Nor was the privilege of release to be construed as excusing any person, so enlarged, from the performance of duty in the militia of the State, and absence from the limited confines, when upon such militia duty, was not deemed a breach of a person's recognizance. Deserters from the British army, who surrendered voluntarily to a justice of the peace, were to be dealt with in all respects as provided for persons in actual custody. If they were guilty of an offence committed after leaving the British lines, the law could be invoked against them. This act also revived certain powers of the commissioners for detecting and defeating conspiracies, relative to persons formerly confined by their order, or bound by them by recognizances. Any three of the former board were empowered to release, in the usual manner, those whom they • Appendix I: Laws, March »3, 1780.

Introduction

had confined, or discharge the said recognizances; but appearance of the respective persons before the courts of oyer and terminer and general jail delivery was imposed as an imperative obligation. This act remained in force " until

thirty Days after the rising of the Legislature, at their next Meeting." A few weeks before the termination of its third session, the legislature again revived the former laws relating to the commissioners, by the act of June 14, 1780. The reasons supplied in the act demanding their revival were apprehension " that Emissaries from the Enemy are lurking in different Parts of the State, and that the disaffected Inhabitants are conspiring against the public Peace and Safety." The commissioners were now to " continue and be in full Force during the Continuance of the present War with Great Britain;" were to receive each for a day's actual service the sum of fourteen shillings " of the Money to be issued, agreeable to the Resolutions of Congress, of the eighteenth Day of March last" [1780]; and the State treasurer was authorized to advance money to them for their expenses, not to exceed in the whole the sum of two thousand pounds.