Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Maryland General Assembly Pertaining To The Acadians aka French Neutrals


Proceedings and Acts of the General Assembly, 1755-1756
From the Maryland State Archives


Volume 52, Page 543

Acts. 543
Provided nevertheless, That if his most Sacred Majesty should be
graciously pleased to order the said Inhabitants of Nova-Scotia to any
other Part of his Majesty's Dominions or elsewhere, that then, in
such Case, all Manner of Contracts, which shall have been made
by the Justices aforesaid with any Person or Persons, with regard
to such Child or Children, shall be absolutely void and of one Effect;
and the said Justices shall make the Person or Persons, to whom
any of the Children aforesaid shall have been bound, such an Allow-
ance in the County Levy, as they shall think just and reasonable.
And be it further Enacted, That the Constables of every Hundred
Liber H. S.
No. 1
[Proviso.]
shall, and they are hereby directed to take and return to the next
August Court of their respective Counties, to be entered in the
Records of the said County, an exact List of all and every such
French Neutral, in their several Hundreds, distinguishing therein
the Men, Women, Boys, and Girls; and on Failure thereof, every
such Constable shall be adjudged, by the Court to whom such List
should be returned, in a summary Way, to pay the Sum of Thirty
Shillings Current Money, to be applied for the Use of the County.
Provided always, and be it Enacted, That no Constable shall return
[Constables
to return an
exact List of
all the
French
Neutrals, in
their several
Hundreds,
to next
August
Court.]
any of the said Neutrals as Taxables, but that all and every Neutral
French Man shall be exempt from the Payment of all Taxes.
And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That if
[Proviso.]
any of the said late Inhabitants of Nova-Scotia commonly called
French Neutrals, shall be found travelling above the Distance of ten
Miles from the Place of his or her Abode, or out of the County
where he, she or they, shall reside, without a Pass from some Pro-
vincial or County Magistrate, describing the Person or Persons of
such French Neutrals, mentioning their Place of Residence, and
whither they are going, and limitting a Time for their Return, it
[French
Neutrals
not to travel
ten Miles
from their
Place of
Abode,
without a
Pass.]
shall and may be lawful for any Person or Persons to take up such
French Neutral or Neutrals, and him, her, or them, carry before some
Justice of the Peace; and if, on Examination, it shall appear to such
Justice, that such French Neutral or Neutrals are travelling beyond
the Place or Places, or after the Time mentioned in the said Pass,
it shall and may be lawful for such Justice, and he is hereby required
to commit such Person or Persons to the Public Goal of the County
where he, she or they reside, there to remain for the Space of five
Days, unless he, she or they give Security for his, her or their good
Behaviour and Appearance at the next County Court. And if any of
the said French Neutrals shall be found in any other County, than
that in which they are registered as aforesaid, without such Pass as
aforesaid; it shall be lawful for any Person to take up such French
Neutral or Neutrals, and carry them before some Magistrate of the
County, who is hereby impowered to confine such French Neutral
or Neutrals, until, upon Examination, it can be known from what
p. 282


544 Assembly Proceedings, Feb. 23-May 22, 1756.
Liber H. S.
No. 1
County they departed, and then, by Warrant under his Hand, to order
him, her or them to be conveyed back, from Constable to Constable,
to the County where they belong, or shall properly reside, there to
be confined for the Space of five Days, and then sent by the Sheriff
of such County to their respective Places of Residence, unless
Security be given for his, her or their good Behaviour and Appear-
ance at the next County Court.
And be it further Enacted, That if any of the said late Inhabitants
[Neutrals
who shall
refuse to
work, how
to be
treated.]
of Nova Scotia, after the first Day of June next, being Persons of
Ability of Body, shall use wandering and loitering, and refuse to
work for reasonable Wages, every such Person shall, upon their
Apprehension by Order of any Justice of the Peace, be sent to the
Public Goal of the County where he, she or they shall reside, there
to remain until he, she or they shall be willing to Labour for Sub-
sistence.
This Act to continue for one Year from the End of this Session
[Continu-
ance.]
p. 283
of Assembly, and no longer.

22.d May I7s6 On behalf of the Right 22d May 1756
Read and assented to Honourable the Lord Read and assented to
by the Lower house of Proprietary of this Prov- by the upper house of
assembly ince I will this be a Law assembly
Signed p order Hor.o Sharpe Signed p order
MMacnemara Cl lo ho JRoss Cl Up Ho.

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| in Wax Append.t |


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Acadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home
2004 - Present

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