CHARLES RIDGELY, (of Hampton) Esq. Governor.

147

state or elsewhere, in all suits, complaints, pleas and causes, of

whatsoever kind, in as full and effectual manner as any person
or persons, bodies politic or corporate, within this state,
cases may or can do or perform, and the said trustees, and their

successors, or a majority of them, shall have full power and

authority to make, keep and use one common seal, with such

devise or devices and inscription thereon as they may think

proper, and therewith to pass and authenticate the certificates,

acts, orders or proceedings of the said corporation, and the

same seal at their pleasure to break alter and renew.

Dec. sess.

1815.

CHAPTER 136.

An act to provide for the appointment of commissioners for the

regulation and improvement of the town of Cumberland in

Alleghany County, and to incorporate the same.

Sec. 1. BE IT ENACTED by the General Assembly of

Maryland, That five judicious and discreet persons, residing

in said town, and holding real property therein shall be elected

by ballot, on the first Monday of June eighteen hundred and
sixteen, and on the same day in every year thereafter, at the

court house in said town, by the free white male citizens of the
age of twenty one years, and having resided in the said town
of Cumberland for the space of one whole year next preceed-
ing the day of election, and the five persons who shall appear
to have the greatest number of votes at the close of the election

shall be declared duly elected the commissioners of said town,

and shall have and exercise all the powers vested in them by

this act.

2. AND BE IT ENACTED, That the said commission-

ers shall meet upon the business of the town at least four times

in every year, to wit, on the first Monday in May, July, Oct-

tober and December, and oftener if they deem it necessary;

that at their first meeting in each year, they shall elect from

among themselves one of their own members to be their chief

burgess for that year, provided he continues so long in office,

and upon all questions the chief burgess shall be entitled to

vote as one of the commissioners.

3. AND BE IT ENACTED, That the town of Cum-

berland shall be and is hereby erected constituted and made an

incorporate town, and that the corporate body of the said town
consist of a chief burgess and four other commissioners, which
chief burgess and commissioners shall be a body incorporate
and one community forever, in right, and by the name of the
Chief Burgess and the other commissioners of the town of

Cumberland, and shall be able and capable to sue and be sued

at law, and to act and to execute, do and perform as a body

incorporate, which shall have succession for ever, and to that

end, to have a common seal, and the same to change and alter

at pleasure.

4. AND BE IT ENACTED, That the commissioners so

chosen shall assemble on the first Monday in July next ensuing

their election, or as soon thereafter as may be convenient, at

the court house in said town, and before they proceed to exe-

cute the duties imposed on them by virtue of this act, shall

take an oath, or affirmation, before some justice of the peace,

that they will diligently and faithfully, to the best of their

judgment, perform the duties of commissioners of the said

town, according to the provisions of this act, without favor,

Passed Jan.

23, 1816.

Meetings of
the commis-
sioners.

Style—suc-

cession.

Qualification

of commis-
sioners.