7 Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England 567 (1862)

7 Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England 567 (1862)

Abstract

Required any male citizen age sixteen or above to take a loyalty oath and failure to do so without providing proper justificaiton results in disarmament

Summary

During the Revolutionary War, suspected male residents 16 and older could be required to swear loyalty to the American cause and pledge not to aid Britain. Those who refused without a satisfactory reason could have their arms, ammunition, and military supplies confiscated, with the government compensating them for the items.

Law Text

Be it therefore enacted by this General Assembly, and by the authority thereof, it is enacted, that all the male inhabitants of this colony, of sixteen years of age and upwards, who shall be suspected of being inimical to the United American Colonies, and the arduous struggle in which they are engaged, against the force of Great Britain, shall make and subscribe the following declaration, or test, to wit: Declaration or Test, to be made by suspected persons in the Colony, relative to the War with Great Britain "I, the subscriber, do solemnly and sincerely declare, that I believe the war, resistance and opposition, in which the United American Colonies are now engaged, against the fleets and armies of Great Britain, is on the part of the said colonies just and necessary; and that I will not, directly nor indirectly, afford assistance of any sort or kind, whatever, to the said fleets and armies, during the continuance of the present war; but that I will heartily assist in the defence of the United Colonies." And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that in case any such suspected person shall refuse to subscribe the same, it shall be in the power of either of the members of the upper or lower house of Assembly, in this colony, and they are hereby directed to issue a summons, and call the person so refusing, before him, and make inquiry into the reasons of his refusal; and if he shall continue such refusal, without giving satisfactory reasons for the same to the member summoning him, or shall refuse to appear upon being summoned, such member shall issue his warrant, directed to the sheriff of the county where the person so refusing shall dwell, or his deputy, commanding him, with sufficient aid, to make strict and diligent search for all arms, ammunition and warlike stores, belonging to such persons so refusing, and to take and deliver the same to the captain of the company of militia in whose district the delinquent shall live, to be made use of in time of an alarm, taking a receipt of the captain, therefor; which arms, ammunition and warlike stores, shall be appraised by two indifferent persons, to be appointed by such member so issuing the summons, and be paid for out of the general treasury.