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An Act Relieving the Inhabitants of this Province from some Diffi-
culties they may lye under in Paying their Leavys and other just
Tobacco Debts this Year.
Whereas it is represented to this Present Session of Assembly
that by occasion of the great draught for a considerable time the last
Summer and the great and sudden Gusts of winds and Rains which
Succeeded a great number of the Inhabitants of this Province has
not made Tobacco's Sufficient to Pay their Levys. And foreasmuch
as it might tend to the utter Ruin of many families especially of the
Poorer Sort if the Publick Creditors in this Scarce year of Tobacco
Should insist on the Receiving the whole of their Claims as aforesaid
Be it therefore Enacted by the right honourable the Lord Proprie-
tary by and with the advice and Consent of his Lordships Gov-
erneur and the upper and lower Houses of Assembly and the
Authority of the same that from and after the end of this Present
Session of Assembly at any time before the twenty fifth day of
December next it shall and may be lawfull for any of the Inhab-
itants within this Province that are not in a Capacity to pay any
Part of their Levys this year in Tobacco or money or can only
Pay some Part thereof to apply themselves to any Justice of the
Provinciall or County Courts of this Province or City Magistrate
the which Justice or Magistrate so applyed to is hereby Impow-
ered and required to administer the Oath hereafter appointed by
this Act to such of the Inhabitants as shall desire it or if Quakers
their Affirmation to the same Effect and likewise to give every such
Person a Certificate in the form hereafter Prescribed by this Act of
his having taken such Oath or affirmation before them and every
such Person that shall have taken such Oath or Affirmation and
Procured such Certificate from the Justice as aforesaid And shall
Produce the same to any of the Commissioners appointed by this
Act for the County where they are Inhabitants at any time by the
Seventh day of January next shall not for this year be lyable to any
Execution on account of their Levys for more then hereinafter
Directed nor shall be obliged to Pay more on that Account then
what they shall Declare upon such Oath or Affirmation they can Pay.
But in all such Cases the Sheriffs of the severall and respective
Countys within this Prov. are hereby required Pursuant to the
direction of the Commissioners appointed by this Act for such
County to Creditt such Persons for their Levys, or such Part thereof
as they cannot pay untill another year without charging any Interest
or forbearance for the same and forasmuch as it would be to great
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Acts of 1724,
ch. 19
p. 29
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