Duncan and William Ultey concerning the title of the tract of land aforesaid-appeals to be allowed as in other causes-any law, usage or custom to the contrary notwithstanding. AN ACT in addition to an Act, entitled "an Act for the division of Counties within this State." * Be it enacted, &c. that all the lands within this State, on the east side of Connecticut river, lying and being opposite the county of Orange, be, and hereby are, for the the time being, annexed to the said county of Orange. Be it further enacted, that all the lands lying and being within this State, on the east side of Connecticut river, opposite to the county of Windsor, and northward of the northerly lines of the towns of Claremont, Newport, Unity, and Wendal, be, and hereby are, for the time being, annexed to the county of Windsor. And be it further enacted, that all the lands within this State, on the east side of Connecticut river, southward of the northwardly lines of the towns of Claremont, Newport, Unity, and Wendal, be, and hereby are, for the time being, erected into one entire and distinct county, by the name of Washington county. AN ACT to impower the Courts hereafter to be appointed in the Counties of Washington and Orange, to take up all actions and suits, both civil and criminal, pending in said counties, and pursue them to final judgment and execution. Whereas, there have been divers actions and suits, both civil and criminal, commenced in the counties of Cheshire and Grafton, while under the jurisdiction of New-Hampshire; many of which are now pending and undetermined :-Therefore, to prevent injustice to the public, or expense to individuals, respecting the same, Be it enacted, &c. that all suits, actions, and processes of whatever name or nature, now pending in any inferior court of common pleas, or court of general sessions of the peace, within either of the said counties, be transferred to, taken up, tried and determined by the county courts, hereafter respectively appointed in the counties of Washington and Orange; and that no fees be demanded by the said courts, for entering any actions, which have been already entered in either of the said counties of Cheshire and Grafton; and that all suits now pending in the su *For an account of the union of part of New-Hampshire with Vermont, see page 126-37. The territory claimed by Vermont on the east side of Connecticut river, was, by an act passed at this session, divided into four probate districts, viz: the districts of Keen, Claremont, Dresden, and Haverhill. perior court, in either of said counties, be, in like manner, taken up, and transferred to the superior courts of the State of Vermont, to be by them determined and that the said suits and actions be tried and adjudged, and cost taxed, and appeals allowed, agreeable to the rules, laws and customs of the State of New-Hampshire: and that all attachments heretofore made, and all bail heretofore taken, be allowed and held good: and that all executions, writs and warrants, now in the hands of any or either of the sheriffs or officers, in the counties aforesaid, be levied, served, and returned by the said officers, to the superior or county courts respectively, as they issued from the superior or inferior courts in said counties and that alias and pluries executions be issued and levied, until the said judgments be satisfied and that the said courts, hereafter to be appointed in said counties, be. and they are hereby, impowered to hear and determine all suits and actions now pending in either of said counties, for the trial of the title to any tract or tracts of land whatever, in either of said counties: and that all appeals heretofore made from any judgment recovered in any inferior court, in either of said counties, to a superior court, and not yet entered, be entered and tried at the superior court of the State of Vermont, at their next session in said counties. And be it further enacted, that all actions and suits pending in the superior, or county courts, in said county of Cheshire, be transferred to the superior, and county courts respectively, that shall first be held in the county of Washington; and all actions and suits pending in the county of Grafton, be, in like manner, transferred to the superior and county courts, to be holden in the county of Orange. AN ACT directing the County Courts in their Office and Duty. Be it enacted, &c. that any three judges of the county courts in said State, when commissioned, shall have power to hold county courts in their respective counties, at the times and places by law appointed, and also on their own adjournments: which county courts shall have power to hear and determine all crimes and misdemeanors not capital, and which by law are cognizable before said court; and also to hear and determine all civil actions and suits between parties, where the demand or matter in dispute shall exceed the sum of six pounds; and also to hear and determine all causes, actions, and suits which shall be brought before them by appeal from the judgment of any justice of the peace, within their respective counties: and that any one or two judges of the said county courts, being at the time and place by law appointed, for holding the said courts, shall have power to open and adjourn the same. That the judges of the county courts, in their respective counties, shall have power to appoint a clerk for their court; who shall, and is hereby impowered to, grant executions on judgments rendered in said courts, and to act and do all things proper to be done, by the clerk of a county court in the execution of his office, according to the rules, orders and directions of the said courts: which clerk shall be the county register. And that the chief judge of either of said courts, or, in his absence, any two of his assistants, be hereby impowered to call a special court, upon any extraordinary occasion, within his respective county: any law, usage or custom to the contrary notwithstanding, And be it further enacted, that the judges of the said county courts in their respective counties, shall have power to appoint a county treasurer, and State's attorney for the county: and the said county treasurer, when thereto required by the county court, shall become bound to the treasurer of the State, with two sureties, such as the said court shall approve, in the penal sum of two thousand pounds lawful money; which surety shall be renewed when, and so often as, the said court shall require. And be it further enacted, that no plaintiff or plaintiffs, in any action of assault and battery, or trespass on the case, shall be allowed for costs, more than the damage recovered, unless such damage shall exceed the sum of six pounds. AN ACT for more effectually supplying the Troops. Whereas, the quantities of provisions ordered to be raised by the General Assembly of this State, at their