Conftables.

That every Conftable within this State, is hereby authorized and fully impowered, to put forth Pursuits or Hue-and-cries after Murderers, Peacebreakers, Thieves, Robbers, Burglarians, and other Capital Offenders, where no Magistrate or Juftice of the Peace is near at Hand.

23

When to pur

fue murderers &c. without

warrant.

As alfo without Warrant, to apprehend fuch as are guilty of Drunkenness, Alfo fabbath profane Swearing, Sabbath-breaking, alfo vagrant Perfons, unfeafonable breakers, &c. Night-walkers, or any others that fhall offend in any of thefe: Provided, they be taken and apprehended in the Manner; either by the Sight of the Constable, or prefent Information of fome others.

As alfo to make Search for all fuch Perfons, either on the Sabbath or other Days, when there fhall be Occafion, in Taverns and other fufpected Places, or Houses; and those to apprehend and keep in fafe Cuftody, till Opportunity ferves to bring them before the next Affiftant or Juftice of the Peace, for further Examination; in order to their being proceeded against according to Law.

That each and every Constable shall have Power and Authority to ferve and execute fuch lawful Precepts, Writs, or Warrants as are directed to them from lawful Authority. And fhall have the Power of Water-Bailiffs in the feveral refpective Towns in this State, when and where there fhall be Occafion for the fame.

Provided nevertheless, That when any Conftable is employed or commanded by any Affiftant or Juftice of the Peace, to apprehend or arreft any Perfon or Perfons, he shall not do it without a Warrant in Writing.

To make fearch in

fo make taverns, &c. for diforderly perfons.

To serve

writs.

To have the

power of wa ter-bailiffs.

Be it further enailed by the Authority aforefaid, That all Conftables may, and from Time to Time fhall, make diligent Search throughout the Limits of their Town, upon the Lord's-Days, and on all other Times, (as oft as they fhall be informed, or fee Cause), for fuch Offenders as shall lye Tippling in To fearch for tipplers, &c. any Inn, or House of Entertainment, or private House, excettively, or unfeasonably; and after fuch as retail ftrong Drink without Licence: And alfo warn all those that frequent Taverns, and spend their Time there idly, to forbear: And also warn all thofe Perfons that keep fuch Houses, not to fuffer any fuch Perfons in their Houfes. And to make due Prefentment of all Breaches of Law (coming within their Knowledge) to some Authority proper to receive the fame, once in every Month.

And if upon due Information, any Constable shall refufe or neglect to make fuch Search, Seizure and Prefentment, and be thereof legally convicted, he shall pay a Fine of Five Shillings to the Treafury of the Town whereto he belongs.

Penalty for refufing, &c.

Penalty for

conftable,&c.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That if any Perfon shall refuse at any Time to affift any Conftable in the Execution of his Of- not affifting a fice, being by him duly thereunto required, he fhall forfeit Ten Shillings. And if it appear that any Perfon fhall wilfully, obftinately, or contemptuously refuse to affift fuch Constable, as is before expreffed, he fhall forfeit and pay to the Ufe of the Town where the Offence is committed, Forty Shillings: The faid Offence to be heard and tried by any Affiftant or Juftice of the Peace.

That if any Constable, or other Perfon, upon urgent Occafion, fhall refufe to use his best Endeavour, in raifing and profecuting Hue-and-cries, either on Foot or by Horfe (if need be) after Capital Offenders, he shall forfeit the Sum of Forty Shillings, to the Ule aforefaid; to be determined as aforefaid.

And every Conftable in this State, fhall be furnished with a black Staff, having a Head with the Arms of this State thereon; which Staff he fhall carry upon proper Occafions, as a Token or Badge of his Office; which the

Select-men

Obftinate refufal, penalty

40s.

Penalty for not parfaing capital offenders, &c. 40s.

To be fur nifhed with a

black ftaff.

24

Penalty.

Counterfeiting, &c.

Select-men of each Town are to take Care to provide at the Town's Charge; upon Penalty of Five Shillings for every Month's Neglect; one Half to be to him or them that shall profecute for the fame, and the other Half to the Town Treasury.

And in Cafe any Town, by the Death or Removal of the Constable or On removal Conftables thereof, fhall become wholly deftitute of fuch Officers; fuch Town shall forthwith affemble, and proceed to the Choice of a Constable or Constables, to supply the Vacancy fo made; who fhall be sworn according to Law.

new confta

bles to be chofen.

Counterfeit

ing.

