The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1836-03-02

son challenged as aforesaid, without first
administering TO him such oath or affir-
nation, he shall forfeit and pay the sum
of one hundred dollars, to be recovered
in manner herein after directed. And
that any person whose vote shall be chal-
leDged upon such certificate for INSULT
cheney of estate in any town or ward
meeting, and which shall be admitted for
that time upon his making oath agreea-
bly, to law, shall not be allowed 10 vote
afterwards Oh said estate, unless he
shall produce proper certificate of his
being qualified with sufficient estate ac-
cording to law, from The person appoin-
ted to appraise real estate in such cases,
in the town or city where his estate lies
which certificate il shall be the duty of
the town or city clerks respectively to
record. And it shall also be the duty of
the respective ward clerks of any CITY, to
return said certificate TO the city clerk for
that purpose.
SEC. 4. And be il further enacted,
That no person whose estate is under
mortgage, and the mortgage is in pos
session of such estate, either by suit at
law or by consent of the mortgagor, as
prescribed by statute, shall be admitted to
vote in The election of any officer in this
State, or be capable of acting as free
man therein, but the mortgage, having
possession of the land as aforesaid, shall
be admitted to vote in the election of Off
GERS, if he is in Othor respects qualified
and that no person shall be permitted to
vote on his estate Under mortgage, while
in his possession, unless his interest IN
the said estate shall exceed the sum of
one hundred and thirty-four dollars, over
and above all sdins secured by mortgage
thereon.
SEC. 5. And be it further enacted,
That when any person hath been admit
ted free Of this State, or of any town or
city therein, in right of his wife's dover.
which qualities any other person to vote,
or by having house or houses, or any
other building, or buildings, standing or
being on land which doth not really and
truly belong to the person or persons SO
admitted, in fee tail, or for life, but be-
longs to some other person or persons,
or is only hired for limited term Of
years, the admission of all such persons
to be freemen is hereby declared to be
utterl null and void.
SEC: 6. And be it .frrthor enacted,
That every person before mis- admission
to be freeman, shall be popounded at
least three months in open town-meeting,
or City Council and no person shall
stand propounded to be made free, but
such only who at the time of his being
propounded is really possessed OF such
an estate as is before described, the deed
or other conveyance whereof shall have
been recorded, and also shall be produced
in open town-meeting or City Council at
the time of his being propOunded aud
the town or city Clerk shall make record
of evey person who shall be propounded
and every person standing upon any
town or city clerks books as propounded,
who is not qualified as aforesaid, shall
have no notice taken ofsuch propounding,
but the same shall be void And in clse
any dispute shall arise in respect Of the
value of such estate or freehold, of any
person, so propounded, at the time of such
propoundisg, the same shall be determin-
ed by three persons, or any two OF them,
to be annually chosen by the town meet
ing or city council ofeach respective town
or city, and WHO shall be under oath for
that purpose and no person shall be
permitted to vote or act as freeman IN
this State, unless he shall have been pros
pounded and admitted as aforesaid.
Provided nevertheless, That the eldest
son, being twenty-onc years of age, of
any such freeholder and freeman, shall
without being propounded as aforesaid,
be entitled after admission to all the priv
ileges of freeman.
Sec. Z. And be 1t futher enacted, That
If any person in this state shall attempt to
vote for any officer in any town or ward
meeting, aud shall be suspected not to be
qualified with respect to the sufiiciency
or value of his estate as aforesaid, II shall
and may be lawful for any freeman to in
form the moderator or warden thereof
and TO insist that such vote be not receIy-
ed, except the person suspected will FIRST
declare on OATH or affirmation, to be ad'
ministered to him by said moderator OF
warden, that he is really and bona fide
qualified with sufficient estate, as Is re-
auired by tins act and that if any mod
orator or warden shall receive and admit
the vote of any person suspected aud
challenged ms aforesaid, without first CIV
ing his oath or affirmation as is above re-
quired, such moderator or warden shall
forfeit and pay the sum of one hundred
dollars, TO be recovered in manner here
inafier directed; and that any person,
who shall he challenged as aforesaid, ~
any town or ward meeting, and shall be
admitted to vote for that time upon hi'
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