Advice of some one Assistant or Justice of the Peace for their respective Counties, at their Discretion, to hale up, or otherwise secure, any Vessel, Boat, Skiff, or other Water-Craft, which they shall have Reason to suspect is intended to be improved for carrying on any of the evil Practices forbidden in this Act.

Provided nevertheless, That this Act shall not extend to prevent any friendly Refugee, from the Islands aforesaid, resident in this State, from bringing over any of his or their Effects, left on said Islands, or the Produce of their Lands or Farms thereon, having first procured a Licence or Permit, from the Select-men and Civil Authority, aforesaid for that Purpose.

[1778, p. 499]

An Act for suspending an Act, entituled, An Act for the Regulation of the Prices of Labour, Produce, Manufactures and Commodities within this State.

THE Honorable Continental Congress, having Resolved as follows, viz.

"In Congress, June 4th, 1778;

"WHEREAS by a Change of Circumstances in the Commerce of these States, the Regulation of Prices lately recommended by Congress, may be unnecessary; and the Measure not being yet adopted by all the States; Therefore,

"RESOLVED, That it be recommended to the Legistures of the several States, that have adopted it, to suspend or repeal their Laws made for that Purpose. Which RESOLVE being approved; Therefore,

BE it enacted by the Governor, Council and Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That the Act, entituled, "An Act for the Regulation of the Prices of Labour, Produce, Manufactures and Commodities within this State," be, and the same is hereby suspended, until the rising of this Assembly in October next.

vived.

[1778, p. 499]

An Act for reviving two certain Acts of this Assembly, the one entituled, An Act for punishing and preventing Oppression; the other entituled, An Act in alteration of the Act, entituled, An Act for punishing and preventing of Oppression, which said Acts were repealed by this Assembly in December, Anno Domini, 1776.

Two Acts re- Be it enacted by the Governor, Council, and Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the Authority of

the same, That the before described Acts be revived, and the same are hereby revived, in all the Parts and paragraphs thereof, and shall be and continue in Force for the future.1

[1778, p. 503]

An Act further to prevent Monopolizing and Ingrossing, and to provide for obtaining Supplies for the Continental Army, Navy and Militia of this State.

Civil Authority

BE it Enacted by the Governor, Council, and Repre- to issue Warrants sentatives in General Court assembled, and by the Authority for impressing of the same, That upon Application made by any pur- Army or Navy. chasing Commissary to an Assistant and Justice of the Peace, or to two Justices of Peace, stating the Necessities which he is under to obtain Supplies of Pork, Beef, Flour, Wheat, fat Cattle or fat Swine for the Use of the Continental Army or Navy, or for the Militia or Navy of this State, and that it is not in his Power to purchase such of said Articles of Provisions as are wanted for the Purpose aforesaid; the said Civil Authority shall consider the Subject of said Application, and if they shall judge that the same is well founded, they be author-. ized and directed to issue a Warrant to the Sheriff or Constable proper to serve the same, designating the Person or Persons from whom such Provisions shall be taken, to impress or take for the use of the Continental Army or Navy, or for the Militia or Navy of this State, as the Case shall require, any of the aforesaid Articles of Provisions which shall be owned by any Monopolizer, Ingrosser, or Person who shall have purchased any such Provisions to sell the same; and deliver the Provisions so taken to such Commissary, on his paying for the same at the usual and customary Prices at which such Provisions are sold at said Time of Delivery.

Be it further enacted, That if such Commissary, and Person from whom such Provisions are taken, shall not agree upon the Price thereof, said Civil Authority are hereby directed to appoint two or three judicious and indifferent Freeholders to apprize said Provisions, who shall on Oath apprize the same at the Price at which such Provisions are then usually sold; which Apprisal priced by shall preclude the Person from whom such Provisions two or three Freeare taken, from any legal Demand for a higher Price. And if upon such Apprisal it shall be found, that the

1 Copies of these acts were not found.-J. R. C.

37639°-18-16

Provisions

holders.

Persons falsely pretending to pur

missaries, to forfeit, 1001, &c.

Person from whom such Provisions are taken has refused to accept of such Commissary a Sum equal to what such Provisions are apprised at, the Costs of such Apprisal shall be deducted from the Sum which ought otherwise to be paid him, and he shall be debarred from any further Recovery. And that all Costs incurred by any Apprisal as aforesaid, and Price of Provisions taken by this Act, shall be paid by such purchasing Commissary.

That if any Person falsely pretending to be employed chase for Com- by any Commissary or Quarter Master, shall purchase, or offer to purchase any Thing for the Use of either of said Departments, he shall forfeit the Sum of One Hundred Pounds Money, and double the Value of any Article or Thing which shall have been purchased by him; one Half of every such Forfeiture shall be paid to any Person who, upon his own Costs, shall legally convict any such Offenders, and the other Half to the Public Treasury of this State.

Informing Officers to prosecute.

Act's continuance.

An Act repealed.

