Hawking and peddling prohibited under penalty of £5, one-half of which shall go to poor of town, manor, district or precinct where offence committed. Repealed by chap. 99, L. 1804. (1785) Chapter 54 Queens county. Enforcement of collection of poor rates assessed during the war. Duty of overseers of Chapter 55 poor. Town of Plattsburg erected-overseers of the poor to be elected. Chapter 57 Hudson City charter. for overseeing of the Common council to provide Chapter 83 Citizens to vote money for relief of poor and an alms Whereas the inhabitants of that part of Claverack district hereinafter particularly mentioned and described, with other inhabitants of the said district, have, by their petition, among others things represented to the Legislature, that a number of the said inhabitants having commercial objects in view, have emigrated from the neighboring States; and purchased a tract of land in the said district, adjacent to Claverack landing, and made, at a great expense, a settlement thereupon-that they intend carrying on a extensive commerce and that in order to facilitate their undertakings, and to enable them to regulate their own concerns and internal police, to adjust such differences as may arise within their own limits, and give stability and permanent security to their settlement, have prayed, that the district of country contained within the limits herein after particularly mentioned, might be separated from the said district of Claverack, and that the inhabitants thereof might be erected into a body politic and corporate, with such powers, jurisdictions, privileges and immunities, as should be deemed requisite to answer the beneficial purposes, intended by such incorporation. And whereas the Legislature are inclined to give every suitable encouragement to the extension of the commerce of this State, and speedy population thereof I. Be it enacted by the People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the district of country contained within the following limits to wit: Beginning at the channel (1785) of the Hudsons River in the county of Albany directly opposite the mouth of the creek commonly called Major Abrahams creek, thence to and up the middle of said creek to the place where the Claverack creek empties into said Major Abrahams creek, thence up along the middle of said Claverack creek, until the said Claverack creek strikes the line of the manor of Livingston as now held and possessed, thence along the line of the said manor of Livingston to the east side of Hudsons River, thence into the said river one hundred and eighty feet below high water mark, thence to the place of beginning, keeping the same distance of one hundred and eighty feet all along from high water mark aforesaid be and is hereby separated from the said Claverack district, and that all the freemen of this State inhabitants within the aforesaid limits, be and hereby are ordained constituted and declared to be, from time to time and forever hereafter, one body corporate and politic in fact and in name, by the name of The mayor, recorder, aldermen and commonalty of the city of Hudson, and that by that name, they and their successors forever, shall and may have perpetual succession, and shall be persons in law, capable of suing and being sued, pleading and being impleaded, answering and being answered unto, defending and being defended in all courts and places whatsoever in all manner of actions, suits, complaints, matters and causes whatsoever, and of what kind or nature soever, and that they and their successors may have a common seal, and may change and alter the same at their pleasure, and also that they and their successors by the same name of the mayor, recorder, aldermen and commonalty of the city of Hudson shall be in law capable of purchasing, holding and conveying any estate real or personal for the public use of the said corporation provided nevertheless, that all such real estate shall lie, and be included within the limits of the said city of Hudson only, and not elsewhere, provided always, that it shall and may be lawful to and for all and every the citizens, sojourners and travellers within this State, at all times forever hereafter to have the free use and enjoyment of all and every the highways, roads and landing places within the limits of the said city, which have heretofore been used and enjoyed as such, and that without any toll, claim or demand of the said corporation for the same, or any other interruption whatsoever; or any alteration of such road or highway without the consent and approbation of the commissioners of the highways of the district next adjoining to the said city, whose inhabitants shall make use of such road or highway (any thing in this act contained to the contrary hereof in any wise notwithstanding). * XVI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the said mayor, aldermen and commonalty, forever here after, have full power and authority to erect and build one or more bridewell or bridewells, house or houses of correction work house or work houses, together with full power and authority to the said mayor, recorder and aldermen, or any one of them, to take up and arrest, or order to be taken up or arrested all or any rogues, vagabonds, straglers and idle and suspicious persons, and as they the said mayor, recorder and aldermen or any one of them shall see cause to order any such rogues, vagabonds, straglers and idle and suspicious persons, either to the said work house, there to remain and work any time not exceeding thirty days, or else to the house of correction, there to receive such corporal punishment as the said mayor, recorder and aldermen or any three of them, whereof the mayor or recorder to be one, shall think fit such corporal punishment not to exceed thirty nine stripes for any one offence, and that the said mayor, aldermen and commonalty and their successors forever hereafter, may and shall have power to erect and build an almshouse for relief of the poor with as full power to order direct and regulate the aforesaid houses, and the persons to be put in and ordered there, as to any city or corporation in any other part of this State, and to the officers and ministers thereof doth or may belong. New York