9 any 3 of the British Provinces in North America, for 10 the purpose of rendering the same current as true, or 11 with intent to pass the same, knowing the same to be 12 false, forged, and counterfeit, every such offender 13 upon the conviction thereof, shall be punished by soli14 tary imprisonment, for such term not exceeding three 15 months, and by confinement afterwards to hard labor 16 for such term not exceeding three years, or by a fine 17 not exceeding one thousand dollars, and imprison18 ment in the common goal not exceeding one year, as 19 the court, before whom the conviction may be, shall 20 sentence and order, according to the aggravation of 21 the offence. 1 SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That if any person 2 shall engrave, form, make or mend, or shall begin to 3 engrave, form, make or mend, any plate or plates, 4 paper, rolling press, or other tool, instrument or ma5 terial, devised, adapted, and designed for the stamp6 ing, forging and making any false and counterfeit bills 7 or notes, which have been or which shall be issued by 8 or for any bank or banking company which is or shall 9 be established in any of the British Provinces in North 10 America, or shall have in his possession any such 11 plate or plates, engraven in any part, or any paper, 12 rolling press or other tool, instrument or material, de13 vised, adapted and designed as aforesaid, with the 14 intent to use and employ the same, or to cause or 15 permit the same to be used and employed, in forging 16 and making any such false and counterfeit bills or 17 notes, every person so offending, who shall be thereof 18 duly convicted, shall be punished by solitary impris19 onment for such term, not exceeding three months, 20 and by confinement afterwards to hard labor for such 21 term, not exceeding three years, or by fine not ex22 ceeding five hundred dollars, and by imprisonment in 23 the common gaol, for such term, not exceeding one 24 year, as the court, before whom the conviction may 25 be, shall sentence and order, according to the aggra26 vation of the offence. 1 SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That in all prose2 cutions for offences described in the first section of 3 this Act, the testimony of the President or Cashier of 4 any of the Banks in said British Provinces may be 5 dispensed with; but in all such cases it shall be law6 ful to admit the testimony of any witness acquainted 7 with the signature of the officers of said banks, or 8 who may have knowledge of the difference between 9 the true and the counterfeit bills or notes of said 10 banks, to prove that such hills or notes are counter11 feit; any law or practice to the contrary notwith12 standing. 1 SEC. 4. Be it further enacted, That the several 2 courts having cognizance of offences under the Act 3 to which this is in addition, shall have cognizance in 4 like manner of all offences under this Act. Commonwealth of Massachusetts. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, JANUARY 25, 1833. Ordered, That the Committee on Railways and Canals be instructed to inquire into the expediency of making provision for better securing payment of damages to persons whose property is, or may be taken for the site of a Rail Road or Canal. IN SENATE, FEB. 16, 1833. The Joint Committee on Railways and Canals, to whom was committed an Order of the House "to inquire into the expediency of making provision for better securing payment of damages to persons whose property is, or may be taken for the site of a Rail Road or Canal," have attended to the duty assigned them, and ask leave to report a Bill. C. HUDSON, Chairman. In the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty Three. AN ACT For defining the Rights and Duties of Rail Road Corporations in certain cases. 1 SEC. 1. BE it enacted by the Senate and House of 2 Representatives in General Court assembled, and by 3 the authority of the same, That in case any Rail Road 4 Corporation, which has been or may be established, 5 shall not be able to obtain the land or other property 6 which they have taken, or may take, for their road, 7 or for the proper construction and security thereof, 8 by voluntary agreement with the owner or owners of |