JOHN H. STONE, Efquire, Governor.

1795.

perfonal or mixed, which, by the confutation and laws of this ftate, may be
acquired and held by religious focieties; and it appearing reafonable that the
prayer of faid petition be granted,

CHAP.

XV.

II. Be it enacted, by the General Affembly of Maryland, That the right reve-
rend John Carroll, Roman catholic bifhop of Baltimore, the reverend Francis
Beefton, and Robert Walfh, James Barry, David Williamfon, Charles Ghe-
quiere, Charles O'Brien, Luke Tiernan and George Rofenfteel, lay members of
faid church, from and immediately after the paffing of this act, fhall be and they
are hereby created and creeled into a body politic and corporate, in deed and in
law, by the name, ftyle and title, of The Truftees of the Roman catholic
church in the town of Baltimore, and that they, the faid truftees, by the name
aforefaid, and their fucceffors, to be elected as herein after, mentioned, fhall have
perpetual fucceffion, and fhall be able and capable in law to purchafe, take, have,
hold, receive and enjoy, to them and their fucceffors, in fee-fimple, or for any
leffer eftates, any property, real, perfonal or mixed, which, by the confutation
and laws of this ftate, may be acquired and held by religious foctieties; and alfo,
that the faid truftees, by the name aforefaid, fhall be able and capable in law to
fue and be fued, implead and be impleaded, in any court of law or equity, in as
full and effectual manner as any other perfon or perfons, bodies politic or corpo-
rate, may fue or be fued, plead or be impleaded; and that it fhall and may be
lawful for the faid truftees, by the name aforefaid, to caufe to be made and ufe
one common leal to authenticate all acts and inftruments, of writing refpecting
their bufinefs, and the fame at pleafure to alter and renew.

A body poli-
tic created,
&c.

III. And be it enacted, That the faid body corporate fhall always hereafter
confift of the Roman catholic bifhop of Baltimore, and the fenior paftor of the
Roman catholic congregation of faid town, (appointed according to the ufage
and difcipline of that church,) for the time being, and of feven lay members
thereof, to be annually elected in the manner herein after mentioned.

Of whom to
confift.

IV. And be it enacted, That all lay male members of the fociety of Roman
catholics, being at leaft twenty-one years of age, and holding a pew in the Ro-
man catholic church of faid town, or contributing to the fupport of divine fer-
vice therein not lefs than the value of three bufhels of wheat every year, nor be-
ing in arrear for faid contribution more than fix months, may and fhall meet on
the Monday immediately after Whitfunday, in the year of our Lord one thou-
fand feven hundred and ninety-fix, and fo in every year thereafter, or within
ten days next fucceeding the faid Monday in each year, at the Roman catholic
church, or fuch other place in faid town, at fuch time as fhall be appointed by
the faid truftees for that purpofe, by public notice given during the morning fer-
vice of the preceding Sunday, and then and there fhall elect, viva voce, feven
lay members of faid congregation as truftees, and the feven lay members who
fhall have the majority of legal votes, fhall be, and they are hereby declared to
be, the lay truftees of faid corporation, and fhall fucceed thofe herein appointed,
and continue until the next annual election fhall take place.

Lay members
to meet, &c.

V. And be it enacted, That in cafe any of the lay members of faid church,
appointed truftees in virtue of this act, or who may hereafter be elected truftees,
fhall die, or remove with a view to refide out of this ftate, that from and imme-
diately after fuch death or removal, the furviving truftees, or a majority of them,
fhall have full power and authority, at their next, or at any fubfequent meeting,
to elect a lay member in the room of fuch perfon fo deceafed or removed, which
lay member fhall be elected by a majority of the votes of the truftees prefent, and
fhall continue in office until the next annual election takes place.

How vacan-
cies are to be
filled.

VI. And be it enacted, That the faid truftees now appointed, and who may
hereafter be elected, or a majority of them, and their fucceffors, from time to
time, as occafion may require, may and fhall meet together to tranfact the buf-
nefs and fuperintend and protect the property put under their truft and care, and
fhall make, constitute and alter, fuch rules and orders for regulating their own

Truftees to
meet, &c.