1782] REV. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. "J I 



same ; Provided always, That the whole number of Visitors and Gov- 

 ernors of the said College, shall never be more than twenty-four at one 

 time, nor under seventeen ; and that not less than seven of them shall 

 have their usual residence in Kent county, and within seven miles of 

 the town of Chester, aforesaid. 



Thirdly. When any of the first Visitors and Governors of the said 

 College chosen as aforesaid on the part of any county, or any of the 

 Visitors and Governors in general, shall die, or remove out of the 

 county for which he was chosen, or absent himself from four succeeding 

 quarterly meetings, without such excuse or plea of necessary absence as 

 shall be deemed reasonable by a legal and just quorum of the said 

 Visitors and Governors, duly assembled at a quarterly visitation of the 

 said College, such quorum so assembled, shall proceed by a new election 

 to fill up the seat and place of such deceased, removed or absenting 

 member ; having special regard that in the room of a deceased, removed 

 or absenting Visitor and Governor, from any particular county, another 

 of the same county be always chosen in his room and stead. 



And be it enacted. That when ten Visitors and Governors of the 

 said intended College shall be chosen as aforesaid, in addition to the 

 seven Visitors of Kent county school for the time being, and when 

 the said seventeen Visitors and Governors shall, by an instrument of 

 writing under their hands, to the General Assembly of this State, 

 directed and duly delivered, declare, that they are willing and desirous 

 to take upon them, and to discharge, the trust of Visitors and Gover- 

 nors of the said intended College, and that an estate, or sum and sums 

 of money, not less than ;^5ooo current money, or the just value 

 thereof (including the estate of the said Kent county school) is in their 

 hands, or so secured to be paid to them that they will answer for the 

 value thereof, and the application of the same towards founding, 

 endowing, and supporting the said intended College, according to their 

 best judgment, and the tenor of this act ; Provided always. That such 

 instrument of writing be lodged with the General Assembly as afore- 

 said, within five years after the passing of this act ; that then and in 

 such case, the said seventeen Visitors and Gevernors, and such other 

 person and persons as they shall choose to make up and perpetuate the 

 number of twenty-four, agreeable to the tenor hereof, shall be, and are 

 hereby declared to be, one community, corporation and body politic, 

 to have continuance forever, by the name of "The Visitors and Gov- 

 ernors of Washington College, in the State of Maryland," ni honour- 

 able and perpetual memory of his excellency General Washington, the 

 illustrious and virtuous commander-in-chief of the armies of the United 

 States ; and by the same name they shall have perpetual succession ; 

 provided nevertheless, that seventeen of the said Visitors and Gover- 

 nors, shall always be residents on the Eastern Shore of this State, but 



