Counterfeiting, &c.

as it fhall happen that any fuch falfe, forged, altered or counterfeit Bill Thall be brought to the Treasurer of this State, or offered to him in Pay ment of Rates, or to be exchanged, he fhall fecure them; and he is hereby authorized to feize 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 feize and take into his Custody, every fuch falfe Bill which he fhall fee, obferve, or have Knowledge of, and the fame to retain, enter ing 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 Perfon 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 enalted by the Authority aforefaid, That whenever any Person fhall be the Poffeffor of any fuch falle or counterfeit Bill, (on his discovering it to be fuch) he shall 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 Justice fhall fuppofe the fame to be falfe, as aforefaid, he shall take the fame, and write the Name of the Perfon 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 Perfon 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 fame; 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 Cafe, by examining the Parties under Oath, and taking any other Evidences as they fhall judge juft 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.

Provifo.

Provided always, Such Bill be delivered up or taken, as aforesaid, before the Plaintiff offered the fame back to the Perfon of whom he received it. Provided allo, That no Perfon be profecuted in Form, as aforesaid, but within one Year after he puts off fuch Bill; which Fact may be enquired Provifo.

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 Perfon 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.

ed to court, &c.

And that every Affiftant, or Juftice, that fhall have fuch Bill in his Bill conveyHands, fhall at the Cost of the Party, fafely convey the fame to any Court, where the fame may be wanted in the Trial of the Cafe. D

And

Counties.

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 shall deftroy the fame.

Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Perfon, Society, Number of Perfons, or Company within this State, without fpecial Authority from the Legislature, 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 ufed and improved as a general Currency, or medium of Trade, as, and in Lieu of Money ; fuch Person or Perfons, Society or Company, and every of them, fhall be fubject to the fame Pains, Penalties and Forfeitures, and be punished in the fame Manner as thofe 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, fhall utter, vend or pafs 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 prosecute the fame to Effect, and the other Half to the Town Treafury, when the Trial fhall be before an Affiftant or Juftice; and to the County Treasury when it fhall be before the County Court.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That the Treasurer and Civil Authority be, and they hereby are authorized and directed, to take the fame Method to discover, detect and secure all false and counterfeit 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.

And any Person who hath sustained or may sustain any Damage by receiving any falfe or counterfeit Coin, or any false, 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, shall 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 Prefentment of all Breaches of this Act.

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

Names of BE it enacted by the Governor, Council and Representatives, in General Cours affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That the Towns of Hartford, Weathersfield, Middletown, Farmington, Symfbury, Haddam, Eaft-Haddam, Hebron, Glaffenbury, Bolton, Willington, Stafford, Tolland, Eaft-Windfor, Saffield, Enfield, Somers, Southington, Chatham and Eaft-Hartford, thall be and remain one County, by the Name of the County of Hartford.

.Hartford
County.

New-Haven

County.

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

New-London

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

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

Fairfield
County.

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

That the Towns of Litchfield, Woodbury, New-Milford, Harwinton, NewHartford, Barkhempfted, Hartland, Colebrock, Norfolk, Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon, Kent, Cornwall, Watertown, Torrington, Goshen and Winchester, shall be and 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.

BE it enailed by the Governor, Council and Reprefentatives, in General Court affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That there shall 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 second Thursday in October, (unless neceffitated by infectious or epidemical Difeafes 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 stiled, His Excellency; and one Lieutenant-Governor, whose Title fhall be, His Honor; and twelve Affiftants or Counsellors; a Treafurer, and Secretary for this State.

Litchfield
County.

Two General
Courts yearly

confift.

And the faid General Court fhall be compofed of two Branches; the Governor and Council, and the House of Reprefentatives; who fhall Of whom to convene in different Apartments to tranfact the public Business: And any 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 prefide, the Lieutenant-Governor fhall have a Voice in Council; and the Governor, or Lieutenant-Governor and fix Counsellors, fhall be neceffary to make a Quorum for doing Business. That if at any Time, by Death or otherwife, the Offices of Governor and Lieutenant-Governor fhall 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 Representatives from the several Towns in this State, that fhall be prefent to attend the said Court, fhall make a House of Reprefentatives for tranfacting Bufinefs.

