JOHN HENRY, Efquire, Governor.

1797.

name they, and their fucceffors, fhall and may have perpetual fucceffion, and
fhall and may, at all times hereafter, be perfons able and capable in law to pur-
chafe, take and hold, to them and their fucceffors, in fee, or for any lefs eftate
or eftates any lands, tenements, hereditaments, rents or annuities, within this
ftate, nor exceeding the yearly value of fixteen hundred dollars, by the gift, bar-
gain, fale or devife, of any perfon or perfons, bodies politic or corporate, capable
of making the fame, and fuch lands, tenements or hereditaments, to rent or
leafe, in fuch manner as they may judge moft conducive to the intereft of the
faid poor, and to the end and purpofes contemplated and intended to be produced
by this act, and the act to which this is a fupplement; and alfo to take and re-
ceive any fum or fums of money, and any kind of goods and chattels, which
may or fhall be given, fold or bequeathed, unto them, by any perfon or perfons,
bodies politic or corporate, capable to make a gift, fale or bequeft thereof, and
to apply the fame for the ufe of the faid poor as herein before directed; and may
alfo take and receive, by way of fubfcription, any fum or fums, of money which
fhall or may be given for the ufe of the faid poor, and to advance the end in-
tended by this act, and the act to which this is a fupplement.

C H A P.

XXXIV.

IV. And be it enacted, That the faid truftees, and their fucceffors, (by the
name aforefaid,) fhall be for ever hereafter capable in law to fue and be fued,
plead and be impleaded, anfwer and be anfwered unto, defend and be defended,
in all and any court of law or equity in this ftate, and before all or any judges,
officers or other perfons, in all and fingular actions, matters and demands what-
foever.; and that it fhall and may be lawful for them, and their fucceffors, for
ever hereafter, to have a common feal for their ufe, and In their affairs and bufi-
nefs, and the fame, at the will and pleafure of them, and their fucceffors, to
change, alter, break and make anew, from time to time as they fhall think
beft.

And may fue,
&c.

V. And, to keep up and perpetuate the number and fucceffion of the faid
truftees, Be it enacted, That as often as any one or more of the faid truftees
herein appointed, or who fhall hereafter be appointed in virtue of this act, fhall
die, remove him or themfelves out of the county, refufe to qualify by taking and
fubfcribing the faid oath or affirmation, or become incapable of acting, or refufe
to act, the juftices of the county court, or the affociate juftices thereof, are here-
by authorised and required to nominate and appoint one or more, as the cafe may
require, of the principal inhabitants of the faid county, in the place and room
of fuch truftee or truftees, and to fill up the number of truftees of the poor of
the faid county, which perfon or perfons fo from time to time nominated and ap-
pointed, fhall and are hereby directed and required to be qualified in the manner
herein before directed, before he or they fhall proceed to act as truftee or truftees
of the poor of faid county.

How vacan-
cies are to be
filled.

VI. And be it enacted, That every perfon by this act appointed as a truftee for
the poor, or that fhall hereafter be nominated and appointed as fuch purfuant to
the directions thereof, and of the twenty-firft fection of the act to which this is
a fupplement, and who fhall wilfully refufe or delay to take upon him the faid
office, fhall forfeit and pay, for every fuch refufal or delay, the fum of twenty-
four dollars; provided, that no member of the general affembly, clergyman, at-
torney, or practicing phyfician, be obliged to accept of the office of the truftee
aforefaid, or forfeit as aforefaid for refufing to accept and take upon him the
fame; and that no judge of the general court, juftice of the county court, juftice
of the peace, or fheriff or any one who hath not the qualifications to be a mem-
ber of the general affembly, if elected, fhall be capable to be chofen or act as a
truftee aforefaid.

Penalty on re-

fufing to act,
&c.

VII. And be it enacted, That the juftices of the faid county fhall, and they

are hereby authorifed, empowered and directed, to affefs and levy at their next
levy court, in equal proportions on all the affeffable property within the faid
county, the fum of two thoufand dollars, and fuch further fum at the time of

laying the county rate in the year feventeen hundred and ninety-nine as may be

Juftices to le-
vy money,
&c.