Whereas the Director General and Council of New Netherland have observed that many persons, both Servants of the Company and Inhabitants, have contrary to the orders and commands of their High Mightiness the Lords States General and the Incorporated West India Company, presumed to sell to the Indians in these parts, Guns, Powder and Lead, which hath already caused much mischief, and if no means be adopted by Us here to prevent the same would hereafter entail nothing else than greater evil; Therefore every inhabitant of New Netherland, be his state, quality or condition what it may, is most expressely …

. . . the great Assembly should have power, by act confirmed as there expressed, to erect, raise and build within the said Province, or any part thereof, such and so many forts, castles, cities and other places of defense, and the same, or any of them, to fortify and furnish with such provisions and proportions of ordnance, powder, shot, armour and all other weapons, ammunition and abilments of war, both offensive and defensive, as shall be thought necessary and convenient for the safety and welfare of the said Province; as also to constitute train bands and companies, with the …

An Act Against Wearing Swords, Etc. Whereas there hath been great complaint by the inhabitants of this Province, that several persons wearing swords, daggers, pistols, dirks, stilettoes, skeines, or any other unusual or unlawful weapons, by reason of which several persons in this Province, receive great abuses, and put in great fear and quarrels, and challenges made, to the great abuse of the inhabitants of this Province. . . And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that no person or persons after publication hereof, shall presume privately to wear any pocket pistol, skeines, stilettoes, daggers or dirks, or …

[An Act Concerning Slaves, Etc. Whereas complaint is made by the inhabitants of this Province, that they are greatly injured by slaves having liberty to carry guns and dogs into the woods and plantations, under the pretense of gunning, do kill swine. Be it enacted by the Governor, Council and Deputies in General Assembly met and assembled and by the authority of the same] that no slave or slaves within this Province after publication hereof, be permitted to carry any gun or pistol, or take any dog with him or them into the woods, or plantations, upon any pretense whatsoever: …

[T]hat if any Person or Persons shall presume, at any Time after the Publication hereof, to carry any Gun, or hunt on the improved or inclosed Lands in any Plantation, other than his own unless he have Licence or Permission from the Owner of such Lands or Plantation . . . And if any person whatsoever, who is not owner of one hundred acres of land, or otherwise qualified, in the same manner as persons are or ought to be electing representatives to serve in general assembly shall at any time after the publication hereof, carry any gun, or hunt …

That if any Negro or Mulatto Slave or Slaves shall be seen or found from his or their Masters [sic] House, after the Hour of Nine at Night except on their Masters [sic] or Mistresses [sic] particular Business, or shall be seen to hunt, or carrying a Gun on the Lord’s Day; the Constable or Constables of such Town or Precinct, on Information or Knowledge thereof, shall and are hereby required and directed, to apprehend and carry such Negro and Mulatto Slaves before the next Justice of the Peace, who shall order such Negro or Mulatto Slave or Slaves, if …

An Act for the Preservation of Deer, and other game, and to prevent trespassing with guns (1771), § 1. Be it Enacted by the Governor, Council and General Assembly of this colony of New Jersey, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That if any person or persons shall presume, at any time after the publication hereof, to carry any gun on any lands not his own, and for which the owner pays taxes, or is in his lawful possession, unless he hath license or permission in writing from the owner or owners, or legal possessor, …

An Act for the Preservation of Deer, and other game, and to prevent trespassing with guns (Dec. 21, 1771): Whereas the laws heretofore passed in this colony, for the preservation of deer and other game, and to prevent trespassing with guns, traps, and dogs, have, by experience, been found insufficient to answer the salutory purposes thereby intended, therefore — § 1. Be it Enacted by the Governor, Council and General Assembly of this colony of New Jersey, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That if any person or persons shall presume, at any time after …

And Whereas a most dangerous Method of setting Guns has too much prevailed in this Province, Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Person or Persons within this Colony shall presume to set any loaded Gun in such Manner as that the same shall be intended to go off or discharge itself, or be discharged by any String, Rope, or other Contrivance, such Person or Persons shall forfeit and pay the Sum of Six Pounds; and on Non-ayment thereof shall be committed to the common Gaol of the County for Six Months.

That any Person who, from and after the Publication of this Act, shall offer any Gun-Powder for Sale, without being previously inspected and marked as is herein after directed, shall forfeit, for every such Offence, the Sum of Five Shillings a Pound for every Pound weight so offered for Sale, and so in Proportion for greater or lesser quantity[.]

That every Person enrolled shall constantly keep himself furnished with a good Musket, well fitted with a Bayonet, Steel Ramrod and Worm, a Cartridge-box, twenty three Rounds of Cartridges sized to his Musket, a Priming-wire, Brush and twelve Flints, a Knapsack and Canteen under the Forfeiture of Six Shillings for the Want of a Musket, and One Shilling for the Want of the other Articles whenever called out to Training or Service, to be recovered and applied as herein after is directed: Provided always, That if any Person be furnished as aforesaid, with a good Rifle Gun, the Apparatus necessary …

[An Act Respecting Slaves, § 9. And be it enacted, That if any negro or other slave shall be seen or found from the dwelling-house of his or her master or mistress after the hour of ten at night, except on the particular business of his or her master or mistress, or shall be seen to hunt or carry a gun on the first day of the week, or Christian Sabbath, commonly called Sunday, any constable or other person, of information or knowledge thereof, is hereby authorized, and it is especially made the duty of such constable, to apprehend and …

