LAWS OF MARYLAND.

121

a corporation and body politic forever hereafter, under the name of
"The second Franklin beneficial Society of Maryland, established in
Baltimore."

Dec.Ses.1822

2. And be it enacted, That the aforesaid members and their succes-
sors, by the same name, shall be able and capable in law to purchase,
have and enjoy to them and their successors in fee, or any other less
estate or estates, any lands, tenements, annuities, pensions or other
hereditaments within this state, by the gift, grant, bargain, sale, alien-
ation, enfeoffment, release, or confirmation of any person or persons,
bodies corporate or politic capable to make the same; and such lands,
tenements, rents, annuities, pensions, or other hereditaments or any
less estates, rights or interests of or in the same, at their pleasure to
grant, alien, sell and transfer, in such manner and fotm as they shall
think meet and convenient for the furtherance of the objects of the-
said society, and also that they may take and receive any sum or
suui9 of money, and any kind of goods and chattels that shall be given
or sold to them by any person or persons, bodies politic or corporate,
capable to make a gift or sale thereof, and employ the same towards
maintaining the said society, in such manner as they shall judge
necessary and convenient for the promotion of the purposes of its
association.

Powers.

3. And be it enacted, That the members and their successors shall
be able in law to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, in any
court or courts, before any judge, judges, or justices within this state
and elsewhere, in all and all manner of suits, complaints, pleas, caus-
es, matters and demands of whatsoever kind, nature or form they may
bt-jto make, have and use one common seal, and the same to alter at
pleasure; and all and every other matter and thing therein to do, in
as full and effectual a manner as any other person or persons, bodies
politic or corporate within this state in like cases may or can do.

Legal capaci-
ty-

4. And be it enacted, That the yearly value of the messuages,
houses, lands, tenements, rents, annuities or other hereditaments and
real estate of the said society and corporation shall not exceed ten
thousand dollars current money; and all gifts to the said society and
corporation, after the yearly value of their estate shall amount to ten
thousand dollars as aforesaid, and all bargains and purchases to be
made by the same corporation, which may increase the yearly value
of said estate above or beyond the sum aforesaid, shall be absolute-
ly void and of none effect.

Limitation.

5. And be it enacted, That the officers of said society shall consist
of a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, messenger, com-
mittee of investigation and stewards, the five former of whom,
shall be elected by ballot at the annual meeting on the second Tues-
day in every year, and the two latter in the same manner, simi-an-
nuully, commencing at the same time, a majority of the members
present being necesssary to constitute a choice; the society shall also
have power to appoint such other officers as may be deemed expe-
dient and necessary, in such manner as may be thought proper.

Officers:

6. And be it enacted, That the said society shall have power to de-
termine the amount in money which each person shall pay on being
admitted a member of the said society, the amount of monthly,
quarterly and yearly contributions, which each member shall pay, and.
the fines which each member shall pay for violation of the laws of
the society; to regulate the distribution of the funds of the society
among the members and their families, whom sickness or misfortune
may render proper objects of the benevolence of the society, in the
16

Dispensation
of funds, &C.