An Act of Massachusetts to prevent the forging and altering bills of publick credit

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State of Massachusetts-Bay, Council Chamber,

December 3, 1776.

Ordered, That the Secretary be directed to publish in the several Newspapers the following Act.

A true extract from the Minutes.

Attest: JOHN AVERY, Dep' y Secretary.

An Act to prevent the forging and altering Bills of Publick Credit, and for preventing the Depreciation thereof and for making the Bills of Credit of the United Colonies and the Bills of this Government a tender in all payments.

Whereas, by reason of the unjustifiable attacks committed against the United Colonies of America by the troops of Great Britain, and the difficulty of collecting money, plate, and bullion to support the charges of their necessary defence, the Congress of said Colonies have thought fit, for the carrying on the publick affairs and answering the demands of soldiers and seamen employed by them, to order the imprinting and signing a certain number of bills of credit of several sums, by Commissioners thereunto duly appointed and authorized: And whereas the Congress and General Assembly of this Colony have also, for the payment of seamen and soldiers employed in the defence of the same, ordered that a certain number of notes and bills of credit of several sums should be imprinted and signed by Commissioners thereunto duly authorized and appointed: And whereas several of the United Colonies have, by their Governments, severally ordered the imprinting and signing a certain number of bills of publick credit for answering the demands of soldiers and seamen by them severally employed for their necessary defence, all which bills have retained a good currency and have very much facilitated the carrying

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Be it enacted by the Council and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That whosoever shall presume to scribe or counterfeit any note or notes, bill or bills, of the tenour, or in imitation of the bills of credit of the United Colonies, established by any resolve of the American Congress, Convention, Congress, or Government of this, or any of the United Colonies of America, or that shall utter any such counterfeit and forged notes or bills, knowing them to be such, or that shall counsel, advise, assist in, or procure the forging, counterfeiting, imprinting, or signing of any such false notes or bills, or engrave any plate, or make any instrument to be used in forging and counterfeiting such notes or bills, every person so offending, and being thereof convicted before the Superiour Court of Judicature, Court of Assize, and General Gaol Delivery, shall be punished by being set on the gallows for the space of one hour, with a rope round the neck, and shall pay a fine, for the use of this Colony, not exceeding thirty pounds, and suffer six months imprisonment, and be publickly whipped not exceeding thirty-nine stripes, and be incapable of holding any office under the Government of this Colony, or shall suffer all or any of the foregoing punishments at the discretion of the Court before whom the trial shall be, according to the nature and circumstances of the offence; and shall pay to the person or persons that shall be defrauded by such forgery treble damages, and if such offender or offenders shall not be able to pay the charges of his or their imprisonment, the Court before whom the conviction is shall order that, at the expiration of said term of imprisonment, such person or persons shall be sold in service a time sufficient to pay the same.

And it is also enacted by the authority aforesaid, That whosoever shall make discovery and give information of such vile and wicked practice of making or knowingly putting off any false and counterfeit note or bill as aforesaid, so that the person or persons guilty thereof may be rendered to justice and convicted, every such informer shall have and receive as a reward for his good services, on every such conviction, the sum of twenty pounds, to be ordered out of the publick Treasury of this Colony by the Council, on a certificate from the Court before whom the conviction shall be, that such person did inform of such offence according to this act.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That every person convicted of altering or increasing the sum of or figures set and expressed in the notes or bills of credit of the said United Colonies, or either of them, or of forging or counterfeiting any hand, name, or stamps, or other private mark that shall be, or has been made or set thereon, shall be for either of said offences punished in the same manner as is provided by this act against those who shall forge or counterfeit such notes or bills.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person shall, directly or indirectly, receive or pay any of the bills aforesaid for a less sum than is in them expressed, such persons shall be incapable ever after of holding any civil or military office in this Colony, and for every such offence pay a fine of forty pounds, to be received before any court of record by bill, plaint, or indictment; one moiety whereof shall be for the use of the person who shall sue or inform for the same, and the other moiety to the use of this Colony.

And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person or persons shall set or offer his, her, or their goods, wares, or merchandise, at a smaller or less price in gold or silver than what they are by him, her, or them, set at in the paper currency of the United Colonies, or either of them, he, she, or they shall pay a fine of twenty pounds; one moiety thereof to the use of the person who shall sue for and recover the same, and the other moiety to the use of the town where the offence is committed.

And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the bills of credit of the United Colonies, established by the

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And all Justices, Sheriffs, Grand Jurors, and Tythingmen, are hereby strictly enjoined and commanded to bring to justice all persons offending against this act or any part of it.