sessions in October last, is found to be insufficient to answer the purpose of supplying the troops necessary to be employed in the defence of said State, for the ensuing campaign; which makes it necessary that some other measures be pointed out to furnish an additional supply, from time to time, as may be found necessary. For which purpose, Be it enacted, &c. that the Commissary General of purchases of this State be, from time to time, supplied with money from the treasury of said State, by an order from the board of war, to purchase all such quantities of the different species of provisions, as he shall receive orders from said board, for the necessary supply of the troops already raised, and to be hereatter raised, for the defence of said State, with the provisions already raised for the present campaign. AN ACT ascertaining the current value of Continental Bills of credit, in Spanish milled dollars, in this State; and of contracts made for payment thereof, in the several periods of its depreciation. Be it enacted, &c. that all contracts made on or before the first day of September, 1777, for lawful money or bills of credit, shall be deemed equal to the same nominal sum of gold or silver; and that all contracts made between the first day of September, 1777, and the first day of September, 1780, understood or expressed to be for the common currency of the United States, or continental currency, shall be rated at Spanish milled dollars, or other coins or currency equivalent, agreeable to the following table, which shews the value of one hundred Spanish milled dollars, in continental bills of credit, at the several times therein expressed. September 1, 1777, 100 October 1, 1778, 325 October 1, 1779, 1450 October 1, November 1, January 1, 1778, February 1, 360 November 1, 1600 400 December 1, 1800 May 1, 200 June 1, 1000 June 1, 4000 June 1, July 1, 220 July 1, August 1, 260 September 1, 1300 September 1, 7200 September 1, 2951 And be it further enacted, that all contracts made on or before this date, may be discharged by paying the just value of the currency contracted for, as ascertained by this act, in silver or gold, or in bills of credit of the United States, at the current exchange, at the time of payment : and that the aforesaid scale be the rule in all courts of law, and in committee of pay-table for settling the rate of depreciation in all contracts as aforesaid. LAWS PASSED AT BENNINGTON, JUNE SESSION, 1781. AN ACT for the purpose of forming the Western Territory, lately taken into Union with this State, into Townships, and for annexing it to the Counties of Bennington and Rutland. Whereas it is found necessary, for the purposes of representation, and for exercising civil government, that the inhabited part of the following described district, viz.-Beginning at the north-west corner of Williamstown, and extending west, ten degrees north, to the centre of the deepest channel of the waters of Hudson's River; then up said river, and extending through the centre of the deepest channel thereof, to the head thereof; thence north, by the needle of the compass, to the latitude forty five (lately taken into union with this State) be divided into townships, with the usual incorporate privileges; and that the said district be annexed to said counties. Therefore, Be it enacted, &c. that the districts of land, in said territory, commonly known by the names of Hosack, Cambridge, White-Creek, alias NewPerth, Black-Creek, Skeensborough, Kingsbury, Scotch-Patent, alias Argyle, and Fort-Edward, be, and they are hereby incorporated, each of them, into a distinct township, and to be severally known and distinguish For an account of the formation of this union, see page 138-11. LAWS PASSED, JUNE, 1781. ed by the aforesaid names respectively; and are hereby vested with all the privileges and immunities, which other towns within this State do of right exercise and enjoy. Be it further enacted, that the tract of land within the said territory, lying west of, and adjoining to, Pownal, and north of the south line of said territory, and west of a line extended from the east line of the tract of land known by the name of Scorticook district, and south of Hosack district, be and is hereby incorporated into a township, by the name of Little-Hosack; and that the tract of land, lying bounded west on the north river, south on the south line of said territory, north on the tract of land, commonly called Scorticook district, and east on Little-Hosack, together with the district of land, commonly known by the name of the district of Scorticook, be and is hereby incorporated into a township, by the name of Scorticook; and that such part of the tract of land, known by the name of the district of Saratoga, as is included in said territory, be and is hereby incorporated into a township, by the name of SaratogaEast; and that the tract of land, lying west of, and adjoining to, Pollet, and north of, and adjoining to, Black-Creek, and westerly on Kingsbury and Skeensborough, be and is hereby incorporated into a township, by the name of South-Granville; and that the tract of land, north of said South-Granville, as far north as the west-line of the township of Wells extends, be and is hereby incorporated into a township, by the name of North-Granville; and that the tract of land, northward of said NorthGranville, extending north to the East-Bay, bounded eastward on Fairhaven, and westward on Skeensborough, be and is hereby incorporated into a township, by the name of Eastborough. And that each of said townships be and are hereby vested with the same privileges and immunities as other towns within this State do of right exercise and enjoy. And be it enacted, that the townships of Little-Hosack, Hosack, Cambridge, Scorticook, and Saratoga-East, being that part of said territory which formerly belonged to Albany county, be and are hereby annexed to the county of Bennington; and that all the remaining part of the aforesaid townships, be and are hereby annexed to the county of Rutland. AN ACT directing the holding Town Meetings in the Western Territory lately taken into Union with this State, and directing the Listers in said Territory in their Office and Duty. Whereas, for the purpose of civil government, it is found necessary that the inhabitants of the towns lately formed in the western territory, lately taken into union with this State, be directed and impowered to hold town meetings, and choose the town officers necessary for the present year. Therefore, Be it enacted, &c. that the inhabitants of each of the respective towns, formed and incorporated by this Assembly, in said territory, be, and they are hereby authorised and impowered to hold town meetings in their respective towns, at such time in the month of July next, and at such places as usual, or most convenient in their respective towns, as the persons |