Pages 50-71 
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| Pages 50-71
| Pages 89-110
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| CHAP. XV. | ||
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| WHEREAS the several acts of assembly heretofore passed for supplying at certain prices, the troops of this commonwealth, with the necessary articles therein specified, have from fraud, neglect, or other causes, been rendered ineffectual; for remedy whereof, Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That the governour, with the advice of the council may, and he is hereby empowered and required to appoint an agent for the troops of this commonwealth in continental service, to attend and continue with the said troops for supplying them with such necessary articles as shall be furnished by virtue of this, or any other act of assembly, and | Preamble. Military agents, to be appointed. Their duty and compensation. |
| receiving from them the money for which the same shall be sold; who shall be accountable to the board of trade for all goods or effects committed to his charge; shall give bond, with sufficient security, in such penalty as shall be required by the governour and council, for the faithful execution of his office, and shall be entitled to receive a salary of fifteen hundred pounds per annum, and also allowed to draw such rations and forage as are, or may be allowed a major in the continental army. And be it farther enacted, That the board of war shall, and they are hereby required, from time to time, to make out schedules or lists of all such articles as, according to the said former acts of assembly, they shall judge necessary for the comfortable accommodation of all the officers, soldiers, and sailors, of this commonwealth, either on the continental or state establishment, distinguishing the articles or portion thereof allotted to the troops in the different departments, or at the different posts, and deliver copies to the board of trade, who, having previously laid the requisition before the governour and council, shall, and they are hereby required, as soon as possible, to cause the same to be purchased for procured, and so soon as any, or the whole of such articles shall have been procured, they shall, together with an invoice, and the prices at which they are to be sold, cause such of them as are intended for the officers, soldiers, or sailors, within this commonwealth, to be delivered to the respective agents appointed by the said board of trade for transacting the business of the state in that department, who shall give receipts and be accountable to the board of trade for the same, and shall retail and deliver them at the said prices to the said officers, soldiers, and sailors, according to the direction of the board of war; and the said board of trade shall send forward, either by land or water, as they, with the board of war shall judge best, such portions of the said goods as shall be allotted to the troops at distant posts, whether within or without the commonwealth; and with every parcel of goods to be so forwarded, shall sent some confidential person to deliver the same, together with an exact invoice, and the prices at which they are to be sold, either to the agent for this commonwealth in the continental army, or to the agent at the post to which they shall be respectively ordered, and as the | Board of war to furnish lists of articles for accommodation of army.
Board of trade to procure such articles. How transmitted to the army. |
| nature of the case may require, who shall take such agents receipt for the same, to be returned to, and lodged with the board of trade. And where any such goods shall be delivered to the agent for this commonwealth in the continental army, a copy or duplicate of the invoice and prices shall also be delivered to such of the brigadier generals of the Virginia line as shall be present, or to the next commanding officer of the brigades; and where any such goods shall be delivered to the agent in any other department, a copy or duplicate of the invoice and prices shall be delivered to the commanding officer at the post to which they are ordered. | Invoices and prices to be sent with goods. |
| The said agent in the continental army, as well as the agents in the other departments, shall once a year, and oftener if required, settle with the board of trade a fair account of all the goods respectively committed to their charge, and produce vouchers for their proper application and disposition, and their necessary disbursement s therein, whereupon the said board may, and they are hereby required to certify the settlement of such accounts to the publick auditors; that the balance due thereon may be paid to, or received from the treasurer in the same manner as in other publick accounts. And if any such agent shall fail to make up his account within thirty days after the year shall be expired, or having rendered his account, shall neglect or refuse to pay to the treasurer the balance which shall be due from him thereon, it shall and may be lawful for the treasurer to give such defaulter ten days previous notice, and thereupon to have judgment entered in the general court for the whole penalty of his bond, and upon such judgment, to proceed to execution as in other cases for publick debts. All charges accruing from the execution of this act, shall be defrayed by the publick upon the like settlements and certificates from the board of trade to the auditors. | Accountability of agents. |
