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That where permanent buildings are erected with the consent of the owners of the ground, and no price is agreed on or transfer made thereof, if voluntary agreements cannot be made, the appraisers so to be appointed as herein before mentioned, shall value and appraise the ground on which such building is erected, according to circumstances, and on receipt or tender of the amount of such appraisement, the said ground be vested in and considered as the property of the United States, in fee simple or otherwise, according to the estate held therein by the proprietor or former occupant thereof.

And whereas divers persons become possessed of the property of the United States, either expressly delivered to their care on public roads from an impossibility to transport the same to the place or places of destination by badness of roads, breaking down of teams or other causes, or by finding or taking the same:

Resolved, That it be also recommended to the said legislatures to make provision by law, to oblige persons possessed of horses, cattle, stores, or other property belonging to the United States, to deliver the same on demand to the proper officer, or in case no demand is made, to give notice thereof in a limited time to the executive power of the State wherein they reside, or to the nearest quartermaster, commissary or public agent, and imposing heavy fines on such who neglect or refuse so to do; and in cases of felonies committed on the property of the United States, that persons guilty thereof be brought to immediate and exemplary punishment. [XIV Journals of the Continental Congress (Library of Congress), July 23, 1779, p. 868, 869.]

RESOLUTION REGARDING NONSEIZURE OF SUPPLIES BELONGING TO THE FRENCH.

Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on the memorial of the honble the Minister Plenipotentiary of France; and thereupon came to the following resolutions:

Whereas the Minister Plenipotentiary of France hath represented to us that a quantity of wheat and flour hath been procured and collected in the State of Maryland, at a great expence, for the fleet of his most Christian Majesty, and for his garrisons in the French islands; that they are in pressing want of those supplies; that by an act of the legislature of the said State, commissioners therein named are authorized to seize wheat and flour in stores; and that the seizure of the wheat and flour collected as aforesaid, and in the hands of William Smith, Esq., of Baltimore, in the said State, would embarrass the measures of the agent of the marine of the King of France, endanger the success of military plans, and expose to want the garrisons aforesaid; and hath requested our interposition in this regard: Therefore,

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Resolved, That it be, and hereby it is recommended to the governor and council of the State of Maryland, to direct the commissioners appointed to carry the act for the immediate supply of flour and other provisions for the army into full force and execution, to refrain from seizing the provisions which have been purchased by permission of the State of Maryland for the agent of the marine of his most Christian Majesty; to replace them in case they have been already seized; and to permit the exportation thereof.

That a copy of the memorial of the Minister Plenipotentiary of France, and a copy of the papers enclosed, be immediately transmitted, with the foregoing resolution, to the governor and council of the State of Maryland.

Resolved, That Congress entertain a high sense of the exertions of the legislature and governor and council of the State of Maryland to procure an immediate supply of flour and other provisions for the army, and that the governor and council be requested to cause the same to be forwarded as fast as procured to the army, the pressing wants of which demand immediate relief. [XVI Journals of the Continental Congress (Library of Congress), January 17, 1780, pp. 67, 68.]

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING IMPRESSMENT.

A motion was made by Mr. [James] Madison, seconded by Mr. [Joseph] Jones,

That the Board of War be, and are hereby, directed to transmit to Brigadier General Wayne, copies of the intelligence received yesterday, relating to the sailing of the British fleet from New York; and that General Wayne be, and he is hereby, authorised and directed, in case the supplies of provisions and forage necessary for the immediate march of the detachment under his command to the southern department cannot be otherwise obtained, to impress the same, and to report the amount thereof to the executives of the states within which the same shall be taken; such states to be credited therefor as part of the specific supplies due on the requisitions of Congress.

On which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Joseph] Jones,

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So it was resolved in the affirmative. [XX Journals of the Continental Congress (Library of Congress), May 18, 1781, p. 516.]

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING IMPRESSMENT.

A report of the Board of War, was read; Whereupon,

WAR OFFICE, June 4, 1781.

SIR, In consequence of the Resolution of Congress respecting the Convention Troops, of the 23d of May: The Board directed Col. Wood to begin his march as soon as possible; they have taken every measure in their power to prevent delays and interruptions, but from the present situation of public affairs it is possible that unforeseen accidents may retard his march which may eventually be productive of the worst consequences, they therefore request that Congress will be pleased to resolve

Resolved, That Colonel James Wood be, and he is hereby, authorised and directed, in case the supplies of provisions, forage, and waggons necessary for the immediate march of the Convention troops, and the guards under his command, cannot be otherwise obtained, to impress the same, and to give information thereof to the executives of the states within whose limits he shall be obliged to take such measures. [XX Journals of the Continental Congress (Library of Congress), June 4, 1781, p. 598.]

