removed

sion of this commonwealth, and without some legisla tive provision a discontinuance of the said court may thereby be produced: And whereas amidst those distractions and exertions which are caused and called for by a state of war, no leisure is left for questions of a nature merely private: Be it enacted, That no discontinuance shall take place in the general court, or in any proceeding depending therein or belonging there to, by the failure to hold the additional session afore said at the time aforesaid, but in every construction or adjudication in the said court or elsewhere, the adjournment from the session of the said court which was in the month of March in the present year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty one, to the said additional session, shall be taken and deemed as if it had been an adjournment to the session to be holden in the month of October in the same year, or to a session holden under a proclamation by the governour pursuant to an act of general assembly entitled "An act for giving certain powers to the governour and council, and for punishing those who shall oppose the execution of laws," according as the one or the other shall be first holden.

II. And be it farther enacted, That until a declaraCourts sus- tion shall be made by the general assembly to the conpended, except in par- trary, neither the court of appeals, the high court of ticular cases chancery, the general court, nor any county court, shall (Suspensiou hear or determine any matter, cause, or thing, except Nov. 1781, mere pleas of the commonwealth, private questions ch. 12.) brought on by consent, suits instituted for the division of estates, contestations of wills, and such other cases in which the law requires not a declaration or bill in equity to be filed; but the said courts shall still be open for the issuing of dedimuses, for the examination of witnesses, writs of ne exeat republica, injunction, and habeas corpus, de homine replegiando, for the institution of suits in perpetuam rei memoriam, and for no other The issuing purpose whatsoever. And as the issuing of patents of patents whilst there is so great difficulty in entering caveats suspended. (Suspension may produce much injustice, It is farther enacted, That the register shall not issue any patent until the term of six months shall have elapsed after such declaration as aforesaid shall take place; and any patent so issued shall be void. Any caveat may be entered against the issuing a patent at any time within the said six months.

removed

Nov. 1781, ch. 29.)

Time taken

out of act of

Of the time between the first day of January, in the year aforesaid, to the last day of that session of the general assembly, at which the foregoing suspension limitations. of judiciary proceedings shall be removed, no account shall be made in any computation upon the act of limitations,

CHAP. X.

An act for farther continuing an act entitled an act to empower the governour and council to lay an embargo for a limited time.

nor & coun.

ued.

WHEREAS the act of assembly passed in the year Act empow one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight, enti- ering govertled, “An act to empower the governor and council cilta lay emto lay an embargo for a limited time," which was con- bargoes, furtinued by several subsequent acts, will expire at the ther contin end of this present session of assembly, and it is expedient that the same should be farther continued; Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly, That the act entitled "An act to empower the governor and council to lay an embargo for a limited time," shall continue and be in force from and after the expiration thereof until the end of the next session of assembly, and no longer.

p. 141.]

CHAP. XI.

[Chan. Rev. An act for farther continuing an act entitled an act to revive and amend an act to make provision for the support and maintenance of ideots, lunaticks, and persons of unsound minds.

ued.

Act making 1. WHEREAS the act of assembly passed in the provision year one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight, for idiots & entitled, "An act to revive and amend an act to make lunatics, further contin. provision for the support and maintenance of ideots, lunaticks, and persons of unsound minds," will expire at the end of this present session of assembly, and it is necessary that the same should be farther continued; Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly, That the act entitled "An act to revive and amend an act to make provision for the support and maintenance of ideots, lunaticks, and persons of unsound minds," shall continue and be in force from and after the expiration thereof, for and during the term of one year, and from thence to the end of the next session of assembly, and no longer.

CHAP. XII.

p. 141.]

An act for continuing an act entitled [Chan. Rev. An act to exempt artificers employed at iron works from militia duty.

atiron works

WHEREAS the act of assembly passed at the last Act exempt. session, entitled, "An act to exempt artificers employ- ing artificers ed at iron works from militia duty," will expire at the from militia end of this present session of assembly, and it is expe- duty further dient that the same should be continued; Be it there- continued. fore enacted by the General Assembly, That the act entitled "An act to exempt artificers employed at iron works from militia daty," shall continue and be in force from and after the expiration thereof until the end of the next session of assembly, and no louger.

CHAP. XIII.

An act for farther continuing an act entitled An act to amend an act for preventing forestalling, regrating, engrossing, and public vendues.

further con

WHEREAS the act of assembly passed in the year Act for preone thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight, enti- venting, tled “An act to amend an act for preventing forestall- forestalling, ing, regrating, engrossing and public vendues," will regrating, engrossing expire at the end of this present session of assembly, and public and it is necessary that the same should be farther con- vendues, tinued; Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly, That the act entitled "An act to amend an act for preventing forestalling, regrating, engrossing and public vendues," shall continue and be in force from and after the expiration thereof for and during the term of one year, and from thence to the end of the next session of assembly, and no longer.

VOL. X.

D 3

tinued.

Act to ena

ble the governor to

United

An act to revive an act entitled An act to enable the governor and council to supply the armies and navies of the United States and of their allies with grain and flour.

WHEREAS the act of assembly passed in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight, entisupply the tled "An act to enable the governor and council to armies and supply the armies and navies of the United States and navies of the of their allies with grain and flour," expired on the States, and fourteenth day of July last, and it is expedient and netheir allies, cessary that the same should be revived; Be it therefore with grain & enacted by the General Assembly, That the act entitled "An act to enable the governor and council to supply the armies and navies of the United States and of their allies with grain and flour," be revived, and shall continue and be in force from and after the end of this present session of assembly for and during the term of one year, and from thence to the end of the next session of assembly, and no longer.

flour reviv

ed and continued.

Preamble.

Powers and duties of

commissioners of war more accurately defin ed.

CHAP. XV.

An act to regulate the department of the war office.

WHEREAS it is necessary for the establishment of œconomy and greater regularity in the different departments of this state, to invest the commissioner of the war office with more ample powers, and more expressly to define his duty; Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly, That the said commissioner shall have full power and authority to demand and receive such returns from the different public offices as