The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1778-03-24 00:00:00, page 2

At a Ceneral AffemUy of the Ge'/^rnor and Com
pany of the State of Conneßicut holden at Hart
ford by Adjournment, on the 12th Day of Fe
bruary A. D. 1778.
An ACT for the, regulation of the Prices of Labor,
Produce, Manufactures and Commodities within
this State.
WHEREAS the Congress of the United States
of America, premising the neceltity of reduc
ing the quantity of circulating medium in order to
fuppon its value, have-recommended to the several
Sta& in the hrongeft terms to raise supples for car
rying on the war, by taxes, to draw in and con
csl all the bills of credit, by them reflectively emit
ted (small change under a dollar excepted) to refrain
from farther emiriious, and to appoint commissioners
to meet in three divisions to regulate and afeertain
the prices of labor, manufactures, internal produce,
and commodities imported from foreign parts. And
tommiffioners from the States of New Hampshire
Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Ikand and Providence
Plantations, Conneßicut New York Newjeriey
and Pennsylvania having met-at New Haven, and
agreed on a regulation of prices ftJ said States have
reported their doings to this Aflembly which re
port is accepted and approved Wherefore consi
dering that the quantity of circulating medium will
be in some measure reduced by the means aforefaid
which will tend to facilitate the reduction of the
present unequal and exorbitant prices of articles, and
|ut a flop to that growing and alarming evil which
is nut only big with the greatest inufiice to the ref
peßive Statesand to individuals thereof but threa
tens the dissolution of cur armies and the ruin of the
States unJefs timely prevented ty a vigorous exer
tion of the several States in carrying into executi
on the system of regulations recommended by Con
gress as aforefaid.
JAE it enabled &t. That from and^fter rhe twen
) tieth day of March next, the several kinds and
artic'es of labor, manufactures internal produce,
and commodities imported from foreign parts, here
in enumerated and diferibed, shall not, in this State,
exceed the rates or prices at wh ; ch they are stated
in this a&. viz. That the various kYds of labor of
farmers, mechanicks and others shall not exceed
the Rate of 75 per Cent Advance on the Prices
which they were refpeßively at in the fame Places
in this State in the various Seasons of the Year 1774.
Coed merchantable Wheat, Peas, and whte
beans 9/9 per Bushel ; Rye or Rye Meal 6/6 per
Bushel; Oats 3s. per Bushel ; good merchantable
wheat Flour 275. per Hundred; Indian Corn 4/6
per Bushel ; Pork well farted weighing from one
hundred to one hundred and fifty Pounds per Hog
jd. Half Penny per Pound ; from one Hundred and
fifty to tw® Hundred Pounds per Hcg 6d. per Pound
if weighing more than twoHundredpounds per Hog 6d.
Half penny per Pound ; American made Cheese of
the be Quality pd. per Pound ; best grass fed Beef
Hide and Tallow 355. per Hundred Pounds net ;
best ftp'll fed&ef with the Hide and Tallow 48s.
per Hundred net, and so in due proportion for
Beef of inferior Quality ; good Butter per Firkin or
Calk 1/3 per pound ; frefh Butter by the smaller
Quantity 1/4 pe>Pound ; raw Hides yd. Half-Pen.
ny per Pound ; good well tanned Soal Leather per
Pound 2s Skins and all kinds of curried Leather in
due Proportion ; Mens good Neat-Leather Shoes
common fort 12s a Pair ; best Calf Skin ditto 15s.
Womens and Childrens Shoes to be in usual and due
Proportion to the Price of Mens Shoes ; bloomery
Iron at the Place of Manufacture 481. per Ton.and
in Proportion for a left Quantity ; refined Iron §6l.
per Ton and in Proportion for a less Quantity ;
Fig Iron JBl. per Ton; best American manufactured
Steel fit for Edged Tools is. per Pound; common
Steel made in America 1/4 per Pound with Addition
of the Cost ©f Land Carriage of the Tron with which
the Steel is made, if any be; good Weft-India Rum
by Wholesale 1 Bs. per Gallon ; Molasses 9s. per
Gallon ; best Mufeovado Sugar 101. per Hundred
groce Weight ; and all other Sugars in usual Pro
portion, according to Quality ; Coffee not exceeding
4,5 per Pound by the Hundred ; good Whiffy 7s.
