T. WATKINS LIGON, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

297

number of the land and slaveholders and others in
Kent county, to petition the Legislature to pass
laws for the protection and security of this species
of property, and especially for the establishment
of a special police to guard all the avenues of es-
cape; to arrest all absconding and suspicious per-
sons, and with ample powers to effect the purposes
of their organization; therefore,

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assem-
bly of Maryland, That the county commissioners for
Kent county may, at their discretion, on or before the
third Monday of March, annually, or as soon thereaf-
ter as practicable, appoint not less then ten nor more
than twelve persons, to act as a special police force
in the county, in addition to the regular police officers,
and who shall be qualified for their posts, entertain
opinions favorable to the recovery and security of
slave property, and who shall, before they proceed to
act, make oath before some Justice of the Peace, that
they will faithfully and diligently execute and perform
all the duties required of them by this act, a certifi-
cate of which oath shall be filed, with the Clerk of
the Circuit Court and be recorded among the records
of the county, and the recording fees be paid by the
said county.

Commission-
ers authorised
to appoint a
special police.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That the duties of the
said police shall be as follows: to guard by night
the various thoroughfares and avenues of escape for
absconding slaves, and that they shall class them-
selves, or be classed by the county commissioners in
such manner, that on every night during the year
for which they may be appointed for as soon thereaf-
ter as may be practicable) the said points and places
or districts of county to be guarded, shall be guarded
and diligently watched by at least three of such force,
and that they shall so continue to alternate, that only
one-third of such police shall be on duty during any
night, except on occasions of public holidays and
during Christmas week or other special occasions,
when the whole police force that may be available
shall be on duty; and if, in the opinion of the county
commissioners, there shall be localities or districts
requiring the service of a special police, not embraced
in the general plan above described, they may appoint
such additional number not exceeding three, who
shall not be compelled to alternate, unless so directed
by the county commissioners, and who shall be gov-

Duty of spe-
cial police.