JOHN H. STONE, Efquire, Governor.

1794.

and provides for, the appointment of. and compaction to the chief juftice and
his affociates, fhall continue and be in force during the continuance of this act;
and all the procefs, writs and fubpoenas, which may be returnable after the end
of this prefent feffion of affembly to the court of oyer and terminer and gaol
delivery tor Baltimore county, fhall be returned to Baltimore county court.

CHAP.

LXV.

VII. And be it enacted, That this act fhall commence from and after the end
of this prefent feffion of affembly, and continue and be in force until the thir-
tieth day of January, feventeen hundred and ninety-eight.

Commence-

ment, &c.

CHAP. LXVI.
An ACT in favour of the prefident and directors of the Patow-
mack Company, and the commiffioners of the federal buildings.

WHEREAS the prefident and directors of the Patowmack Company,
and the commiffioners of the federal buildings, heretofore by their
petition to this general affembly, fet forth, that the labour of the
Patowmack Company is beft performed by negro flaves, that it is highly expe-

dient that the labourers fhould be frequently removed from one fide of the rivet-
to the other, as the work cannot, with convenience, be effected by diftinct fets
of labourers for each fide of the river, and that a great deal of labour will be ne-
ceffary in the city of Washington, and the mailers of flaves in each ftate, as well
as the public, may reap confiderable benefit from the privilege of taking them
from either ftate, and that it is but juft that the citizens of both ftates fhould
fhare in the advantages, as they have united in liberality towards the faid city;
and have prayed that a law might be made, permitting negro flaves to be employ-
ed by the public on either fide of the river Patowmack, either in the works of
the Patowmack Company, or of the city of Wafhington; and it appearing to
this general affembly that the prayer of the faid petition ought to be granted in
part; therefore,

Paffed De-

cember.

II. Be it enacted, by the General Affembly of Maryland, That it fhall be law-
ful for the faid Patowmack Company, and for the faid commiffioners, to employ
any male flaves of the ftate of Virginia in any part of the public works com-
mitted to their refpective charge, and not otherwife, on either fide of the river
Patowmack, and to remove them as often as may be neceffary to and from either
of the faid ftates, and that the flaves, fo employed, fhall not acquire any right to
freedom in confequence thereof; provided always, that every flave brought from
Virginia to Maryland by virtue of this act, fhall be carried back to Virginia
within twelve calendar months from the final completion of the public work;,
either of the faid city of Washington or of the faid river Patowmack, refpecttively,
in which the faid flave fhall be employed, and that every flave, not carried back
as aforefaid, fhall be entitled to freedom, at the expiration of twelve months as
aforefaid.

Company

may employ

male flaves,
&c.

III. And be it enacted, That an act paffed at November feffion, feventeen
hundred and ninety-two, entitled, An act in favour of the prefident and directors
of the Patowmack Company, and the commiffioners of the federal buildings,
fhall be and it is hereby repealed.

An act repeal-

ed

CHAP. LXVII.
An ACT for building a new gaol in the town of Eafton, in Tal-
bot county, and to provide for the regulation of the faid gaol.
WHEREAS it is reprefentcd to this general affembly, that the public
prifon of the faid county is in a ruinous condition, and incapable ot
repair, and that the purpofes of private and public juftice cannot be
anfwered thereby without the pradice of means which are as inconfiftent with

the priciples of humanity as they are with the true notions of civil liberty: And
the principles or humanity as they are with the true notions of civil liberty: And

whereas it has been prayed, that an act of affembly may be paffed for building
a new gaol in the town of Eafton, for the faid county, by an equal and impar-
tial tax upon the property thereof, upon an affurance that the affeffment and col-

R lection

Paffed De-

cember 26.

Preamble.