The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1780-01-19 00:00:00, page 1

Sebl. I. Be it therefore enabled by the Council
and General Assembly of this State, and it is here
by enabled by the Authority of the fame, I hat if any
person or persons whatsoever, within this state, shall
either by bargain, contrast or purchase, made after
the publication hereof, get into his, her or their
hands or possession, any flour or meal, with intent
to fell, barter or exchange the fame, within this
state ; —or to withhold the fame from sale; —or any
wheat, rye, Indian corn, buckwheat, oats, or any
other kind of grain, the growth or produce of this
state, with intent to fell, barter or exchange the
fame, within this state, or in any of the neighbour
ing states, either in kind, or in flour, meal, or any
other way--or to withhold the fame from sale—or
any beef, pork, bacon, hogs lard, salted filh, but
ter, cheese, or any other kind of provision whatso
ever, with intent to fell, barter or exchange the
fame, either in this state, or any of the neighbour
ing states ; —or to withhold the fame from sale; —
such person is declared to be an unlawful engrosser;
and, on being thereof legally convicted (upon pre
sentment or indictment) in the court of general
quarter sessions of the peace of the county, where
•the offence shall be committed, shall be lined at the
discretion of the court, where the conviction shall
be had, in any sum not exceeding Three Thousand
Pounds, to be applied to and for the use of the
county: — Provided always, That nothing in this
aft contained shall be deemed, construed, or taken
to hinder or prevent any licensed tavern-keeper,
inn-keeper, ordinary or victualler, from purchasing
any of the said articles, and felling them again to
his, h^ or their guest, in the course of their busi
ness to hinder or prevent any person or per
forms from purchasing so much of any of the said ar
ticles, as may be necessary for the use and consump
tion of his, her or their family, or persons in their
employ, and their families.
2. And be it further enabled by the authority a
forefaid, That if any person or persons whatsoever,
within this state, shall either by bargain, contrast
or purchase, made after the publication hereof, get
into his, her or their hands or possession, any wool,
flax, woollen or linen cloth, iron, hemp, tallow,
raw hides, or dressed or tanned leather of any kind,
the growth, produce or manufacture of this state,
with intent to fell, barter or exchange the fame,
within this state, or in any of the neighbouring
states; —or to withhold the fame from sale; —such
person is hereby declared to be an unlawful engross
er; and, on being thereof legally convicted, fliall be
liable to a like fine as is in the fitft feChon of this aft
mentioned, to be applied as therein directed :—Pro
vided always, That nothing in this aftcontained
shall be deemed, construed, or taken to hinder or
prevent any person or persons from purchasing any
of the said articles, and manufacturing the fame in
the course of his, her or their trade or occupation;
nor from felling the articles so by them manufac
tured, nor from purchasing so much as may be ne
cessary for the use of his or her family, or persons
in their employ, and their families.
3. And be it enabled by the authority aforefaid,
That if any person or persons, within this state, shall
buy, or cause to be bought, purchased or procured,
any neat cattle, sheep, calves, lambs or swine; and
shall fell, barter or exchange the fame, within this
state, thereby enhancing the prices thereof, to the
An Aft to prevent engrossing, foreftalling and en
hancing the prices of produce, manufacture and
merchandize, within this State.
7 HEREAS the evil practice of
M / engrossing and foreftalling has a
m ! natural tendency to produce an
w artificial scarcity, and greatly to
, V enhance the prices of the various
articles of merchandize and country-produce, before
they come into the hands of the consumer.
And whereas those practices are become so pre
valent as to require the interposition of the Legis
lature:
NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.
[Vol. lII.]
STATE of NEW-JERSEY.
WEDNESDAY, January 19, 1780.
7. And be it enabled by the authority aforefaid,
That nothing in this aft contained shall be deemed,
construed, or taken to extend to prevent any com
miflary, quarter-matter, or agent properly appoint
ed, from purchasing any of the said recited articles
for the publick use.
8. And be it further enabled by the authority a
forefaid, 1 hat the justices of the peace at the seve
ral courts of quarter sessions, in the refpedive coun
ties, shall cause this aft to be publickly read at such
courts; and give it in charge to the grand jury par
ticularly to enquire of, and present, all persons who
shall be guilty of engrossing or foreftalling, within
the meaning of the fame.
Puffed at Mountholly, December 15, 1779.
From a lave Boston Paper.
Mr. Willis,
Please to insert the following, and you will much
oblige one, at least, of your readers.
A NIMATED by the glorious principles of
1 civil and religious liberty, we nobly took up
arms, in our own defence, against the most haughty,
and perhaps the most powerful nation, in the world;
the struggle has already been long, much blood and
treasure have been freely expended, and how we
fliall finally succeed, depends much on our virtue.
For Heaven's fake let us not disgrace the name of
Americans, by being basely guilty ourselves, of what
we so justly condemn in Britain; and while we de
clare to all mankind we will sooner 4c than submit
army or consumer, unless he, she or they, shall keep
and feed the fame, at least fix weeks in his or her
house, stall, ftye, farm or pasture ground, or where
he or she hath the herbage or common of pasture;
—such person is hereby declared to be an unlawful
foreftaller; and, on being thereof legally convicted,
shall be liable to a like tine as engroffers are fub
jefted to by the firft fe&ion of this aft; to be ap
plied as therein directed :— Provided always, That
nothing in this aft contained, fliall be construed to
hinder or prevent butchers from purchasing fat cat
tle, sheep or calves, for the use of the market, and
killing and felling out the fame.
