| 1773. |
2 HENRY HARFORD, Esq;
CHAP. V.
An ACT to prevent counterfeiting the paper money of other colonies. |
| Preamble. |
WHEREAS the want of a sufficient quantity of circulating
specie, to answer
the purposes of commerce, or the exigencies of government, hath
induced this and most others of the British colonies in America to circulate
certain paper notes, as the representative of specie, to pass in payments
for
limited periods, when the redemption is provided for, the counterfeiting
of which
is usually made felony in the respective governments where they are emitted;
but
it is supposed that sundry evil minded persons have lately established
presses in
some of the colonies, for preparing counterfeits of the paper of others,
and by that
means such forged paper is thrown into circulation with greater facility
and security
to the authors thereof; and it being judged reasonable, that neighbouring,
countries, having intercourse in trade, should provide, so far as in them
lies, against
the debasing of their medium of commerce: |
Persons counterfeiting,
&c.
paper money,
to suffer
death. |
II. Be it therefore
enacted,
by the right honourable the lord proprietary, by and
with the advice and consent of his governor, and the upper and lower
houses of assembly,
and the authority of the same, That of any person or persons
shall, within this
province, prepare, engrave, stamp or print, or cause or procure to be prepared,
engraved, stamped or printed, the counterfeit resemblance of any paper
money,
which now is, or hereafter may be, circulated in payments by legislative
authority,
in any British colony or plantation in America, with intention that such
counterfeit
paper shall be passed in payments, whether the same be so passed or not;
or
if any person or persons shall, in this province, pay, or tender in payment,
any
such counterfeit money, knowing the same to be forged or counterfeited,
altered
or erased, every such person, being lawfully convicted, shall be adjudged
a felon,
and shall suffer death without benefit of clergy. |
| Continuance. |
III. And be
it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That this
act shall
continue and be in force, from and after the passing thereof, for and during
the
term of five years, and to the end of the next session of assembly which
shall happen
after the end of the said five years.
This act expired with June session
1778, but it was revived by the act of November, 1779, ch. 12,
and is to continue seven years, &c. the legislature not adverting to
the words " colonies, British colony,
plantation, &c." |
|
CHAP. VI.
An ACT to enable the commissioners for emitting bills of credit to
provide stationary
for the use the upper and lower houses of assembly.
They are to lay out, in London, the
sum of £. 30 sterling, including charges, in parchment, paper,
ink-powder and quills, for the use of the two houses of assembly. |
|
CHAP. VII.
An ACT to continue the acts therein mentioned. |
|
CHAP. VIII.
An ACT for the relief of John McLure and others. PR. |
|
CHAP. IX.
An ACT for the relief of the poor in Frederick county.
The assessments heretofore made having
turned out inadequate to the purpose for which they were
made, the county court, in November next, is to assess 20lb. of tobacco
per poll, in November, 1774,
15 per poll, and in every November afterwards, it is to assess not exceeding
10 per poll, to satisfy the
trustees for what they shall have expended, an account thereof being first
allowed by the court.
This act was to continue seven years, &c. it has
not since been again continued. |
|
CHAP. X.
An ACT to empower William Bernard and Thomas Jett, or either of them,
to
sell and convey the lands therein mentioned, agreeable
to the directions of the
last will and testament of John Morton Jordan, Esq;
deceased. PR. |
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