City to raise £6000 for support of poor and other purposes. Washington county divided into towns. Each town to choose two overseers of poor. (1785) Chapter 84 Ninth session 1786 Chapter 18 Repealed by chap. 73, L. 1788. . New York City to raise £6000 for support of poor, Chapter 26 etc. Suffolk county. Enforcement of poor taxes levied during the war. One-half of penalties for malicious trespass in New York, Albany, Hudson and Schenectady to be applied to support of poor. Chapter 32 10th session 1787 Chapter 66 Repealed by chap. 21, L. 1828. New York city to raise £6000 for support of poor. Enforcement of arrears of poor taxes. Chapter 68 (1788) AN ACT FOR THE RELIEF OF CITIES AND TOWNS CHAPTER 14, LAWS OF 1788. Whereas bastards or children begotten and born out of lawful matrimony are often left to be kept and provided for at the charge of the respective cities or towns in which the same are so born, to the great burden of the same cities or towns; for remedy whereof, Be it enacted by the People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That any two justices of the peace of any city or of any county, one whereof residing in or near the town within which such bastard shall be born, upon examination of the cause and circumstance, shall and may by their discretion take order for the better relief of every such city or town, in part or in all, and shall and may likewise by like discretion take order for the keeping of every such bastard child by charging such mother or reputed father with the payment of money weekly, or other sustentation, for the relief of such child, in such wise as they shall think meet and convenient; and if after the same order by them subscribed under their hands, the mother or reputed father, upon notice thereof, shall not for his or her part observe and perform the said order, that then every such party so making default, in not performing the said order, shall be committed to the house of correction or (for want thereof), to the common gaol of such city or county, there to remain without bail or mainprize, except he or she shall put in sufficient surety to perform the said order, or else personally to appear at the next general sessions of the peace, to be holden in and for the city or county, where such order shall be taken; and also to abide such order as the said justices of the peace or the major part of them, in their said sessions, shall take in that behalf (if they then and there shall take any); and that if at the said sessions the said justices shall take no other order, then to abide and perform the order before made as aforesaid. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any woman shall be delivered of a bastard child, which shall be chargeable or likely to become chargeable to any city or town, or shall declare herself to be with child, and that such child is likely to be born a bastard and to be chargeable to any city or town, and shall in either of such cases, in an examination to be taken in writing, upon oath, before any one or more justice or justices of the peace of any city or of any county, wherein such town shall lie, charge any person with having gotten her with child, it shall and may be lawful to and for such justice or justices, upon application made to him or them, by the overseers of the poor of such city or town or persons acting as such or by any one of them, to issue out his or their warrant or warrants for the immediate apprehending such person so charged as aforesaid and for bringing him before such justice or justices, or before any other of the justices of the peace of such city or county; and the justice or justices before whom such person shall be brought is and are hereby authorized and required to commit the person so charged as aforesaid, to the house of correction or common gaol of such city or county, unless he shall give security to indemnify such city or town, or shall enter into a recognizance with sufficient surety with condition to appear at the next general sessions of the peace to be holden for such city or county and to abide and perform such order or orders as shall be made in pursuance of this act. Provided nevertheless, And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if the woman so charging any person as aforesaid, shall happen to die or be married before she shall be delivered, or if she shall miscarry of such child, or shall appear not to have been with child at the time of her examination, then and any of the said cases such person shall, at the next general sessions of the peace, to be holden for such city or county, be discharged from his recognizance or immediately released out of custody by warrant under the hand and seal or hands and seals of any one or more justice or justices of the peace of such city or of any one or more justice or justices of such county, residing in or near such town. Provided also, And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That upon application made by any person who shall be committed to any house of correction or gaol by virtue of this act or by any person in his behalf to any one or more justice or justices of such city or to any one or more justice or justices of such county, residing in or near such town, such justice or justices is and are hereby authorized and required to summon the overseer or overseers of the poor of the city or town to appear before him or them, at a time and place to be mentioned in such summons to show cause why such person should not be discharged; and if no order shall appear to have been made in pursuance of this act, within six weeks after such woman shall have been delivered, such justice or justices shall and may discharge him from his imprisonment in such house of correction or gaol to which he shall have been committed. Provided always, And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall not be lawful for any justice or justices of the peace to send for any woman whatsoever in order to her being examined concerning her pregnancy or supposed pregnancy until one month after she shall be delivered or to compel any woman before she shall be delivered to answer to any question relating to her pregnancy. And whereas the putative fathers and lewd mothers of (1788) |