1792.

L A W S of M A R Y L A N D.

C H A P.
XIV.

ftate, and fhall repeat and fubfcribe a declaration of his belief in the chriftian
religion, and take, repeat and fubfcribe, the oath or affirmation in the fame act
prefcribed, before the governor and the council, or before the general court, or
any of the judges thereof, or before any county court, fhall thereupon and there-
after be deemed, adjudged and taken, to be a natural born fubject of this ftate,

and fhall be thenceforth entitled to all the immunities, rights and privileges, of a
natural born fubject of this ftate, fubject neverthelefs to the reftrictions provided
by the faid act: And whereas, fince the paffage of the faid act, divers foreigners
have come into this ftate, and have fettled and become inhabitants thereof, and
have been induced, from the various advantages afforded by our government,
climate, foil and commerce, to employ their money in the purchafe of property;
both real and perfonal, and to improve the fame, thereby acquiring a juft and
equitable title to fuch property, but, through ignorance of the provifions con-
tained in the before-mentioned act, or apprehending that taking and fubfcribing
the oath of allegiance in the ufual manner would entitle them to the advantages
of property, the faid foreigners have not taken and fubfcribed the oath prefcribed
by the act for naturalization, under the particular circumftances required by the
fame, whereby their titles to fuch real property as they have acquired fince their
fettlement in this ftate may be drawn in queftion, to their great prejudice and
injury: And whereas the faid foreigners have always manifefted a firm attachment
to our government and laws, and it is conceived, that by fecuring their intereft

in our foil, their affections to this country will be more fully confirmed, and that
juftice and policy require that the hardships and inconveniences, under which
they refpctively labour, fhould be remedied; therefore,

Foreigners
may hold pro-
perty, &c.

II. Be it enacted, by the General Affembly of Maryland, That all and every

the faid foreigners, who, fince their fettlement in this ftate, have purchafed and
acquired, by any lawful and fair means, any portion of property, real, perfonal
or mixed, and have fince poffeffed and enjoyed the fame, and have ftill a juft and
equitable title thereto, whether fuch title be derived from grant, gift, purchafe or
devife, fhall, by virtue of this act, hold, poffefs and enjoy, fuch property, real,
perfonal and mixed, as fully and amply, and to all intents and purpofes, as
rightfully as the faid foreigners would have been entitled to hold, poffefs, and
enjoy the fame, if they had refpectively naturalifed themfelves according to the
exprefs provifions contained in the faid act for naturalization.

If efcheated,
ftate's right
relinqifhed,
&c.

III. And be it enacted, That in cafe any real property, purchafed or acquired
by foreigners fince the paflage of the afbrefaid act, hath been efcheated, it is
hereby declared, that all the right and title of this ftate to the faid property fo
efcheated, and to any property fo efcheatable, fliall be and the fame are hereby
relinquifhed, and vefted for ever hereafter in the faid foreigners, their heirs and
affigns, faving neverthelefs to all perfons whatfoever, who may have heretofore
acquired titles to any fuch efcheatable property under the laws of this ftate, their
feveral and refpective rights; and all and every perfon and perfons, who may have
purchafed, or otherwife acquired any real property from or under the faid foreign-
ers, or any of them, fhall be, and they are hereby declared to be, entitled to all
and every advantage, with refpect to fuch property, as if the fame had been pur-
chafed or acquired from or under any foreigners who have naturalifed themfelves
according to the provifions of the faid original act.

Provifo.

IV. Provided neverthelefs, That the faid foreigners refpeaively, before they
fhall receive the benefit of this act, fhall naturalize themfelves in the mode pre-
fcribed by the original act, on or before the firft day of Auguft enfuing, any law
to the contrary thereof notwithftanding.

Provifo.

V. And provided alfo, That no applications within the period limitted by this
act, to prejudice the rights of the faid refpective foreigners, or others, fhall be
admitted or received.

To be pub-
lifhed.

VI. And, in order to carry the good intentions, as well of this as of the faid
original act, into complete execution, Be it enacted, That the governor and