Ordered, That the same be paid.

A Petition from the Committees of the Townships of Walpack, Sandystone, and Montague, in the County of Sussex, in New-Jersey, was presented to Congress, and read.

Resolved, That the same be referred to the Commissioners for Indian Affairs, who are Members of Congress.

The Committee appointed to prepare a Resolution for the sale and consumption of the Teas now in these Colonies, brought in the same, which was read, and agreed to, as follows:

Whereas by the third article of the Association entered into by the late Continental Congress, at Philadelphia, on the 24th day of October, in the year of our Lord 1774, it was agreed, that, from that day, the inhabitants of the United Colonies “would not purchase nor use any Tea imported on account of the East-India Company, or any on which a duty had been or should be paid; and from and after the first day of March then next following, they would not purchase or use any East-India Tea whatever:” And whereas it has been represented to this Congress, that the time as aforesaid limited for the consumption of the Tea

the like manner, as any forfeiture incurred by the laws now in force in the said kingdom of Ireland, against the running or intending to run goods into that kingdom, may, by any act or acts of Parliament now in force there, be prosecuted, sued for, recovered, and applied.

XXXVII. Provided always, and be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That nothing in this act shall extend, or be construed to extend, to any ship or vessel, or the cargo thereof, which shall have been or may be cleared out from any port in Great Britain or Ireland, before the 1st day of January, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, and shall be bound to any of the British sugar Colonies in the West-Indies, or which hath been, or may be so cleared out from the said British sugar Colonies, and shall be bound to Great Britain or Ireland, in case it shall appear by the register of such ship or vessel that two-thirds at the least of the owners of such ship or vessel are his Majesty’s subjects residing in Great Britain or Ireland, or in some of the said British sugar Colonies; nor to any ship or vessel, or the cargo thereof, which shall be cleared out from any port in Great Britain or Ireland, after the 20th day of January one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, and shall be bound to any of the British sugar Colonies, or which shall be cleared out after the 25th day of March, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, from the said British sugar Colonies, and shall be bound to Great Britain or Ireland, in case it shall appear, by the oath or affirmation of one or more of the owners of such ship or vessel, to be endorsed on the register thereof, to be taken before the Collector or other principal officer of the customs at the port or place where such ship or vessel shall be cleared out, (which oath or affirmation such Collector, or other principal officer of the customs, is hereby authorized and required to administer,) that two-thirds at least of such ship or vessel are the property of his Majesty’s subjects residing in Great Britain or Ireland, or in some of the said sugar Colonies or Plantations.

XXXVIII. And whereas many and large debts are now due from the inhabitants of the North-American Colonies herein-before mentioned to divers of his Majesty’s good and loyal subjects residing in Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Plantations in the West-Indies, and many of such good and loyal subjects may have estates and effects in some of the said North-American Colonies: And whereas goods and merchandise have been or may be shipped or laden in the said Colonies, for and on account of such debts, estates, or effects, and other goods and merchandise may be laden there, and sent from thence in consequence of orders given for that purpose, Be it therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, That nothing in this act contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to any ship or vessel which shall have cleared out and sailed from any of the said Colonies for Great Britain, Ireland, or any of the British Plantations in the West-Indies, on or before the 1st day of January, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six; nor shall extend, or be construed to extend, to forfeit any goods or merchandise, or effects which shall be laden or shipped on board any ship or vessel in any of the said North-American Colonies, on or before the 25th day of March, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, as a remittance to any of his Majesty’s subjects, residing in Great Britain, Ireland, or the British Colonies or Plantations in the West-Indies, for or on account of any such estates, effects, or debts, or in consequence of any orders given for that purpose, before the 21st day of December, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, provided proof thereof shall be made, on oath of the parties to whom such goods, merchandise, or effects, shall be consigned, or otherwise to the satisfaction of the Judge or Court before whom any seizure of such goods, merchandise, or effects, shall be depending, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.

XXXIX. Provided always, and it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That nothing herein contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to any ship or vessel the property of any person or persons residing in the said Colonies of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts-Bay, Rhode-Island, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, the three lower Counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, South-Carolina, or Georgia, which, on or before the 1st day of January, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, shall have sailed from any port or place in Europe where such ship or vessel might lawfully trade; or which on or before the said 1st day of January, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, shall be actually laden in any such port or place for Great Britain or Ireland, with such goods and merchandises as such ship or vessel might lawfully so transport; nor to any such ship or vessel as shall, on the said 1st day of January, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, remain in any port of Great Britain or Ireland, anything herein contained to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding.

XL. Provided also, and it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That nothing in this act contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to any ship or vessel, being the property of any of the inhabitants of the Island of Nantucket, employed in the whale fishery only, if it shall appear by the papers on board that such ship or vessel was fitted and cleared out from thence before the 1st day of December, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five; or if the master, or other person having the charge of any such ship or vessel as aforesaid, shall produce a certificate under the hand and seal of the Governour or Commander-in-Chief of the Province of the Massachusetts-Bay, setting forth that such ship or vessel (expressing her name, and the name of her master, and describing her built and burthen) is the whole and entire property of his Majesty’s subjects of the said Island of Nantucket, and was the property of one or more of them on or before the 25th day of March, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five.