In which General Court, fhall confift the Supreme Power and Authority Their power's of this State; and they only fhall have Power to make Laws and repeal 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 whatever to an Account, for any Misdemeanor or Male Administration;

D 2

To call any officer to 20

and

count.

28

Provifo.

Courts.

and for just Caufe, may fine, difplace or remove them, or deal otherwife as the Nature of the Caufe fhall require; and also may deal and aft in any other Matter that concerns the good of this State; except the Election of Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Affiftants or Counsellors; which fhall be done by the Votes of the Freemen, at the yearly Court of Election.

Provided, That if there be any want of any of the faid Officers, by reafon of Death or otherways, after the Election, fuch Want fhall or may be fupplied and made up by the General Court's Election, or appointing fome fuitable Perfon or Perfons to fupply fuch Vacancy.

That the General Court only, fhall have Power, upon Grounds to them To grant re- fatisfying, to grant Pardons, Sufpenfions and Gaol-Delivery upon Reprieve prieve. in capital and criminal Cafes, unto any Perfon or Perfons that have been fentenced in any other Court whatever in this State.

Not to be diffolv'd without, &c.

Power to call fpecial affem

bly.

Penalty for revealing fe

crets, fol.

No member

to appear as attorney.

Free from

arrefts, &c.

Towns liber

ty to fend one or two depu

ties.

Deputies to meet on election day at 8 o'clock, and

chufe fpeaker

That none of our General Courts fhall be diffolved or prorogued without the confent of the major Part thereof.

That the Governor, or in his Abfence the Lieutenant-Governor, by himfelf, or the Secretary, fhall upon any emergent or fpecial Occafion, call a General Court upon fourteen Days Warning, or lefs, if he fee it needful; provided, he give an Account thereof to the Affembly when they fhall be met together.

That if any Member of the General Court, fhall reveal or disclose any Matter which the Court enjoins to be kept fecret; or fhall make known to any Perfon what any one Member of the Court fpeaks concerning any Person, or Business that may come in Agitation in the Court, he fhali for every fuch Offence, forfeit ten Pounds to the public Treasury.

That no Member of the General Court fhall appear as an Attorney at the Bar of the faid Court; unless it be in his own Caufe, or in behalf of the Town he represents; or fuch Cafes wherein the Law will not allow him to fit as Judge.

Nor fhall any Member of the faid Court, during the Seffions thereof, or in going to. or from the faid Court, be arrested, fued or imprifoned, or any ways molefted or troubled, or compelled to answer to any Suit, Bill, Plaint, Declaration or otherwife, before any other Court, Judge or Juftice; Cafes of High-Treafon and Felony excepted.

And that the Freemen in every Town in this State, fhall have Liberty to fend one, or two Deputies to every Seffion of the General Affembly; which Deputies fhall have the Power and Voices of all the Freemen deputing them in any Matter proper for faid Affembly to act in.

That the Deputies or Reprefentatives, who are returned from the refpective Towns to ferve in the General Affembly in May, annually, fhall meet at their Chamber in the State-Houfe, at eight of the Clock in the Morning on the faid Day of Election; when and where they fhall choose a Speaker and Clerk for their Houfe, for that Seffion; and do any other Matter proper and meet for them to act, before the public Service, and Election on faid Day. And that the faid Deputies returned to serve in the General In October at Affembly in Odober, annually, fhall meet at the State-House in New-Haven, at nine of the Clock in the Morning, on the fecond Thursday of October, and proceed to form the House, as abovesaid.

and clerk.

yo'clock.

Right to determine the election of 'their own members.

Deputy muft

be a freeman, & regularly chofen.

And when the faid Deputies or Reprefentatives are met together at any General Affembly, it shall be lawful for them, or the major Part prefent, to examine, hear, and determine any Difference that may arife about the Election of any of their Members.

