Chap. 0023 AN ACT FOR THE EFFECTUAL PREVENTING THE CURRENCY OF THE BILLS OF CREDIT OF CONNECTICUT, NEW HAMPSHIRE AND RHODE ISLAND, WITHIN THIS PROVINCE.
Whereas, in and by an act made and pass'd in the twenty-second year of his present majesty's reign, entitled " An Act for drawing in the bills of credit of the several denominations which have at any time been issued by this government, and are still outstanding, and for ascertaining the rate of coined silver in this province for the future," it is, among other things, enacted and declared, that from and after the last day of March, one thousand seven hundred and fifty, until the last day of March, one thousand seven hundred and fifty-four, an oath shall be required of certain persons and in certain cases in said act particularly declared, of the form following :-
Form of the oath.
Persons chosen into any office, to take said oath.
You, A. B., do, in the presence of God, solemnly declare that you have not, since the last clay of March, 1750, wittingly and willingly, directly or indirectly, either by yourself or any other for or under you, been concerned in receiving or paying, within this government, any bill or bills of credit of either of the governments of Connecticut, New Hampshire or Rhode Island. So help you God.
-and ivhereas the said bills of credit still continue current within the governments aforesaid, and have greatly depreciated in their value, and are liable to depreciate still further, and it is of great importance to the interest of the inhabitants of this province, and to the interest of such of his majesty's subjects in Great Britain and elsewhere as have trade and commerce here, that the currency of said bills should be effectually prevented throughout this government,-
Be it therefore enacted by the Governour, Council and House of Representatives,
[Sect. 1.] That from and after the thirtieth day of March which shall be in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty-four, every person who shall be chose to serve in any office in any of the towns or districts or precincts of this province, shall, before his entrance upon such office, take the following oath, to be administred by a justice of the peace, or, where no justice of the peace shall be present, by the town, district, or precinct, clerk, who is hereby impowred to administer the same ; viz.,-
You, A. B., do, in the presence of God, solemnly declare that you hare not, since the thirtieth day of March, 1754, wittingly and willingly, directly or indirectly, either by yourself or any for or under you, been concerned in receiving or paying, within this government, any bill or bills of credit of either of the governments of Connecticut, New Hampshire or Rhode Island, feo help you God.
[Sect. 2.] And where any person, chosen as aforesaid, shall refuse or neglect to take the oath aforesaid, on tendring the same, the town, district or precinct shall proceed to th,e choice of another person in his room ; and where any person shall be elected by any town, district or precinct into any office, to the non-acceptance or refusal whereof a penalty is by law annexed, such person neglecting or refusing to take the oath aforesaid shall be liable to the same penalty as is by law provided for the non-acceptance or refusal of such office.
And be it further enacted,
[Sect. 3.] That when an}' person shall be chosen to represent any town within this province in the general court or assembly, such person so chosen shall take the oath aforesaid ; and return shall be made by the selectmen, upon the back of the precept, that the person so chosen has taken the oath required in the act made and passed in the twenty-seventh year of his majesty King George the Second, entitled " An Act for the effectual preventing the currency of the bills of credit of Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island within this province " ; and if any person so chosen shall refuse or neglect to take the oath aforesaid, such refusal or neglect shall be deem'd a refusal to serve as a representative ; and the town shall proceed to the choice of another person in his room.
And be it further enacted,
[Sect. 4.] That the oath aforesaid shall be administred to each of the members of his majesty's council, ever}7 year, at the same time when the usual oaths required to be taken by the said members of his majesty's council shall be administred ; and all officers, civil and military, within this government, who shall be nominated or appointed, shall, before they receive their respective commissions, take the oath aforesaid, and their respective commissions shall otherwise be void ; and all persons elected into any office by the general assembly shall be deemed not qualified to enter upon the execution of their respective offices until they have taken the oath aforesaid.
And be it further enacted,
[Sect. 5.] That no execution shall be issued from the office of any clerk of any of the inferiour courts of common pleas, or of the supe-riour courts of judicature, for any sum whatsoever, unless the plaintiff or plaintiffs, suing in his or their own right, and dwelling within this province, shall first take the oath aforesaid, to be administred by a justice of the peace, or by the clerk of the court from which such execution shall issue; and certificate thereof shall be made on such execution; and if any execution shall issue or go forth without such certificate, the same shall be and is hereby declared to be void ; and no licence shall be granted to, nor any recognizance taken from, any taverner, innholder or retailer, by the justices of any of the courts of sessions within this province, until such taverner, innholder or retailer shall have taken said oath in presence of the court, or certificate of his having so done, from a justice of the peace, shall be presented to the court.
And be it further enacted,
[Sect. 6.] That for every oath administred as aforesaid by the clerk of any court, he shall be allowed threepence, and for every certificate by him signed as aforesaid, threepence, and no more; and the
cost and charge of such oath and certificate shall be added to the sura in the execution required to be levied accordingly.
[Sect. 7.]   This act to continue and be in force until the last day of March which shall be in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty-seven, and no longer.   [Passed December 27, 1753 ; lished January 26, 1754.