New Hampshire Toleration Act (July 1, 1819):
<An Act, in amendment of an Act entitled an Act, for Regulating Towns and the Choice of Town Officers, passed February 8th, Anno Domini 1791,-
SECTION 1. Be it enacted...That the inhabitants of each town in this State...may grant...sums of money...for the support of schools, school houses, the maintenance of the poor, for laying out and repairing highways, for building and repairing bridges...
SECTION 2. And be it further enacted, That the tenth section of the Act, to which this is an amendment, be and the same is hereby repealed.
Provided that towns between which and any settled minister there is prior to, or at the passing of this act a subsisting contract, shall have a right from time to time to vote, assess, collect and appropriate such sum or sums of money as may be necessary for the fulfillment of such contract and for repairing meetinghouses now owned by such town so far as may be necessary to render them useful for town purposes-
Provided that no person shall be liable to taxation for the purpose of fulfilling any contract between any town and settled minister who shall prior to such assessment file with the town clerk of the town where he may reside a certificate declaring that he is not of the religious persuasion or opinion of the minister settled in such town.
SECTION 3. And be it further enacted, that each religious sect or denomination of Christians in this State may associate and form societies, may admit members, may establish rules and byelaws for their regulation and government, and shall have all the corporate powers which may be necessary to assess and raise money by taxes upon the polls and rateable estate of the members of such associations, and to collect and appropriate the same for the purpose of building and repairing houses of public worship, and for the support of the Ministry; and the assessors and collectors of such associations shall have the same powers in assessing and collecting, and shall be liable to the same penalties as similar town officers have and are liable to-
Provided that no person shall be compelled to join or support, or be classed with, or associated to any congregation, Church or religious society without his express consent first had and obtain-
Provided also, if any person shall choose to separate himself from such society, or association to which he may belong, and shall leave a written notice thereof with the clerk of such society or association, he shall thereupon be no longer liable for any future expenses which may be incurred by said society or association-
Provided also, that no association or society shall exercise the powers herein granted until it shall have assumed a name and stile by which such society may be known and distinguished in law, and shall have recorded the same in a book of records to be kept by the clerk of said Society, and shall have published the same in some newspaper in the County where such society may be formed if any be printed therein, and if not then in some paper published in some adjoining County.> 1819NH001
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American Quotations by William J. Federer, 2024, All Rights Reserved, Permission granted to use with acknowledgement.
Endnotes:
1819NH001. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). New Hampshire Toleration Act, July 1, 1819.