XLI. And whereas, before the passing this act, and since the commencement of the said unnatural rebellion, divers persons, vessels, cargoes, and other effects, may have been seized, detained, examined, searched, damaged, or destroyed, for the publick service, in withstanding or suppressing the said rebellion, Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all such acts shall be deemed just and legal to all intents, constructions, and purposes whatsoever; and if any action or suit shall be commenced or prosecuted against any person or persons for or by reason of anything so done, or for or by reason of anything done or acted in pursuance of this act, then, and in every such case, such action or suit shall be commenced within six calendar months next after the fact committed, and not afterwards; and the defendant or defendants shall and may plead the general issue, and give this act and the special matter in evidence; and if the act shall appear to have been done for the service of the publick, or in pursuance of and by the authority of this act, or if any such action or suit shall be brought after the time herein-before limited for bringing the same, then the jury shall find for the defendant or defendants; and upon such finding, or if the plaintiff or plaintiffs shall be nonsuited, or discontinue his or their action after the defendant or defendants shall have appeared, or if upon demurrer judgment shall be given against the plaintiff or plaintiffs, the defendant or defendants shall and may recover treble costs.

XLII. And whereas an act was passed in the fourteenth year of the reign of his present Majesty, (intituled, An act to discontinue, in such, manner, and for such time, as are therein mentioned, the landing and discharging, lading or shipping, of goods, wares, and merchandise, at the town, and within the harbour of Boston, in the Province of Massachusetts-Bay, in North-America;) and also an act passed in the last session of Parliament, (intituled, An act to restrain the trade and commerce of the Provinces of Massachusetts-Bay and New-Hampshire, and Colonies of Connecticut, and Rhode-Island and Providence Plantation, in North-America, to Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Islands in the West-Indies; and to prohibit such Provinces and Colonies from carrying on any fishery on the banks of Newfoundland, or other places therein mentioned, under certain conditions and limitations;) and also another act passed in the same session, (intituled, An act to restrain the trade and commerce of the Colonies of New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and South-Carolina, to Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Islands in the West-Indies, under certain conditions and limitations:) And whereas the prohibitions and restraints imposed by the said acts will be rendered unnecessary by the provisions of this act, Be it therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, That from and after the 1st day of January, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, the said acts shall be, and the same are hereby repealed.

XLIII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That this act, so far as the same relates to the capture and forfeiture of shipa and vessels belonging to the inhabitants of the above-mentioned Colonies, shall, except in the cases herein-before mentioned, commence and be in force from and after the 1st day of January, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six; and so far as the same relates to the capture and forfeiture of all other ships and vessels that shall be found going to trade in or at any of the said Colonies, from and after the 1st day of February, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six; and so far as the same relates to the capture and forfeiture of all other ships and vessels that shall be found trading in or at any of the said Colonies, or bound and trading from any port or place in the same, from and after the 25th day of March, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six; and shall continue to be in force so long as the said Colonies respectively shall remain in a state of rebellion.

XLIV. Provided always nevertheless, and it is hereby enacted by the authority aforesaid, That in order to encourage all well-affected persons in any of the said Colonies to exert themselves in suppressing the rebellion therein, and to afford a speedy protection to those who are disposed to return to their duty, it shall and may be lawful to and for any person or persons, appointed and authorized by his Majesty to grant a pardon or pardons to any number or description of persons, by proclamation, in his Majesty’s name, to declare any Colony or Province, Colonies or Provinces, or any County, Town, Port, District, or place, in any Colony or Province, to be at the peace of his Majesty; and from and after the issuing of any such proclamation in any of the aforesaid Colonies or Provinces, or if his Majesty shall be graciously pleased to signify the same by his Royal Proclamation, then, from and after the issuing of such proclamation, this act, with respect to such Colony or Province, Colonies or Provinces, County, Town, Port, District, or place, shall cease, determine, and be utterly void; and if any captures shall be made, after the date and issuing of such proclamations, of any ships or vessels, and their cargoes, belonging to the inhabitants of any such Colony or Province, Colonies or Provinces, County, Town, Port, District, or place, or of any ships trading to or from such Colony or Province, Colonies or Provinces respectively, the same shall be restored to the owners of such ships or vessels, upon claim being entered, and due proof made of their property therein, and the captors shall not be liable to any action for seizing or detaining the said ships or vessels, or their cargoes, without proof being made that they had actual notice of such proclamation having been issued.

XLV. Provided always, That such proclamation or proclamations shall not discharge or suspend any proceeding upon any capture of any such ship or vessel made before the date and issuing thereof.