any compensation made by the one parish to the other for any supposed difference in value between the said churches; any thing in the said recited act to the contrary notwithstanding.

vice, empowered to re-enlist their men.

CHAP. L.

An act for re-enlisting the troops of this state in the continental army, and for other purposes.

Officers of BE it enacted by the General Assembly, That the Virginia line, and of officers of the Virginia line, and of the two state regithe two state ments, and of the artillery regiment in the continental regiments, service, shall have power to re-enlist any soldiers whose and of artil- times of service may expire within the course of the lery, in continental ser. ensuing year, and to pay them the sum of seven-hundred and fifty dollars, as bounty money, with which they shall be furnished out of the treasury of this state, under the directions of the governour and council. And that the executive may be enabled to afford such assistance to our sister state of South Carolina as the exigency of their situation may require, during the reExecutive cess of the assembly; Be it enacted, That the goverto send as- nour, with the advice of the council may, and he is sistance to hereby empowered to order any number of militia of sister state this state, not exceeding fifteen hundred, and so many of North Ca- of the state troops as can be marched thither accordMilitia and ing to the terms of their enlistments, or are willing to state troops march, as they in their discretion shall think proper, to be sent. to the assistance of the said state of South Carolina.

Bounty.

authorised

rolina.

And be it farther enacted, That if any county or division have not yet been drafted according to an act "For obliging the several delinquent counties and diDrafts, under former visions of militia in this commonwealth to furnish one laws, to be twenty fifth man," that the respective commanding completed. officers of the militia shall take the most speedy and effectual measures to draft any such delinquent divisions which do not furnish a man on or before the first day of April next, according to the method prescribed

by the last recited act; and the governour, with the advice of the council, shall take proper measures to have the men so drafted, collected, and sent on to join the continental army.

CHAP. LI.

An act to regulate and ascertain the number of land forces to be kept up for the defence of the state.

Cavalry,

THAT the state may incur no greater expense than New organithe exigencies of affairs requires, and that the publick zation of revenue may be aided by every means which prudence state troops. and œconomy dictate, Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That the body of cavalry directed to be raised under the act of the last session of assembly, entitled "An act concerning officers, soldiers, sailors, and marines," shall be reduced to three troops, to be fully completed and retained in the service of this state, under the regulations and conditions expressed in the said recited act. That the regiments of infantry di- Infantry, rected to be raised under the act of the last session of assembly, entitled "An act for raising a body of troops for the defence of the commonwealth," be reduced. That the men recruited under the said act for the defence of the eastern limits of this state, be drafted into, and incorporated with, the garrison and artillery regiments of this state. The garrison regiment to be first completed, and the surplus of recruits applied to the Garrison and completion of the artillery regiment, and to be com- artillery regiment. manded by the officers of the said garrison and artillery corps.

Be it farther enacted, That one regiment only shall be raised for the defence of the western limits of this for defence state. The said regiment to be completed and in aid of western

Regiment

thereof, the corps of infantry under the command of frontiers. colonel Slaughter, to be, attached to, and considered as part of the said regiment. All privates recruited under the last recited act for the defence of the western

limits of this state, shall be incorporated into the said regiment, and shall be commanded by officers to be commissioned by the governour, with the advice of his council.

Be it farther enacted, That the lieutenants of the several counties within this state be, and they are hereby directed and reouired to expedite the enlistments to be made agreeable to the said last recited act, and to continue the same until the first day of February in Enlistments, the same year. Thereafter the said county lieutenants by county are required to discontinue all farther enlistments under ths said recited act, when they shall report to the executive the number of men enlisted in their respective counties, and send them under a militia officer to such place of rendezvous as the governour and council shall direct.

lieutenants, how long to continue.

Money re

ceived for enlisting men, how accounted

for.

any

Be it further enacted, That all collectors, or others possessed of money furnished by or collected from division or divisions for the purpose of the said reci ted act, shall render accounts thereof to the commis sioners of tax in their respective counties, on or before the first day of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty. And the said commissioners are hereby directed and required to report the same to the audiSummary tors of publick accounts, who shall be empowered on remedy. the twentieth day of the March general court to move for judgments against any person failing to account with and pay to the treasurer the balance of such mo ney remaining in his hands.

!

Be it enacted, That the officers commissioned under the said last recited act shall be disbanded, the men to be continued in service agreeable to the tenor, and according to the period of their respective enlistments, and no longer.

CHAP. LII.

An act to regulate the Navy of this commonwealth.

WHEREAS from the present state of our navy it New organiis found expedient to reduce the number of vessels now zation of the in the service of this commonwealth, and to apply the navy. money arising from the sale of such as are useless in aid of the publick revenue, Be it enacted by the Gene

sels to be

ral Assembly, That the executive be empowered, and Certain spethey are hereby directed to order the sale of the ships cified ves Tartar and Dragon, the gallies Henry, Manly, Hero, Page, Lewis, and Safe-Guard, by publick vendue, for ready money.

sold.

Provided nevertheless, That the executive shall have Proviso. power to retain for the state, such of the said vessels only as can consistently with the publick interest be employed in the commercial concerns of this commonwealth,

ed.

Be it farther enacted, That the ship Thetis, the brig Certain speJefferson, the Accomack and Deligence gallies, the cified vessels Liberty and Patriot boats, be retained in the navy of to be retainthis state, and that the executive take order that they be equiped and manned with all deligence, as vessels of war. The executive are hereby empowered to retain such of the guns and other materials belonging to the vessels by this act directed to be sold, as they shall judge useful, and for the advantage of the commonwealth.

Be it enacted, That the Gloucester be retained in Prison ship. the service of this state as a prison ship; that the Tempest be retained until the Thetis be ready for the sea; and then the executive are empowered and directed to sell or employ the said ship as a merchantman, they shall think it expedient and for the publick in

terest.

Be it enacted, That a boat of the like construction Boats. of the boats Liberty and Patriot he procured and employed in the service of this state, as a lookout boat, and that the executive take order herein.

[Chan. Rev. p. 120.]

Articles be

this state, or United

States, how

recovered from those who have

the unlawful

CHAP. LIII.

An act for the recovery of arms, cattle, horses, and other property belonging to the commonwealth, or to the United States.

I. WHEREAS it is represented to the general aslonging to sembly, that divers persons within this commonwealth are in possession of arms, cattle, horses, or other property belonging to this state, or the United States, and it is expedient that such persons should be compelled to deliver such articles to some officer of the line, or of the staff in the service of this state, or of the United possession. States, Be it therefore enacted, That where any person shall be found not legally possessed of any bullock or other cattle, or any horse or horses, or arms belonging to this state, or to the United States, any offi cer of the line, or of the staff in the service of this state, or of the United States, shall be entitled to commence his action or petition in his own name against the delinquent for the recovery thereof, with full costs of suit, to the use of the United States, or of the commonwealth, as the case may be. The county courts are hereby empowered and required to proceed to the trial of any suit or petition commenced as aforesaid, in preference to all private suits, and to award execution for restitution of the effects and costs of suit, and shall transmit to the governour and council, copies of their proceedings in such suits, that the plaintiff may be amenable to their order as to the disposition of any property so recovered.