402

erator, clerk

and commit

tee.

Societies.

or in any other Month in the Year, as they fhall judge most convenient, at fome Place in fuch Society, according to the Notice thereof, to be given them at least five Days before fuch Meeting, by the Committee for ordering the Affairs of the Society or for want of fuch Committee, by the Clerk of the Society.

2. And the Inhabitants being legally affembled, are empowered Tochoofe mod by the Vote of the major Part of them prefent, to choose a Moderator, a Society Clerk, and three or more difcreet, able Inhabitants to be a Committee to order the Affairs of the Society for the Year enfuing; which Clerk fhall take the Oath by Law provided for Society Clerks; and being fo qualified, fhall have the fame Powers and Authorities, as to the Business of the faid Society, as the Town Clerks have in the refpective Towns; and his Doings fhall be as effectual in Law: And the faid Society Clerk, being chofen and fworn, fhall continue in his Office until another be chofen and fworn in his Room.

Clerk to be fworn.

3. And alfo to choose a Society Treasurer, who fhall be under Alfo fociety the fame Regulation, and have the fame Power and Authority in faid Societies, as Town Treafurers have in their refpective Towns.

treafurer.

4. And alfo the said Inhabitants in their lawful Meetings, by their major Vote, as aforefaid, fhall have Power to grant and lay fuch Rates and Taxes on the Inhabitants of fuch Society, and To grant rates others by Law rateable by fuch Society, for the raising fuch Sum and levy taxes or Sums of Money, as may be needed for the fupport of the Miniftry, and School there, and other Matters neceffary for them to do; and to appoint Committees for fuch Purposes as their Occafions call for, as the Law directs: And to choofe and appoint a Collector or Collectors for the gathering fuch Rates and Taxes. And every Collector so chosen that shall refufe to ferve, shall suffer the fame Penalty as is provided by Law in Cafe of Town Officers refufing to serve in the Offices to which they are chofen.

how warned

to meet the first time.

5. That when any Society or Societies are legally set off in any Town or Towns in this State, whereby fuch Town or Towns are divided into feparate Societies, fuch new Society fo set off, and alfo the remaining Part or firft Society in any Town may, in orNew focieties der to their being formed and furnished with proper Officers, warn their firft Meeting in the following Manner, viz. An Affiftant or Justice of the Peace, together with three principal Inhabitants in any fuch firft Society, or in any fuch other Society fet off as aforefaid, fhall grant a Warrant under their Hands, to fome proper Perfon by them deputed to warn all the Inhabitants in the Limits of fuch firft or other Society, to meet together at fuch Time and Place as they fhall appoint: The faid Warning to be given five Days before fuch Meeting; and being fo met, fhall and may act and do all and every Thing lawful and proper for a Society to do as before in this Act is provided.

to

6. That fuch Inhabitants of Towns and Societies as have obtained or hereafter fhall obtain Liberty of the General Affembly Such inhabi. procure, and have the preaching of the Gofpel among themtants as have felves for certain Months in the Year, diftinct and separate from the gofpel the cftablished Place of Worfhip in fuch Town or Society to

certain

months, &c.

which they belong, fhall and may, when and fo often as there may preached for be Occafion, meet together at fuch Time and Place as fhall be appointed, and according to the Notice thereof to be given them at leaft five Days before fuch Meeting, by their Committee, or for want of Committee, by one of the faid principal Inhabitants; and. being fo affembled, may choose a Clerk to enter their Votes, and also a Committee of three or more able, difcreet Men, of the Inhabitants aforefaid, to order the prudential Affairs of fuch Precincts, for the End aforefaid; and may by their major Vote in Their privilefuch their Meetings, grant and lay fuch Rates and Taxes on the ges and powfaid Inhabitants as fhall be needful for the Support of the Minifter whom they fhall procure to preach with them for fuch Time, and for other neceffary Charges arifing among them: and to appoint a Collector or Collectors for the gathering fuch Rates; who fhall have the fame Power to proceed in collecting the fame as Collectors of Societies have, and shall be accountable therefor in the fame Manner as Collectors of Society Rates by Law are.

7. And for the preventing Difputes about the Votes made in Society Meetings, and for the determining the Qualification of Voters therein:

er.

Be it further enacted, That no Perfon fhall prefume to vote in any Society Meeting, aforefaid, unless fuch Perfon hath a Free- Who have hold in the fame Town or Society, rated at Nine Dollars, or One right to vote. Hundred and Thirty Four Dollars in the common Lift, or is a Perfon of full Age, and in full Communion with the Church; nor fhall any Perfon who is or shall be by the Laws of this State, freed or exempted from the Payment of thofe Taxes, granted by any Town or Society, for the Support of the Worship and Miniftry of the Presbyterian, congregational or confociated Churches in this State, and for the building and maintaining Meeting-Houfes. for fuch Worship, on Account or by Reafon of his diffenting from the Way of Worship and Ministry aforesaid, be allowed or admitted to act or vote in any Town or Society Meeting, in those Votes which refpect or relate to the Support of the Worship and Miniftry aforefaid, and the building and maintaining of the Mecting-Houfes aforefaid.