per Gallon ; New-England Rum, Geneva, Brandy
and other distilled Spirits not before enumerated
not to exceed 12s. per Galion, that there may be
allowed the Cort 8f Tranfportat/on or Carriage of any
of the Articles before enumerated hem the Place of
their Growth, Manufacture, or the firft Port of
Delivery in this or any of the United States to the
Place of Sale not exceeding the Rate herein after
stated for Land-Carrtage in Addition to the Price; to
them affixed as aforefaid. That the Price ofTeam
Work or any Kind of Transportation by Lmd,
,all not exceed the Rate of 2/0 for the Carriage of
s,eny hundred net Wt. per Mile including aUEx>
p^nces attending the fame. That no Kinds of Ame
rican Manufactures and infernal Produce not parti
cularly enumerated in this A& shall be estimated or
fold at Prices exceeding ,5 per Cent Advance on
the Prices they were usually fold at in the several
Parts of this state in the year 1 7-74. ---That the price
of hemp flax fheeps Wool woolen and linen cloths,
flockings felt hats wire and wool cards, manufac
tured in America shall net be fold at more than
double th# price they were at in the several parts of
the stare in the year 1774.---That salt manufactured
in this state at the place where made shall not exceed
275. per bushel. --That no goods wares, or mer
chandize, imported from foreign parts *nd brought
into this fiate by capture or otherwise, not herein
particularly enumerated and stated shall exceed the
rate of one dollar continental currency for each Shil
ling rterling prime cost of fetch goods in Europe ®r
other foreign places where the fame are pupchafed,
exclusive of all other charges when fold from the im
'porter or cspors excepting only the following ar
ticles viz. All kinds of woolen and linen goods
and checks suitable for the army- -broad cloths not
exceeding ys. fterl. per yard, and oth&r woolen
cloths in that proportion in value hollands and
checks of all kinds net to exceed 2s. per yard prime
cor in Europe drugs and medicines duck of all
kinds cordage tin plates, copperas allum, files,
brimstone felt hats, Rails, window glass, salt,
wire, steel wool and cotten cards naval and mili
tary stores. --Thatall woolen clot), blankets, linens,
faces flockings, hats, and other articles of eloath
ing suitable for the army, he retofore imported which
are or shall be seized and taken by order of authority
for the use of the army, shall be estimated at the
rate of one dollar continental currency for each
flailing h rling prime cost of such goods in Europe,
with the addition of the forced allowance for land
carriage, if any there be, to the place where taken ;
and in case the prime cost of any goods imported from
foreign parts cannot be afeertained the fame shall
be 'eftimeted by the : udgment of two fkilful u Jici
om, and difmterefted men under oath.---And all
Venders of imported articles shall producean a uthentie
invoice of the prime cost made agreeable to the
real cost of the goods at the foreign psrt where pur
chased or if that cannot be done according to an
estimate made as aforefaid ; and when any vender
of such goods is on trial on a complaint for felling
the fame above the stated price, he shall be adjudg
ed guilty thereof unless he can shew by such authen
tic invoice, or other fufficient evidence, he is not
guilty.---That no traders retailers or venders of
foreign goods wares, or merchandize shall be allow
ed more than at the rate 25 per cent advance upon
the price such goods, wares 0- merchandize are or
shall be firft fold at by the importer or captor agree
able to this aR, with addition only of the cost and
charges of transporting them from the firft port of
delivery in this or a neighbouring slate to the place
where the fame shall be fold and delivered by retail,
net exceeding the price stated in this aR for land
carriage.,
That no Innholder in this State shall receive more
'than 50 per Cent. Advance on the whol^fale Price
of any Liquors, or any foreign Articles herein Bated,
and by them fold in small quant ties, with Additi
ons only of the stated Allowance for Land Carriage
if any be, nor for any other Articles of Entertain
ment, Refrefhment, cr Forage -more than at theJßate
of Seventy-five per Cent. Advance upon the Price
the fame were at in the fame Places in the Year 1 774.
And be it further enabled, That the Prices of La
bour Charges of Innholders and the Prices of such
Articles of American Produce and Manufacture as
are not particularly enumerated and fitted in this
AC, shall be afeertained by the Civil Authority
and Selectmen in the refpeßive Towns in thisStafe
according to the Rates or Proportion in this AR
prescribed, who shall make a Lift of such Articles,
with their Prices affixed, and lodge the fame with
the Town Clerk by the 20th ofMarch next ; or if
not eompleated by that Time as soon after as may
be ; and no Person or Persons shall receive more for
any such Article or Articles than shall be affixed to
them as aforefaid. And whosoever shall ask. de
mand, contract for cr receive for Labour, @r any of
the Articles enumerated or described in this AR,
mere than at the Rate or Prices at which they are
stated, either in Bills of Credit of this or the United
States, or by Way of barter or exchange, shall for
feit and pay forevery article for which a sum not
exceeding forty Shillings is rece'ved, or contrasted
to be received a penalty of forty Shillings, and for
every article for which a greater sum is received or
tontraßd to be received a penalty equal to the
whole price contracted for or received for such la,
bear done or article fold, contory to this a& as
aforefaid to be recovered by bill, plaint orWornu."
tion : And any person who shall be convicted before
the County Court and is unable to pay said penalty,
the court ma„lifpofe of such person in service on
board any armed vessel belonging to this State or in
any regiment or company railed for the defence of
this State, for a time lufficient to pay the fame.