| And that the board of war may be more regularly and fully informed of the wants of the officers and soldiers, they are hereby directed and required to correspond, from time to time, with the continental board of war, and the general or commanding officers at the several posts where the troops of this commonwealth may be stationed, concerning the clothing and other supplies necessary for their accommodation. All letters | Duty of board of war in ascertaining wants of army. |
| respecting such correspondence and regular reports of their proceedings from the said boards of war and trade, shall be laid before the governour and council, from time to time, for their advice and instructions therein. | |
 CHAP. XVI. An act for the annual appointment of delegates to Congress. |
[From Revised Bills of 1779, chap. X. p. 9.] |
| BE it enacted by the General Assembly, That at the first session of every general assembly, there shall be chosen by joint ballot of both houses, seven persons to act as delegates for this commonwealth in general congress, from the first Monday in November next ensuing the said election for the term of one year. Four of the said delegates at the least shall be always at congress during its sessions; the majority of those present shall give the vote of this commonwealth, provided there be present three at the least, otherwise they shall give no vote; if they shall not by agreement among themselves, to be stated in writing, otherwise settle the portions of the year during which each member shall attend, so as to keep up a constant attendance of four at the least, then they shall serve as follows, to wit: The first member in the nomination shall serve during the months of November, December, January, February, June, July, and August. The second, during the months of January, February, March, April, May, September, and October. The third, during the months of November, December, March, April, May, September, and October. The fourth, during the months of November, December, January, February, June, July, and August. The fifth, during the months of February, March, April, July, August, September, and October. The sixth, during the months of November, December, January, May, June, July and August. And the seventh, during the months of March, April, May, June, September, and October. No member shall be capable of being a delegate for | Members of congress, when and how elected. Four always to attend. Times of attendance. How long eligible. |
| more than three years in any term of six years, taking into account as well the past as future time. Any of the said delegates shall be subject to be removed at any time within the year, by the joint vote of both houses, and thereon, or in case of the death, resignation, or refusal to act, of any such delegate, they shall proceed to choose another to serve in his stead, and during his term, and each of the said delegates shall receive from the treasurer the sum of forty dollars for everyday he shall be at congress, or for attending the committee of the states, and a dollar for every mile travelling to, or returning from either, with his ferriages. If any person holding any office under the laws of this commonwealth, legislative, executive, or judiciary, be appointed a delegate to congress, such office shall not thereby be vacated. The delegates to congress to be chosen during this present session of assembly, in lieu of those who have resigned, or shall resign, together with those remaining in office, shall be continued until the first Monday in November next, and shall be subject to the same rules of voting, and entitled to the same allowances as are before stated in case of the members to be annually chosen. | How removeable. Wages. Office, under state, not vacated by appointment to congress. | |
| CHAP. XVII. | ||
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| WHEREAS it has been represented that the act of general assembly now in force for regulating the publick warehouses for inspection of tobacco, is in many respects defective, and the allowances therein made to the proprietors of warehouses, inspectors, and others, are inadequate to their services; and that many and grievous exactions are made upon the people of this commonwealth, by persons attending at the warehouses; for remedy whereof, Be it enacted by the General | Preamble. |
| Assembly, That from and after the passing of this act there shall be paid to the inspectors (in lieu of their former salaries and allowances) two dollars for every hogshead of tobacco which they shall pass as good and merchantable; one dollar for every hogehead which they shall refuse upon inspecting the same, to be paid by the proprietor; five dollars for every hogshead which shall be reprized, for reprizing and nails, to be paid by the person receiving the same, in lieu of six shillings allowed by a former act of assembly; and the sum of six dollars for every hogshead prized up an d exchanged for transfer notes; the payment of ten shillings per hogshead on all tobacco prized up to cease and determine; and one dollar for every hogshead of tobacco which shall be delivered for exportation, to be paid by the shipper to the inspectors delivering the same. And be it farther enacted, That the books directed to be kept by the inspectors, wherein shall be set down, an account of all tobacco received, refused or shipped by them, shall be open for the inspection of all persons resorting to the warehouses, without fee or reward, upon pain of forfeiting fifty pounds by any inspector refusing to produce his books when required. The inspectors upon passing any tobacco, shall give their note for the same, without any exception therein against losses by theft or otherwise, upon pain of being removed from their office, and rendered incapable of holding any office for the future. No inspector, picker, or other person employed at any warehouse, shall purchase