In General Assembly, Rhode-Island

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An Act for the punishment of persons who shall be found guilty of holding a traitorous correspondence with the Ministry of GREAT BRITAIN, or any of their Officers or Agents, or of supplying the Ministerial Army or Navy, that now is or may be employed in AMERICA against the UNITED COLONIES, with Provisions, Cannon, Arms, Ammunition, or warlike or naval Stores, or of acting as Pilots on board any of their Ships or Vessels.

Whereas the Ministry of Great Britain have, for several years last past, steadily pursued a plan for subjecting the inhabitants of the British Colonies in America to an absolute, unconditional state of slavery, and have proceeded at length to the burning of our Towns, and spreading desolation and slaughter, as far as it hath been in their power, through the Country, in a manner totally inconsistent with the practice of civilized nations, and unworthy of the reputation formerly sustained by British troops; and whereas the aforesaid Colonies have been reduced to the fatal necessity of taking up arms in defence of those inestimable rights and liberties which they derive from the unerring laws of nature and the fundamental principles of the British Constitution, and which they cannot resign but with their lives; and whereas several of the inhabitants of the said Colonies, lost to every generous sentiment of liberty, of love to their Country and posterity, have kept up a traitorous correspondence with, and supplied the Ministerial Troops and Navy, and some of them have acted as pilots on board their ships and vessels, whereby the safety and liberties of the said Colonies may be greatly endangered:

Be it therefore enacted by this General Assembly, and by the authority thereof it is enacted, That if any of the inhabitants of the said Colonies, within this Colony, or any of the inhabitants of this Colony, within any other Colony, shall be found guilty of holding a traitorous correspondence with the Ministry of Great Britain, or any of their officers and agents, or of supplying the Ministerial Army or Navy that now is or may be employed in America, against the United Colonies, with provisions, cannon, arms, ammunition, or warlike or naval stores, or of acting as pilots on board any of their ships or vessels, he or they so offending shall suffer the pains of death, as in cases of felony, and shall forfeit his lands, goods, and chattels, to the Colony, to be disposed of by the General Assembly as they shall think fit, all necessary charges of prosecution, condemnation, and execution, being first deducted; and that all offences against this act shall be cognizable before the Superior Court of Judicature, Court of Assize, and General Jail Delivery, of this Colony. The negotiation and treaty of the Town Council with Captain Wallace, respecting the supplying the ships of war stationed in the harbour of Newport, and the regulation thereof by the commanding officer, allowed of by this General Assembly at this present session, to be excepted out of this act.

And be it further enacted by this General Assembly,

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HENRY WARD, Secretary.

November 6, 1775.

Cambridge, November 6, 1775.