And every person ccnv.&cd efthe breach of this AR
shall thenceforth be incapable of bearing any of ce
civil or military in this Bate or of piolecuting or
maintaining any suit at law, cr of taking cut any
execution.
And be it further enabled, That no person resi
dent in this State shall commence or maintain any
suit either in law or equity in any Court or before
an, Afhftant or Justice of the Peace in this State af
ter the twentieth day of March next, during the
continuance of this aft unless and until he take
the following oath before lawful authority viz.
'' You .-- -swear by tie ever-living
God, trat you have not wittingly and willingly re
ceived or contracted to receive for any labour done,
or article fold by you, or any other person in your
behalf, and with your knowledge and cenfent fines
the twentieth of March 1 778, within this State,
mere than at the rate or price at which the fame is
stated by a law of this State entitled An Ac? sos
the regulation of the prices of labour, pioduce,
manufactures and commodities within this State.
So help you God "
And a certificate thereof shall be endorsed upon
the writ or process, or annexed thereto by the au
thority granting the fame ; and every writ or process
granted without such certificate ffiail abate. Provided
nevertheiefs that if any person who shall have been
guilty of the breach of this aft, against whom n,
profecut.cn hath been instituted will and do render
an Account under Oath leoretl c -County Court,
or an Assistant or Jurtice of tl e Peace of all that he
shall have taken for any Labour done or Commodi
ty fold, over and above the stated Price, and pay
double the amount of such Surplus to said Authori
ty ; the one half or moiety thereof to the Person or
Partyinjured, and the other Half to be disposed of
as hereafter in this AR is provided, for the Use here
in after mentioned, and the fame being certified on
any Writ in favour offuch Perf>n the fame shall
be valid, any Thing before in this A& to the contra
ry notwithstanding. Andall sums of Money receive
ed for Fines or Forfeitures by Virtue of this A&
on Convi&ion or Confeff.on before the County
Court, h)all belong to the County Treasury in the
fame County ; but if the Con^i&ion or Confeffion
be before an Assistant or Justice of the Peace, the
Forfeiture shall belong to the Treasury of the Town
in which the Conviction or Confeffion is had, unless
the fame be recovered at the Suit of the common
Informer who on prosecuting the fame to efl&
shall be intitled to the whole Penalty. And when
ever any Person shall be brought to Trial for the
Breach of this AR in receiving for Lal our or Arti
cles fold more than the stated Price ; such Person
shall be deemed and adjudged guilty thereof, aL
though the Complainant shall not be able to produce
'any other Proof than to render it probable, unless
such Person shall mal e Oath before the Court Lefors
whom such Person is on Trial that he or she hath
not been guilty of theFaßs charged against him or
her in the Complaint or Information ; which Oath
such Court is hereby impowered to adminicle/.
And all informing Officers are herel y authorifed
and directed to make diligent enquiry after, and
give Information of all-Breaches-of this" AR which
shall come to their Knowledge. #
And all Goods and Commodities that shall after
the Twentieth of March next le impicTed and ta
ken for the Use of this State, or the United States
agreeable to any Laws heieuflore made fl all be paid
for at the Price stated in this AR any Thing in Lid
former Laws to the contrary Lottfethfhmding.
Provided nevertlQefs that nothing, in this AR
shall extend to hinder or prevent barterir? cr ex
cuangirg between Neighbours, according to the
Usages and Curtoms in the several Tnwi s in this
otatc in the Year 1774, tor their own and Families
Use and Consumption only.
' e '" b ' cr "'ers being &ppointed "c^ m iZ
/^ fioners by the judge of the court of orb
bales in Hertford to adjust the crimes of the ere
duors to the c r ta^e of Auftion I,', gatt late of We
tl crsfield ^ceafed, said edate being represented in
solvent do hereby notify the creditors to said HUtes
that we will attend to adiuft said claimes on the fiRF
and thirdtuefdays of April next at one o'cUck era
Bach day. at the dwelling house of the deceafed.'
Samuel Hart, 1
Roger RILEY, sisf if or# cra,;
March 24, 17,8.