4. And be it enabled by the authority aforefaid,
That if any person or persons, within this state,
shall either by bargain, contract or purchase, made
after the publication hereof, get into his, her or
their hands or possession, any goods, wares or mer
chandize, of what nature or kind soever, which
shall be imported into the fame from any part of
Europe, the Weft-Indies, or any of the neighbour
ing states, with intent to fell the fame again by
wholesale, (except only such person as shall pur
chase the fame from the importer or his consignee,
or from the marshal of the court of admiralty);—
such person is hereby declared an unlawful fore
ftaller; and, on being theieof legally convicted, shall
be liable to a like fine as is in the lirft feCtion of this
aft mentioned, to be applied as therein directed.
5. And it is hereby provided and enabled, That
nothing in this aft contained fliall be construed to
hinder any perlon from purchasing any goods, wares
or merchandize, the produce or manufacture of this
or any of the neighbouring llates, from the original
manufacturer, and felling the lame again by retail.
6. And be it enabled by the authority aforefaid,
That if any person or persons whatsoever, within
this state, shall either by bargain, contract or pur
chase, made after the publication hereof, get into
his, het or their hands or pofTeffion, any quantity of
salt greater than forty bushels, and shall withhold
the fame from sale ; —or shall refufe to fell the fame
in small quantities ; —or if any person whatsoever,
who heretofore hath by purchase, contraCt or other
wise, got into his, her or their hands or possession,
any of the articles herein mentioned, more than
what is necessary for the use and consumption of his,
her or their families, and for the use of any person
or persons in his, her or their employment, and their
families ; —fuch person is hereby declared an unlaw
ful engrosser; and, on being thereof legally convict
ed, fliall be fubjed to the penalty in the firft fedion
of this ad mentioned.
THE
to her tyranny, let us not adopt the fame system of
cruelty ourfelves.—Oppreflion, I will ever oppose,
in every nation, in every person, and every species
of it, —that we are all guilty of the greatest injustice
to some of our brethren, and indeed to the most de
fencelefs of them, I mean briefly to shew.—When
we firft engaged in this unnatural war, for the want
of any other fufficient medium, it became necessary
to emit bills of credit, —for some time, they were
freely received, but by reason of further emissions,
together with their local value, &c. depreciation took
place, has continued increasing to the present day,
and to fd great a degree, that even the produce of
this country, notwithstanding the uncommon plenty,
is with the greatest difficulty purchased, by giving
between forty and fifty times what we did formerly';
this being premised, where is the justice of that law
which requires the aged and infirm, the widow and
the orphan, to receive this depreciated money, dol
lar for dollar, in payment for an old debt.
It may be said, none but villains offer it; but
villains there are, and villains there Will forever be,
so long as such a cruel law exists, to support them.:
To my knowledge, many persons eminent for their
patilotifm in the state, and for their piety in the
church, have cruelly availed themselves of this op
pressive law, cleared their incumbered farms, raised
themselves to opulence, and reduced the unhappy
persons who food their friends in times of difficulty,
to the greatest dittrefs and beggary; such patriots;
and such chriftians, if they could avoidfyeteftion,
might, I doubt not, be bribed to fell their country;
like Judas to betray their matter, and rob and mur
der the molt innocent of his followers.
But some of our great statesmen (who by the bye
are not quite out of debt) tell us, that it is best for
the whole that such a law should exist; that it can
not be repealed, without putting the stamp of de
preciation on the money, that is in effect to fay, it
is best for the dates that the most defencelefs part of
the community should be ruined, an'd therefore right.
Lut has not Lord North as concise and specious ar
guments for the support of his plan of subjugating
"' "' could lay, that though the railing of a re
venue from America was not quite just, yet, as he
governs by general laws, it would be best for the
empire, and therefore right. The plans are equally
oppiellive, and the arguments in support of them,
equally good. Lehdes, the evil they wish to avoid,
has already taken place; depreciation, is already
damped on the money, by general cqnfent, impli
citly by public authority, though [ hope not with
indelible characters. Have not our legislative bodies
long lince raised their own wages? increased the
fees and falancs of every civil officer? and why is
this done? without doubt on account of the depre
ciation of the money, and is not this even a public
depreciation of it? if our legislative bodies, and
then dependants, cannot live without making up the
depreciation of money to themselves, by what charm
can the aged and infirm be supported?
If it is unjust that they should take the nominal
um of their old wages in the present money, where
is the justice that others should be compelled by
them to do it? If it is equal to silver and gold for
the distressed widow, and unpitied orphan,—pray
why not for themselves? In short it is high time our
legislature should try to strengthen their government
by coniiftency and justice. War, whether fucceff
ful or not, I know is very expensive, but is it just
that the greater part of the weight of it should be
laid on the most innocent and defencelefs of the
community—that they, and almost they alone, whom
we are bound by honour and honesty to protest,
should be totally ruined?—lt is said taxation will
loon appreciate the money, and then their grievances
will be redressed; but how the present mode of it
amongst us, has the least tendency to effe& it, I
confefs I cannot conceive, unless draining them of
their last shilling will be a redress. The avaricious
hawker, who at the commencement of the war, had
neither character, fortune, education or merit, ar
with no other capital than a few barrels of rum, lu
(See the fourth page.)
[Numb. 108.]