For firft offence.

to be fined,

&c.

1001.

Punishment

for fecond offence.

Reward for detecting,

&c.

An Act to prevent counterfeiting Bills of Credit, Coins or Currencies, paffing the fame, and emitting and paffing Bills on private Credit; and to prevent Injuftice by paffing counterfeit Bills.

E it enacted by the Governor, Council, and Reprefentatives, in General Court affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That whofoever shall forge, alter or counterfeit any of the Bills of Public Credit, emitted by the Authority of this State, or by Authority of the United States in Congress affembled, or by the Authority of any one of the United States of America; or any Note or Notes iffued from the Loan-Office of this State, or from the Loan-Office of the United States, or of any one of the States aforesaid, or any Note or Notes iffued by the Prefident, Directors, and Company of the Bank of North-America; or fhall utter and put off any fuch forged, altered, or counterfeit Bill or Bills, Note or Notes, knowing them to be fuch, or that shall counfel, advise, procure, or any ways affilt in forging, counterfeiting, imprinting, ftamping, altering or figning of any falfe, forged and counterfeit Bill or Bills, knowing them to be fuch, or that fhall engrave any Plate, or make any Inftrument to be used for any of the Purposes aforefaid, or that shall stamp, or any otherways counterfeit any of the Coins of Gold or Silver currently paffing in this State, or that shall utter and put off any fuch counterfeit Coins, knowing the fame to be bafe, falfe and counterfeit, or that fhall make any Inftrument or Inftruments for the counterfeiting any of the Coins aforefaid, or fhall be aiding or affifting therein, and be thereof convicted before the Superior Court, fuch Perfon or Perfons fo offending, fhall be whipped on the naked Body twenty Stripes, and pay a Fine, not exceeding One hundred Pounds, for the use of the Treafury of this State, and be confined to any Work-Houfe or Houfe of Correction in this State, for a Term not exceeding ten Years, at the Difcretion of faid Court.

And if any Perfon fhall commit the like Offence, and be thereof convicted a fecond Time, he or she shall be whipped thirty Stripes, and be confined in fuch Work-Houfe or House of Correction, and there be kept to hard Labour during the Term of his or her natural Life.

Aud that fuch Offenders may more effectually be difcovered and detected:

Be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That whofoever fhall make Discovery, and give Information of any of the Offences aforefaid, so that the Perfon or Perfons guilty thereof be tendred to Juftice, and convicted, every fuch Informer fhall have and receive, as a Reward for his good Services, in difcovering and informing as aforelaid, the Sum of Ten Pounds; to be ordered out of the public Treatury, by the Court before whom fuch Conviction is had.

And more effectually to prevent the paffing of fuch counterfeit, forged, or altered Bills, and Injustice arifing thereby;

Be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That when and fo often.

as

Counterfeiting, &c.

as it shall happen that any fuch falfe, forged, altered or counterfeit Bill Thall be brought to the Treasurer of this State, or offered to him in Payment of Rates, or to be exchanged, he shall secure them; and he is hereby authorized to seize and retain them; entering on the Back thereof the Name of the Perfon in whofe Poffeffion they were; and then deliver the fame into the Hands of fome Authority, to be enquired into.

And every Affiftant and Juftice of the Peace, is hereby authorized and impowered, to seize and take into his Cuftody, every fuch falfe Bill which he fhall fee, obferve, or have Knowledge of, and the fame to retain, entering on the Back-fide thereof the Name of the Perfon from whom he takes the fame; and at his Difcretion to cause the Perfon from whom he took fuch Bill, or the Perfon from whom the Treasurer took fuch Bill, and lodged with him, to be examined in the Premifes; and to adminifter an Oath to fuch Person or Perfons to declare of whom he or they received it; and thereon to proceed in his Enquiries in the Manner aforefaid, after the Author of the Mischief, as far as fuch Authority's Difcretion will guide him.

Be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That whenever any Perfon fhall be the Poffeffor of any such falfe or counterfeit Bill, (on his discovering it to be fuch) he fhall deliver the fame to fome Affiftant or Juftice of the Peace; and inform him that he concludeth the fame to be falfe, and counterfeit; and if fuch Affiftant or Juftice fhall fuppofe the fame to be false, as aforefaid, he fhall take the fame, and write the Name of the Person of whom he received it, on the Back of faid Bill; and that it was delivered him as a counterfeit Bill.

