CHAP. X.

An Act for enabling the Treasurer to emit a sum of money for supplying the publick exigencies.

Further e

ney authori

WHEREAS it is at present uncertain whether the monies directed to be emitted by an act of the last as- mission of sembly, entitled "An act for providing a supply in aid paper mo of the loan office," and those which have, and shall sed. come into the treasury, until the taxes of the present year be paid in, will be sufficient to answer the calls for the publick service: Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That it may and shall be lawful for the treasurer of this commonwealth, to issue treasury notes in dollars for any sum, or sums, which may be required to supply the deficiency, until the taxes of this present year shall be paid in, so as the sum to be issued by authority hereof do not exceed one million of pounds. And he shall cause such notes to be engraved and printed in such manner, and on such paper, as he shall judge most likely to secure the same from being counterfeited. He shall appoint proper persons to overlook the press, and to number and sign the notes, upon the best terms he can. The bills of credit to be emitted by virtue of this act, shall be entered in the auditors office to the debit of the treasurer, and be signed in the left hand corner by one of the auditors or of their clerks, or by any assistant clerk to be appointed for this special purpose by the auditors, who shall receive such allowance for his service as they shall judge reasonable; without which signature, the said notes or bills of credit shall not be current. If the taxes imposed by the several acts now in force shall be insufficient to answer the purposes for which the said taxes were laid, and also for the redemption of the notes to be issued by authority of this present act, farther provision shall be made by law for making good the deficiency, and redeeming the whole before the first day of December, which shall be in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty six.

Four regi ments to be

raised; two for the de

fence of the pestern, and two for the eastern frontiers.

Ilow officer

ed and organized.

CHAP. XI.

An Act for raising a body of troops for the defence of the commonwealth.

FOR the better defence of the commonwealth and providing a force sufficient to repel any hostile invasion: Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That four regiments of infantry be raised, two for the defence of the western frontiers, and two for the defence of the eastern limits of this state. Each regiment to be commanded by a lieutenant colonel commandant (who shall take rank of a colonel of militia) and a major; the regiments to be divided into ten companies, each company to be commanded by one captain, one lieutenant, and one ensign, the field officers, as well as the inferiour commissioned officers, to be appointed by the governour, with the advice of the council, and commissioned by the governour. The whole to be arrayed, armed, disciplined, and provided as the governour and council, from time to time, shall direct. For completing those regiments, each county in this state, and the city of Williamsburg, except the county of Illinois, shall furnish one twenty fifth part of their militia. And for the more speedy and certain mode of raising the How raised. said men: Be it enacted, That the county lieutenant or commanding officer of each county within this commonwealth, so soon as he is certified of this act, shall summon the four senior justices, not being field officers, and the field officers of his county, to meet at such convenient time and place in the said county as he shall appoint, within not less than five, or more than ten days after due notice thereof to them given, which said justices and field officers, or in the absence of any of them, any two or more of the said justices, and any two or more of the said field officers having first taken an oath, to be administered by the senior justice to the other members, and by some one of the other justices to him, to do equal and impartial justice to the best of their judgment therein, shall proceed to lay off the militia in their respective counties into divisions, agreeable to the act of the last session of assembly, entitled

