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T H E R O Y A L
GEORGIA GAZETTE.
An ACT for he Relief of the People
[ railed Qnik*rs.
WHEREAS the piffle Ailed Quakers have, during
|the rebellion in the Brili/H cobjnßh*4n America,
I £<; well as on other occafionft, in general rrianifefted “an at
tachment to yortr Majesty’s JOveroment, wifely-preferring
♦he inestimable ‘'[•‘flings of civil and religious riwrrtjrwhich
they enjoyed under the Qrown of Great Britain to that an
grehv andopr>ieiEon which prevailed under the usurpation
of the rebels, and the laid .Quakers are for the molt part
t sober, inoftenfive, and induftriom people, on which a£-
*ount they woull b<- a valmble acqu'ffition to anv infant
colony, as is evident from the great progrefc that Pennfyl
tania mate in ngjt i'-ulture and commerce -when it v;n
chiedv inhabited bv the people of that perfii t/iun ; And
t vhtreas mar.,* of the fail Quakers, as well in this as in
nther colonies, have fullered imorif.vn merit, loss of proper
ty, and many other djftrpflVs, on account of their l ;y*.!ty
4o your Mijrfty and an aTe-RmAifo.- t’l- Mother Country,
nd on th it f:o- they merit every rea'jmble cncouiage
-pent and attention wVch the Kglfiature of this province
•an afford them: W ■ he t'forc prav your m-o'v facrcd Majesty .
|hn t may be Andb ■it Bnabtejhfrt his Excellency
Sir Tames Wright, He. oner. Captain General andGa
fo tjffi ** A flvgr * h; * his Majcfl) s province of
%ui able the Unper. House .and the Commons ftoufe of Af-
Vrmbly of the faiil prov nee, in General AtTembly met, aud
kythe authority q£ the Time, That from”henceforth, in
•11 cases wvrran, by thy common law, or by any act or
f Parliament, or of the General Aflembty, of this
province, now in force, here or hereafter to be made, .an
•ath is or fhal! be all >we J, authorized, directed, or requir
ed, the Memi affirmation or declaration df any of the
people ca'led Quakers, in the firm hereby prCf ribed, (hall
be allowed and tik.cn infer jd of faeh oath, (although oo
particular or ex refs o-oviiion oe made for that purpose *r
such a-ft or aefs) tn.at is fay, ‘ l A.. B. (being one of the
pe'fee called Qaaktrtl; do fo!emnly, fincOrrly, and truly
iedare ar j affirm, Sec. ” and such affirm ition /hall noj
conclude with the w >ris “ ,S a heft* me G and,” nor shall
•rty Quake", a, the time of making any affitmatrsri, be
ojlig*J co lay h's hand on the Holy Scriptures, or to kif*
the fame, wien th- rfi nation i.t retailed, or iftervrnij.
And belt F.naSied , That -’ll peifor.s who are or ffia'l be
authorized >r rc |UireJ t > admintfeft any oath /hfelbe, and
•re hereby author zed and required to adm'mifler the said
• ffir nation or ter Um won ; and tire said f-Is:rin affirmation
4fe declaration, lb made a* afortfaid, Thai! be adj ijyfd jnd
l iken, and is hereby enabled tod declared to be of the fame
force and effect, to all ia.ents arid purposes, and in all
Courts of judief* a id q,.her places where by la v an oath is
Or :nill be allowed, authotized, and rested, n r rvqu red, as
if such juakr had taken an oath in the form; and
If any p*rfon miking fufei affirmation or dec arfei ir. lhail
hr lawfully convifteJ of having wH fully, fdfelv, .r.d cor
ruptly, affirmed and declared my matter or thing which,
If the fame had been deposed in the ufu.il form, vrou'd
have amounted to Wilful and corrupt oerjurv, every pc r fot)
so offend, ng ffijUl incur and fuff-f tfie like pains, penalties,
•rid forfeitures, as by the laws in force here are to be ini
on pertsns of wilful and corrupt petjurv.
