Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 5.djvu/398

[358] C.28. Farther Previ- sions concerning the Matters in this Ail, 8 Geo. i. c. 1 j. 1 3 Geo. I. c. 22. f. 2. 2 Geo. z. c. 8. 6 Geo, i, c, A. 7 Geo, i. Stat. s. c. I. Anno feptimo Geoegii Regis. Stat. i. A. D. 1720. CAP. XXVIII. An Adl for railing Money upon the Eftates of the late Sub Governor, Deputy-Governor, Di- rect .rs, Cafhier, Deputy- Cafhier, and Accountant of the'Soutb-Sea Company, and of John Jijlabie, Efquire, and likewife of James Craggs, fenior, Efquire, deceafed, towards rnakina good the great Lofs and Damage fuftained by the faid Company ; and for difabing fuch of the faid Perfons as are living, to hold any Office or Place of Truft under the Crown, or to fit or vote in Parliament for the future, and for other Purpofes in the faid Ad ex- prefled. W? HERE AS many Corruptions, Breaches of Truft, Frauds and Abufes, have been contrived, com- VV roitted, and practifed, relating to Capital Stock, or pretended Capital of the Governor and Com- pany of Merchants, of Great Britain, trading to the South-Seas, and other Parts of America, and for en- couraging the Fifhery, (commonly called the Soutb-Sea Company) or to Subfcriptions, or pretended Sub- fcriptions for the fame, or to Dividends, or pretended Dividends in refpect thereof, whereby the faid Company hath fuftained an immenfe Lofs and Damage, and the Publick Credit hath been extremely re- duced and difordered, and many of his Majefty's Subjects have been defrauded and impoverifhed, contrary to the Purport and true Intent and Meaning of the Act of Parliament made and palled in the fixth Year of his Majefty's Reign, intituled, An. Act for enabling the South-Sea Company to inereafe their prefent Capital Stock and Fund, by redeeming fuch Publick Debts and Incumbrances as are therein mentioned; and for raifing Money to be applied for leffemng feveral of the Publick Debts and Incumbrances ; and for calling in the prefent Exchequer-Bills remaining uncancelled; and for making forth new Bills in Lieu thereof to be circulated and ex- changed upon Demand at or near the Exchequer : And whereas Sir John Fellowcs, Baronet, late Sub-Gover- nor, Charles J.oye, Efquire, late Deputy-Governor, and William Aftell, Efquire, Sir Lambert Blachvell, court Mafter, Knight, William Mor ley, Efquire, Ambrofe Page, Efquire, Colonel Hugh Raymond, Samuel Read junior, Efquire, Thomas Reynolds, Efquire, Jacob Sawbridge, Efquire, William Tillard, Efquire, and John Turner, Efquire, late Directors of the Corporation of the Governor and Company of Merchants of Great Britain trading to the South Seas and other Parts of America, and for encouraging the Fifhery ; and alio Robert Knight, late Treafurer or Cafhier, Robert Surman late Dcputy-Cafnier, and John Grigjby late Accountant to the {aid-Corporation, (in Confederacy with the ft.id Sub Governor, late Deputy Go- vernor, and late Directors) under Colour of the Act herein before-mentioned, have contrived and carried on many notorious, fraudulent, and indirect Practices, contrary to the Intention of the faid Act, not only to the immenfe Lofs and Damage cf the faid Company, amounting to feven millions and upwards, «but Member of the Houfe of Commons, in Breach of the great Trufts in him repofed, and with a View to his own exorbitant Profit, -has combined with the faid late Directors of the South Sea Company in their pernicious Practices, and has been guilty of moft dangerous and infamous Corruption, to the Detriment of great Numbers of his Majefty's Subjects, and manifeft Prejudice of the Publick Credit, and of the Trade of this Kingdom : .And whereas James Craggs the Elder, Efquire, was a notorious Accomplice and Coiir federate with the faid Robert Knight and fome of the late Directors of the South Sea Company, in carrying on their corrupt and fcandalous Practices ; and did by his wicked Influence, and for his own exorbitant Gain, promote and encourage the pernicious Execution of the late South Sea Scheme : And whereas in and by one Act of this SefJion of Parliament, intituled, An Acl for refraining the Sub-Governor, Deputy-Go- roernor, Directors, Treafurer or Caflner, Deputy -Cafhier, and Accountant of the South Sea Company, from going out of this Kingdom for the Space of one Year, and until the End of the then next Seffwn of Parliament ; and for discovering their Eftates and Effects, and for the preventing the tranfporting or alienating the fame, fe- veral Proviuons are made for the discovering and fecuring the Eftates and Effects of the faid late Sub-Go- vernor and Deputy- Governor, and of the faid late Directors, and of the faid late Treafurer or Cafhier, Deputy-Cafhier and Accountant, fo as they might be liable to Juilice in Pailiament, as by the fame Act (Relation being thereunto had) may more fully appear: Now to the End that the feveral Eftates Real and Perfonal of the faid late Sub-Governor, Deputy-Governor, Directors, Treafurer or Cafhier, De- puty-Cafhier and Accountant; and to the End that fo much of the Amount or Value of the Eftates of the faid John MJlahie, or of any in Truft for him, which are hereafter in and by this Act vefted in Truftees herein after named, as do or (hall exceed the Amount or Value of the Ellates which belonged to the faid John Aiflabie, or any in Truft for him, on the firft Day of October one thoufand feven hundred and eigh- teen ; and to the End that fo much of the Amount or Value of the Eftates which belonged to the faid James Craggs, or any in Truft for him, at the Time of his Death, as exceeded the Amount or Value of the Eftates which belonged to him, or any in Truft for him, on the firft Day of December one thoufand feven hundred and nineteen, may all be made fubject and liable, and be difpofed (fo far as the fanie will extend) as foon as conveniently may be, for or towards the Ufes and Purpofes hereafter in this Act ex- prefTed concerning the fame ;' May it pleafe your moft Excellent Majefty that it may be enacted, &c. 3 AI1