Preamble.

be purchased, except, &c.

PART V. STATUTES ENACTED BY THE STATES

DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

ACTS AND LAWS OF CONNECTICUT.

[Printed from "Acts and Laws, made and passed by the General Court or Assembly of the Governor and Company of the State of Connecticut, in America; holden," etc.

[1777, p. 476]

An Act to encourage fair Dealing, and to restrain and punish Sharpers and Oppressors.

Whereas all Conspiracies, and other Acts to enhance the Prices of Merchandise or any of the necessaries and conveniencies of Life, bought and sold, are at all Times immoral, oppressive to the Poor, and pernicious to the State, and more especially so at the present Time, by Reason of the Interruption of Commerce and great Demand for many Articles, occasioned by the War.

Be it enacted by the Governor, Council and Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That from and after the twelfth Day of November next, no Person in this State shall purchase any of Articles not to the following Articles, (except in small Quantities for their own Use and Consumption, or for the Use and Consumption of their Families or immediate Dependants, or Tradesmen and Artificers, for carrying on the Business of their Trades), viz. Rum, Sugar, Molasses, Tea, Wine, Coffee, Salt, Tow-Cloth or any kind of linen or woollen Cloths, Stockings, Shoes, raw Hides, Leather, Wool, Flax, Cotton, Cotton and Wool Cards, Butter, Cheese, Wheat, Rye, Indian Corn, Beans, Peas, Meal or Flour of any Kind, Beef, Pork, Cyder, Tobacco, Neat-Cattle, Sheep, or other live Stock, (except to keep or fat on their own Without a Li Farms), unless such Persons first obtain a License therefor, signed by the Civil Authority and Select men in the Town wherein they dwell, or a Majority of them when convened together; who shall not grant such License to any Persons but such as are known to be of good Character for Probity, public Spirit, and Friends to the Freedom and Independence of the American States, and who shall have taken the Oath of Fidelity to this State by Law prescribed.

cense.

228

revoked.

And if any Person so licensed, shall misbehave in said, License may be Business, by selling any Articles at unreasonable Prices, or refusing to sell them at reasonable Prices for Bills of Credit of this State, or Bills of the United States, the said Authority and Select men, or the major Part of them, may revoke the License granted to such Persons so misbehaving as aforesaid.

ticle, &c. not to

Licence.

Be it further enacted, That no Person shall sell in this State any of the Articles aforesaid, which he has engrossed or has now in his Possession, or which he may hereafter purchase and bring in from any of the neighbouring States, without first obtaining a License therefor as aforesaid, or a Permit from the Governor and Council of Engrossed ArSafety of this State, on Penalty of forfeiting double the be sold without Value of every Article so sold, or suffer six Months Imprisonment. And to prevent any Fraud in regard of said Articles which shall be sold by any such Purchaser or Engrosser, who has any of said Articles in his Possession, he shall before any such License or Permit be given him, make out a true List or Account of all such Articles which he has for Sale, and deliver the same on Oath to the Authority granting such License.

And whereas many Persons under Pretence of being employed to purchase for the Army, have heretofore purchased up many of the Articles enumerated in this Act, in order to engross them, and sell them again at exorbitant Prices.

have Certificates.

Be it further enacted, That no Commissary or Assistant Commissary, or other Person whatever, authorized to purchase Supplies for the Army or Navy of the United States, shall purchase any such Articles in this State, until he has produced his Authority to, and obtained a Commissariesto Certificate thereof from the Governor, Deputy-Governor, or an Assistant in this State; and any Person who shall purchase any of the Articles aforesaid, under Pretence that they are for the use of the Army or Navy, who is not properly authorized as aforesaid, shall forfeit treble the Value of the Articles so purchased, and be liable to be imprisoned at the Discretion of the Court, before whom the Conviction is, not exceeding six Months.

And whosoever shall be guilty of the Breach of the first Paragraph in this Act, by purchasing any of the Articles therein mentioned, without Licence, shall forfeit Penalty. double the Value of the Articles so purchased. And all Forfeitures by Virtue of this Act, shall belong, one Half

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