Audit it KnaSled., That every Quaker of the aee of dif
•retion, and ot found mind and updei il mding, Thai! be
•ompellable to appeir and give evidence In a court of jtif*
tice, ana before a Magiiifate hdvinj competent jurifdiaion
In every civil cause or aft ion, under the fame penalties that
•ny other fuSjva is liable to; and everv Quaker, who
Aail be ribqu r* 1, upon any Ireful oecalion, to take an
•ath, in any caff where bylaw it is required, shall, indead
Si the usual form, be permitted to m ike his or her folcmn
•ffirmation or declaration in these words following, vie,
L A. B. being one of the people failed Quakers, do fo
lem ily, fir.ccrc'y, and truly declare and affirm the truth
•f what I fay i” which find ltd menti medTolemn affirma
tion and decoration fh.,11 be adjudged and taken, and il
keieby enaifed and decla'e.d to‘be of the fame force and
effeft, to all intents and purnofes, in all court! ofJuili,:c,
•r\d other places vvheir bv fiw an oath i> required, aa if
|ich Quaker ha J taken an oath iu the usual form.
And~beit Enafted> That if any Quaker making such
last mentioned folnnn affirmation or declaration shall be
bwfully conviftcd wilfully, fa 11%, and corruptly, to have
•Inrtncd or and. dared any matter or thmg which, if the fame
tad been in .th* usual firm, Wviuld hive amounted ta
tv Iful and corrupt perjury'* every such Quaker so offend*,
•ng lhail incur the fame penalties and forfeiture? as by the
laws in force here are enabled against persons convifltcd of
Wihul and corrupt perjury.
And be it That every Quaker, qualified as th*
•aws of this prov nee rfireft, shall be compellable to serve
pis a furor in civil qaufes, under the fame penalties that
the rest of his Majrfty’s fubjefts here are liable to who re*
•use to asrjurors on tiicir bring summoned for that
furpofe, or wffio, af; er appearance, absent themfelres, or
•efufc or decline to aft in that rapaftfcy,,*, ana fuch
‘Quaker, inll cad of the oath required bylaw to betaken by
• juror in civil causes, ifiall make his folrirjn affirmation or
•eclaration in the t words following, via. “ } A. B be
ing one of the people called Quakers, do folemeily, fin •
•erely, and truly .declare and affirm, that I will weirffid
try the lffue joined between the parties at variance,
•nd a true veid ; ft eivc acrordins to the cvidcnce j” and
• . perfnu* who arc of ftfaM l r ai**horizrl or required to ft-
oirft to u juror in a civil chuft shall be, and
•ft hereby anthoriied rc juired to admhutUr Che uid
■ j
THURSDAY, MARCH ai, 1781.
lal mentioned affirmation or Jeciajstton, and such affir-. j
ir*>Gon ftnll be adjudged anditaken,, and is hereby enafted
and declared to fie of the fame force apd effeft, to all in
tents and purposes, In all courts of justice whatfaever, and
places where by law the oath of a jurpr in a civil
cause is required to be taken, as if such Quaker bad taken
the juror's oath in the usual ffirtrt : ‘Provided a fu'ny i t attd
be it Enaflrd, That no Quaker, or reputed Quaker, fiull,
Ky virtue of this aft, be qualified to give evidence or serve
on any jury in any criminal cause.
