.

"In _Rhode Island_, death and _confiscation_ of estate were the
penalties by law for any person who communicated with _the Ministry_ or
their agents, _or_ who afforded supplies to the forces, _or_ piloted the
armed ships of the King. Besides these general statutes, several Acts
were passed in that State to confiscate and sequester the property of
certain persons who were designated by name.

"In _Connecticut_, the offences of supplying the royal army or navy, of
giving them information, of enlisting or procuring others to enlist in
them, and of piloting or assisting naval vessels, were punished more
mildly, and involved only the loss of estate and personal liberty for a
term not exceeding three years. To _speak_ or _write_ or act against the
doings of Congress or of the Assembly of Connecticut, was punishable by
_disqualification for office, imprisonment_, and the disarming of the
offender. Here, too, was a law for seizing and confiscating the estates
of those who sought royal protection, and absented themselves from their
homes or the country.

"In _Massachusetts_, a person _suspected_ of enmity to the Whig cause
could be _arrested_ under a magistrate's warrant and banished, unless he
would swear fealty to the friends of liberty; and the select men of
towns could prefer charges of political treachery in town meetings, and
the individual accused, if convicted by a jury, could be sent into the
enemy's jurisdiction (banished). Massachusetts also designated by name,
and generally by occupation and residence, 380 of her people, of whom
seventeen had been inhabitants of Maine, who had fled from their homes,
and denounced against any one of them who should return, apprehension,
imprisonment, and transportation to a place possessed by the British;
and for a second voluntary return, without leave, _death_ without the
benefit of clergy. By another law, the property of twenty-nine persons
who were denominated 'notorious conspirators,' was confiscated--two had
been governors, one lieutenant-governor, one treasurer, one
attorney-general, one chief justice, and four commissioners of customs.

"_New Hampshire_ passed Acts similar to these, under which seventy-six
of her former citizens were prohibited from coming within her borders,
and the estates of twenty-eight were declared to be forfeited.

"_Virginia_ passed a resolution to the effect that persons of a given
description should be deemed and treated as aliens, and that