[Frederic Shonnard & W.W. Spooner (1900)] provincial congress, or the committee of safety, and. if found guilty, were to be disarmed, to forfeit double the value of the articles furnished, and to be imprisoned not to exceed three months. In case of a second of-fense, the guilty person was to be banished from the colony for seven years. Continuing, the act declared that, tk although this congress, having tender regard to the freedom of speech, the rights of conscience, and personal liberty, so far as indulgence in these particulars may be con-sistent with our general security, yet, for the ^^^Jsj^y^^^ general safety," it was necessary to sternly pun-philipse arms. ish abuses of such privileges. Consequently all persons were prohibited from opposing or deny-ing " the authority of the continental or this congress, or the commit-tee of safety, or the committees of the respective counties, cities, (owns, manors, precincts, or districts in this colony" and from "dis-suading any person or persons from obeying the recommendations of the continental or this congress, or the committee of safety, or the committees aforesaid." Suspects were to be tried before the county committees, and, if convicted, were to be disarmed for the first offense and committed to close confinement, at their respective expense, for the second. Committees and militia officers were enjoined to appre-hend every person discovered to be enlisted or in arms against the