tobacco for himself or others, or be security for such as do purchase, on pain of forfeiting five hundred pounds, and being rendered incapable of holding any office in the commonwealth hereafter. The inspectors at each warehouse shall find hands to stow away and deliver tobacco, and one of them shall attend at all times (Sundays excepted) for delivering tobacco; the hands employed by them may turn up tobacco for such as come to the warehouse, provided they give no interruption to others, or improper preference, or prevent or delay any person who may be inclined to turn up his own tobacco. There shall be paid for turning up tobacco, four dollars, and no more, by the proprietor to him who will do the service; and if any person shall presume to pay or receive a greater sum until it shall be otherwise directed by the court of the | Inspectors' fees. Their books to be always open. To give receipts for tobacco passed, without any exception against losses. Inspectors not to deal in tobacco. To find hands. Fees for turning up tobacco. |
| county wherein the warehouse may be, he or she so paying or receiving shall forfeit fifty pounds, or be committed to prison for six months. And for preventing impositions and exactions for the future, the courts of the several counties wherein any publick warehouse may be, shall, at the time of nominating in every year, fix the price to be paid for turning up tobacco, and no person shall presume to pay or receive more, under penalty as aforesaid. When any tobacco shall be refused, the proprietor may pick the same if he think proper, within one month, or may employ any person to do it for him, who shall have free use of the houses and prizes set apart for that purpose, who shall receive in money one tenth part of the value of the tobacco saved, for the service, and no more, to be ascertained by the inspectors according to the current selling prices. The inspectors shall, in the month of September in every year, or at the next court to be held for their county, give in an account of all the tobacco remaining in their several warehouses, distinguishing such as shall have lain in the warehouses twelve months; which tobacco having so lain twelve months (except where it may belong to the United States, or either of them) shall not remain at the risk of the publick, and shall be liable to pay twelve shillings per month for every month each hogshead shall remain in such warehouse, payable to the inspector, who shall account for the same with the proprietor to such warehouse, upon complaint made to any court that the warehouses within their county are insufficient or out of repair, such court shall appoint two of their members to inspect the same, and the fixtures thereunto belonging, and shall take such order therein as may appear proper; and if the proprietor, upon notice given him, will not put the warehouse in repair, the court shall direct it to be done, and the expenses attending the same, shall be paid by the treasurer, upon a certificate from the auditors; and to repay such expense, the inspectors shall pay three fourths of the rent of such warehouse into the treasury, until a sum sufficient to be raised, and one fourth to the proprietor, his guardian, agent, or attorney, as the case may be; the account for such rent retained, shall be rendered to the treasurer, and the money arising thereby paid to him in the month of September annually, under penalty of one hundred pounds, to be | Refused tobacco may be picked. When inspectors to account for tobacco remaining, & how much disposed of. Insufficient warehouses, how repaired. |
| paid by the inspectors neglecting so to do. And to prevent impositions and exactions upon persons resorting to the publick warehouses, the court of every county wherein such warehouses are situate, shall in the month of September annually, or at their next court, direct one of their members to set apart and appropriate at each warehouse, a proper house for receiving, and in which may be picked, all refused tobacco, and shall also direct a proper number of prizes to be set up for the purpose of reprizing such tobacco; and if any person employed in picking tobacco shall make use of any house or prize, other than those appointed for that purpose, he shall forfeit fifty pounds for every offence to be recovered as herein after directed, or upon non-payment shall be committed to prison without bail or mainprize for six months. There shall be paid eight shillings per hogshead for all tobacco inspected at any warehouse by the proprietor or person bringing the same to the inspectors at such warehouse, who are to collect such rent and pay the same either into the treasury in the manner herein before directed (in case of refusal to repair) or to the proprietor in the month of September annually; and if any inspector shall refuse to account with the proprietor of the warehouse, or make such payment, he or they shall forfeit five hundred pounds. All and every penalty incurred by this act, shall be recoverable in any court of record within this commonwealth by action of debt, and shall be to the use of him who will sue for the same within twelve months. Inspectors to be allowed six per centum on all monies to be collected by virtue of this act. So much of an act entitled "An act for reviving several publick warehouses for the inspection of tobacco," as comes within the perview of this act, is, and stands hereby repealed. | Houses,&c. appropriated for picking tobacco. Inspection fees. |
| CHAP. XVIII. An act for laying a tax, payable in certain enumerated commodities. | |
