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Provincial Archives of New Brunswick

Fort Havoc (Wallace Hale)

Info The language of the text is the original used by Wallace Hale. Records acquired by the Provincial Archives are not translated from the language in which they originate.

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CAP. LVIII.

An ACT against Tumults and Disorders, upon pretence of preparing or presenting Public Petitions, or other Addresses, to the Governor, or General Assembly.

Preamble.

 

 
TO prevent tumultuous and other disorderly soliciting, and procuring of Hands, by private persons, to Petitions, complaints, Remonstrances, and Declarations, and other Addresses, to the Governor, Council and Assembly, or any or either of them for alteration of matters established by Law, redress of pretended grievances in Church or State, or other public concernments, being made use of to serve the ends of factious and seditious persons, to the violation of the Public peace.

No person to solicit, &c. more than twenty subscribers to Petitions, unless consented to by three Justices or by Grand Jury.

 

Nor repair to the Governor, &c. to present such Petitions, accompanied by more than ten persons.

Penalty.

 
I.   Be it enacted by the Governor, Council, and Assembly, That no person or persons whatsoever, shall solicit, labour, or procure the getting of Hands, or other consent, of any persons above the number of Twenty or more, to any Petition, Complaint, Remonstrance, Declaration, or other Address, to the Governor, Council and Assembly, or any or either of them, for alteration of matters established by Law in Church or State, unless the matter thereof have been first consented unto, and ordered, by three or more Justices of that County, or by the major part of the Grand Jury of the County or division of the County, where the same matter shall arise, at their Public Assizes or General Quarter Sessions; and that no person or persons whatsoever, shall repair to the Governor, Council or Assembly, upon pretence of presenting, or delivering any Petition, Complaint, Remonstrance or Declaration, or other Addresses, accompanied, with excessinve number of people, or at any one time with more than the number of Ten persons; upon pain of incurring a penalty, not exceeding the sum of One Hundred Pounds in money, and Three Months Imprisonment without bail or mainprize for every offence; which offence to be prosecuted in the Supreme Court, or at the General Quarter Sessions, within Six Months after the offence committed; and proved by two or more credible witnesses.

This Act not to extend to persons not exceeding twenty presenting grievances to Members of Council, &c.

Nor to Addresses of the Countil, &c. to the Governor.

 
II.   Provided always, That this Act, or any thing therein contained, shall not be construed, to extend to debar, or hinder any person, or persons, not exceeding the number of Twenty aforesaid, to present any public or private grievance, or complaint, to any Member or Members of the Council of Assembly, during the sitting of the General Assembly or to the Governor, for any rememdy to be thereupon had; not to extend to any Address whatsoever, to the Governor, by all or any of the Members of the Council and Assembly, or either of them during the sitting of the General Assembly, but that they may enjoy their freedom of access to His Excellency, as heretofore hath been used.

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C. 58. Anno XXVI. Geo. III.   A. D. 1786.


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