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trustees shall cause six hundred and forty acres of land on the south side of the river Kentuckey, including the seventy acres allotted, or to be laid off into lots to be surveyed, adjoining to the said town, so that the same may be as near the centre thereof as its situation will admit, a plat whereof shall be returned to the court of the said county of Kentuckey, there to be recorded, which land so laid off is hereby vested in the said trustees and their successours, in trust to, and for the use and benefit of, the inhabitants of the said town. The said trustees, or the major part of them, shall have power, from time to time, to settle and determine all disputes concerning the bounds of the lots, and to settle and establish such rules and orders for the regular and orderly building of houses thereon, as to them shall seem best and convenient; and in case of the death, removal out of the country, or other legal disability of any one or more of the trustees before named, such vacancy shall be supplied in manner directed by an act of assembly, entitled "An act to em÷ power the freeholders of the several towns, not incorporated, to supply the vacancies of the trustees and directors thereof."

[Chan. Rev. p. 108.]

Court of ad

tinued at Williams

burg.

CHAP. V.

An act for continuing the court of Admiralty in the city of Williamsburg.

WHEREAS many inconveniencies may attend the miralty, con- removal of the court of admiralty at a distance from the sea: Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That the said court of admiralty shall continet sit so of ten as there shall be occasion, at the col, in Williamsburg, unless the same shall at a time be law fully adjourned, until the general ass y shall hereafter otherwise direct and appoint; thing in the

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act of general assembly, entitled "An act for the removal of the seat of government," to the contrary notwithstanding.

CHAP. VI.

An act to explain and amend two several acts of the last session of general assembly for fixing the allowance of the members thereof.

WHEREAS it was provided by an act of the last Acts fixing session of this present general assembly entitled "An allowance of act for fixing the allowance of the members of the ge- members of neral assembly," that the allowance to the several general asmembers of the present, and of all future assemblies, plained and sembly, exshould be fifty pounds of tobacco by the day, two amended. pounds of tobacco for every mile travelling to or from the said assemblies, and their ferriages, to be paid to them out of the publick treasury, at such rates, as should be estimated by the grand jury of the general court next, before each session of general assembly. And by a subsequent act of the same session, it was provided that the grand jury of that court which should be sworn first after the passing of that last act, should estimate the price of such tobacco, as well for that as for any subsequent session of the said assembly.

And whereas since the passing of the said two acts, it has been found that the price of tobacco is greatly enhanced, and likewise the price of all the necessaries of life, whereby another estimate of the price of such tobacco has become necessary during the present session of this asseinbly, and the like necessity may again frequently occur, when no estimate of tobacco can be made at any session of any future general assembly, when such session shall begin on the same day with, or after the meeting of the general court.

For remedy herein, Be it enacted, That the judges of the general court shall cause a grand jury to be VOL. X.

S

summoned immediately after the passing of this act, qualified as the law directs, who shall be sworn and charged to estimate in money, the value of all tobacco due, and to grow due, to the several members of this present session of general assembly, for attendance therein, and travelling to and returning from the same, in such manner as is directed by the said acts, which shall be paid by the treasurer to the several members being first entered and certified according to law.

And it is farther enacted, That whenever the general assembly shall hereafter happen to meet before or on the same day on which a session of the general court shall begin, the grand jury who may be then sworn, or who shall next sworn in the said court, shall proceed to estimate the value of all tobacco to grow due to the members of the general assembly in every of such sessions, so that there may be a several estimate made of all the tobacco to become due to the members at every session of assembly, whether the meeting of the general assembly shall happen before, at, or after the beginning of any session of the general court. And the grand jury shall govern themselves in making every such estimate, and the money to become due in consequence of such estimates, shall be entered, certified, and paid in the same manner, and under such regulations, as is directed in the first of the said recited acts.

CHAP. VII.

An act for granting warrants to Charles Simms, gentleman, to survey certain lands.

WHEREAS it is represented to this present gene- Preamble, ral assembly by lieutenant colonel Charles Simms, that he purchased of Alexander Ross and William Dunbar in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy five, two thousand nine hundred and sixty one acres of land, lying on the Ohio river and Rackoon creek, that the said Charles Simms intended to set about improving the same in order to preserve his title thereto, but was prevented from so doing by entering into the continental army in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy six, where he has continued ever since. And it is just and right, that those who have devoted their time and service in the defence of the country, should not forfeit their right to property during their continuance in the army.

Charles

Rackoon.

Be it therefore enacted, That it shall and may be Warrants to lawful for the said Charles Simms, to obtain from the issue to register of the land office, who is hereby required to Simms, for issue warrants for surveying two thousand nine hun- certain lands dred and sixty one acres, according to law; and upon on the Ohio proceeding according to the rules and regulations of river and the land office, paying the usual composition money creek. under the former government, and common office fees; shall be entitled to a grant or grants of the same: Provided always, and it is farther enacted, That the said Charles Simms shall not be entitled to locate any warrant, or warrants on any lands within the tract purchased by the said Alexander Ross, of George Croghan, situate on the Ohio river, the courses and boundaries of which are set forth in the deed of bargain and sale from the said Alexander Ross to the said Charles Simms, proved and recorded in the county court of Augusta, or within the tract of land purchased by the said Alexander Ross, of the said George Croghan, situate on Rackoon creek, the courses and boundaries of which are set forth in the aforesaid deed, or within the tract of land purchased by the said William

Dunbar, of the aforesaid George Croghan, situate on Rackoon creek, the courses and boundaries of which are set forth in a deed of bargain and sale from the said William Dunbar to the said Charles Simms, proved and recorded in the county court of Augusta; to which any person or persons are entitled to the preemption by actual settlements made before the first day of January one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight, or on any lands in any other place to which any person has a right of preemption under the act entitled "An act for adjusting and settling the titles of claimers to unpatented lands under the present and former government, previous to the establishment of the commonwealth's land office."

Act empow

nor and

council to lay an embargo fur

ther continued.

CHAP. VIII.

An act for farther continuing an act entitled An act to empower the governour and council to lay an embargo for a limited time.

WHEREAS the act of assembly passed in the year ering gover- one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight, entitled “An act to empower the governour and council to lay an embargo for a limited time," which was continued by an act entitled "An act for continuing an act entitled An act to empower the governour and council to lay an embargo for a limited time," will expire at the end of this present session of assembly, and it is necessary the same should be farther continued: Be it therefore enacted, That the act entitled "An act to empower the governour and council to lay an embargo for a limited time," shall continue and be in force from and after the expiration thereof until the end of the next session of assembly, and no longer.

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