the oaths of office before him, or whose oath of office is recorded in his office.

1874, ch. 483, sec. 139.

66. The clerks of the several circuit courts and of the superior court of Baltimore city, shall not administer the oath of office to any officer until he pays the tax on his commissions prescribed by law; and the said clerks shall quarterly, on the first Monday of March, June, September and December, pay to the treasurer all sums of money they shall have received for taxes on commissions.

ARTICLE XVIII.

COMMISSIONERS TO TAKE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

1. Biennial appointment of. 2. Tenure.

3. Oath.

4. Authority to administer oath. 5. Acknowledgments before.

P. G. L., (1860,) art. 21, sec. 1.

6. Certificate of qualification.

7. Commissioners in foreign countries.

8. Oath of such commissioners.

9. Payment to State for commission.

1837, ch. 97, sec. 1. 1852, ch. 106, sec. 1. 1. The governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, shall biennially appoint and commission one or more commissioners in each State, district or territory of the United States, who shall have authority to take the acknowledgment and proof of the execution of any deed or other conveyance or lease of any lands, tenements or hereditaments lying in this State, or any contract, letter of attorney, or any other writing, under seal, to be used and recorded in this State.

Ibid. sec. 2. 1852, ch. 106, sec. 1.

2. The said commissioners shall hold their office as other civil officers of this State similarly appointed.

Ibid. sec. 3. 1837, ch. 97, sec. 3. 1852, ch. 106, sec. 3. 1884, ch. 210. 3. Every commissioner so appointed shall take and subscribe an oath before a justice of the peace or notary public in the city

or county in which he shall reside, well and faithfully to execute and perform all the duties of such commissioner under and by virtue of the laws of this State, and shall also procure an official seal, a distinct impression of which, taken upon wax or some other substance capable of receiving and retaining a clear impression, together with his signature in his own proper handwriting thereto attached, shall, with the oath of office aforesaid, be transmitted to and filed in the office of the secretary of State.

P. G. L., (1860,) art. 21, sec. 4. 1837, ch. 97, sec. 2.

4. Every commissioner so appointed and qualified shall have authority to administer an oath to any person desirous to make such oath before him, and such oath shall be as good and effectual as if made before a justice of the peace in this State.

Ibid. sec. 5. 1837, ch. 97, sec. 1.

any

such

5. Any acknowledgement made or proof taken before commissioner in the manner directed by the laws of this State, and certified to under his seal, and endorsed on or annexed to the deed or instrument of writing, shall have the same effect as if the same had been made or taken before a judge of a court of record of another State.

Ibid. sec. 6. 1852, ch. 106, secs. 4-5.

6. The secretary of State, immediately upon the receipt of the evidence of qualification of any such commissioner, shall make a short entry of the same upon the record of appointments or civil list; and a certificate of the governor, under the great seal of the State, to the appointment and qualification of any such commissioner, as appearing from the said record of appointments or civil list, shall be sufficient evidence of the appointment and qualification of such commissioner.

Ibid. sec. 7. 1856, ch. 151, sec. 1.

7. The governor may also, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, appoint one or more commissioners in any foreign country, who shall continue in office during the pleasure of the governor, and shall have authority to take the acknowledgment. and proof of the execution of any deed or other conveyance or

lease of any lands lying in this State, or any contract, letter of attorney, or any other writing, under seal or not, to be used and recorded in this State.

P. G. L., (1860,) art. 21, sec. 8. 1856, ch. 151, sec. 2.

8. Every commissioner appointed under the preceding section, before performing any duty or exercising any power in virtue of his appointment, shall take and subscribe an oath before a judge or clerk of one of the courts of record of the kingdom or country in which such commissioner shall reside, well and faithfully to execute and perform all the duties of such commissioner under and by virtue of the laws of this State; which oath, with a description of his seal of office, together with his signature thereto, shall be filed in the executive office of this State.

1872, ch. 350.

9. All commissioners appointed under this article shall pay into the treasury of the State the sum of ten dollars; and no commission shall issue to said commissioners until the comptroller shall report to the governor that the said sum of ten dollars has been paid into the treasury.

ARTICLE XIX.

