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An Act to regulate the taking of Sea-weed from Hyde's Hole Beach, in Barrington.

SECTION

1. When sea-weed may be taken from the public beach-in what quantity and

manner.

SECTION

2. Inhabitants of the town only, to carry

away.

3. Penalty for taking and carrying off contrary to provisions of the act.

It is enacted by the General Assembly, as follows:

SECTION. 1. The inhabitants of the town of Barrington may at all times hereafter, between the rising and the setting of the sun, take up and carry off from the public beach in said Barrington, extending west from Hyde's Hole to land of the heirs of John Watson, with their teams, carts or wagons, not exceeding two loads of sea-weed each in any one day: provided, always, that no person shall take more than one load of sea-weed in any one day, until all who shall have repaired to said beach with their teams shall have obtained one load each.

SEC. 2. No person other than an inhabitant of the town of Barrington shall be permitted to take or carry off from said beach any sea-weed, in any manner whatever.

SEC. 3. Any person who shall take or carry off from said beach any sea weed contrary to the provisions of this act, shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten dollars for each and every load of sea-weed so carried off; to be recovered in an action of debt, before any justice of the peace in the county of Bristol; one half part thereof to the use of the complainant, and one half part thereof to the use of the town of Barrington.

An Act confirmatory of the Tenure of Lands belonging to the Narragansett tribe of Indians, and for other purposes therein mentioned.

SECTION

1. Tenure of Indian lands established.
2. Penalty for cutting wood on their

lands.

SECTION

3. Tribe not suable for debts contracted after passage of this act.

Whereas the tenure of lands belonging to the Narragansett tribe of Indians in this state is derived to them from their ancestors, and depends upon tradition and usage among themselves and whereas it is proper that said tenure should be secured to them by statute:

SECTION 1. Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly, and by the authority thereof it is enacted, That said tenure as evidenced by their tradition and usages be and hereby is declared the legal tenure of said lands, and be and is hereby confirmed accordingly.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That it shall not be lawful for any person whomsoever, except the members of said tribe, to cut down, take or carry away from any of the lands belonging to said tribe any tree, timber or wood of any kind whatever, nor aid or assist therein; and if any person or persons shall commit any such trespass, he, she or they shall be liable to an action of quare clausum fregit, to be commenced and prosecuted by and in the name of the treasurer of said tribe for the time being, before any court competent to try the same; and if found guilty shall pay four times the value of the trees, timber or wood by him, her or them so cut down, taken or carried away as aforesaid, and double costs.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That no writ or process at law shall be brought against the said tribe or any individual thereof, for the recovery of any debt contracted subsequently to the passing of this act: that it shall be the duty of all courts and justices in the state, in case any such writ or process be brought, to dismiss the same, and to adjudge double costs against the plaintiff.

Passed 1822.

SECTION

An Act in relation to the Indian Tribe in this State.

1. Commissioner to be annually appointed-his duties.

2. Commissioner to be engaged-term of

office-compensation.

SECTION

3. Power to sue in his own name.
4. Enforce laws for protection of tribe,
&c.

It is enacted by the General Assembly, as follows:

SECTION 1. There shall be appointed annually by the governor a commissioner of the Indian tribe, who shall give bond with surety or sureties to the satisfaction of the governor, for the faithful performance of the duties of his appointment; whose duty it shall be to superintend and oversee the affairs of said tribe; to settle all controversies among them as to real or personal estate, or for other causes subject to appeal to this general assembly; and to ascertain and report to the general treasurer from time to time the situation of said tribe, and any facts relating thereto.

SEC. 2. Such commissioner shall continue in office until his successor is qualified to act; he shall be commissioned and engaged, and shall receive out of the general treasury as compensation for his services such sums as may from time to time be allowed by the general assembly.

SEC. 3. The commissioner may bring, in his name, all actions in behalf of said tribe which might formerly have been brought by the treasurer of said tribe.

SEC. 4. It shall be his duty to enforce all laws heretofore made for the protection and security of said tribe, and for preventing the sale of spirituous liquors among them.

An Act confirming the Grants heretofore made by the inhabitants of the towns of Newport, Providence, Portsmouth, Warwick and Westerly.

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1. Indian grants of lands in Newport, 2. Proprietors to choose clerk and surProvidence, &c., confirmed-common veyor.

lands how divided.

