and keep proper accounts and vouchers therefor, and the compensation of said agent shall not exceed the sum of three hundred dollars. SEC. 4. The board aforesaid may, if in its opinion the circumstances require it, expend for provisions, tools, seed, and other necessary aid to be furnished the colonists, and for which payment may be taken in labor on the roads, public buildings, and other public works, an amount not exceeding four thousand dollars, and for schools two hundred dollars.

SEC. 5. The board aforesaid may cause all immigrants arriving under the provisions of this act to be settled on any of the public lands of the State not otherwise appropriated, and assign to each man over twenty-one years of age, by certificate from the land agent, a lot of one hundred acres of land, and the land agent shall, at the expiration of five years from the date of said assignment, grant each of the persons aforesaid, or his heirs at law, a deed of warranty or other valid title of the lot assigned him: Provided, Each of said persons has established his residence on the lot assigned him, has built a comfortable home thereon, and has cleared not less than fifteen acres of land within the time aforesaid, ten of which shall be laid down to grass; and all said persons shall be exempt from state taxation until January 1, in the year of our Lord 1876.

SEC. 6. The governor is hereby authorized to draw his warrant upon the treasury for any of the sums specified in this act.

SEC. 7. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with this act are hereby repealed, and this act shall take effect when approved. Approved, January 25, 1873.

ACT OF 1883.

[Maine State Laws, 1883, ch. 171, p. 136.]

AN ACT Relating to immigration.

Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives in legislature assembled, as follows:

Whenever the governor of the State shall have knowledge that, under the provisions of an act of Congress approved August 3, 1882, officers are necessary in any town or city to take charge of the local affairs of immigration in the ports of this State and to provide for the support and relief of immigrants who shall fall into distress, he shall designate for such duty the board of overseers of the poor and their successors in such town or city, or any member or members of such board.

Approved, March 7, 1883.

MARYLAND.

DIGEST OF IMMIGRATION AND ALIEN LAWS.

Act of 1814 (an act for the benefit of certain persons who emigrated into or settled in this State before the adoption of the Constitution of the United States).-The act of 1814 confers upon all aliens resident in the State prior to the adoption of the Federal Constitution all of the immunities, privileges, rights, and advantages enjoyed in relation to property by natural-born citizens.

Act of 1815. The act of 1815 confirms the titles to property possessed by aliens who settled in the State prior to the adoption of the Constitution of the United States.

Act of 1833 (an act relating to the importation of passengers).— The act of 1833 was intended to remedy or relieve the evil of importing alien paupers into the State. It requires every master of vessel entering at a cutosm-house to report in writing, under oath, data about every alien passenger. Such master is required to pay $1.50 for every passenger or become bound to indemnify for any expense incurred in his behalf within two years. He shall be subject to a penalty for allowing alien passengers to land within 50 miles of Baltimore for the purpose of proceeding to the city.

Act of 1833 (an amended act relating to the importation of passengers. The masters of vessels are permitted to give bond to indemnify the Government for any expense incurred within two years in behalf of alien passengers landing from their vessels, and be relieved of the duty of paying $1.50 for each passenger.

Act of 1896 (bureau of immigration).-The act of 1896 creates a bureau of immigration to encourage immigration into the State. A board of immigration composed of three members shall be appointed by the governor every two years, and one of them shall be designated as superintendent of immigration. The board shall collect, collate, and maintain complete data about the State's advantages and opportunities which would interest immigrants and investors. It shall secure offices and appoint a secretary. The superintendent may travel in America in performance of his duties. The board shall arrange special plans and rates of transportation.

Act of 1898 (an amended act changing the provisions of the act of 1896 for a bureau of immigration).

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IMMIGRATION AND ALIEN LAWS.

ACT OF 1814.

[Maryland State Laws, 1814, ch. 105, p. 98.]

AN ACT For the benefit of certain persons who emigrated into or settled in this State before the adoption of the Constitution of the United States. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Maryland, That all free white persons, who emigrated into or settled within the limits of this State before the adoption of the Constitution of the United States of America, and who have continued and remained inhabitants of this State, shall be deemed, construed, and taken to have been, and they hereby are, declared to have been and to be, respectively, entitled to all and singular the immunities, privileges, rights, and advantages of natural-born citizens so far as to enable such persons to acquire right, title, and interest in, and to hold, possess, and enjoy lands, tenements, and real estate within this State, and to transmit and transfer the same in the same manner as naturalborn citizens of this State; and all property, real, personal, and mixed, acquired or transferred by, from, through, or under the said persons, or any of them, or their or any of their descendants shall be held, possessed, enjoyed, and transferred in like manner as if the said persons had respectively been and were at the several times of acquiring and transferring such property natural-born citizens of this State; and all and every person or persons whatsoever, being citizens of this or some one of the United States, claiming any real estate by, from, or under the said persons first hereinbefore described or their or any of their descendants by gift, grant, purchase, descent, or otherwise, shall hold, possess, and enjoy the same in like manner as if the said persons had respectively been and were at the several times of acquiring and transferring such real estate natural-born citizens of this State: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to interfere with or affect the rights of any person or persons acquired before the passage of this act.

Passed January 17, 1814.

ACT OF 1815.

[Maryland State Laws, 1815, ch. 79, p. 91.]

AN ACT For the benefit of persons who have emigrated into this State since the adoption of the Constitution of the United States.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Maryland, That in all cases where any alien hath emigrated into this State since the adoption of the Constitution of the United States, and hath acquired or become entitled to lands and tenements therein, if such person, after such acquisition aforesaid, hath been naturalized according to the laws of the United States, then and in such case he or she shall quietly have, possess, and enjoy such lands and tenements in the same manner as he or she might or could have done if he or she had been a naturalized citizen at the time of such acquisition: Provided, nevertheless, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to interfere with or affect the rights or interest of any other person or persons acquired before the passage of this act. Passed January 18, 1815.