AT A

General Assembly,

BEGUN AND HELD AT

Williamsburg, the first day of February, in the first year of the reign of our sovereign lord George II. by the Grace of God, of Great-Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. And from thence continued, by several prorogations, to the eighteenth day of May, 1732: being the third session of this present Assembly.

Wm. Gooch,

esq. govern

or.

CHAP. I.

An Act to enable the Masters of Ships, to employ their own Sloops, Boats, and Sailors, in carrying Tobacco from the Public Warehouses, on board their Ships.

I. HEREAS, by one clause of the act made at the last session of this assembly, For amending the Staple of Tobacco, and for preventing Frauds in his Majesty's Customs, it was enacted, "That no "master of a ship, or other vessel, should carry to any

warehouse, or fetch from thence, or any place what❝soever, in any boat or vessel to him belonging, or in "any vessel mann'd by the sailors of the ship or vessel "whereof he should be master, any tobacco, to be ship"ped upon freight, upon pain of forfeiting ten pounds of "lawful money, for every hogshead, so carried, fetched, ❝ or put on board: to be recovered by action of debt, "in any court of record; one moiety whereof should "be to our sovereign lord the king, his heirs and suc❝cessors, to be applied towards defraying the expence ❝ of the execution of this act; and the other moiety to "the person who should sue for the same:"

II. And whereas, it is now found more expedient, for the dispatch of ships, to allow the masters thereof a

[From edit. 1733.]

Preamble.

CHAP. XXIX.

An Act to confirm the sale of certain entailed Lands, in the County of King William, made by John Douglass, to John Frazer, in fee simple; and for settling other Lands in the County of Brunswick, and two Negro Slaves, of greater value, to the same uses.

Signed by WILLIAM GOOCH, Esq. Governor.

JOHN HOLLOWAY, Speaker.

AT A

General Assembly,

BEGUN AND HELD AT

Williamsburg, the first day of February, in the first year of the reign of our sovereign lord George II. by the Grace of God, of Great-Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. And from thence continued, by several prorogations, to the eighteenth day of May, 1732: being the third session of this present Assembly.

Wm. Gooch,

esq. govern

or.

CHAP. I.

An Act to enable the Masters of Ships, to employ their own Sloops, Boats, and Sailors, in carrying Tobacco from the Public Warehouses, on board their Ships.

I.

[From edit, 1733.]

THEREAS, by one clause of the act made at Preamble. the last session of this assembly, For amending the Staple of Tobacco, and for preventing Frauds in his Majesty's Customs, it was enacted, That no "master of a ship, or other vessel, should carry to any "warehouse, or fetch from thence, or any place what"soever, in any boat or vessel to him belonging, or in "any vessel mann'd by the sailors of the ship or vessel "whereof he should be master, any tobacco, to be ship❝ped upon freight, upon pain of forfeiting ten pounds of ❝lawful money, for every hogshead, so carried, fetched, ❝or put on board: to be recovered by action of debt, ❝in any court of record; one moiety whereof should "be to our sovereign lord the king, his heirs and suc❝cessors, to be applied towards defraying the expence "of the execution of this act; and the other moiety to "the person who should sue for the same:"

II. And whereas, it is now found more expedient, for the dispatch of ships, to allow the masters thereof a

ed.

liberty of employing their own sloops, boats, and sailors, in carrying tobacco from the warehouses, on board their ships or vessels, respectively:

III. Be it enacted, by the Lieut. Governor, Council and Burgesses, of this present General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That Former pen- no master of any ship, or other vessel, shall hereafalties releas- ter be liable to the penalty or forfeiture in the said recited clause mentioned, for any tobacco, which at any time heretofore hath been carried from any plantation or place, to the public warehouses, by the sloops, boats, or sailors, to such masters belonging; or for any tobacco, either heretofore or hereafter carried from any of the public warehouses in the said act mentioned, on board any ship or vessel, in any boat or vessel belonging to such master, or by any of the sailors belonging to such ship or vessel: But it shall and may be lawful for all masters of ships, and other vessels, to employ their own sloops, boats, and sailors, in carrying tobacco from the said warehouses, on board their ships; any thing in the said act, to the contrary notwithstanding.

Preamble:

CHAP. II.

An Act for laying a Duty on Liquors.

May it please your most excellent Majesty,

I.

HEREAS by an act of assembly made in the

W twelfth year of the reign of our late sovereign

lord George the first, intituled, An Act for laying a Duty on Liquors, a duty or custom of three pence, was laid on every gallon of rum, brandy, and other distilled spirits; and on every gallon of wine, which should be imported, or brought into this colony and dominion, from and after the tenth day of June, then next ensuing, for and during the term of five years; and also one other duty, of one penny, on every of the said liquors imported, as aforesaid, after the said tenth day of June, for and during the term of twenty one years; of which said last mentioned duty, two hundred pounds per annum was by the said act appropriated to the use of the college of William and Mary.

Il. And whereas, by one other act made at the last session of this assembly, the said duty of three pence

was continued for four years upon the liquors aforesaid, (except such as should be imported in any ship, or vessel, wholly and solely belonging to the inhabitants of this colony, which were made liable to half the duty only:) And seeing your majesty, in your great wisdom, has been pleased to disapprove and repeal the said act,

III. We your majesty's most dutiful and loial subjects, the representatives of your people of the colony and dominion of Virginia, now met in a general assembly, beg leave to represent to your majesty, that it is absolutely necessary for the support of this government, to raise so much money yearly, as may be sufficient to defray the expences thereof, without subjecting your people to a poll-tax, which will be too grievous and burthensome to them, and will be the occasion of great murmuring and discontent: And as no better expedient for this purpose can be proposed, than by laying a more equal duty upon liquors, imported from your majesty's other plantations; which has, by long experience, been found easy and agreeable to your subjects, in this colony.

We do most humbly beseech your Majesty, that it may be enacted,

IV. And be it enacted, by the Lieut. Governor, Coun- Duty onrum, cil, and Burgesses of this present General Assembly, and brandy and it is hereby enacted, by the authority of the same, That wine. for every gallon of rum, brandy, and other distilled spirits, and for every gallon of wine, which, from and after the last day of July next, shall be imported or brought into this colony and dominion, from any port or place whatsoever, the duty or custom of three pence shall be paid by the owner or importer of the same, for and during the term of four years.

V. Provided nevertheless, and it is hereby enacted and Except imdeclared, That no duty or custom whatsoever, shall be ported from required or paid, for any of the liquors before enume- G. Britain. rated, which shall come directly from Great Britain; but that all such liquors shall remain and continue exempt and free from any imposition, duty, or custom, levied or required by this act, as if this act had never been made.