Page:Session Laws of North Carolina, April, 1777.pdf/19

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with two ufficient Securities, to his Excellency the Governor for the Time being, and his Succeors, in the Sum of One Thouand Pounds, for the faithful Dicharge of his Office; which aid Bonds hall be recorded in the everal Courts, and lodged in the Hands of the Clerks. And whoever hall officiate in the aid Office longer than Three Months, without giving Bond and Security as aforeaid, hall forfeit and pay the Sum of Forty Pounds, one Half to the Informer, and the other Half to the County.

IV. AND be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforeaid, That in Cae of the Death, Reignation or Removal, of any Regiter, for Mibehaviour in Office of any County, that the Jutices of the aid County hall appoint another proper Peron to the Regiter's Office, in the ame Manner, and under the foregoing Regulations and Retrictions.

 

HEREAS it is repreented by the Juticess of Bladen County, that Maturin Colville, heretofore Clerk of the ame County, upon the Appointment of Afred Moore to that Office, in the Year One Thouand Seven Hundred and Seventy Four, refued to deliver up to the Court the Records and other Papers belonging to the County; that among the aid Records are many Wills, Inventories, and Settlements of Etates, which contain the only Evidence of the Property of great Numbers of Perons, particularly of Orphans; and that on the Dockets are many Suits yet undetermines, and many Judgments which remain usatisfied, beides divers Sums of Money paid into the Office belonging to undry Perons yet unaccounted for, to the great Injury of the Inhabitants of the aid County and others: In order therefore that the Records may be retored to the proper Office, and the injured may be redreed, and the obtinate and wilful brought to a Sene of their Duty, and a proper Repect for the Laws;

II. BE it Enacted, by the General Aembly of the State of North-Carolina, That the Jutices of the aid County be appointed, and they, or any three or more of them, are hereby authorized and impowered to demand and receive of and from the aid Maturin Colville, and of and from every other Peron or Perons who are or may be in Poeion of the ame, the Records and other Papers of the aid County, and upon Refual or Neglect to delivery the ame, then the aid Jutices, or any three or more of them, hall and may iue their Warrant, directed to the Sheriff and other the Officers of the ame County, commanding him the aid Sheriff to take with him uch Force as he may thing neceary, and to apprehend the aid Records, or any of them, in Poeion, and him or them commit to the common Gaol of the aid County, until the Records hall be produced and delivereed up; and alo impowering the Sheriff, and other Officers of the aid County, to make diligent Search in all upected Places within the ame County for the aid Records and Papers, and for that Purpoe to