Ard le it Entitled, Thar every male Quaker, who j*
twenty-one years of age or upward;, and hath rcfiied fix
months in this province, a ,i is fti zid in hi# own right of
fifty acres of land or inwards ha rke pariffi, diflrift, or
village, ‘for which any Representative or Re prt fen thrive*
i$ or arc to be defied td fit in the Commons House of
Aftcmbfy, ih ill be deemed to.be, and is hereby decUred.to
be a person quail ;:ci to vote at any fucH eleftion : Provided
mfvti ryr. That if dny candidate at such eleftion, or any
two-persons qualified to vote there, fusil require any fuen
Quaker to prove his qualification, then the Returning
Officer Stall not admit’ such Quaker to vote until he hath
taken the solemn affirmation or declaration ih the word#
folbaihg : u I A. If. being one, of the people called Quak
ers* . do folemrrip, finrerrly, and truly declare and affirm,
that 1 am legally f-izrd, in my own right, of a freehold
trift, or village of, , as the case may ue) and that
‘fuch estate is Ivut Jflde my own property, and not made over
or granted to me, on purpose or fraudulently to iiititle me
to vote at this elrflion V’ and such last mentioned affirm*-
tion fhall,l>e accepted infiead of the oath required by tht
law* pf this p ov'tneein such ofc*.*
And be it EnaAed, That every mal* Quaker, who is of
th-age of twenty one years or upwards, and who hath re-*
fil and In this province for twelve mrinchs or upwards befo-e
the dite or teft* sf the writ of eleftion, and who is a free
bun fiVi-ft ol the Kine of.Great Britain, bra foreigner
ny uralized, and who is I vnf lily firzed, in h : s own right,
o: lands in this province, cooraining five hundred acres or
up wards, shall fi.* deemed to fie, and is hereby declared to
b; a person qualified to serve and vote as a Representative
in the Cdtndsons House cf AHcmbly in this province:
P+vi-ided aktf.tvt, Tint if a-y candidate at such eleftion,
or any two freehold rs qualified to vote ttiere, Ifiall require
any fu h Quaker to prove hi# nullification, then the Re
turning Officer (hall not receive my. vote* on behalf of
such Quaker until he hith taken the fdernn affirmacion or
drJ ; .rition in the word* filio ffl r.g, vie. “I A. 14. bet ’g
one of the people called Quakers, d<* folemnly* finccrcly,
•nJ trul'* dreiare an-1 affi’ and, that 1 ain lawfully fcizfd of
five hundred aqres cf land Tying it. this province, and that
the fame is really and btva fide my property, and not
fr iu tulcn cly a* i le over or granced to me for the purpose of
qualifying me-to be a Rcprcfuntacivr. of the Commons
Haufc of Amenably Iq tffils province and such last ravn
tio.aed a;Hi tn at ion shall be teerpred instead of the oath rc w
qu;r and by f’.r U vi of this province ir. like cafe#.
Aid hi it Enj 7;,/, That no Quaker chosen as a Reprew
fentathrr for any pariThYT.ftrift, or plats, in this pro
vince, ih ill be permitted ro t.ikc his feat in tii Cornnv>rt*
of AfTembly, and vote iij.that capacity, until he
shall h Ive firft m**fld fubferibed thefoTemn afUrmation
cr declaration of fidelity In these words, vie. * I A. B
b**jng one of ih* people called Quakers, do falerr.nly, fin-
CC I > and truly affirm, promift, and declare, that ! will
be true and faithVul to K-ing George the Third j'ranfl I
do fulcnqnly, fincsrcly, and truly profefs, teftify, an!
declare, that I do from y heart abher, detest, and rei
r ounce, ‘as impioui and heretical, that wicked doftrine
\nd position, that Princes excommunicated or deprived by
the Pope, OT any authority of the See of Rome, may be
deposed or murthered by their fubjeftr, or any othe*
whatfoeverj and I do declare, that no foreign Price*,
Person, Prelate, State, or Potentate, hath, or ought tt>
have, any power, jurtfdiftion, fuperioritv, pre-eminence,
or authority, within the realm of Gitat Britain, ®r the
dominions and countrie* thereunto belonging; and Ido
fjlemnly, finCer- ly, and truly atkftoWledge, pFAFkfI, tef*
tify, and declare, that K.ing Gtorct the Third is lawful
and rightful Ring of the realm of*Grest Britain, and of
this province of Georgia, and of all other the dominion*
anu countries to the Ibid realm belonging; and 1 do fo* ‘
iemnly and sincerely declare, that I do believe that no o
ther person hath say riglst or title whatfieverto the crovtil
of the said realm Os Great Britain, or any other the do
minions thereunto belonging; and 1 do renounce and re
fufe any allegiance or obedience to all ether perfens and
, bodies of men,Qjrhctlicr under the name of Provincial or
Continental Congrcfs, or otherwise howfoevqr; and Ido
solemnly prnmife, %at I will be true and faithful, and
bear true allegiance to King Cronos the Third, and to
him will be faithful against all traitcrous confp racies whit
foever which /hall be made against his person, crown, or
jv dignity; #nd-I will do my best endeavours to disclose and
nuke known to King George the Third, and his suc
cessors, all treasons and traiterous cor.fpiracics which I
/h ill know to be nft hi#n, or any of them 5 and
1 will be trtic and faithful to the furceftion of the crown
in the defeeridanrs of ;ho laid King Gxoxr.x, as the fame
is and ftards fettled by law ; and all these things I do
r . plainly and sincerely acknowledge* prt.mife, and declare,
a eluding to the exprfs words by me spoken, and acctrd
sag to the plain and commo* sense arid nnderftanding of
the fame v ord', without any equi.vocat:on, mental evasion,
‘p/Jecret rifervation, yvhatfo'var; and Ido make this re
••gmuan, ackuoa
heartily, willingly, and truly:*’ Apd such last mentioned .
