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quired to borrow money for the purpose of their carrying into
effect within their respective districts the provisions of this act,
and to pledge therefor any levy or assessment herein authorised
to be laid or collected under their respective appointments or au-
thority.
10. And be it enacted, That nothing in this act contained shall
be construed to authorise the opening or extension of Pratt-street
or Lombard-street, within the city of Baltimore, or to authorise
the pulling down of any house or building now occupied as a dwel-
ling, warehouse, store, work-shop, manufactory, or place of wor-
ship, without the assent in writing of the owner or owners first
had and obtained.
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Dec. Sec. 1816.
This act not
to authorise the
extension of
Pratt or Lom-
bard-streets.
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CHAPTER 219.
An act to Suppress Duelling.
Whereas experience has evinced that the existing remedy for
the suppression of the barbarous custom of duelling is inadequate
to the purpose, and the progress and consequences of the evil
have become so destructive as to require an effort on the, part of
the legislature to arrest a vice the result of ignorance and bar-
barism, justified neither by the precepts of morality nor by the
dictates of reason; Therefore,
Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That any person who shall hereafter wilfully and maliciously, or
by previous agreement, light a duel, or single combat, with any
engine, instrument or weapon, the probable consequence of which
might be the death of either party, and in so doing shall kill his
antagonist, or any other person or persons, or inflict such
wound as that the person injured shall die thereof within twelve
months and a day thereafter, such offender, his aiders, abettors
and counsellors, being thereof duly convicted, shall be sentenced
to undergo a confinement in the penitentiary-house, for a period
not less than five nor more than eighteen years, any law, custom
or usage, of this state, to the contrary notwithstanding.
2. And be it enacted, That if any person whatsoever shall chal-
lenge another to light a duel with any weapon, or in any manner
whatsoever, the probable issue of which may or might result in
the death of the challenger or challenged, or if any person shall
accept a challenge, or fight a duel with any weapon, or in any
way whatsoever, the probable issue of which may or might ter-
minate in the death of the challenger or challenged, such person
shall be incapable of holding or being elected to any post of pro-
fit, trust or emolument, civil or military, in this state.
3. And be it enacted, That from and after the passing of this
act, every person who shall be. appointed or elected to any office
or place, civil or military, in this state, shall, in addition to the
oath now prescribed by law, take the following oath: "I do so-
lemnly swear, or affirm, (as the case may be) that. I have not.
been engaged in a duel, as principal or second, by sending, or
accepting or carrying a challenge to fight a duel, or by fighting
a duel, or in any other manner, in violation of the act, entitled,
An act to suppress duelling, since the passage of that art, nor
will 1 hereafter be so concerned, directly or indirectly, in any
such duel; so help me God."
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Passed Feb. 4,
Preamble.
Persons fight-
ing a duel to be
confined in pe-
nitentiary.
Persons chal-
lenging, to be
incapable of
holding any of-
fice of profit or
trust.
Persons here-
after elected to
office, civil or
military, to
take an oath.
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