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![handle is hein.ssl/ssma0528 and id is 1 raw text is: [4TH SEss.] PROVINCE LAws.-1731-32. 619
ACTS
PASSED AT THE SESSION BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON,
ON THE FIRST DAY OF DECEMBER, A.D. 1731.
CHAPTER 11.
AN ACT FURTHER TO EXEMPT PERSONS COMMONLY CALLED QUAKEROj,
WITHIN THIS PROVINCE, FROM BEING TAXED FOR AND TOWARDS THE
SUPPORT OF MINISTERS.
WHEREAS some inhabitants of this provinjce, called Quakers, refuse Preamble.
to pay any part or proportion of such rates or taxes as are from time to 1729-0, chap. 6
time assessed for the support of the ministry in the several towns
whereto they belong, alledging a scruple of conscience for such their re-
fusal, and complain [ing] of the difficulties in complying with the acts
made for their relief; and thereupon frequent applications have been
made to this court for redress,-
Be it therefore enacted by His Excellency the Governour, Council and
Bepresent[ati]ves in General Court assembled, and by the authority of
the same,
[SECT. 1.] That from and after the publication of this act, none of Quakers ex.
the persons, commonly called Quakers, who alledge a scruple of con- e foro.
science as the reason of their refusal to pay any part or proportion of g an ee.
such taxes as are from time to time assessed for the support of the miin-
ister or ministers of the churches established by the laws of this prov-
ince, in the town or place where they dwell, shall have their poll, or es-
tate real or personal, in their own hands and under their actual im-
provement, taxed towards the support of such minister or ministers,
nor for the building of any meeting-house or place of publick worship.
And to the intent that it may be the better known what persons are
of that perswasion, and who are exempted by this act,-
Be it enacted by the authority qforesaid,
[SECT. 2.] That the assessors of each town where any of the said method for
Quakers live, or their lands in their own actual improvem[en]t ly, shall 'ar Quakers.
annually, sometime before the twentieth day of July, take a list of all
such persons and forthwith transmit the same to the clerk of the town,
which list shall be entered on the record of such town by the clerk, who
is hereby impowered and directed to enter the same accordingly, that
so any of the people called Quakers, or any members of their society
thereto appointed may view such list, and have a copy thereof, if they
desire the same, paying only sixpence therefor; and if any person of
that denomination shall be omitted in such list by the assessors taken,
and the assessors shall be certified thereof in writing, under the hands
of two principal members of that perswasion, appointed thereto by the
respective societies some time before the tenth day of August then next
after, that such persons not inserted in their list they believe to be con-
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