States of America and the other parts of the British empire, were resident or following their vocations in any part of the world, other than the said United States, and have not since, either entered into publick employment of the said states or joined the same, and. by overt act adhered to them; and (secondly) all such subjects, inhabitants of any of the said United States, as were out of the said states on the same day, and have since by overt act adhered to the enemies of the said states; and (thirdly) all inhabitants of the said states, who, after the same day and before the commencement of the act of general assembly, entitled "An act declaring what shall be treason," departed from the said states and joined the subjects of his Britannick majesty, of their own free will, or who, by any county court within this commonwealth, were declared to be British subjects, within the meaning and operation of the resolution of the general assembly of the nineteenth day of December, 1776, for enforcing the statute staple, shall be deemed British Property in subjects within the intention of this act. But this act particular shall not extend to debts due to British subjects, and instances excepted out payable into the loan office according to the act of of this act. general assembly for sequestering British property; nor take effect on any lots of land within the town of Richnond, as the limits of the said town now are, or shall be at the time of the inquest found, which by the directors of the publick buildings shall be included within the squares appropriated for such buildings, further than that an office shall be found as to such lots of Jand, and the estimated value thereof be disposed of hereafter as the price would have been by this act, had they been exposed to publick sale; nor on any other such lots within the same town, whether held in severalty by any British subject or subjects, or by a citizen or citizens and a British subject or subjects, as jointtenants or tenants in common, which shall by the said directors be declared proper for the publick use, until buildings be erected on the squares before mentioned, except that an office shall be found as to the interest of any British subject in such lots, and such interest estimated by the same jury which found the office, and at the same time, as also the interest therein of any citizen who is joint tenant or tenant in common with such British subject, and the value of the interest of

widows,

such citizen shall be paid to him, in like manner as is directed in the case of squares of ground appropriated to the publick buildings by an act passed at this present session of assembly, entitled, "An act for the removal of the seat of government," and the value of the interest of any such British 'subject shall be disposed of hereafter as the price would have been by this act, had they been exposed to publick sale, and the property in such lots shall be vested in the commonwealth; provided that the estates real and personal Provision for of such British subjects who have wives, widows, or wives, and children, residing within this state, shall be appropria- children. ted as follows: Such estates where there is a widow and no children, shall be subject to the widow's dower; where a wife and no child, to the like claim; but where a wife and child, or child and no wife, the whole of the estate belonging to such British subject shall be without the perview of this act. The residue of any estate not appropriated as hereby directed, shall be subject to the dispositions of this act.

CHAP. XV.

An act for more effectually supplying the officers, soldiers, and sailors of the commonwealth with the articles necessary for their comfortable accommodation.

WHEREAS the several acts of assembly heretofore Preamble, 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, Military awith the advice of the council may, and he is hereby gents, to be empowered and required to appoint an agent for the appointed. 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 re

Their duty and compen sation.

to furnish

cles for ac

ceiving from them the money for which the same shal! 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 board of war shall, and they are hereby required, from time to time, to make out schedules or lists of all such lists of arti- articles as, according to the said former acts of assem commoda- bly, they shall judge necessary for the comfortable tion of army. 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 Board of cause the same to be purchased or 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 How trans- board of war; and the said board of trade shall send mitted to 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 send 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

trade to proeure such articles.

army.

sent with

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 Invoices and goods shall be delivered to the agent for this common- prices to be wealth in the continental army, a copy or duplicate of goods. 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.

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 dis bursements 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 thercon 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, shali 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 execu tion 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.

Accounta bility of a

gents.

army.

And that the board of war may be more regularly Duty of and fully informed of the wants of the officers and sol- board of war diers, they are hereby directed and required to cor- in ascertain respond, from time to time, with the continental boarding wants of 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 letVOL. X.

K

ters 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 instruction therein.

CHAP. XVI.

From Hevi- An act for the annual appointment of

sed Bills of

1779, chap.

X. p. 9.]

congress, when and

delegates to Congress.

BE it enacted by the General Assembly, That at the Members of first session of every general assembly, there shall be chosen by joint ballot of both houses, seven persons to how elected. act as delegates for this commonwealth in general congress, from the first Monday in November next

to attend.

Times of attendance.

ensuing the said election for the term of one year. Four of the said delegates at the least shall be always Four 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 How long of March, April, May, June, September, and October. No member shall be capable of being a delegate for

eligible.