Laws of the State of Maine; to Which are Prefixed the Constitution of the U. States and of Said State, in Two Volumes, with an Appendix Page 112-113, Image 183-184 (Vol. 1, 1821) available at The Making of Modern Law: Primary Sources.
"An Act for the prevention of damage by Fire, and the safe keeping of Gun Powder.
§ 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in Legislature assembled, That the Selectmen of each town within this State, containing not less than fifteen hundred inhabitants, be, and they hereby, are authorized and empowered to make rules and regulations, from time to time, in conformity with which, all gun powder which is or may be within such town, shall be kept, had or possessed therein; and no person or persons shall have, keep, or possess within such town, any gun powder, in any quantity, manner, form or mode, other than may be prescribed by the rules and regulations aforesaid.
§ 2. Be it further enacted, That any person or persons who shall keep, have or possess any gun powder, within any town, contrary to the rules and regulations which shall be established by the Selectmen of such town, according to the provisions of this Act, shall forfeit and pay a fine of not less than twenty dollars, and not exceeding one hundred dollars, for each and every offence, to be recovered by action of debt in any Court proper to try the same.
§ 3. Be it further enacted, That all gun powder which shall be had, kept or possessed, within any town, contrary to the rules and regulations which shall be established by the Selectmen of such town, according to the provisions of this Act, may be seized by any one or more of the Selectmen of such town, and shall within twenty days next after the seizure thereof, be libelled, by filing with any Justice of the Peace in such town, a libel, stating the time, place and cause of seizure, and the time and place when and where trial shall be had before said Justice, and a copy of said libel shall be served by the Sheriff, or his deputy, on the person or persons, in whose possession the said gun powder shall have been seized..."