530 Assembly Proceedings, July 11-August 8, 1732.

Session
Laws
p. 14

that suffers, for want of the Record being transmitted, such Costs
and Damages, as shall be, by the Justices of his Lordship's Provincial
Court, judicially sitting, ordered and adjudged; which said Justices
are hereby, upon Complaint made to them, required, after a summary
Manner, to proceed to Judgment thereon.
Provided always, That the Secretary shall not be obliged to answer
any Damages or Costs to any Person, by Virtue of this Act, unless
Orders in Writing, for transmitting the Records, as aforesaid, be left
with the Clerk of the Provincial Court, at least Thirty Days before
the Beginning of the Assizes, on the Shore where the Issue is to
be tried.
Provided also, That the Records being lodged with the Clerk of
Assize, after the Manner aforesaid, shall not impower the Judges to
compel a Trial, against the Will of the Plaintiff, unless, where the
Record is taken out, at the Request of the Defendant, in order for
Trial, by Proviso.
This Act to continue for Three Years, and to the End of the next
Session of Assembly that shall happen after the said Three Years.

Chap. VIII
[Continued
by 1736, ch.
5 and 1740,
ch. 5; ex-
pired in
1744]

An Act to prevent cutting up Tobacco Plants, destroying of Tobacco
and Tobacco Houses; and for ascertaining the Punishment of
Criminals guilty of the said Offences.

Whereas, several evil-minded Persons, have of late gone about,
in many Places, in great Numbers, and violently cut up the Tobacco
Plants growing on several Plantations, and seduced several honest
People to countenance their outrageous Proceedings: Some of which
evil-minded Persons have given out, in threatening and menacing
Speeches, that Peoples Houses and Tobacco shall be burnt and
destroyed. For the preventing of such Outrages, and punishing
such as shall be guilty thereof,
Be it Enacted, by the Right Honourable the Lord Proprietary, by
and with the Advice and Consent of his Lordship's Governor, and
the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly, and the Authority of
the same, That any Person or Persons, who shall, after the End of
this present Session of Assembly, cut or destroy, or cause to be cut
or destroyed, any Tobacco Plants belonging to any other Person
or Persons, or by Threats, Menaces, or other sinister Means, shall
cause or excite any Person or Persons to cut up or destroy any To-
bacco or Tobacco Plants, belonging to any other Person or Persons,
and shall be thereof convict by due Courts of Law, shall forfeit and
pay unto the Party grieved, One Hundred Pounds Sterling, and
suffer Six Months Imprisonment, without Bail or Mainprize; and
shall also remain in Prison, as in Execution, until the said Sum be
satisfied, in Case the Offender be of sufficient Ability to pay the same :
And if the Offender shall not be of sufficient Ability, then, and in