And fuch Perfons that fo deliver up fuch Bill, or from whom fuch Bill is taken in either of the Methods aforefaid, may after fuch Delivery or Taking, go to the Perfon of whom he received the fame, and demand of him pay therefor, informing him where fuch Bill is lodged.

And if any Person of whom he received faid Bill, fhall refufe or neglect to make him Satisfaction therefor; or without fuch Demand, Information or Refufal, (if Need fo require) may bring his Action for Damage, in not paying him for faid Bill, or for putting off fuch Bill to him, before any Court, Affiftant, or Juftice of the Peace, proper to try the same; alledging the fame to be taken or delivered up as aforefaid.

And in the Trial of any fuch Cafe, if the Bill be found to be falfe, forged or counterfeit, to the Satisfaction of the Court that tries the fame, the faid Court fhall proceed to enquire into the Equity of the Cale, by examining the Parties under Oath, and taking any other Evidences as they fhall judge just and right and upon their finding to their Satisfaction, that fuch Plaintiff received the fame Bill of the Defendant for a true Bill, they shall give Judgment for the Plaintiff for his juft Damages, and Coft.

Provided always, Such Bill be delivered up or taken, as aforefaid, before Provifo.

the Plaintiff offered the fame back to the Perfon of whom he received it. Provided alfo, That no Perfon be profecuted in Form, as aforefaid, but Provifo, within one Year after he puts off fuch Bill; which Fact may be enquired into in Form aforefaid.

And it is further Enacted, That all and every Perfon that hath at any Time had any fuch Bill that fhall be taken from the Poffeffor, or fhall by the Poffeffor be delivered up, as aforefaid, and hath fatisfied the Person to whom he put off faid Bill for the fame, fhall have the like Liberty in profecuting, and taking Remedy, as aforefaid, against the Perfon of whom

he received the fame.

The remedy extended, &c.

And that every Affiftant, or Juftice, that fhall have fuch Bill in his Bill conveyed Hands, fhall at the Coft of the Party, fafely convey the fame to any Court, to court, &c. where the fame may be wanted in the Trial of the Cafe.

D

And

26

To be de

ftroyed.

No bills, for a medium, to

iffue from a private fund unless, &c. on penalty, &c.

Forfeiture of

double the

value; how recovered &c.

The fame

Counties named.

And that if any Court, Affiftant, or Juftice hath had the Poffeffion of fuch falfe or counterfeit Bill the Space of one Year, he fhall deftroy the fame.

Be it further enalled by the Authority aforefaid, That if any Perfon, Society, Number of Persons, or Company within this State, without fpecial Authority from the Legiflature, fhall prefume to ftrike, emit, or put out any Bills of Credit, on any Fund or Credit of any Perfon or Perfons, Society or Company, to be used and improved as a general Currency, or Medium of Trade, as, and in Lieu of Money; fuch Perfon or Persons, Society or Company, and every of them, shall be subject to the fame Pains, Penalties and Forfeitures, and be punished in the fame Manner as those are by this Act fubjected to, who fhall be convicted of forging or counterfeiting the Bills of Credit of this State.

And that if any Perfon or Perfons in this State, shall utter, vend or país any Bills or Notes, or any other Currencies whatever, which either have been, or hereafter fhall be ftruck, emitted or put out to be used as aforefaid, on the Fund or Credit of any private Perfon or Perfons, Society or Company whatever, either in this or the neighbouring States; he or they fo offending, fhall forfeit double the Sum, or Value expreffed in fuch Bill, Note or other Currency: The one Half thereof to him or them that shall profecute the fame to Effect, and the other Half to the Town Treasury, when the Trial fhall be before an Affiftant or Juftice; and to the County Treasury when it shall be before the County Court.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Treasurer and Civil Authority be, and they hereby are authorized and directed; to method to be take the fame Method to difcover, detect and fecure all falfe and countertaken to de- feit Coins made in Imitation of any Gold or Silver Coins that are or may be current in this State, and to detect the Authors of the Fraud, as is in this Act before provided and directed in Cafe of falfe or counterfeit Bills of public Credit.

te&t counterfeit coins....

Like remedy of recovering over as in cafe

of counterfeit

bills, &c.

And any Person who hath fuftained or may fuftain any Damage by receiving any falfe or counterfeit Coin, or any falfe, forged, counterfeit, or altered Note, Security, Certificate or Order, made in Imitation of, or purporting to be a Note, Security, Certificate or Order, iffued under the Authority of the United States, or of this State, fhall and may have Remedy for Recovery of fuch Damages, in the fame Manner as is by this Act provided and directed in Cafe of Damages fuftained by receiving falfe or counterfeit Bills of public Credit.