Whereas in the fifteenth year of the reign of Charles the second there was a charter granted to this state of RhodeIsland and Providence Plantations, in which were contained many privileges to the free inhabitants thereof; and among other of the said privileges there was granted to the general assembly of said state full power and authority to make and ordain laws suiting to the nature and constitution of the place, and in particular to direct, rule and order all matters relating to the purchases of land of the native Indians; and whereas the lands of the several towns of Newport, Providence, Portsmouth, Warwick and Westerly, were purchased by the several inhabitants thereof of the native Indians, chief sachems of the country before the granting of the said charter, so that an order or direction from the said assembly could not be obtained therein; and it being thought necessary and convenient for the reasons aforesaid that the lands of the said towns be by an act of the general assembly of this state confirmed to the inhabitants thereof, according to their several and respective rights and interests therein:

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, and by the authority thereof it is enacted, That all the lands lying and being within the limits of each and every of the aforesaid towns of Newport, Providence, Portsmouth, Warwick and

Westerly, according to their several respective purchases thereof made and obtained of the Indian sachems, be and are hereby allowed of, ratified and confirmed to the proprietors of each of the aforesaid towns, and to each and every of the said proprietors the several and respective rights and interests therein, by virtue of any such purchase or purchases as aforesaid; to have and to hold all the aforesaid lands by virtue of the several purchases thereof, with all the appurtenances, privileges and commodities thereunto belonging, or in any wise appertaining to them, the aforesaid proprietors, their heirs and assigns forever, in as full, lawful, large and ample manner, to all intents, constructions and purposes whatsoever, as if the said lands and every part thereof had been purchased of the Indian sachems, by virtue of any grants or allowances obtained from the general assembly of this state after the granting the aforesaid charter: and whereas there is within several of the towns within this state considerable of lands lying yet common or undivided, and for the more orderly way and manner of the several proprietors, their managing the prudential affairs thereof, and for the more effectual making of just and equal division or divisions of the same, so that each and every of the proprietors may have their true and equal part or proportion of land, according to his or their proportion of right; and that the exact boundaries of each man's allotment when laid to him may be kept in perpetuum :

SEC. 2. It is further ordained and enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful for the proprietors of each and every such town within this state, being convened by a warrant from under the hand and seal of an assistant or justice of the peace in such town, the occasion thereof being specified in the warrant, for them or the major part of them so met to choose and appoint a clerk and a surveyor or surveyors, and such and so many other officers as they shall judge needful and convenient for the orderly carrying on and management of the whole affairs of such community, and in like manner to proceed from time to time as often as need shall require.

Passed May, 1682. Re-enacted 1822.

An Act quieting Possessions and establishing Titles of Land within the towns of Bristol, Tiverton, Little Compton, Warren and Cumberland.

SECTION

1. Grants of New-Plymouth, &c., confirmed.

SECTION

2. Distribution of intestate estates.
3. Deeds and conveyances confirmed.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, and by the authority thereof it is enacted, That all grants and conveyances of land heretofore made by the general assemblies of the late colony of New-Plymouth, the late colony of the Massachusetts, or by the province of the Massachusetts Bay, or by any commissioners, agents or persons by them or any of them duly appointed and authorized, or by any other authority derived from them or any of them, lying within any of the towns aforesaid, shall be as good, valid and effectual, to all intents and purposes whatsoever, to the grantees, their heirs or assigns, as if the lands so granted had really been situated in the colony or province by whom or by whose authority the same were made, and shall forever hereafter be so adjudged and construed in all courts of judicature in this

state.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That all estates both real and personal left by persons who have died intestate before the publication of this act, and which lie or are within the bounds of the aforesaid towns, shall be distributed and settled among the children or legal representatives of such intestates, agreeably to the laws of the province of the Massachusetts Bay in force at the time of such intestates' death; which laws shall have the same force and effect in this state, in the trial of and settling and distributing such intestates' estates, as if the same were laws of this state duly made, and shall be so adjudged, construed and understood by all judges and ministers of justice in this state: and that the several town councils of the above mentioned towns be and they are hereby fully empowered and required to complete the distribution and settlement of such intestates' estates as aforesaid, which yet remain unsettled, in the same manner and as fully and effectually in all respects as the same could have been by the courts of probate had the said towns still remained within the province of the Massachusetts Bay.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That all grants, deeds, conveyances and land evidences whatsoever, that have heretofore been made of any lands within any of the aforesaid

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