When Captures of any Vessels, &c. are

& there are

Dominion of the King of Great-Britain, shall be prosecuted for by the Attorney General for the Use of this Commonwealth; any Clause in the aforesaid Act to the contrary notwithstanding.

And whereas by the Devices of Wicked Persons, it may in many Cases be difficult to procure Evidence that such Goods, Wares and Merchandize, that may be Seized, as having been illegally Imported into this Commonwealth, or were so intended to be Imported:

Be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That when made any Capture or Seizure shall be made as aforesaid on Grounds of Sus- the Land, or within any Bay, Harbour, or Creek within Importation, the this Commonwealth, or within five Leagues of the Shores satisfactory Evi- of this or any of the United States of America,

picion of illegal

Claimants to give

dence.

of any

Vessels, Goods, Wares or Merchandize that shall be brought into this Commonwealth, or that shall be found within the same, or that shall be intended to be illegally Imported into the same, in all such Cases if it shall appear to the Court who shall try the Cause, that there is just Grounds of Suspicion that the same were illegally Imported, or intended by any Person or Persons to have been so imported into this or any of the United States of America, the Claimant or Claimants of such Vessel or Vessels, Goods, Wares or Merchandize, shall be held to give satisfactory Evidence that the same were not illegally Imported or intended to have been so Imported into this And on failure or any of the United States of America, and on Failure to be forfeited thereof, the same shall be Forfeited and Condemned in the Marritime the Maritime Court of the District into which they may

thereof the same

& condemned in

Court.

Preamble.

have been brought or hereafter shall be found.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all Vessels Goods, Wares or Merchandize, that may hereafter be seized or taken, and are made liable to Forfeiture by any Resolve of Congress, shall be deemed and taken to be forfeited in like Manner as if made liable by any Act of this Commonwealth.

[This Act passed May 1st, 1781.]

[1781, p. 69.]

CHAP. XX.

An Act to empower the Quarter-Master General or his Deputies within this Commonwealth to impress such Teams as may be found necessary to transport Supplies to the Army.

WHEREAS it frequently happens, that the Quarter Master General meets with great Difficulties in procuring such

Teams as are necessary to transport such Stores and Supplies as he has Occasion to send forward to the Continental Army, by Means whereof many and great Inconveniencies may arise:

ter General or his

resent to the Se

of the

had, of the num

Be it therefore enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That when the Quarter-Master Gen-, Quarter Maseral, or any of his Deputies shall find it necessary to Deputies to reptransport any Kind of Stores or Supplies to the Conti-lectmen Town where nental Army, they, or any of them, shall represent to Teams are to be the Selectmen of any Town where Teams may be had, ber wanted. the Number of Teams necessary to transport such Stores and Supplies, and the Time they may probably be employed; and said Selectmen, or the major Part of them, shall, upon such Application, by Writing under their Hands, designate the Teams and Drivers proper to be employed and impressed; and the Quarter-Master General, or any of his Deputies, shall have full Power and Authority, after the passing of this Act, to impress or cause to be impressed all such Teams and Drivers as shall have been designated as aforesaid, for the Purpose of transporting such Stores and Supplies to the Continental Army or any Detachment thereof, as the said Army from Time to Time shall stand in Need of.

Provided, No Team impressed as aforesaid, shall be obliged to go further than Fifty Miles.

Quarter MasDeputies empow

ter General or his

red to impress.

Upon Applica

tion to the Select

men for Assist

ance and refused.

And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if the Selectmen of any Town having been applied to by the Quarter-Master General, or any of his Deputies for Assistance in procuring Teams and Drivers and shall refuse or neglect to assist said Quarter-Masters, or their Deputies; every Selectman so neglecting and refusing, shall, for each Neglect or Refusal, forfeit and pay to the Use of such Person or Persons as may sue for the same, the Sum of Three Pounds, to be recovered by Action of Penalty. Debt in any Court of Record proper to try the same. And the Selectmen of the several Towns, who may be called upon from Time to Time to perform the Duty assigned them in this Act, shall keep regular Accounts Selectmen to of their Time and Expenses relative to the same, and counts of Time shall exhibit their Accounts, on Oath, to the Committee and to exhibit on Accounts for Allowance and Payment, which Com-Committee on Acmittee are hereby authorized to allow all such Accounts ance. as to them shall appear just and reasonable.

keep regular Ac

and Expenses,

the same to the

counts for Allow

Owners of

transport Stores.

Teams impressed And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if the shall neglect to Owner or Driver of any Team impressed as aforesaid, and having had due Notice thereof, shall neglect or refuse to take up and transport to the Place of Destination, such Stores and Supplies for the Army as the Quarter Master General, or either of his Deputies shall judge necessary to be immediately sent forward; every Owner of such Team, or Driver, so neglecting or refusing, shall forfeit and pay to the Use of such Person or Persons as may sue for the same, the Sum of Six Pounds to be recovered by Action of Debt in any Court of Record proper to try the same.

