56 The Financial History of Connedicttt. 



lands on which hemp or flax was grown. This act was to remain in 



force for three years, commencing May 1, 1804.^ No payment was 



made under this act until during the fiscal year ending April 30, 1807. 



In this year thirty-two dollars was so expended. An act passed 



at the May session, 1807, renewed the previous act without setting 



a time limit. ^ This second act was not repealed until October, 1813. 



In the repeal it was specially provided that " nothing herein contained 



shall affect the right of any person to the bounty on hemp raised 



prior to the rising of this, assembly."^ Payments on this bounty 



did not wholly cease until 1817. The total amount paid was sixteen 



hundred fourteen dollars. Assuming that all persons who had claims 



under this legislation presented them and received the stipulated 



bounties, the quantity of hemp raised between May 1, 1804, and the 



rising of the assembly in 1813, a period of a little more than nine 



and a half years, was 161.4 tons. This is the small average annual 



yield of about seventeen tons and it proves that the bounty failed 



to build up a large and thriving hemp-growing industry. 



No other encouragements of this positive form were given during 



this period, but a few inducements in the way of exemption 



from taxation were given. In 1789, the assembly 



Uther iin- voted to exem.pt from all taxation for a period of 



couragements ^ ^ 



five years from February 1, 1789, the buildings used 



in the manufacture of woolen cloth by three specified firms. The 



polls of all persons regularly employed in these three manufactories 



were exempted for two years from the same date.^ Previous reference 



has been made to the fact that from January 1, 1801, until after the 



drawing up of the hsts in 1813, sheep were deducted, at the rate of 



seventy-five cents each (no more than twenty sheep to be deducted 



for any one man after 1810), from the lists of polls and rateable 



estate belonging to the owner.^ Finally, at the May session of 1817, 



owing to the fact that the woolen and cotton manufactures were 



hard pressed, the war of 1812 and the Napoleonic wars having ended, 



the general assembly passed an act exempting from the poll tax 



and from military duty, for a period of four years, all workmen 



constantly employed in cotton and woolen manufactories. The 



act also provided that all buildings and machinery and all land, 



to the extent of five acres, connected with these establishments, 



1 Conn. Laws, May 1803, p. 629. 



2 Conn. Laws, 1807, p. 751. 



3 Public Statute Laws, Oct. 1813, chap. 11. 



4 Conn. Laws, 1789, p. 375. 



5 Cf. p. 25. 



