h
century:

"Whereas I think, for the good of this island in general, that gallows
should be erected in the several districts, in order to deter from
their robberies a parcel of villains, who think that they can do what
they please with impunity.... You are, therefore, hereby required and
directed to cause gallows to be erected in the most public places in
your several districts, and cause all such persons as are guilty of
robbery, felony, or the like crimes, to be sent round to this place in
order to take their trial at the annual assizes held here, as I am
determined to proceed against all such with the utmost severity of the
law. Given under my hand at St. John's, the 12th of October, 1754."

Newfoundland was naturally affected by the rebellion of the American
colonies. Of these Montcalm, in 1758, had written with rare insight:
"The several advices I daily receive assure me England will one day
lose her colonies. As to the English colonies, one essential point
should be known: it is, that they are never taxed. The Mother Country
should have taxed them from the foundation; I have certain advice that
all the colonies would take fire at being taxed now."[30] The
expulsion of the French from America had already lessened the
dependence of the colonies upon the home country, when the House of
Commons directed its corrupt and blighting attention to the English
colonial system. The Stamp Act was passed in 1764, and repealed in
1766. In 1768 came Charles Townshend's mischievous duty on tea; and
the American Congress met at Lexington in 1774. At this time the
resident population of Newfoundland amounted to over 12,000[31] and it
was soon realized that the colony would be gravely affected by the
outbreak of war. Congress at once prohibited all trade with the
English colonies. The seriousness of this blow was extreme, for
Newfoundland was largely dependent upon the American trade for the
necessaries of life. Want and tempest worked together for ill, and the
year 1775 is one of the blackest in the history of the colony. The
treaty with France in 1778 brought to the American colonists a success
which their resources and, it must be added, their resolution could
hardly have won alone, and once more exposed Newfoundland to European
attacks. It was protected by the energy and resource of Governor
Montague.

In 1775 came the very important Act known as Palliser's Act. This
statute was based on the old selfish and restrictive view