Michael Bernstein Donation Gallery |
| |
"An
Act for continuing an Act ... entitled An Act to Prevent Actions
of Fifteen Pounds and under being brought into the Supreme Court
of this Colony"
1760
|
[top
portion of document]
[Click
on image for larger version] |
[bottom
portion of document]
[Click
on image for larger version]
|
[Click on image for larger
version]
|
"An
act to prevent the Sale of tickets in Lotterys erected out of
the Province, and more effectually to prevent gaming and to Revive
three publick Lotterys appointed by a former Law of this Colony"
1760
|
The
calligraphy and raised seals of the royal colony of New Jersey
makes these manuscript laws wonderful treasures--both historically
and visually. Passed in November and December of 1760, the documents
bear the legislative approvals of Robert H. Morris, Speaker of
the Council of New Jersey (colonial predecessor to the New Jersey
Senate), and Samuel Nevill, Speaker of the House of Representatives
(i.e. the General Assembly). Assent was given by Governor Thomas
Boone, whose term as the colony's chief executive lasted less
than six months after he first convened the legislature.
|
| |
"An
Act to revive such parts of an Act Entitled an Act to Impower
certain Persons to purchase the Claims of the Indians to Land
in this Colony as relates to
Lotteries ..."
1760
|
[Click
on image for larger version] |
Original
signed bills from the colonial period (which were not in fact passed
into law) are quite rare. This bill from 1760 revives part of a
1758 law authorizing public lotteries for the purpose of raising
funds to purchase Indian claims to New Jersey land. The bill was
approved by both houses of the colonial legislature, and bears the
signatures of Robert Morris, Speaker of the Council, and Samuel
Nevill, Speaker of the Assembly. |
| |
[Click on image for larger version]
|
"An
Act appointing Commissioners for Supplying the several Barracks
erected in the Colony of New Jersey with Furniture and other necessaries
for Accommodating the Kings Troops ..."
1767
|
All
legislation during the colonial period was subject, ultimately,
to approval by the Crown. This barracks law was approved 25 June
1767, but was actually disallowed (nullified) by King George III
in August 1768. It appointed barracks-masters, or commissioners,
to oversee the procurement of supplies for the colony's five French
and Indian War-period barracks. These included barracks at Elizabeth-Town,
Perth Amboy, New Brunswick, Burlington, and Trenton (of these, only
the Old Barracks at Trenton still stand). The legislation provided
for the purchase of firewood, bedding, blankets and "other
Necessaries" in order to properly house the king's troops in
New Jersey. It also authorized reimbursement of various sums expended
by colonial officials, including two of the barracks-masters. |
| |
"An
Act Barring the Estate Tail in certain Lands and Tenements in the
Province of New Jersey lately belonging to Anthony Sharp the Elder,
deceased ..."
1767
|
[first
page of document]
[Click
on image for larger version] |
[signature
of William Franklin]
[Click on image for larger version] |
Special
acts of the legislature to resolve matters of personal estates were
not uncommon during the colonial and early-statehood periods. This
law was approved 24 June 1767 by New Jersey's last royal governor,
William Franklin. The illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin, William
was appointed by the Crown in 1762. He remained in office until
he was deposed as a Loyalist during the Revolutionary War. |
