Herbert v. Gray

The only question arising in this case is, whether the Act of 1872, chap. 270, is retrospective in its operation.

It is a clear and well settled rule of law that no statute will be held to be retroactive unless such an intention is clearly expressed in the statute. Baugher vs. Nelson, 9 Gill, 303 ; Slate, use of the Mayor & C. C. of Baltimore vs. Norwood, 12 Md., 206; Clark vs., the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, 29 Md., 283, and Davis, Adm’r, vs. Clahaugh, 30 Md., 508. In the last oí these cases, this Court laid down the rule in the following clear and forcible language: “A statute…