or impleaded, for or on account of any of the said debts, such bankrupt may appear without bail, and may plead the general issue, and give this act, and the special matter in evidence. And the certificate of such bankrupt’s conforming, and the allowance thereof, according to the directions of this act, shall be, and shall be allowed to be, sufficient evidence, prima facie, of the party’s being a bankrupt within the meaning of this act, and of the commission and other proceedings precedent to the obtaining such certificate, and a verdict shall thereupon pass for the defendant, unless the plaintiff in such action can prove the said certificate was obtained unfairly, and by fraud, or unless he can make appear any concealment of estate or effects, by such bankrupt to the value of one hundred dollars. Provided, That no such discharge of a bankrupt, shall release or discharge any person who was a partner with such bankrupt, at the time he or she became bankrupt, or who was then jointly held or bound with such bankrupt for the same debt or debts from which such bankrupt was discharged as aforesaid.
If the bankrupt’s estate does not pay half his debts, what allowance he shall have.Sec. 35. And be it further enacted, That if the nett proceeds of the bankrupt’s estate, so to be discovered, recovered and received, shall not amount to so much as will pay all and every of the creditors of the said bankrupt, who shall have proved their debts under the said commission, the amount of fifty per cent. on their debts respectively, after all charges first deducted, that then, and in such case, the bankrupt shall not be allowed five per centum on such estate as shall be recovered in, but shall have and be paid by the assignees so much money as the commissioners shall think fit to allow, not more than three hundred dollars, nor exceeding three per centum of the nett proceeds of the said bankrupt’s estate.
A certificate of discharge may be necessary, and how it is to be obtained.Sec. 36. And be it further enacted, That no person becoming a bankrupt according to the intent and provisions of this act, shall be entitled to a certificate of discharge, or to any of the benefits of the act, unless the commissioners shall certify under their hands, to the judge of the district within which such commission issues, that such bankrupt hath made a full discovery of his or her estate and effects, and in all things conformed him or herself to the directions of this act, and that there doth not appear to them any reason to doubt of the truth of such discovery, or that the same was not a full discovery of the said bankrupt’s estate and effects; or unless the said judge should be of opinion that the said certificate was unreasonably denied by the commissioners; and unless two thirds, in number and in value, of the creditors of the bankrupt, who shall be creditors for not less than fifty dollars respectively, and who shall have duly proved their debts under the said commission, shall sign such certificate to the judge, and testify their consent to the allowance of a certificate of discharge, in pursuance of this act; which signing and consent shall be also certified by the commissioners; but the said commissioners shall not certify the same till they have proof by affidavit or affirmation, in writing, of such creditors, or of the persons respectively authorized for that purpose, signing the said certificate; which affidavit or affirmation, together with the letter or power of attorney to sign, shall be laid before the judge of the district within which such commission issues, in order for the allowing the certificate of discharge, and the said certificate shall not be allowed unless the bankrupt make oath or affirmation in writing, that the certificate of the commissioners, and consent of the creditors thereunto were obtained fairly and without fraud; and any of the creditors of the said bankrupt are allowed to be heard, if they shall think fit, before the respective persons aforesaid, against the making or allowing of such certificates by the commissioners or judge.
For what misconduct of the bankrupt, he shall lose his right to a certificate, &c.Sec. 37. And be it further enacted, That if any creditor, or pretended creditor, of any bankrupt, shall exhibit to the commissioners any ficti-
