in said digest shall be in force and take effect from the expiration of thirty days after the date of said proclamation, and not before; and shall thereafter be the public statute laws of this state; and all other public statute laws heretofore made and published, which are not contained in said digest, shall be and are hereby declared to be repealed, from the expiration of said thirty days from the date of said proclamation, to be issued as aforesaid. Provided always, that such of the statutes contained in this digest, as remain in substance the same as before the said revisal, shall be considered as having continued in force from the time of their being first enacted, or as if this revision had not been made. Provided also, that nothing in this act, or in any of the acts contained in said digest, shall defeat, discharge or in any way affect any right, title, interest, duty, obligation, penalty, forfeiture, claim or demand, which shall have vested, enured, accrued, or become forfeited by virtue of the laws now in force, or which shall be in force until the expiration of said thirty days from the date of the said proclamation, to be issued as aforesaid; nor shall any thing in this act, or in any of the laws in said digest contained, be construed to bar, discharge or abate any civil or criminal process whatsoever now pending, or which shall hereafter be commenced or pending before the expiration of said thirty days; nor to mitigate, remit or discharge any criminal offence, or the punishment thereof, that shall have been committed before that time. SEC. 6. In all cases in which provision is not made either at common law, or by the statutes aforesaid, such statutes as were introduced before the Declaration of Independence, and as have since been continued in practice in this state, shall be considered as part of the common law, and remain in force until the general assembly shall specially provide therefor. SEC. 7. All laws which relate to the emission of bills of public credit, or the calling in and redeeming the same, not contained in said digest, shall be considered as remaining in full force and effect, in the same manner as if the said acts and laws had been contained in the said digest. SEC. 8. All charters and grants of incorporation to any body politic or corporate, and all other private acts or statutes heretofore granted, passed or enacted, not contained in said digest, shall remain in full force and effect, any thing in this act to the contrary notwithstanding. SEC. 9. The Charter granted to the late colony of RhodeIsland and Providence Plantations, by Charles II., King of Great Britain, the Declaration of Independence, the articles of Confederation, President Washington's Address of September, 1796, to the people of the United States, the Constitution of the United States, the act of the Convention of this State adopting the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of this State, together with the following acts of the general assembly, to wit: The act entitled "an act confirmatory of the tenure of lands belonging to the Narragansett tribe of Indians, and for other purposes therein mentioned," contained in the digest published in 1822: The act entitled "an act confirming the grants heretofore made by the inhabitants of the towns of Newport, Providence, Portsmouth, Warwick and Westerly," passed on the third day of May, A. D. 1682: The act entitled "an act quieting possessions and establishing titles of land within the towns of Bristol, Tiverton, Little Compton, Warren and Cumberland," passed January 27, A. D. 1746: The act entitled "an act to secure and appropriate the Touro Jewish Synagogue Fund," passed June 14, A. D. 1823: The act entitled "an act in addition to the act to secure and appropriate the Touro Jewish Synagogue Fund," passed October 30, A. D. 1827: The resolution in relation to said Touro Jewish Synagogue Fund, passed June 28, A. D. 1834 : The act entitled "an act to regulate the fishery in Pawcatuck river," passed in October, A. D. 1798: The act entitled "an act to enforce an act to regulate the fishery in Pawcatuck River," passed in January, A.D. 1822: Shall be published with the laws contained in the digest aforesaid. An Act defining the extent of the several Counties in this State. Counties established, viz: Newport, Providence, Washington, Bristol, Kent. It is enacted by the General Assembly, as follows: SECTION 1. The extent and boundaries of the several counties in the state, shall remain as now established that is to say: The towns of Newport, Portsmouth, Jamestown, New Shoreham, Middletown, Tiverton and Little Compton, shall continue to constitute the county of Newport; and Newport shall be the county town. The city of Providence, and the towns of Smithfield, Scituate, Glocester, Cumberland, Cranston, Johnston, NorthProvidence, Foster and Burrillville, shall continue to constitute the county of Providence; and the city of Providence shall be the county town. The towns of South-Kingstown, North-Kingstown, Westerly, Charlestown, Exeter, Richmond and Hopkinton, shall continue to constitute the county of Washington; and SouthKingstown shall