And all Grand-jurors and Conftables are hereby required to make Grand-jurors Prefentment of all Breaches of this Act.

to prefent.

Names of counties.

Hartford county.

New-Haven county.

An Act for stating, limiting, and naming the Counties in this State.

E it enacted by the Governor, Council, and Representatives, in General Court affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That the Towns of Hartford, Wethersfield, Middletown, Farmington, Symfbury, Haddam, Eaft-Haddam, Hebron, Glaffenbury, Bolton, Willington, Stafford, Tolland, Eaft-Windfor, Suffield, Enfield, Somers, Southington, Chatham and Eaft-Hartford, fhall be and remain one County, by the Name of the County of Hartford.

That the Towns of New-Haven, Milford, Branford, Wallingford, Derby, Durham, Waterbury, Guilford, Cheshire and Woodbridge, fhall be and remain one County, by the Name of the County of New-Haven.

That

That the Towns of New-London, Norwich, Lyme, Groton, Prefton, Ston.. ington, Say-Brook, Killingworth, and Colchester, fhall be and remain one New-London County, by the Name of the County of New-London.

That the Towns of Fairfield, Stratford, Norwalk, Stanford, Greenwich, Danbury, Newtown, Ridgefield, Redding, and New-Fairfield, thall be and remain one County, by the Name of the County of Fairfield.

County.

Fairfield

County.

That the Towns of Windham, Lebanon, Plainfield, Canterbury, Mansfield, Windham Coventry, Pompbret, Killingly, Woodstock, Ashford, Voluntown and Union, fhall County. be and remain one County, by the Name of the County of Windham.

That the Towns of Litchfield, Woodbury, New-Milford, Harwinton. New-
Hartford, Barkhempfted, Hartland, Colebrook, Norfolk, Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon, Litchfield
Kent, Cornwall, Watertown, Torrington, Goshen and Winchester, fhall be and County.
remain one County, by the Name of the County of Litchfield.

An Act for conftituting and regulating Courts; and appointing the Times and Places for holding the fame.

E it enacted by the Governor, Council, and Reprefentatives, in General Court affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That there fhall be yearly, two General Courts, or Affemblies, held in this State; the one at Hartford, on the second Thursday in May, and the other at New-Haven, on the fecond Thursday in Odober, (unless neceffitated by infectious or epidemical Difeases or otherways, occafionally to remove to fome other Place :) And the firft fhall be called the Court of Election; wherein shall be chofen from Time to Time, one Governor, who fhall be the chief Magiftrate of this State, and be ftiled, His Excellency; and one Lieutenant Governor, whose Title fhall be, His Honor; and twelve Affiftants or Counsellors; a Treafurer, and Secretary for this State.

;

Two General
Courts yearly

And the faid General Court fhall be compofed of two Branches; the Governor and Council, and the House of Representatives; who fhall of whom to convene in different Apartments to tranfact the public Bufinefs: And any confift. A&t may be originated by either Branch, but not be valid without the Concurrence of both. The Governor, or in his Abfence the LieutenantGovernor fhall prefide in Council: And when the Governor is present to and prefide, the Lieutenant-Governor fhall have a Voice in Council the Governor, or Lieutenant-Governor and fix Counsellors, fhall be neceffary to make a Quorum for doing Bufinefs. That if at any Time, by Death or otherwise, the Offices of Governor and Lieutenant-Governor shall be vacant, or if the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor fhall be abfent out of the State, or be unable to attend the General Court, the fenior Member of the Council prefent, fhall prefide in Council; who, together with fix other Members, fhall have Power to tranfact the Business of the Council. And not less than Forty of the Deputies or Reprefentatives from the feveral Towns in this Stare, that fhall be prefent to attend the said Court, fhall make a Houfe of Reprefentatives for tranfacting Bufinefs.

In which General Court, fhall confift the Supreme Power and Authority of this State; and they only fhall have Power to make Laws and repeal Their power. them; to grant Levies, to difpofe of Lands undifpofed of, to Towns, or particular Perfons: And alfo to inftitute and ftile Judicatories and Officers as they fhall fee neceffary for the good Government of this State. Alfo to call any Court, or Magiftrate, or any other Officer or Perfon To call ahy whatever to an Account, for any Mifdemeanor or Male-Administration; officer to ac

D 2

and

count.