death and hazard and casualties of war, and the feas, faved and excepted,) one act of parliament, made in the twelfth year of the reign of his late majefty King Charles the second, (intituled, An act for the encouraging and encreasing of shipping and navigation,) or any other stature or law to the contrary notwithstanding. II. Provided always, That nothing in this act contained fhall This act not An act for repairing the highways and bridges in the county of Wigton. An act to enable his Majesty to license a theatre in the city of Bristol. CA P. IX. An act for taking down the parish church of Lilford, being a vicarage united to the rectory of Achurch, in the county of Northampton; and for repairing the parish church of Achurch aforefaid; and for other purposes therein mentioned. CA P. X. An act to continue and enlarge the term and powers of an act, made in the thirtieth year of the reign of King George the fecond, for building a bridge over the river Lea, at or near a place called Jeremy's Ferry; and for making, repairing, and widening roads from thence into the great roads at Snare fbrook, in the county of Effex, and at Clapton, in the county of Middlefex. CA P. XI. An act for repealing an act, passed in the fourteenth year of his prefent Majefty's reign, intituled, An act for the better regulating the government of the province of the Malachufets Bay in New England. WH Geo. II. HEREAS the province of the Maffachufets Bay had for Preamble. many years been governed under a charter, granted by their A& late majefties King William and Queen Mary: and whereas an act, At 14 Gen. III. recited, paffed in the fourteenth year of his prefent Majesty's reign, intituled, An act for the better regulating the government of the province of the Maffachufets Bay in New England, has been found to create great uneafineffes in the minds of the inhabitants of the said province, and has occafioned jealoufies and apprehenfions of danger to their liberties and rights in feveral other of the colonies and plantations in North America: for quieting and extinguishing fuch uneafinesses and apprehenfions, be it enacted by the King's most excellent majefty, by and with the advice and confent of the lords fpiritual and temporal, and commons, in this prefent parliament affembled, and by the authority of the fame, That, from and after the and repealed. paffing of this act, the faid act, of the fourteenth year of the reign of his prefent Majefty, be, and the fame is hereby repealed. B 2 CAP. ! Preamble. CA P. XII. An act for removing all doubts and apprehenfions concerning taxation by the parliament of Great Britain in any of the colonies, provinces, and plantations in North America and the West Indies; and for repealing fo much of an act, made in the seventh year of the reign of his prefent Majefty, as impofes a duty on tea imported from Great Britain into any colony or plantation in America, or relates thereto, W HEREAS taxation by the parliament of Great Britain, for the purpose of raising a revenue in his Majesty's colonies, provinces, and plantations, in North America, has been found by experience to occafion great uneafineffes and diforders among his Majefty's faithful fubjects, who may nevertheless be difpofed to acknowledge the juftice of contributing to the common defence of the empire, provided fuch contribution should be raifed under the authority of the general court, or general assembly, of each refpective colony, province, or plantation: and whereas, in order as well to remove the faid uneafineffes, and to quiet the minds of his Majesty's fubje&s who may be difpofed to return to their allegiance, as to restore the peace and welfare of all his Majesty's dominions, it is expedient to declare that the King and parliament of Great Britain will not impose any duty, tax, or affeffment, for the purpose of raising a revenue in any of the colonies, provinces, or plantations: May it please your Majefty that it may be declared and enacted; and it is hereby declared and enacted by the King's moft excellent majefty, by and with the advice and confent of the lords fpiritual and temporal, and commons, in this prefent parliament affembled, and by the No tax to be authority of the fame, That, from and after the paffing of this hereafter im- act, the King and parliament of Great Britain will not impofe poled, by the King and par- any duty, tax, or affeffiment whatever, payable in any of his liament of Majefty's colonies, provinces, and plantations, in North America Great Britain, or the West Indies; except only fuch duties as it may be expeon any of the dient to impofe for the regulation of commerce; the net produce of fuch duties to be always paid and applied to and for the ufe of the colony, province, or plantation, in which the fame Welt Indies: hali be respectively levied, in fuch manner as other duties collected by the authority of the refpective general courts, or general affemblies, of fuch colonies, provinces, or plantations, are ordinarily paid and applied. colonies in North America or the except, etc. So much of an II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That, act 7 Geo. III. from and after the palling of this act, so much of an