[An Act to Describe, Apprehend and Punish Disorderly Persons (1799)], § 2. And whereas diverse ill disposed persons are frequently apprehended, having upon them implements for house-breaking, or offensive weapons, or are found in or upon houses, warehouses, stables, barns or out-houses, areas of houses, coach-houses, smoke-houses, enclosed yards, or gardens belonging to houses, with intent to commit theft, misdemeanors or other offences; and although their evil purposes are thereby manifested, the power of the justices of the peace to demand of them sureties for their good behavior hath not been of sufficient effect to prevent them from carrying their …

. . . [N]o person or persons whatsoever, shall be permitted within this state to erect or establish, or cause to be erected or established, any manufactory which shall be actually employed in manufacturing gun-powder, either by himself or any other person, either on his own land or another, within the distance of a quarter of a mile from any town or village or house of public worship; or within the distance of a quarter of a mile from any dwelling house, barn or out house, without the consent under hand and seal of all and every the owner or …

An Act to Regulate Gun-Powder Manufactories and Magazines within this State. §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 from and after the first day of May next, no person or persons whatsoever, shall be permitted within this state to erect or establish, or cause to be erected or established, any manufactory which shall be actually employed in manufacturing gun-powder, either by himself or any other person, either on his own land or the land of another, within the distance of a quarter …

Laws of New Jersey (1820) § 56. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person shall, by word, message, letter, or any other way, challenge another to a fight a duel, with a rapier, or small sword, backsword, pistol, or other dangerous weapon, or shall accept a challenge, although no duel be fought, or knowingly by the bearer of such challenge, or shall any ways abet, prompt, encourage, persuade, seduce, or cause any person to fight a duel, or to challenge another to fight such a duel, every person so offending shall be deemed guilty of …

That it shall and may be lawful for the common council of the said city, in common council convened, to pass such ordinances as to them shall seem meet . . . for regulating the keeping and transporting of gunpowder or other combustible or dangerous materials.

Ordinances of the [City of Trenton], An Ordinance Concerning the Firing of Guns, Be it Ordained and Enacted by the inhabitants of the city of Trenton, in common council assembled, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, § 1. From and after the passing of this act, if any person or persons shall fire, discharge, or let off any gun, pistol, squib, or other fire-work within this city, within two hundred yards of any dwelling-house, stable, or any other building, or any hay or grain stack, every such person or persons so offending, and being thereof …

Crimes Against Public Morals and the Institution of Marriage, § 54. The opening or keeping of any room or place for playing billiards, or A.. B. C. or E. O. Table or tables or at tennis, bowls, or shuffle-board, or at faro banks, or other bank or l, or of like kind, under any denomination whatever, or for playing at nine-pins, or any other number of pins, or for cock-fighting, or for pistol shooting, either for money or without money, within three miles of the main building of the College of New Jersey, or of “Rutgers College” or of Drew …

An Ordinance To Prevent the Carrying of Loaded or Concealed Weapons within the Limits of Jersey City. The Mayor and Aldermen of Jersey City do ordain as follows: § 1. That it shall not be lawful for any person or persons (excepting policemen and private watchmen when on duty), within the corporate limits of Jersey City, to carry, have, or keep concealed on his or her person any instrument or weapon commonly known as a slung-shot, billy, sand-club or metal knuckles, and any dirk or dagger (not contained as a blade of a pocket-knife), and loaded pistol or other dangerous …

[Ordinances of Jersey City, NJ, In Relation to the Sidewalks, Public Grounds and Streets in Jersey City,] § 26. No person shall, within this city, fire or discharge any gun, pistol, cannon, or fowling piece or other fire-arms, unless in defense of his property or person; nor let off any squibs, crackers or other fireworks, unless by permission of the city authorities, under the penalty of ten dollars for each and every offense; provided, however, that this section of the ordinance shall not apply to the Fourth of July.

It shall not be lawful for any person or persons passing, riding or driving over any toll bridge, as aforesaid, to carry any lighted cigar or pipe, or to carry fire in any form, or to light any match, or cigar, or pipe, or to fire off any gun, or other fire arms, or to explode any fireworks of any description, on said bridge, or within its enclosures[.]

An Ordinance In Relation to the Carrying of Dangerous Weapons. The Mayor and Aldermen of Jersey City do ordain as follows: § 1. That with the exceptions made in the second section of this ordinance, no person shall, within the limits of Jersey City, carry, have or keep on his or her person concealed, any slung-shot, sand-club, metal knuckles, dirk or dagger not contained as a blade of a pocket knife, loaded pistol or other dangerous weapon. § 2. That policemen of Jersey City, when engaged in the performance of police duty, the sheriff and constables of the County of …

That no person shall at any time kill any wild duck, brant, or goose with any device or instrument known as a swivel or punt gun, or with any gun other than such guns as are habitually raised at arms [sic] length and fired from the shoulder; or shall use any net, device, instrument, or gun other than such gun as aforesaid with intent to capture or kill any such wild duck or goose, under a penalty of fifty dollars.

Crimes, An Act Relating to the Transportation of Explosive and Dangerous Material, § 1. That if any person shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to any canal, railroad, steamboat, or other transportation company, or to any persons, firm, or corporation engaged in the business of transportation, any nitroglycerine, dualin, dynamite, gunpowder, mining or blasting powder, gun-cotton, phosphorous, friction matches, or other explosive or dangerous material of any nature whatsoever, under any false or deceptive invoice or description, or without previously informing such person, firm or corporation, in writing, of the true nature of such article, and without having the …