secure a compensation to the parent or other per-
sons for raising such children.

Passed Mar.
6, 1856.

WHEREAS, It is represented to this General Assem-
bly, that the freedom dues to negro apprentices,
are frequently insufficient, and that the children of
free negroes are sometimes taken from their pa-
rents and bound out without any compensation
being made for raising them, leaving the parents,
oftimes, in poverty and want; And whereas, the
services of negro apprentices have become valua-
bly to the Agriculturist and others, and it would
seem just and equitable that compensation should,
in certain cases, be made therefor; Therefore,

Preamble.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly
of Maryland, That in all cases, where the Orphans'
Courts of Kent, Caroline, Somerset and Worcester
counties shall be called upon to bind out the children

Power to in-
crease freedom
dues.