act, made as imposes a in the seventh year of his prefent Majefty's reign, intituled, An duty on tea act for granting certain duties in the British colonies and plantations Great Britain in America; for allowing a drawback of the duties of cuftoms upon into America, the exportation from this kingdom of coffee and cocoa nuts of the prorepealed. imported from duce of the faid colonies or plantations; for difcontinuing the drawbacks payable on China earthen ware exported to America; and for more effectually preventing the clandeftine running of goods in the faid colonies and plantations; as impofes a duty on tea imported from Great Britain into any colony or plantation in America, or has relation to the said duty, be, and the fame is hereby repealed. CAP, CA P. XIII. An act to enable his Majesty to appoint commiffioners, with fufficient powers to treat, confult, and agree upon the means of quieting the diforders now fubfifting in certain of the colonies, plantations, and provinces of North America. OR the quieting and extinguishing of divers jealousies and ap- Preamble. prehenfions of danger to their liberties and rights, which have alarmed many of his Majesty's fubjects in the colonies, provinces, and plantations of New Hampshire, Maffachufets Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jerfey, Penfylvania, the three lower counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia; and for a full manifeftation of the juft and gracious purposes of his Majesty, and his parliament, to maintain and Jecure all his fubjects in the clear and perfect enjoyment of their liberties and rights; be it enacted by the King's moft excellent majefty, by and with the advice and confent of the lords fpiritual and temporal, and commons, in this prefent parliament affembled, and by the authority of the fame, That it fhall and may His Majesty be lawful for his Majefty, from time to time, by letters patent impowered to under the great feal of Great Britain, to authorife and impower appoint five five able and sufficient perfons, or any three of them, to treat, to treat with confult, and agree with any body or bodies politick and corpo- the Americans rate, or with any affembly or affemblies of men, or with any for redress of perfon or perfons whatfoever, of and concerning any grievances, grievances, or complaints of grievances, existing, or supposed to exist, in the government of any of the faid colonies, provinces, or plantations refpectively, or in the laws and ftatutes of this realm refpecting the fame; and of or concerning any aid or contribution to be furnished by any of the faid colonies, provinces, or plantations. respectively, for the common defence of this realm, and the dominions thereunto belonging; and of and concerning any other regulations, provifions, matters, and things, neceffary or convenient for the honour of his Majefty, and his parliament, and for the common good of all his fubjects. commiffioners etc. II. Provided alfo, and be it further enacted and declared, That The regula no regulation, provifion, matter, or thing, fo propofed, treated, agreed on, not tions, etc. confulted, or agreed, fhall have any other force or effect, or be to be finally carried further into execution, than is herein-after mentioned binding until and provided, until the fame fhall have been confirmed by par- confirmed by liament. parliament. III. Provided alfo, and be it further enacted by the authority Commiffioners, aforefaid, That in order to facilitate the good purposes of this may order a ceffation of act, his Majesty may lawfully enable the said commiflioners, or hoftilities by any three of them, from time to time, to order and proclaim a fea or land. ceffation of hostilities, on the part of his Majefty's forces, by fea or land, for any time, and under any conditions or restrictions; and fuch order and proclamation to revoke and annul in the fame manner and form. IV. And be it further enacted, That it fhall and may be His Majefty lawful may impower B 3 . the commif lawful for his Majefty, by fuch letters patent as aforefaid, to fioners to fuf- authorise and impower the faid commiffioners, or any three of pend, by pro. clamation, the them, by proclamation under their respective hands and feals, prohibitory from time to time, to fufpend the operation and effect of a act of 16 Geo. certain act of parliament, made and paffed in the fixteenth year III; of the reign of his prefent Majefty, for prohibiting all trade and intercourfe with certain colonies and plantations therein named, and for the other purposes therein alfo mentioned, or any of the provisions or reftrictions therein contained; fpecifying in fuch proclamation at what times and places refpectively, and with what exceptions and reftrictions, and under what paffes and clearances, in lieu of those heretofore directed by any act or acts of parliament for regulating the trade of the colonies or plantations, the faid fufpenfion fhall take effect; and the faid fufpenfion and proclamation, in the fame manner and form, to annul and revoke. or any other V. