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Session
Laws
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to tend Tobacco, and the Crops of the several Planters within the
said Precinct, and the Number of Plants growing on any and every
Plantation or Plantations within the same, and on the Twentieth
Day of the Month of July, Yearly, to begin to cut, or cause to be
cut up and destroyed, all Stalks, Slips and Suckers, within such Pre-
cinct; and to proceed therein as there shall be Occasion.
Which Persons so appointed, are hereby enjoyned carefully to
review and examine all the several Fields and Places, whereon To-
bacco shall be tended, within their several Precincts, two respective
Times at the least, after the Plants thereon growing have been by
them counted, and as often thereafter as they shall judge necessary,
in Order to discover whether any Slips or Suckers shall be turned
out or tended, from the Stalks whence any Tobacco plant hath been
before cut; and shall take an Oath, (or Affirmation, if a Quaker)
before some Justice of the Peace, of the County wherein they reside ;
which Oath (or Affirmation, if a Quaker) the said Justice is hereby
impower'd to administer, in the Words following, viz.
" I A B, Do swear, (or affirm) That I will carefully, diligently
" and truly examine and enquire of the Names and Numbers of all
" Persons allowed to tend Tobacco within my Precinct; and truly
'" and faithfully number and count the Plants growing, or that have
" been tended on every Plantation within the same: And faithfully
" and diligently, will review and examine all the several Fields and
" Places, where all such Tobacco-plants are tended; and cut up and
" destroy, or cause to be cut up and destroyed, all Stalks from which
" any Tobacco shall be cut or taken, and all slips and Suckers, grow-
" ing from or out of the same, above the Height of Nine Inches from
" the Ground, and which I shall find standing or growing in any of
" the Fields or Places aforesaid, according to the Directions of the
" Act of Assembly, For Improving the Staple of Tobacco. And that
" I will duly execute all the Powers and Authorities given by the
" said Act, and make a just and true Report of my Proceedings
" therein, without Favour, Affection, or Partiality: And that I will
" make Information of all such Persons who shall be guilty of any
" Breach of the said Act, in any Matter or Thing in which a Coun-
" ter is required to examine and enquire, to some Justice of the Peace
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p. 4
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" for the County wherein the Offence shall be committed, within one
" Month after it shall come to my Knowledge."
And if any Person, appointed by the Vestry of any Parish, to
view, examine, and number Tobacco-plants, and to cut up and de-
stroy Tobacco-Stalks, Slips and Suckers, in Pursuance of this Act,
shall refuse to accept the said Office, and take the Oath beforemen-
tioned, (or Affirmation if a Quaker) every Person so refusing, shall
forfeit and pay One Thousand Pounds of Tobacco, or Five Pounds
current Money :
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