Page:Session Laws of North Carolina, April, 1777.pdf/12

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Article for their Aid or Comfort; or hall form, or be in any wie concerned in forming, any Combination, Plot, or Conpiracy, for betraying this State, or the United States of America, into the Hands or Power of any foreign Enemy; or hall give or end any Intelligence to the Enemies of this State for that Purpoe; every Peron o offending, and being thereof legally convicted by the Evidence of two ufficient Witnees, or tanding mute, or peremptorily challenging more than Thirty Five Jurors, in any Court of Oyer and Terminer, or other Court that hall and may be etablished for the Trial of uch Offences, hall be adjudged guilty of High Treaon, and hall uffer Death without the Benefit of Clergy, and his or her Etate hall be forfeited to the State. Provided, That the Judge or Judges of the Court wherein uch Conviction may be, hall and may order and appropriate o much of the Traitor's Etate, as to him or them may appear ufficient, for the Support of his or her Family.

III. AND be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforeaid, That if any Peron or Perons within this State hall attempt to convey Intelligence to the Enemies of this State, or of the United States; or hall publicly and deliberately peak or write againt our public Defence; or hall maliciouly and adviedly endeavour to excite the People to reit the Government of this State, or peruade them to return to a Dependence on the Crown of Great Britain; or hall knowingly pread fale and dipiriting News, or maliciouly and adviedly terrify and dicourage the People from inliting into the Service of the State, or dipoe the People to favour the Enemy, or oppoe and endeavour to prevent the Meaures carrying on in Support of the Freedom and Independence of the aid United States; every uch Peron or Perons, being thereof legally convicted by the Evidence of two or more creditable Witnees, or other ufficient Tetimony, hall be adjudged guilty of Mipriion of Treaon, and hall uffer Imprionment during the War, and forfeit to the State one Half of his, or, or their Lands, Tenements, Goods and Chattels.

IV. AND be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforeaid, That all Offences by this Act declared Mipriion of Treaon hall be cognizable before any Jutice of Peace of the County where the Offence was committed, or where the Offender can be found; and every Jutice of the Peace within this State, on Complaint to him made on the Oath or Affirmation of one or more credible Peron or Perons, hall caue uch Offender to come before him, and enter into a Recognizance, with one or more ufficient Surety or Sureties, to be and appear at the next County Court of the County wherein the Offence was committed, and abide the Judgment of the aid Court, and in the mean Time to be of the Peace and good Behaviour toward all People in the State; and for want of uch Surety or Sureties, the aid Jutice hall and may commit uch Offender either to the Gaol of the County or Ditrict where the Offence was committed, and appoint a Guard for the afe conveying of him to uch Gaol. And all Perons charged on Oath or Affirmation with any Crime or Crimes by this Act declared to be Treaon againt the State, hall be dealt with an proceeded againt in like Manner as the Law directs in Repect of other capital Crimes.