"An act for speedily recruiting the Virginia regiments on continental establishment;" each division so laid off, is hereby required to produce to the county lieutenant, one able bodied man, on or before the first day of August next. Every able bodied volunteer enlisting for any division, shall be entitled to a bounty from the division of seven hundred and fifty dollars, to be paid by the individuals therein, and there shall be added to every division so laid off, every person liable to a tax within the bounds of the said districts, making thein as equal as possible, who shall pay in proportion to their respective taxable property as it stands taxed for the present year. Every division returning such volunteer soldier, shall be entitled to a discount for the bounty aforesaid in the next years tax, in proportion to the respective sums paid by the individuals therein. The field officers of each county, or a majority of them, shall meet on the first day of August, and direct certificates to be given to every individual of the sums severally paid for their respective proportions of the bounty aforesaid, such certificates to be taken by the commissioners of the tax in evidence of the discount to be allowed to each individual in the tax of the next year. If any of the said divisions shall fail to furnish an able bodied man in fifteen days after the said first day of August, the said justices and field officers are hereby empowered and required, to appoint some reputable diligent man in each of the said districts or divisions so failing, to enlist one able bodied volunteer to serve as a soldier for the time aforesaid, and when any soldier shall have so enlisted, the person who enlisted him shall carry him before the county lieutenant or commanding officer of the militia, who is hereby required carefully to view and examine such soldier, and if he shall be found able bodied and fit for military service, to give certificate thereof, which shall entitle the person enlisting him, to receive the sum of ten dollars for his charge and trouble, and the said county lieutenant or commanding officer shall also certify to the said justices and field officers, for what district and division such soldier hath been enlisted, the bounty he is entitled by law to receive, which sum, together with the sum of ten dollars for the charge of enlisting, and five per centum for collection, shall be forthwith levied upon every person male and female, within such disVOL. I.

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trict, in proportion to the rate of each persons last assessment, to be adjusted and ascertained by the said justices and field officers; for which purpose the commissioners of the tax are hereby required to furnish them at their first meeting, with an exact alphabetical list or account of every persons assessment in their county, and the said justices and field officers are hereby authorized and required to nominate and appoint some reputable and responsible person for each district, speedily to make such collection, and when any person chargeable with his proportion as aforesaid, shall refuse or neglect to make payment thereof with in ten days after the same shall have been demanded, it may and shall be lawful for such collector to distrain for the same, in manner directed by the act entitled "An act for raising a supply of money for publick exigencies," provided that the sums so collected entitle the payer to the same discount as if voluntarily advanced. All officers and soldiers serving in any of moluments. the regiments to be raised by virtue of this act, shall [See ante p. be entitled to the same pay, benefits, privileges and 6.] emoluments, provided for the officers and soldiers of this state by the act of this present session of assembly, entitled "An act concerning officers, soldiers, sailors, and marines." All soldiers enlisted by virtue of this act, shall be entitled to a discharge from the commanding officers of the respective regiments on the twenty first day of December, one thousand seven hundred and eighty one.

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Pay and e

Provided always, That the executive of this state may discharge any of the said regiments whenever their service is not necessary for the defence of this state. The said regiments shall not be marched out of this state, except to the assistance of North Caroli na, Maryland, or the western frontiers of Pennsylva→ nia in case of invasion.

CHAP. XII.

An Act for adjusting and settling the [Chan Rev titles of claimers to unpatented lands P. 90.] under the present and former government, previous to the establishment of the commonwealth's land office.*

[See 2 Rev.

1. WHEREAS the various and vague claims to un- Preamble. patented lands under the former and present government, previous to the establishment of the commonwealth's land office, may produce tedious and infinite litigation and disputes, and in the mean time purchasers would be discouraged from taking up lands upon Code of 1819 p 354 to 482 the terms lately prescribed by law, whereby the fund for this, and to be raised in aid of the taxes for discharging the pub- the subse lick debt, would be in a great measure frustrated; and quent acts,] it is just and necessary, as well for the peace of individuals as for the publick weal, that some certain rules should be established for settling and determining the rights to such lands, and fixing the principles upon which legal and just claimers shall be entitled to sue out grants; to the end that subsequent purchasers and adventurers may be enabled to proceed with greater certainty and safety: Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That all surveys of waste and unappropriated land made upon any of the western waters before the first day of January, in the year 1778, and upon any of the eastern waters at any time before the end of this present session of assembly, by any county surveyor commissioned by the masters of William and Mary Surveys, college, acting in conformity to the laws and rules of what decla. government then in force, and founded either upon red valid. charter, importation rights duly proved and certified according to ancient usage, as far as relates to indented servants, and other persons not being convicts, on treasury rights for money paid the receiver general duly authenticated upon entries on the western waters,

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* This act is published in Chan. Rev. p. 90, in which it is separated by sectione, as here; which was not the case in the origi. nal.