addition to the tax already imposed by law, Comp. 247 and to make such other regulations and byelaws to protect their sheep from the ravages of dogs, as a majority of said town-meeting may deem expedient.

AN ACT authorizing a compilation of the laws since Paterson's revision.

Passed February 13, 1811.

Sec. 1. BE IT ENACTED by the council and general assembly of this state, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, Compila. That the governor of this state shall, and he is tion, by hereby authorized and appointed to compile how made. the public laws of this state, passed since the

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first day of January eighteen hundred, which remain in force; to make an index of all the principal matters contained therein, alphabetically arranged; to make references from one [Rev. 287. act to another, where the matter in one act 288 452. may have relation to any principal matter in 4531 another; to make marginal notes or references to such laws, or parts of laws, in Paterson's edition, as may have been altered or repealed; and an alphabetical index of the titles of the several private laws, passed since that period, with the dates of their enactment.

[Remainder of the act appoints James J. Wilson to print 1340 copies and provides for binding, payment and distribution.]

AN ACT establishing a Militia System.

Passed February 16, 1811.

Sec. 1. BE IT ENACTED by the council and general assembly of this state, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That every free able bodied white male inhabitant of this state, who is or shall be of the age of eighteen years and under the age of forty-five, (except ministers of the gospel, the vice-president of the United States, the officers judicial and executive of the government of the United States, the members of both houses of congress and their respective officers, all custom house officers with their clerks, all post officers and stage-drivers who are employed in the care and conveyance of the mail of the postoffice of the United States, all ferry-men employed at any ferry on the post-road, all inspectors of exports, all pilots, all mariners actually employed in the sea-service of any citizen or merchant within the United States) who shall express no desire to the contrary, shall severally and respectively be enrolled, and be deemed and adjudged to have notice of being so enrolled in the militia, by the сар, tain or commanding officer of the company within whose bounds such citizen shall reside. And in all cases of doubt respecting the age of any person, the party questioned shall prove his age to the satisfaction of the officers of the company or to the satisfaction of the assessor of the township within whose bounds he may reside; Provided nevertheless, That every person who is actually enrolled in or shall hereafter join any uniform corps that is now or may be established under this act, fully equip himself, and continue faithfully to do the duties required of him on days appointed by law for training, and on such other days as the commanding officer of said company or troop shall re

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quire for the term of ten years, on making the same appear to the satisfaction of the brigade board, hereinafter instituted, shall be entitled to receive from the said brigade board a certificate exempting him ever after from common militia duty; and the commanding officer of the company or troop in which such person may have so served, shall not erase such person's name from his muster roll, but write opposite to his name on the muster-roll of said company, exempted from common duty. And any person who may have held any commissioned office under this act for the term of ten years, shall on removal or resignation be entitled to the same privilege of exemption without fine if he make the same appear by a certificate from a brigade board, but no exemption created by this proviso shall in any case clear or exonerate any person exempted from common militia duty, from bearing his proportion of actual service in time of war, insurrection, invasion, or other emergency.

2. And be it enacted, That the militia in the several counties of this state, except Cape-May, shall form each a brigade, to be called after their respective counties. The militia in the county of Cape-May shall be annexed and belong to the Cumberland brigade: the Burlington, Gloucester, Salem and Cumberland brigades shall compose the first division: the Bergen, Essex and Morris brigades, shall compose the second division: the Somerset, Middlesex and Monmouth brigades, shall compose the third division: the Hunterdon and Sussex brigades, shall compose the fourth division: and the several regiments, independent battalions, battalions, squadrons, and companies, shall continue as at present arranged, subject nevertheless to such alterations and arrangements as are hereinafter provided for.

3. And be it enacted, That the present officers

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of the militia of this state, shall continue and exercise the several ranks and commissions which they now respectively hold. Vacancies by death, removal, resignation, or otherwise, shall be filled up, so that the militia shall be officered as follows: There shall be a general staff, of which the commander in chief shall appoint his four aids-decamp with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, one quarter-master-general, one adjutant-general, severally with the rank of brigadier-general; to each division there shall be one major-general, and two aids-de-camp, with the rank of a major; to each brigade one brigadier-general, with one brigadeinspector, to serve also as brigade-major, one brigade or senior surgeon, one brigade-judge-advocate, one brigade-paymaster, and one brigadequarter-master, to each regiment, one lieutenant- 10 colonel commandant; and to each battalion or squadron, one major; to each company of infan- li try, light-infantry, and grenadiers, one captain, one lieutenant, and one ensign, one clerk, four' serjeants, four corporals, one drummer, one fifer, and not more than sixty-four, nor less than forty privates, or as near as may be, having regard to their local situation; to each troop of horse there 12 shall be one captain, two lieutenants and one cornet, one clerk, four serjeants, four corporals, one saddler, one farrier, and one trumpeter, and not more than sixty-four nor less than thirty-two troopers; to each company of artillery, there shall 13 be one captain, and two lieutenants, one clerk, four serjeants, four corporals, one drummer, one fifer, not more than six nor less than three gunners, not more than six nor less than three bombardiers, and not more than thirty-two nor less than fifteen mattrosses; there shall be a regimental 14 staff, to consist of one adjutant, and one quartermaster, to rank as licutenants, one paymaster to

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each battalion, one surgeon and one surgeon's mate, one chaplain, one serjeant-major, one drum15 major, and one fife-major. All officers shall take rank according to the date of their commissions; and when two of the same grade bear equal date, then their rank shall be determined by lot, to be. drawn by them before the commanding officer of the division, brigade, regiment, battalion, com16 pany or detachment. The regimental staff, except the paymasters, shall be appointed by the field-officers, and the adjutants, and quarter-masters shall be appointed from among the subalterns of the regiment-The brigade and regimental staff officers shall be commissioned by the commander in chief, on certificates of their appointment under the hands and seals of the officers making the same: the non-commissioned regimental staff shall receive warrants from the commanding officers of the regiment and independent battalions; and further, there shall be one adjutant, one quartermaster, and one surgeon, or surgeon's mate, to each squadron of cavalry, and each independent battalion-the non commissioned officers and music 18 to be appointed by the captain and subalterns. That majors of independent battalions shall be entitled to promotion agreeably to seniority. And in case any major of an independent battalion shall be promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel, he 19 shall still continue to do the duties of major as before his promotion, until attached to some regiment or called into actual service, when he shall be entitled to command according to his rank of lieutenant-colonel and date of his commission as

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4. And be it enacted, That each and every of ficer who has been or may hereafter be appointed and commissioned in the manner aforesaid and who shall not already have taken the same, shall