8. And the Acts and Votes of fuch Town and Society Mce- Acts valid tings, paffed without computing Perfons not qualified as above is without, &c. expreffed, and the Acts and Votes refpecting the Support of the Worship and Miniftry, and Meeting-Houfes aforefaid," made and paffed without computing the Votes of fuch exempt Perfons, fhall be deemed and accounted the A&ts and Votes of fuch Town and Society any Law, Ufage or Custom, to the contrary in any wife notwithstanding.

Society clerks, &c. refufing,

9. And be it further enacted, That upon the Refufal, Death or Removal, of any Society Clerk, or other ordinary Society Offi- others to be cer in any Society in this State, fuch Society may affemble together, and choose a new to fill up fuch vacant Place.

10. And be it further enacted, That the Fines by Law inflicted ⚫n Perfons chofen to any Society Office, and who do not accept ⚫r execute fuch Office, fhall be paid to the Treafury of fuch Society; and shall be recovered by Action brought in the Name of

chofen.

the Committee of fuch Society: any Law, Ufage, or Custom to the contrary notwithstanding.

11. And be it further enacted, That if any Perfon, who is not duly qualified according to this Act, to vote in any Society MeePenalty on un- ting, fhall adventure to act, deal or intermeddle, or presume to qualified vovote in any Society Meeting, for the Choice of Officers, grant'ters, &c. ing of Rates, or any other Affairs whatsoever, fuch Offender fhall forfeit the Sum of Two Dollars and Fifty Cents for every fuch Offence: to be levied by Diftrefs and Sale of the Offender's Goods; one Half thereof to the Complainer, who fhall profecute to Effcct, the other Half to the Treasurer of fuch Society wherein faid Offence is committed.

Where focie

12. And be it further enacted, That where two or more Societies are notdif- ties, conftituted by A&t of the General Affembly, have the fame tinguished by Limits and Boundaries, the Members belonging to each fhall be local limits, to defignated by inrolling their Names with the Clerk of the Socie be defignated ty to which they refpectively belong; and it fhall be the Duty of the faid Clerks to inrol the fame accordingly.

by enrollment

&C.

13. And all Persons who fhall arrive at the Age of twenty-one Years, or Women who fhall become Widows, dwelling within the Limits of fuch Societies, fhall have Liberty at any Time with, In cafe they in twelve Months after faid Times refpectively, to elect which make no elec- Society they will belong to: And all Perfons that fhall come from tion, how to any other Place to dwell within the Limits of fuch Societies, may be confidered at any Time elect which Society he or they will belong to ; which Election fhall be manifefted by caufing his or their Name or Names to be inrolled with the Clerk of the Society to which they join ; And in cafe of Non-election within the Time limited by this A&t, the Perfons brought up within faid Limits fhall belong to that Society to which their Parents belonged, (if they dwelt there) otherwife to the Society to which the Head of the Family in which they were brought up, belonged; and Widows, to the Society to which their Hufbands did belong: And Perfons who come from any other Place to dwell there, fhall be taxed by the Society loweft in the Lift within fuch Limits, which fupport the Miniftry by taxing, until they make their Election, as aforefaid. 14. And all Perfons who have or fhall become legal Members To continue to of any fuch Society, fhall continue Members of the fame, during that fociety their Continuance within the Limits thereof, unless released by whereot they Act of the General Affembly, or Vote of fuch Society, and joinare legal members, unlefs, ing to another Society within the fame Limits; which Releafe fuch Society is hereby authorized to grant, by a legal Vote in their Meeting, if they think fit, on Application of any Person defiring the fame.

&c.

Provifo.

Provided, That nothing in this A&t fhall affect the Privileges allowed by Law to any Perfons who foberly diffent from the Worship and Miniftry eftablished by the Laws of this State,

Societies. Stocks. Strays.

An A& in Addition to a Law of this State, entitled, "An Act for forming, ordering, and regulating So"cieties."

[ENACTED IN MAY 1786.]