| TOWARDS supporting the publick credit and providing for the armaments employed, as well in the more immediate defence of the commonwealth, as for its quota of troops on continental establishment; Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That for every man above sixteen years old, and every woman slave of like age (except such as by the courts of the respective counties shall have been discharged from the county levy, or from age or infirmity adjudged by the commissioners of the tax incapable of labour) one bushel of wheat, or two bushels of Indian corn, rye, or barley, or ten pecks of oats, or fifteen pounds of hemp, all sound, clean, and merchantable, or twenty eight pounds of inspected tobacco in transfer notes, shall be delivered by him or her, or by his or her parent or guardian (being an infant) or by the owner of any slave, or by the parent or guardian of such owner (being an infant) to the commissary to be appointed for that purpose, at the place or places hereafter by this act directed to be appointed in the county in the month of March, in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty, and in each of the four next succeeding years. And for carrying this act into execution; Be it enacted, That the court of each county shall, on some of their several court days in the months of August, September, or October, in the present and each of the four next succeeding years, appoint two commissioners, who shall have power to fix on some one certain place in the smaller counties, and in the large counties on two, or if absolutely necessary, on three certain places within the same, for the receipt and delivery of such commodities, having regard as well to the convenience of the people, as to the purposes of safe storing, manufacturing, and removal to the publick magazines, any of the said commodities. The said commissioners shall notify by advertisement at the most publick places within the county, the place or places of delivery so appointed, and shall have power | Tax, payable in commodities. Places of deposit, how fixed. Commissaries of tax, their appointment & duty. |
| to procure storehouses and employ a commissary at each place so appointed, to receive and keep accounts of the commodities so delivered. Every such commissary shall give to the party, a receipt for all commodities delivered him, safely keep them in the storehouses provided for that purpose, employ and contract with millers (according to the advice and directions of the commissioners) for the manufacturing into flour or meal, any wheat or rye, and packing the same in proper barrels for its preservation; and shall annually within ten days next after the last day of March, render to the said commissioners an account upon oath of all the commodities received by him, stating against each persons name the quantity and kind of every article, and what quantity of wheat and rye hath been delivered to be manufactured, or tobacco to be prized. The said commissioners shall, immediately after such accounts are rendered, make out from them and from the last list of tithables in their county (to be furnished to them for that purpose by the clerk of the court) distinct accounts of all deficiencies occasioned by non-payment of the said commodities; charging each person so deficient with the same in money, and estimating such deficiency as if the whole had been in wheat, at the highest market price thereof upon navigable water for exportation at the time of such estimation; and shall annually, on or before the first day of May, deliver to the sheriff and to the commissioners of the tax for the county, copies of such accounts, certified under their hands. For all sums so due from each person respectively, the sheriff shall have the like power to distrain, be entitled to the same fees and commissions, and accountable in the same manner as in the collection of other taxes; and the said commissioners of the tax for the county are hereby empowered to settle with, and charge him accordingly. The commissioners hereby directed to be appointed, shall annually, on or before the fifteenth day of May, transmit to the governour, a copy certified under their hands of the accounts delivered to them by the respective commissaries, annexing the name of each commissary to his proper account, who shall thenceforth act under such directions as shall be given by the governour, with the advice of the council, for effecting the purposes of this act. The court of the county shall | On non-payment of tax in commodities, to be paid in money.
Power of distress. Commissioners and commissaries of tax, their duty, allowances, and liabilities. |
| ascertain and certify the proper allowances to the commissioners, the owners of storehouses, the commissaries and different workmen employed by them; which being examined and passed by the auditors for publick accounts, shall be paid by the treasurer. Any commissioner so to be appointed, and refusing to act, shall forfeit and pay one hundred pounds, or failing to appoint the commissaries necessary with his county, or to appoint and advertise places for the delivery of commodities, or to deliver to the sheriff and commissioners of the tax, a copy of the commissaries returns, shall forfeit and pay two hundred pounds. Any commissary appointed, and refusing to act, shall forfeit and pay fifty pounds, or failing to return to the commissioners the account directed by this act within the time limited, shall forfeit and pay two hundred pounds. The fines hereby inflicted shall be one moiety to the informer, and the other to the commonwealth, or the whole to the commonwealth where the suit shall be first instituted on the publick behalf only, to be recovered with costs by action of debt or information in any court of record within the commonwealth. In case of vacancy, either by refusal, death, or other cause, the court of the county shall be empowered to appoint other commissioners and the commissioners shall in like cases appoint other commissaries; provided that it shall and may be lawful for the governour, with advice of the council, by certificate under his hand, to discharge from the payment of the said tax, any person or persons whose property hath ben, or shall be plundered by the enemy; any thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding. |