Penalty.

Owners of Teams impressed

and Provision, if

procure Certifi

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, to furnish Forage That the Owner and Driver of any Team, impressed as required. aforesaid, shall furnish himself with sufficient Forage and Provision for himself and Team to travel fifty Miles, if thereto required, on Penalty of the same Fine as is provided in the preceding Clause in Case of Neglect, and to be recovered and appropriated in the same Teamsters to Manner. And every Teamster shall procure a Certificate cates from the from the Quarter-Master or Conductor, specifying the length of Way and Quantity of Loading by him transported, and in what Part of the State; and also keep an Account of his own Time and Expenses in said Service, counts before the and lay the same before the General Court for Allowance and Settlement, which Accounts, when allowed, shall be paid out of the next State Tax. [This Act passed May 18th, 1781.]

Quarter Master.

To lay their Ac

General Court.

Sundry

revived.

[1781, p. 75.]
CHAP. II.

An Act for reviving sundry Laws that are expired.

WHEREAS the several Acts herein after mentioned, which are now expired, have been found useful and beneLaws ficial, viz. One Act made in the Year of our Lord one Thousand seven Hundred and Seventy-seven, intitled, "An Act for taking up and restraining Persons dangerous to this State." One Act made in the Year of our Lord one Thousand seven Hundred and Seventy-eight, intitled, "An Act for taking Affidavits out of Court in certain Cases not already provided for." Three Acts made in the Year of our Lord one Thousand seven Hundred and Seventy-nine, one intitled, "An Act against Monopoly and Forestalling." Another, intitled, "An Act to prohibit the Exportation of Masts and Spars of certain

Dimensions for a limited Time;" the other intitled, "An Act for making Provision for Appeals to Congress in certain Maritime Cases, and under certain Restrictions." One Act made in the Year of our Lord one Thousand seven Hundred and Eighty-one, intitled, "An Act in Addition to an Act, intitled, an Act for taking up and restraining Persons dangerous to this State":

Be it therefore enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the Authority

Said Act to

of the same, That all the before mentioned Acts, now continue in Force

expired, be revived and continued, with all and every to Nov. 1783. Clause, Matter and Thing, therein respectively contained, and shall be in Force until the First Day of November,

one Thousand seven Hundred and Eighty-two.

[This Act passed June 28th, 1781.]

[1782, p. 111.]

CHAP. IV.

An Act for repealing the several Laws prohibiting the Exportation of
Provisions, and Masts and Spars out of this State.

WHEREAS the Advantages which have accrued to this Preamble.
Commonwealth by the Acts and Resolves prohibiting the
Exportation of Provisions, and Masts and Spars, now
cease; and many Inconveniences arise by continuing the

same:

Acts respecting

&c.

Be it therefore enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That all Acts and Resolves prohibiting the Prohibitory Exportation of Provisions, Masts and Spars, or any Pro- Provisions, duce of this State, now in force, be and they are hereby repealed, and all Parts of such Acts and Resolves hereafter be considered and taken as null and void.

repealed.

LAWS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

[Printed from "Laws of New Hampshire including Public and Private Acts and Resolves, with an Appendix embracing the Journal of the Committee of Public Safety," edited by Henry Harrison Metcalf, A. M., Vol. IV (Revolutionary Period, 1776–1784), Musgrove Printing House. Bristol, N. H., 1916.]

AN ACT FOR regulating THE PRICES OF SUNDRY ARTICLES THEREIN

ENUMERATED.

[Passed Jan. 18, 1777. Original Acts, vol. 7, p. 26; recorded Acts, vol. 3, p. 317. Laws, 1780 ed., p. 69. See additional act of April 10, 1777. Repealed Nov. 27, 1777.]

Whereas the exorbitant price of the necessary and convenient articles of life, and also of labour, within this State at this time of distress (unless speedily and effectually remedied) will be attended with the most fatal and pernicious Consequences

Be it therefore enacted by the Council and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, that the rates and prices of the several Articles herein-after enumerated be, and hereby are, limited, within this state, as follows, vizt

Good merchantable Wheat shall not exceed the price of seven shillings and six pence Bushel.

Good merchantable Rye shall not exceed the price of four shillings and six pence per Bushel.

Good merchantable Indian-Corn shall not exceed the price of three shillings and six pence per Bushel.—

Good merchantable Oats shall not exceed the price of Two shillings per Bushel.

Good merchantable Peas shall not exceed the price of Eight shillings per Bushel.

Good merchantable Beans shall not exceed the price of six shillings per Bushel.

Potatoes of the best sort shall not in the fall of the year, exceed one shilling and four pence, nor at any season two shillings, per Bushel.—

American made Cheese shall not exceed six pence per pound.

Butter of the best quality, shall not exceed Ten pence per pound.

Pork, weighing from five, to seven scores shall not exceed four pence half penny per pound.