And that no Perfon fhall be accepted a Deputy in the General Court, that is not known to be a Freeman of this State, and regularly chofen thereunto by the Freemen of that Town for whom he ferves; nor before he takes the Deputy's Oath by Law provided to be adminiftred to them.

That at the opening of every General Affembly, the Clerk of the House

of

Courts.

of Representatives, then, and every Morning, from Day to Day during the whole Seffions, fhall in the Lower-Houfe, call over the Names of the feveral Deputies or Reprefentatives of the respective Towns in this State, returned to serve as aforefaid, and note thofe that are abfent when called. And the Governor, or in his Abfence the Lieutenant-Governor, fhall have a cafting Voice, whenever an equi-vote fhall happen in the UpperHouse: And the Speaker fhall have a cafting Voice whenever an equivote fhall happen in the Lower-Houfe.

20

Abfence to be daily noted.

Governor & fpeaker to have cafling voice, &c.

Powers of

Be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That there fhall be a Superior Court of Judicature over this State, held and kept annually, at the respective Times and Places hereafter in this Act mentioned, by one Chief fuperior Judge, and four other Judges; to be appointed and commiffioned for that, court. Purpose: Any Three of whom fhall have Power to hold faid Court: Which Court fhall have Cognizance of all Pleas of a criminal Nature, that relate to Life, Limb or Banifhment, and other high Crimes and Misdemeanors, and of Divorce, and of Adultery; and alfo fhall have Cognizance of all Pleas, real, perfonal or mixt, in civil Caufes or Actions, between Party and Party, whether the fame do concern the Reality, and relate to any right of Freehold or Inheritance; or whether the fame do concern the Perfonality, and relate to matters of Debt, Contract, Damage or any other personal Right or Injury; or whether the fame do concern and relate both to the Reality and Perfonality, and are of a mixt Nature, brought before them by Appeal, Writ of Error, Scire Facias, Complaint or otherwise as the Law directs; and the fame to try by a Jury or otherwife, according to Law; and therein to proceed to Judgment, and award Execution thereon accordingly.

of matters of

And also shall have Jurifdiction of all Suits for Relief in Equity, wherein the Value of the Matter or Thing in Demand, exceeds the Sum of One Jurifdiction Hundred Pounds; and to enquire into the fame by themfelves or a Committe; and proceed therein to final Sentence and Decree, and enforce the fame according to the Rules of Equity.

equity.

That the Times and Places for holding the faid Superior Court of Times and Judicature, fhall be as follows, That is to fay;

Within and for the County of Litchfield, at Litchfield, on the first Tuesday in February and Auguft, annually.

Within and for the County of Fairfield, at Fairfield, on the laft Tuesday fave Two, in February and August, annually.

Within and for the County of New-Haven, at New-Haven, on the laft Tuesday fave One, in February and August, annually.

Within and for the County of Hartford, at Hartford, on the first Tuef

day in March and September, annually.

Within and for the County of Windham, at Windham, on the third Tuefday in September and March, annually.

And within and for the County of New-London, at Norwich on the fourth Tuesday in March, and at New-London on the fourth Tuesday in September, annually.

places of feffions.

At Litchfield

Fairfield.

New-Haven

Hartford.

Windham.

NewLondon & Norwich.

Power to

And the Chief Judge, or in his Abfence any Three of the other Judges, fhall be, and they are hereby impowered to call a Special Superior Court, call a fpeciupon any extraordinary Occafion.

And when it fhall fo happen, that the faid Court cannot conveniently be held at the Time or Place appointed, any three of the Judges fhall have Power to adjourn it, to any other Time or Place within the County; or may continue the Matters therein depending, to the next ftated Term; giving Notice thereof to the Sheriff in Writing under their Hands; who fhall proclaim and publifh the fame, in fuch Manner as the faid Judges fhall direct.

That

al court.

Three judg perior court, impowered to adjourn,

es of the fu

&c.