| CHAP. XIX. | ||
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| WHEREAS "An act for speedily recruiting the Virginia regiments on continental establishment," which passed the last session of general assembly, hath not produced the end proposed, many counties having failed to furnish one twenty fifth man, according to the said act; and whereas it is just that the whole community should bear an equal part in publick defence: Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That the county lieutenant or commanding officer of the militia shall, where the same hath not been hitherto done, cause his county to be immediately laid off into divisions, according to the directions of the said recited act; each of which division shall furnish a man, agreeable to the term of the said act, by the second day of August, one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine; and in those counties where, although the militia hath been already laid off in divisions, have failed to furnish a soldier as required by the said recited act; every division having so failed, shall be allowed the same time to furnish such soldier; and if at the expiration of the said time, any division shall still have failed, the county lieutenant shall order the said division to assemble at such place, and on such day as he shall appoint, within fifteen days after the time so allowed, and shall there himself, or by a field officer, by fair and impartial lot, draft one man out of such division, to serve as a regular soldier for the term of eighteen months from the time of his meeting in general rendezvous, who shall be of able body, subject to the same duties, and entitled to the same emoluments as those men who enlisted under the terms of the said recited act. The governour and council shall take order for the disposal of the men to be raised under this act, in the manner most likely to fulfil the intention thereof. The | See vol. 9, p. 588. One 25th man of the militia, to be drafted for eighteen months. |
| fines on the county lieutenant, justice, or any other person failing to do his duty herein, shall be the same as in the above recited act, and recoverable in like manner. | |
| CHAP. XX. An act for the better regulation and discipline of the militia. | |
| WHEREAS it is expedient to amend the act entitled "An act for regulating and disciplining the militia," and one other act entitled "An act for providing against invasions and insurrections:" Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That in every county where there are more than one battalion, there shall be a muster of each battalion in the months of March and October in every year, to be appointed by the county lieutenant, or in his absence by the next commanding officer, at, or as near the centre of the districts of such battalions as may be. That the field officers and captains, or a majority of them, whereof a field officer shall be one, shall hold a court-martial at or near the place where such muster shall be, on the day following, each muster under the same rules and regulations, and under the same penalties as are prescribed by the said recited acts. Every commanding officer of a battalion for refusing or neglecting to turn out, train, and exercise his battalion, or for refusing or neglecting to perform any of the other duties required by the said recited acts; or who shall neglect to examine the returns and levy the fines upon delinquents, shall forfeit and pay the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds. Every county lieutenant or next commanding officer, the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds. Every other field officer, the sum of one hundred pounds. Every captain, the sum of fifty pounds: And every lieutenant Every captain, the sum of fifty pounds: And every lieutenant or ensign, the sum of twenty five pounds. Every non-commissioned officer or private who shall neglect or refuse to attend any general or private muster when | See vol. 9, p. 267, 291. General musters, twice a year. Courts martial. Fines on officers and soldiers. Disobedience, how punishable. |
| ordered by his commanding officer so to do, shall forfeit and pay the sum of three pounds for every offence, except as is excepted by the said acts. Every non-commissioned officer or private, who at any muster shall not obey the lawful commands of his superiour officer, or shall behave mutinously, riotously, get drunk or not demean himself as a non-commissioned officer or soldier, shall be put under guard for the day, and being convicted before a court-martial of any such offence, shall forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding ten pounds. If any by-stander interrupt, molest, or insult any officer or soldier when on duty, or misbehave before any court-martial, he may be put under guard by the commanding officer for the day, and shall be fined in any sum not exceeding ten pounds. Every field officer or inferiour commissioned officer refusing or neglecting to obey the lawful commands of his superiour officer, misbehaving when on duty, or not demeaning himself as an officer, shall be put under arrest for the day, and upon conviction of any such offence, shall be fined at the discretion of such court. If any officer shall refuse