be the county town. The towns of Bristol, Warren and Barrington, shall continue to constitute the county of Bristol; and Bristol shall be the county town. The towns of East-Greenwich, Warwick, West-Greenwich and Coventry, shall continue to constitute the county of Kent; and East-Greenwich shall be the county town. An Act in relation to certain lands in this State, owned by the 1. Concurrent jurisdiction over certain 2. Custom House lot in Newport and Providence exempted from taxes. lands heretofore ceded to the United States, recognized and continued. It is enacted by the General Assembly, as follows: SECTION 1. The several places hereinafter enumerated, which have heretofore been ceded to the United States, or purchased by them, over which concurrent jurisdiction has been granted to the United States, shall continue to be subject to such concurrent jurisdiction, according to the several acts of this state, heretofore passed in relation to them; that is to say: The light house in Jamestown, and the lands and tenements thereto adjoining, ceded to the United States by this state, in 1793. A tract of land at Watch Hill point, in the town of Westerly. A tract of land at Point Judith, in the town of South-Kings town. A tract of land near the south end of the island of Conanicut. A tract of land on Goat Island, in the harbor of Newport. An island called Castle Island, at the entrance of Bristol harbor. A tract of land on Poplar Point, in the town of NorthKingstown. A tract of land at the north-west point of Block Island. A tract of land on Warwick Neck, in the town of Warwick. A tract of land on Brenton's Neck, in the town of Newport. SEC. 2. The lot of land in the town of Newport and the lot of land in the city of Providence, purchased by the United States, and on which the custom houses in those places stand, together with all the appurtenances of the same, shall, so long as they remain the property of the United States, be exempted from the payment of all state and town taxes. SECTION An Act in relation to the Seal of the State. SECTION 1. Seal of the State-recognized and es- 2. Secretary to be the keeper, affix it to tablished. commissions, &c. It is enacted by the General Assembly, as follows: SECTION 1. There shall continue to be one seal for the public use of the State; the form of an anchor shall be engraven thereon, and the motto thereof shall be the word Hope. SEC. 2. The secretary of state for the time being shall be keeper of the said seal, and shall affix the same to acts, laws, orders, commissions and certificates, in all cases which are or shall be required by law; and may affix the same, when requested by any person having occasion therefor. SECTION An Act in relation to the Construction of Statutes. 1. Rules for construing statutes.—Singular and plural numbers.-Masculine gender, &c.- Land.- Lands.Real estate.-Insane person.-Oath. Sworn.-Engaged.-Person.-United SECTION States. Town.-Town councils.- 2. When statutes shall take effect. It is enacted by the General Assembly, as follows: SECTION 1. In the construction of all statutes, the following rules shall be observed, unless the observance of them would lead to a construction inconsistent with the manifest intent of the general assembly, or repugnant to some other part of the same statute: First. Every word importing the singular number only, may be construed to extend to and include the plural number also; and every word importing the plural number only, may be construed to extend to and embrace the singular number also; and every word importing the masculine gender only, may be construed to extend to and embrace females as well as males. Second. The word "land" or "lands," and the words "real estate," may be construed to include lands, tenements and hereditaments, and all rights thereto and interests therein. Third. The words "insane person" shall be construed to include every idiot, non compos, lunatic and distracted person. Fourth. The word "oath" shall be construed to include affirmation; the word "sworn" to include affirmed; and the word "engaged" both sworn and affirmed. Fifth. The word "person" may be construed to extend to and include bodies corporate and politic. Sixth. The words "United States" shall be construed to include the several states of this union, the district of Columbia, and the territories to the United States belonging. Seventh. The word "town" may be construed to include all cities; the words "town councils" all boards of aldermen ; the words "town clerks" all city clerks; and the words "town sergeants" all city sergeants. SEC. 2. Every statute which does not expressly prescribe the time when it shall go into operation, shall take effect on the tenth day next after the rising of the general assembly, at the session thereof in which the same shall be passed. SEC. 3. Every act of incorporation shall be so far deemed a public act, as that the same may be declared on and given in evidence, without specially pleading the same; and all acts of incorporation, hereafter granted, may be amended or repealed at the will of the general assembly; unless express provision be made therein to the contrary. 9 |