That it be the indispensible Duty of all Informing Officers to prosecute the Offenders against this Act.

This Act to continue and be in Force until the rising of the General Assembly in May next, and no longer.

[1778, p. 505.]

An Act for repealing an Act, entituled, An Act for the regulation of the Price of Labour, Produce, Manufactures and Commodities within this State.

Be it enacted by the Governor, Council, and Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That the Act, entituled, An Act for the Regulation of the Price of Labour, Produce, Manufactures and Commodities within this State, be, and the same is hereby repealed.

An Act continued.

[1778, p. 506.]

An Act for further continuing a Law of this State, made and passed by the General Assembly in December, 1776, for preventing the distiling of Spirituous Liquors from Grain.

Be it enacted by the Governor, Council, and Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That the said Act shall continue in Force until the rising of this Assembly in October next.1

A copy of this act was not found.-J. R. C.

[1776, p. 507.]

An Act to compel the furnishing necessary Supplies; and Assistance to the Quarter-Master-General of the Continental Army.

Persons refus

Gen.

the same to be

rant.

Be it enacted by the Governor, Council, and Represen- ing to sell to the tatives in General Court assembled, and by the Authority many article of the same, That if any person or persons within this for use of Army, Colony shall, upon Request, refuse to sell or supply to taken by Warthe Quarter-Master-General of the Continental Army the Articles of Timber, Boards, Shingles, Brick or Stone, or to sell or let their Horses, oxen, Carts or Carriages for transporting the same, or to furnish any other necessary Supplies and Assistance for the Use of said Army, it shall be the Duty of any one Assistant or Justice of the Peace within this Colony, and they are hereby ordered and directed, upon Application to them made by any such Quarter-Master or Quarter-Masters, their Agent or Agents, to grant a proper Warrant or Warrants for the impressing from any such Person or Persons so refusing, any of the necessary Articles or Things aforesaid, or of any other Article or Thing needful for the Support or Supply of said Army or for the transportation of the same, directed to the Sheriff, his Deputy, Constable, or any indifferent Person within the County where such application shall be made; who shall impress, and cause an Apprizement to be made thereof, by two or more indifferent Men within said County, to be appointed by the Authority granting such Warrant, at the just and true Value, and deliver the same to said QuarterMaster or Quarter-Masters, their Agent or Agents, he or they paying to Owner or Owners thereof, or into the Hands of such Officers who shall impress the same, the Sum or Sums at which the said Article or Thing shall be apprised as aforesaid, or so much as shall be reasonable for the Use of such Horse or Horses, Oxen, Cart or Carriages, where the same shall be returned again to the Owners thereof, by his own Consent and Agreement.

[1779, p. 510.]

An Act for continuing in Force an Act, entituled, An Act to encourage fair Dealing, and to restrain and punish Sharpers and Oppressors.

in Force.

Be it enacted by the Governor, Council, and Represen-And Act contatives, in General Court assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That the aforesaid Act be, and the same is hereby continued, and shall remain in full Force during

the Pleasure of this Assembly, so far as the same relates to any Prosecution, Suit or Actions commenced for the Breach of said Act, and now depending before any Court of Record.

Articles for the Army may be impressed by Warrant.

Owner

not shewing sufficient Reason, &c.

[1779, p. 511.]

An Act to compel the furnishing necessary Supplies and Assistance to the Quarter-Master-General and Commissary-General of Forage, of the Continental Army.

Be it enacted by the Governor, Council, and Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That upon Application made by any QuarterMaster-General or Commissary-General of Forage, his or their Agent or Agents, to an Assistant and Justice of the Peace, or two Justices of the Peace, stating the Necessities he or they are under to obtain Supplies of Timber, Boards, Shingles, Brick, Stone, Hay, Oats and Straw, or Horses, Oxen, Carts and Carriages for transporting the same, or any other necessary Supplies and Assistance, (Wheat, Rye and Indian Corn excepted) for the Use of the Army or Militia of this State, and that it is not in his or their Power to purchase such Articles of Forage or Building, or hire the aforesaid Articles of Transportation as are then wanted, the said Civil Authority shall consider the Subject of said Application, and if they shall judge the same well founded, they are hereby authorized and directed to issue a Warrant directed to the Sheriff or Constable proper to serve the same, designating therein the Person or Persons from whom such Articles of Forage, Building and Transportation shall be taken, also the Number and Quantity thereof, who shall impress or take the same for the use of the Army, or Militia or this State, as the Case shall require.

And if the Person or Persons to whom such Articles belong, shall not forthwith shew to said Civil Authority a Reason which shall by said Authority be judged sufficient, why such Articles should not be so impressed and taken as aforesaid, such Articles shall be delivered to such Quarter-Master-General or Commissary-General of Forage, or his or their Agent or Agents, he or they paying to the Owner or Owners thereof, or into the Hands of the Officer who shall impress the same, such Sum or Sums as the Owner of the Articles so impressed, and such Quarter-Master-General or Commissary General of