to march when ordered into actual service according to his tour of duty, such officer shall be cashiered, and moreover shall be turned into the ranks and serve as a common soldier during the time the detachment to which he belongs continues in serve. If any non-commissioned officer or soldier shall refuse to march when ordered into actual service according to his tour of duty, or find an able bodied man in his room, or shall while in service, mutiny, or desert, and thereof shall be convicted before a court-martial, such offender shall serve as a regular soldier in the troops of this state six months, and shall by order of such court-martial be delivered to a recruiting officer for that purpose. The said recited acts as far as they come within the perview of this act stand hereby repealed, provided that any court-martial which may be held by virtue of this act, shall proceed upon all delinquencies committed or done before the passing of this act according to the said recited acts, and determine accordingly. And that if at any time it shall be necessary to call the militia together for the purpose of drafting men for the continental army or any other purpose, the officers and soldiers shall be subject to the same fines and penalties for not appearing | Misbehaviour, in bye-standers, & others. Officers refusing to march. |
| upon due notice being given them, requiring their attendance, as for not appearing at general musters. And that instead of the pay allowed by the said recited acts to scouts and lookouts in the frontier counties, there shall be paid to every person in future employed on that service, the sum of eight dollars per day, to be paid in manner directed by the said recited acts. The serjeant of the city of Williamsburg for the time being, shall have the same power to collect and distrain for militia fines within the limits of the said city as the sheriffs of the respective counties within this commonwealth, as well those fines already incurred as those which hereafter may be incurred, and be liable to the same penalties for neglect of duty. | Pay of scouts. Serjeant of Williamsburg, the same power to distrain as sheriffs. |
| And be it farther enacted, That this act shall be publickly read at the head of each company by the captain or commanding officer thereof, within one month after receiving the same, under the penalty of twenty pounds. | |
| CHAP. XXI. An act for the removal of the seat of government. | |
| I. WHEREAS great numbers of the inhabitants of this commonwealth must frequently and of necessity resort to the seat of government where general assemblies are convened, superior courts are held, and the governour and council usually transact the executive business of government; and the equal rights of all the said inhabitants require that such seat of government should be as nearly central to all as may be, having regard only to navigation, the benefits of which are necessary for promoting the growth of a town sufficient for the accommodation of those who resort thereto, and able to aid the operations of government: And it has been also found inconvenient in the course of the present war, where seats of government have been so situated as to be exposed to the insults and | Preamble. |
| injuries of the publick enemy, which dangers may be avoided and equal justice done to all the citizens of this commonwealth by removing the seat of government to the town of Richmond, in the county of Henrico, which is more safe and central than any other town situated on navigable water: Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly, That six whole squares of ground surrounded each of them by four streets, and containing all the ground within such streets, situate in the said town of Richmond, and on an open and airy part thereof, shall be appropriated to the use and purpose of publick buildings: On one of the said squares shall be erected, one house for the use of the general assembly, to be called the capitol, which said capitol shall contain two apartments for the use of the senate and their clerk, two others for the use of the house of delegates and their clerk, and others for the purposes of conferences, committees and a lobby, of such forms and dimensions as shall be adopted to their respective purposes: On one other of the said squares shall be erected, another building to be called the halls of justice, which shall contain two apartments for the use of the court of appeals and its clerk, two others for the use of the high court of chancery and its clerk, two others for the use of the general court and its clerk, two others for the use of the court of admiralty and its clerk, and others for the uses of grand and petty juries, of such forms and dimensions as shall be adopted to their respective purposes; and on the same square last mentioned shall be built a publick jail: One other of the said squares shall be reserved for the purpose of building thereon hereafter, a house for the several executive boards and offices to be held in: Two others with the intervening street, shall be reserved for the use of the governour of this commonwealth for the time being, and the remaining square shall be appropriated to the use of the publick market. The said houses shall be built in a handsome manner with walls of brick or stone, and porticoes where the same may be convenient or ornamental, and with pillars and pavements of stone. There shall be appointed by joint ballot of both houses of assembly, five persons to be called the directors of the publick buildings, who, or any three of them shall have power to make choice of such squares of ground, situate as before directed, as | Ground in Richmond appropriated for publick buildings.