1. When to qualify.

COMPTROLLER.

2. Penalty and condition of bond. 3. Sufficiency of sureties.

4. Approval of bond by governor. 5. Bond; where to be recorded.

6. Renewal of bond.

7. Office at Annapolis.

8. Assistant clerks.

11. Books showing revenues and expenditures.

12. Records of accounts.

13. Records of all official proceedings.
14. Reports from public officers.
15. Account with the treasurer.
16. Monthly examination of treas-
urer's books.

9. Annual Statement of State's 17. Warrants; how to be drawn.

18. No blank warrants to be signed.

10. Annual estimate of receipts and 19. Claims against State; how pre

finances.

20. Deduction of sums due to State. 21. Suits against defaulters.

31. Annual setting apart for sinking fund.

22. Comptroller's account prima facie 32. Investment of surplus revenues. 33. Cancellation of State debt so pur

evidence.

23. Statement before general election to officers in arrears.

24. Publication by banks of unclaimed dividends and deposits.

chased.

34. Warrant on treasurer for such pur

chases.

35. Apportionment of school fund.

25. Shall prepare blank licenses for 36. Appropriation for colored schools.

P. G. L., (1860,) art. 22, sec. 1. 1852, ch. 172, sec. 3. 1853, ch. 403. 1. The comptroller shall file his bond and qualify, by making the declarations and taking the oaths required by the constitution and laws, before the governor, on or before the second Wednesday of January next ensuing his election; on which said second Wednesday of January the term of his office shall commence. Thomas v. Owens, 4 Md. 189.

Ibid. sec. 2. 1852, ch. 12, secs. 2-3.

2. Before entering upon the discharge of his duties, he shall give bond to the State of Maryland, with security or securities approved by the governor, in the penalty of fifty thousand dollars, with condition that he will truly and faithfully discharge, execute and perform all and singular the duties of him required, and which may be required by the constitution and laws.

State v. Jarrett, 17 Md. 310.

Ibid. sec. 3. 1852, ch. 12, sec. 5.

3. Each security on the bond of the comptroller shall make oath that he is bona fide worth, over and above his debts, not less than some specific sum to be stated in said oath, which oath shall be endorsed on said bond and recorded therewith.

Ibid. sec. 4. 1852, ch. 12, sec. 6.

4. The governor shall not approve any bond of the comptroller, unless the sums so sworn to and endorsed on said bond shall in

the aggregate at least equal the amount of the penalty thereof, and unless he shall be satisfied of the availability of such security.

1852, ch. 12, sec. 8.

P. G. L., (1860,) art. 22, sec. 5. 5. The bond of the comptroller, when duly executed and approved, shall be recorded in the office of the clerk of the court of appeals, and certified copies, under the seal of said court, may be used in evidence in any court in this State.

Ibid. sec. 6. 1852, ch. 12, sec. 7.

6. It shall be the duty of the governor at all times, when in his opinion the security or securities of any comptroller have become or are likely to become invalid or insufficient, to demand and require him forthwith to renew his bond to the State of Maryland, with security or securities to be approved by the governor, in the penalty and according to the form prescribed in this article; and in case of neglect or refusal by any comptroller to give bond with security or securities as aforesaid, within twenty days after the same shall be demanded and required by the governor, such neglect or refusal shall be, and it is hereby declared to be, a disqualification within the meaning of the constitution; and the governor is hereby required to proceed forthwith to appoint a fit and proper person to fill the vacancy occasioned thereby, according to the provisions of the constitution.

Ibid. sec. 7. 1852, ch. 56, sec. 9. 1862, ch. 230.

7. The comptroller shall keep his office in the building now occupied by him in the city of Annapolis, until otherwise provided by law.

Ibid. sec. 8. 1852, ch. 56, sec. 8. 1854, ch. 91. 1862, ch. 141.

8. He may employ a clerk, whose compensation shall be one thousand dollars per annum, and an assistant clerk, whose compensation shall be seven hundred dollars per annum; and an additional clerk, at a salary not exceeding one hundred dollars per month, for such time, not exceeding one year from the date of his employment, as the comptroller shall deem necessary for the public interest.