Peculiar Maryland Laws

Durlng the early history of the stat and even up to the latter part of the elghteenth century some curious acts were passed by the general assembly, espeeially with reference to the colored population. The Maryland terrapin 120 years ago was not so famous as a delicate species of food as now. Terrapin were more plentiful, too. In fact, they were so numerous and to be had at so little trouble and no expense, that they were used principally forfoodforslaves, the white people disdaining to gTace thelr tables with thern. The practice of feeding slaves on terrapin became so general that the assembly determined to (iut a stop to such a cruel and inhuman custom as it was then regarded, and passed an act prohibitlng owners from feeding their slaves on terrapin more than twice a week under a penalty of 500 pounds of tobáceo. An act passed w!th reference to some of the lowe, counties of Maryland prohlbiting a fre negro or slave from owning or using a boat on the rivera without a license recommended by two respectable citizens. For Charles and Prlnee üeorge's counties a law was enacted forbiddeüng a negro from using a boat to go to Alexandria or the District of Columbia. For violation of this ïaw the free negro waa subject to a fine of $50 aid the slave to not less than ten nor more than twenty Iashe8, and the boat confisoatod unless permlsssion for its use had been given by lts owner. In St. Mary's and nther lower counties slaves were not allowed to enter any place where llquor was sold between sunset and sunrise unless armed with a written permit from his master. This, however, was itever strictly enforced. For Somerset and Worcester counties an act was passed prohitiiting tht issuance of a trader' license to any white man who had a negro partner and forblddlng any merchant to employ a negro clerk under penalty oí $500. The above state laws, except that relatlve to the terrapin, althotig-h enacted many years agro, are to be found in the code of 1860. In some sections of the state there seems to have been an aversión to greese and hogs for about 100 years. On Jan. 15, 1782, a law was passed by the assembly entitled "Aö act to prevent the raising of geese and sv.'ine in Elizabethtown, Washington county; Leonardtown, St. Mary's county, and Charles Town, Charles county." Any owner or other person having care o' "any of these animáis" (the act deYined both a hog and goose as an anbnai) and allowIng It to gro at large was subject to a fine of 20 shillings, and snybody wai permitted with intpunlty to kill any (foose or hog so running at larg