622 Assembly Proceedings, May 16-July 11, 1747.

Session Laws

Time of their being sworn, take the same Oath, and obtain a Cer-
tificate thereof; and every such Officer failing so to do, shall forfeit
five Pounds Current Money to the Informer, to be recovered with
Costs, by Action of Debt, or Information, in any Court of Record,
within this Province. And every Inspector and Constable shall take
the same Oath, or Affirmation if a Quaker, at the first Court held
for the County where he resides; or at the same Court, if sworn at
the County Court, after he shall be sworn into his Office; under the
like Penalty.

Duty of
Justices in
such Case

And any Justice of the Peace of any County, near the Place where
any Ship, Sloop, Boat, or other Vessel, shall ride, upon Application
to him made by any Person suspecting any Tobacco, in Bulk or
Parcels, to be on board such Ship, Sloop, Boat, or other Vessel, shall,
and is hereby impowered and required to issue his Warrant, directed
to the Sheriff, or any Constable of his County: And the Sheriff
and Constable shall have full Power and Authority, and is hereby
required to enter and go on board such Ship, Sloop, Boat, or other
Vessel, to search for and seize such Tobacco; and the same being
seized, shall be brought on shore, and carried before the same, or
any other Justice, who shall cause the same to be immediately
weighed; and if trashy or bad, immediately burnt; if good, carried
to the Inspecting House, there to be inspected and sold for the Use
of the County. And if any Master, or commanding Officer, of any
Ship or Vessel, or the Skipper of any Sloop, Boat, or other Vessel,

p. 26

or any other Person whatsoever, shall resist the Officer in the Exe-
cution of any such Warrant, every such Master or commanding
Officer shall forfeit and pay fifty Pounds; and every such Skipper,
Sailor, or other Person, so resisting, shall forfeit and pay ten Pounds.
And if any Action shall be brought against any Justice of the Peace,
Sheriff, Under-Sheriff, or Constable, or other Officer appointed by
this Act for doing any thing in execution of this Act, the Defendant
may plead the General Issue, and give this Act in Evidence: And if
the Plaintiff shall be Nonsuit, or a Judgment pass against him upon
a Verdict, or Demurrer, the Defendant shall recover double Costs,

No Inspec-
tor to be
capable of
being a
Member of
the House
of Dele-
gates, or
Collector of
Quit Rents,
or County
Levies; nor
to buy, or
barter for
Tobacco

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no
Person taking upon him the Office of an Inspector, shall, during
his Continuance in that Office, or within two Years after he shall
be out of his said Office, be capable of being elected a Member of
the House of Delegates, or shall presume to intermeddle, or con-
cern himself with any Election of a Delegate, or Delegates, other-
wise than by giving his Vote, or shall endeavour to influence any
Person or Persons to give his or their Vote, under the Penalty of
fifty Pounds, for every Offence. Neither shall any Inspector, during
the Time aforesaid, be, or undertake to be, Collector of his Lord-
ship's Quit-Rents, or of any Public, County, or Parish Levies, or
of any Officers Fees; nor shall, directly or indirectly, for himself,