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, act, or part of That it fhall and may be lawful for his Majesty, by fuch letters an act, relating to America, patent as aforefaid, to authorise and impower the faid commifpaffed fince fioners, or any three of them, to fufpend, in any places, and for Feb.10,1763. any times during the continuance of this act, the operation and effect of any act or acts of parliament which have paffed fince the tenth day of February, one thousand seven hundred and fixty-three, and which relate to any of his Majefty's faid colonies, provinces, or plantations in North America, fo far as the fame does relate to them; or the operation and effect of any clause, or any provifion or matter therein contained, so far as fuch claufes, provifions, or matters relate to any of the faid colonies, provinces, or plantations. His Majesty the commif VI. And it is hereby enacted by the authority aforefaid, may impower That it shall and may be lawful for his Majefty, by fuch letters patent as aforefaid, to authorise and impower the said commisfioners to grant fioners, or any three of them, and they are hereby authorised pardons ; and impowered, to grant a pardon or pardons to any number or 'defeription of perfons within the faid colonies, provinces, or plantations. es,etc. wherein and to appoint VII. And, that no let or hindrance may happen from the vacancy governors in of the office of governor and commander in chief in any of the faid thofe provinc- colonies, provinces, or plantations refpectively, or from the absence of his Majetty Such officer from his government, be it further enacted by the auhath ufually thority aforefaid, That it fhall and may be lawful for his Majeappointed them. fty, by fuch letters patent as aforefaid, to authorife and impower the faid commiffioners, or any three of them, in any of the said colonies, provinces, or plantations refpectively, wherein his Majefty hath usually heretofore nominated and appointed a governor, to nominate and appoint, from time to time, by any inftrument under their hands and feals, a proper perfon to be the governor and commander in chief in and for any fuch colony, province, or plantation; to have, hold, and exercife the the faid office of governor and commander in chief in and for fuch colony or plantation respectively, with all such powers and authorities authorities as any governor of fuch province heretofore appointed. by his Majesty might or could have exercised, in as full and ample manner and form as if fuch governor and commander in chief had been nominated and appointed by his Majesty's letters patent or commiffion; and for that purpose, if need be, to revoke, annul, and make void, any commiffion or letters patent heretofore granted for appointing any fuch governor and commander in chief. VIII. And be it further enacted, That this act fhall continue Continuance to be in force until the first day of June, one thousand seven of this act. hundred and feventy-nine. CA P. XIV. An act for defraying the charge of the pay and cloathing of the militia in that part of Great Britain called England, for one year, beginning the twenty-fifth day of March, one thoufand feven hundred and feventyeight; and for filling up vacancies in the militia, in the cafes therein mentioned. CA P. XV. An alt for the relief of the captors of prizes, with respect to the bringing and landing certain prize goods in this kingdom WHEREAS Several ships and vessels, with their cargoes, have been taken, and condemned as prize, in purfuance of, and under the authority of an att made in the fixteenth year of the Preamble. reign of his prefent Majefty, (intituled, An act to prohibit all Recital of 16. trade and intercourfe with the colonies of New Hampshire, Geo.3. Cap.5. Massachusets Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jerfey, Penfylvania, the three lower counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, during the continuance of the prefent rebellion within the faid colonies respectively; for repealing an act, made in the fourteenth year of the reign of his prefent Majefty, to discontinue the landing and discharging, lading or shipping, of goods, wares, and merchandise, at the town, and within the harbour of Boston, in the province of Maffachufets Bay; and alfo two acts, made in the laft feffion of parliament, for reftraining the trade and commerce of the colonies in the faid acts refpectively mentioned; and to enable any person or perfons, appointed and authorised by his Majefty to grant pardons, to iffue proclamations, in the cafes and for the purposes therein mentioned:) And whereas part of the cargoes of fuch ships and vessels, which is now fecured in the warehouses at Several ports in this kingdom, not being goods of the growth, produce, or manufacture of any British American colony or plantation, or of any other place or country under the dominion of his Majefly, are fubject, by the laws now in force, to the payment of high duties upon being imported into and used in this kingdom; which duties, in fome inftances, being equal to the value of the goods, will not only be a difcouragement to the captors and importers thereof, but will put them under the neceffity to fend fuch goods, for the future, directly to foreign markets, to the lofs of his Majefty's revenue, and the prejudice B 4 |