affirmation or declaration of fidelity shall be accepted in*
stead of the oaths of allegiance, fupremaey, and abjura
tion, required by law from Chrtftisni of ether frfts.
And be it ljtafftd, That every Qaakcr chosen aa • Re*
prefentative /ball also, before he ht# and votes in rh't
Coalmans Hioufe of Assembly, fubftribe a profe/fion of hi*
Christian frith in these words, vi*. ** I A. B. so profeft
faith in God the Father, in Jesus Chrisi* the eternal
Son, and in the Holt Smrtt, on* Goo, blefled for
evermore.} and I do acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of
the Old and New Testament to be given by divine Infpftv
ation and if any Qusker, so chosen aa a Representative
as affile said, /hall refufe or decline to make and fufifcriS#
the said declaration of fidelity, or to fufiferibe the profef
fion’pt his Christian belief, before he fits and votes in th*
Commons House of AfTembly, his eleftion /hall be void,
and a writ of eleftion /hall ifiue tochoofe another Member
in his room. v
And be it MnabJed, That the people titled Quakers /hall
be qualified* and permitted, and they are hereby
to be qualified and permitted, to aft as Justices of th*
Peace, and to bear any office or place of profit under Go
vernment in this province; and in everyfuch case where,
by the common law, or ariy aft or aft* #f the Legiflatur*
now in force, or hereafter to be made, any oath is or shall
declaration of any of the people called Quakers /halt be al
lowed and tritan inftcid of such oathj although no parti
cular or exprtfs provision be mrik for that purpose by the
common law, or any aft or afts of the Legifiature now i*
foree, or hereafter to be made; and every such Quaker
/hall, before he enters on the execution of hi* office, not
only take the folemnNcffirmation or declaration which is
aqplreable to that.office he may be appointed to, but /ball
also make and fubferibe the laid declaration of fidelity#
and fubferibe the profeffion of His Christian faith, a* botk
of them are herein before set forth, on pain of being dis
abled t-> hold the office to which he may be appointed t
Provided itheays, That no Quaker ftiril bn entitled *0 fit
in the General Aftcmbly, or t* aft ai a Justice of th#
Peace, dr to hold any office or place of profit under Go
vernment, until he mail hae firft produced a certificate
from fame refpeftable member of bis society in this pro
vince, or clfewhere in the King’s dominions, setting
forth, that the perfdn so chosen as a Member of the Le
gislature, or appointed a*Juftice of the Peace, or preferrefi
to any office or place of profit in the government, (as th#
Case may be) is one of the people called Quaker*.
And bit it Enabled, That this aft IhaTl be adjudged,
deemed, and taken, to be apublickaft, and
Taken notice of as such by all Judges, Justices, and other
persons whatfeever, without fpecialfy pleading the fame 5
aad also that this aft /hall continue and be in force forth*
term or space of feoten years from the passing thereof, and
fir >m thencj to the end of the then nett session of th* C*-
acrai Assembly, and no longer.
By Order oj the Upper House r f Assembly,
JOHN GRAHAM, Prejtderle
By Ordtr of the Citations House tfAjfcvbiy.
„ ~^r , ; SAMt. FMLIY, jW*.
CeQtlflCtl CoSlfthfT<f tw9
btb March, 1781, .
Affetited to,
ja. wrt ant.
w -fc •
[N °. 108.]
\ , * ... “