WHEREAS in and by faid Act where two, or more Societies confituted by Act of the General Affembly, have the fame Limits, and Preamble. "Boundaries, and there happens to be new Inhabitants within faid Limits, provifion is made to which of faid Societies they fhall belong : but no provifion is therein made to which of the faid Societies the Taxes arifing on the Lands of non-refdent Proprietors fhall belong, which occafions much Difficulty and Difpute: which to prevent:

405

on non-refidents where

Eit enacted by the Governor and Council, and Houfe of Reprefentatives, in General Court affembled, That in all Cafes where there now are or hereafter shall be, two or more Societies Society taxes within the fame Limits conftituted as aforefaid, the Society Taxes arifing on all Lands and other Eftate belonging to Non-Refi- payable. dent Proprietors, fhall be, and belong to the Society loweft in the Lift within fuch Limits which support the Ministry by taxing.

An Act appointing Stocks to be made and maintained in the feveral Towns in this State.

PAR. 1.

B

Towns to pray

E it enacted by the Governor and Council, and Houfe of Reprefentatives, in General Court affembled, That every Town in this State fhall make and maintain at their own vide stocks. Charge, a good pair of Stocks, with a Lock and Key, fufficient to hold and fecure fuch Offenders as fhall be fentenced to be fet

therein.

2. And if any Town fhall at any Time be without a pair of Stocks, as aforefaid, the Select-men of such Town fhall forfeit the Penalty for Sum of One Dollar to the County Treafury, and fo the fame Sum neglect, I do for every Month fuch Town fhall be defective therein; to be per month. heard and determined by one Affiftant or Juftice of the Peace; or by the County Court, when the Forfeitures amount to a Sum above the Cognizance of an Assistant or Juftice of the Peace.

An A&t concerning Strays and loft Goods.

[ENACTED IN MAY 1732.]

PAR. 1. BE it enacted by the Governor and Council, and House of
Reprefentatives, in General Court affembled, That

whofoever shall take up any ftray Beaft, or find any loft Goods, Strays or loft being worth Thirty-four Cents, whereof the Owner is not known, goods four.l, how to be prohe fhall carry a true Description of such stray Beaft or loft Goods, ceeded with, with the natural and artificial Marks thereof, to the Regifter of &c.

406

On penalty of, &e.

Owners appearing in fix

months &c. to have reftitution.

Otherwife to

be appraised.

Surveyors.

the Town where fuch Goods or Beaft were found, within fourteen Days after the finding fuch Goods or Beaft; who fhall regi fter the fame, with the Name of the Perfon in whofe Keeping fuch Goods or Beast shall be; to the End the Owner thereof, by applying to faid Regifter may have Notice thereof; upon Penalty that the Perfon fo finding or keeping fuch Goods or Beast, and failing of his Duty therein fhall, for fuch Default forfeit the Value of fuch loft Goods or ftray Beaft: one Half to the Complaincr, and the other Half to the Town Treasury.

2. And if the Owner fhall appear within fix Months after the registering such loft Goods or ftray Beaft, and make good his Title and Claim, he fhall have Reftitution of the fame, he paying all neceffary Charges for the Pains and Care taken about fuch Goods or Beaft, as the next Affiftant or Justice of the Peace fhall adjudge.

3. And if no Owner fhall appear within the faid fix Months, the Regifter aforefaid fhall appoint two Freeholders, who fhall under Ŏath appraise faid Goods or Beaft, according to the then prefent true and juft Value thereof in Money.

4. And if the Owner fhall appear within fix Months next afNo owner ap- ter fuch Appraisement, and make good his Title and Claim, as pearing in fix aforefaid, and pay all necessary Charges for the Pains and Care months after, taken about fuch Goods or Beaft to that Time, (to be adjudged of how difpofed as aforefaid) he fhall have Reftitution of the fame, or the Value thereof, at the Election of the Finder, according to the Appraisement aforefaid.

of.

Or 12 months then, &c.

Select-men to recover, &c.

Provifo.

No ftay to

be taken up unlefs, &e.

5. And if no Owner fhall appear within twelve Months and a Day, after the registering of fuch loft Goods or ftray Beast, the Value thereof, according to the Appraisement aforesaid, shall, after all juft Dues to the Keeper, Finder, and Regifter are defrayed, be to the use of the Treasury of the Town where such Goods or Beaft were found.

6. And the Select-men of fuch Town are hereby fully empowered to recover and receive the fame for the Ufe of faid Town.

7. Always provided, That the Keeper of fuch loft Goods or ftray Beaft, being faithful in his taking Care of them, fuch Goods or Beaft fhall be at the Rifque of the Owner thereof, during the first fix Months after fuch Goods or Beast are first registered.

8. And that no Beait fhall be taken up as a Stray, except it be found in a fuffering Condition.

An Act for appointing County Surveyors in the feveral Counties; and for directing and regulating them in the execution of their Office.

PAR. 1. BE it enacted by the Governor and Council and Houfe of

Reprefentatives in General Court affembled, That there fhall be appointed, by the County Courts respectively in the several Counties in this State, from Time to Time as there fhall be Occafion, one or more Perfons in each County, to be