similar default, in collecting and paying the general tax: Provided always, That the said tax-collectors shall be furnished with an account of the poor tax, which each inhabitant is liable to pay to him, at least one month before the time appointed for making returns of the public tax, And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That in all cases where the tax-collectors, in such parts of this state where county courts are not established, may be willing to undertake the same duty as is prescribed in the foregoing clause, they, and each of them, shall have the same powers and authority, and commissions, and be liable, in case of any default, to the same pains and penalties as are provided in the preceding clause. In the Senate House, the sixteenth Day of December, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven, and in the twenty-second Year of the Independence of the United States of America. DAVID RAMSAY, President of the Senate. An ACT to amend the several acts relating to the office and duty of a Coroner; and for settling the fines to be inflicted on Jurors, who shall fail to attend, after being duly summoned. B E it enacted by the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives, now met and sitting in general assembly, and by the authority of the same, That when and as soon as any coroner shall be certified of the dead body of any person, supposed to have come to a violent and untimely death, found or lying within his county or precinct, he shall make out his warrant, directed to all or any of the constables of the county or precinct, where such dead body lies, requiring and commanding them, forthwith, to summon as many of the freeholders of the county or precinct as shall be necessary to constitute a jury of twelve good and lawful men, to appear before him at such time and place as shall be expressed in his said warrant: And every constable, to whom such warrant shall be directed or come, who shall fail to do the duty required of him by such warrant, and make due return thereof, shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten dollars. Also every person or persons summoned and warned to be a juror, and failing to appear accordingly, shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten dollars; without reasonable excuse for the same, to be made unto, and allowed of by the coroner and a justice of the peace. In the Senate House, the sixteenth Day of December, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven, and in the twenty-second Year of the Independence of the United States of America. DAVID RAMSAY, President of the Senate. An ACT to increase the price of license to Hawkers and Peddlers. W HEREAS the license imposed by the legislature of this state, on hawkers and peddlers, has, by experience, been found to be too small: Be it therefore enacted by the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives, now met and sitting in general assembly, and by the authority of the same, That from and after the first day of January, one thousand seven hundred and ninetyeight, no hawker or peddler shall be allowed to expose any goods, wares or merchandizes to sale in any part of this state, until he shall have procured a license, in his own name, from the treasurer thereof, to expose such goods, wares and merchandizes to sale; and the said license shall not be transferred, so as to give any agent or deputy the privilege of selling under the said license: And that the said hawker or peddler shall pay for such license, for the support of the government of this state, the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars per annum, to be collected in the same manner as the said license is now liable to be collected by an act imposing such license on hawkers and peddlers. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any hawker or peddler shall presume to expose any goods, wares and merchandize to sale, contrary to the intent and meaning of this act, he shall, for every such offence, forfeit and pay to the treasurer aforesaid, the sum of five hundred dollars, to be collected as aforesaid; one half to the informer, and the other half to the use of the state, to be recovered in any court having competent jurisdiction. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no two or more peddlers shall be suffered to expose to sale any such goods, wares or merchandize, under one and the same license, under the forfeiture, pains and penalties aforesaid. In the Senate House, the sixteenth Day of December, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven, and in the twenty-second year of the Independence of the United States of America. DAVID RAMSAY, President of the Senate. An ACT to dispense with the frequent swearing of Jurors in civil causes. W HEREAS the present mode of administering oaths to the jury on every sepa rate trial, is highly unnecessary, and not becoming that solemnity with which all oaths ought to be administered: Be it therefore enacted by the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives, now met and sitting in general assembly, and by the authority of the same, That from and after the passing of this act, it shall be lawful for the several clerks of the district courts, and of the county courts, throughout this state, and they are hereby required, to administer but one oath to each juryman in the court of common pleas, to try all causes which shall come before him for trial during the sitting of the court. In the Senate House, the sixteenth Day of December, in DAVID RAMSAY, President of the Senate. An ACT to declare more explicitly, the powers of the City Council of Charleston, as to the sale and resale of certain public lots on East-bay-street continued; and for other purposes therein mentioned. WH HEREAS some doubts have arisen in the execution of the powers given by the several acts and resolutions of the legislature, to the city council of Charleston, relative to the lots on East-bay-street continued: For the removal of those doubts, praise Be it enacted by the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives, now met and sitting in general assembly, and by the authority of the same, That the city council of Charleston shall appraise, City coun or cause to be appraised by impartial appraisers, cil to apsuch slips of public land as separate the proprictors slips of of adjacent lots from East-bay-street continued, land. or from South-bay-street, and to offer pre-emption of the aforesaid slips, to the aforesaid proprietors, at the price at which they shall be respectively appraised. and may And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the city council of Charleston shall and City counmay sell, or cause to be sold or resold, as cir- cil to sell cumstances may require, all other lots of land, si- or resell, tuate on East-bay-street continued, and on South- give titles. bay-street, which remain unsold, or have been taken back from purchasers who did not comply with the terms of sale. And that on the payment lower end street. of the value of the lots appraised, sold or resold as aforesaid, the city council shall execute titles, in due form, conveying the said lots, in fee simple, to the several purchasers; and shall apply the proceeds of such sales and resales of the said lots, in the manner prescribed by the third section of the act of the legislature, passed the nineteenth day of December, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five, entitled, "An act to complete East-baystreet in Charleston, and for other purposes therein mentioned." And be it further enacted by the authority aforeMay take said, That the city council shall be, and they are toll at the hereby authorized to demand and receive a toll on of Queen such carriages, persons, horses, cattle, baggage, merchandize and other articles, as may land or be landed, or as may be embarked or be shipped at the slip at the lower end of Queen-street, (except on persons and goods brought over from Hibben's ferry, in his ferry boat,) not exceeding the rates now received by the owners of wharves, and other landing places in Charleston. wardens to make a And whereas it has been found inconvenient to require so large a number of wardens to form a quorum of the city council of Charleston, as is now required by law : Be it further enacted, That except in the imIntendant position of taxes, and the appropriation of money, and seven the intendant and seven wardens of the city council of Charleston, shall form a quorum to do and perform all the duties imposed, and to exercise all the powers and authorities, vested in the city council by the charter or any law. quorum. In the Senate House, the sixteenth Day of December, in DAVID RAMSAY, President of the Senate. |