Capitol, for the general assembly. Halls of Justice for the courts. House for executive boards. Governor's house. Directors of publick buildings. |
| shall be most proper and convenient for the said publick purposes, to agree on plans for the said buildings, to employ proper workmen to erect the same, to superintend them, to procure necessary materials by themselves or by the board of trade, and to draw on the treasurer of this commonwealth, from time to time, for such sums of money as shall be wanting; the plans and estimates of which shall be submitted to the two houses of assembly whensoever called for by their joint vote, and shall be subjected to their controul. And that reasonable satisfaction may be paid and allowed for all such lots of ground as by virtue of this act may be taken and appropriated to the uses aforesaid, the clerk of the county of Henrico, is hereby empowered and required on requisition from the said directors, to issue a writ in nature of a writ of ad quod damnum, to be directed to the sheriff of the said county, commanding him to summon and empannel twelve able discreet freeholders of the vicinage no ways concerned in interest in the said lots of land, nor related to the owners or proprietors thereof, to meet on the said lots on a certain day to be named in the said writ, not under five nor more than ten days from the date thereof, of which notice shall be given by the sheriff to the proprietors and tenants of the said lots of land if they be to be found within the county, and if not, then to their agents therein if any they have, which freeholders, taking nothing on pain of being discharged from the inquest and immediately imprisoned by the sheriff, either of meat or drink from any person whatever from the time they came to the said place until their inquest sealed shall be charged by the said sheriff impartially, and to the best of their skill and judgment to value the said lots of ground in so many several and distinct parcels as shall be owned and held by several and distinct owners and tenants, and according to their respective interest and estates therein; and if the said valuation cannot be completed in one day, then the said sheriff shall adjourn the said jurors from day to day until the same be completed; and after such valuation made, the said sheriff shall forthwith return the same under the hands and seals of the said jurors to the clerk's office of the said county, and the right and property of the said owners and tenants in the said lots of land, shall be immediately divested and transferred to this commonwealth | Land, how acquired, & paid for. |
| in the full and absolute dominion, any want of consent or disability to consent in the said owners and tenants notwithstanding. The cost of the said inquest and the several sums at which the rights of the owners and tenants are valued, shall be paid by the treasurer to the said owners, tenants, and others entitled respectively, on warrant from the auditors. | |
| II. And whereas it may be expedient to enlarge the said town of Richmond, by laying off a number of lots to be added thereto, and it may also happen that some of the lands adjacent to the said town may be more convenient for the publick uses: Be it therefore enacted, That the said directors cause two hundred additional lots or half acres, with necessary streets to be laid off adjacent to such parts of the said town as to them shall seem most convenient, and they shall also be at liberty to appropriate the six squares aforesaid, or any part of them, either from among the lots now in the said town, or those to be laid off as before directed, or of the lands adjacent to the said former or latter lots, and the said six squares and two hundred lots shall thenceforth be a part of the said town. And the said directors shall return into the clerk's office of the said county of Henrico, there to be recorded a full and distinct report under their hands and seals of the lots and squares of land added by them to the said town, or appropriated to the publick uses, together with the plan thereof. The rights of the several owners and tenants of the lots of land so to be added to the town and not appropriated to the publick uses, are nevertheless saved to them. | Richmond to be enlarged. Directors to make returns to clerks office of Henrico. |
| III. But whereas from the great expence attending the just and necessary war this commonwealth is at present engaged in, the difficulties of procuring the materials for building, and the high price for labour, it will be burthensome to the inhabitants if the said publick buildings be immediately erected: Be it therefore enacted, That the directors aforesaid shall, with all convenient speed, cause to be erected or otherwise provide some proper and temporary buildings for the sitting of the general assembly, the courts of justice, and the several boards before described. | Temporary houses to be provided. |
| IV. And whereas the present jail of the county of Henrico, now within the said town of Richmond, if enlarged may be made sufficient for a publick jail until | Jail of Henrico to be enlarge. |
| a more commodious one can be built; the said directors are hereby empowered to enlarge the same. Provided nevertheless, there shall not be drawn out of the publick treasury for any or all the said purposes a sum exceeding twenty thousand pounds; and the directors aforesaid are hereby prohibited from making any contracts for erecting any of the publick buildings described by this act to be built on any of the squares appropriated for publick use, fixing on the squares or laying off the additional lots until further provision shall be made for the same by the general assembly. And be it farther enacted, That from and after the last day of April which shall be in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, the said court of appeals, high court of chancery, general court, and court of admiralty shall hold their sessions in the apartments prepared for them by the said directors; that the first meeting of the general assembly after the same day shall be in such house or houses as shall be provided by the said directors; that the clerks of the two houses of assembly and of the several courts before mentioned, shall previously cause to be removed thither at the publick expence, the records, papers, and other things belonging to their respective offices; and that the keeper of the publick jail shall in like manner cause all prisoners in his custody to be removed to the publick jail so to be built as before directed, which shall thenceforward be deemed and used as the publick jail spoken of by the laws whether heretofore or hereafter passed. | Proviso, as to contracts and expenditures. When the courts and general assembly to sit at Richmond. |
| Pages 50-71
| Pages 89-110
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