centum, as the same shall become due thereon, annually, from the date of the said certificates; and for the punctual payment of the interest aforesaid, as the same shall become due, the treasurer for the time being, shall annually set apart so much of the revenue arising from taxes upon lands, and paid into the treasury, as shall be sufficient to discharge the same, which money so set apart as aforesaid, shall be applied to the payment of the interest aforesaid, and to no other use or purpose whatsoever.

Payments,

Transferra.

III. And be it farther enacted, That the treasurer for the time being, shall preserve a check or counter- on certifipart to all certificates granted by virtue of this act, cates to be and shall compare the same upon any demand for pay- endorsed. ment of interest or principal thereof, before the same shall be paid; and when any payment shall be made by virtue of this act, the treasurer shall specify the same in his hand writing, together with the date thereof, upon the back of the said certificate; and where any of the said certificates shall be transferred by the propri- ble by asetor thereof, the same shall be done by assignment in signment writing on the back thereof, declaring the day when, only. and the person to whom, the same shall have been assigned; and where any certificate shall be transferred contrary to this act, the same shall be forfeited to the commonwealth, and be cancelled whenever the same shall be presented to the treasurer for payment thereof: Provided nevertheless, That any person possessed of, or holding any money emitted by congress, or by Paper mo this state, shall be at liberty to lay out the same in the ble for land purchase of warrants for unappropriated lands, at the taxes. price now established by law, at any time before the said first day of October next.

ney receiva

Repeal of

IV. And be it farther enacted by the authority aforesaid, That so much of all and every other act or acts former laws: providing for the redemption of the bills of credit emitted by this commonwealth, as is within the purview of this act, be, and the same is hereby repealed.

.hold their

CHAP. XIV.

An act to empower the justices of James City county to hold their courts at any other place within the same than Williamsburg, during the continuance of the small-pox there.

Justices of 1. BE it enacted by the General Assembly, That the James City justices of the peace for the county of James City shall, authorisedto and they are hereby empowered to hold their sessions at such place in the said county as they may think prowhere in the per, so long as the small-pox, or the infection of that county, dur disorder, in the city of Williamsburg, shall make it ing the prevalence of prudent so to do in the opinion of the said justices.

courts any

the small

pox in Williamsburg,

CHAP. XV.

An act to empower the executive to fit out a certain naval force.

I. WHEREAS many great but fruitless expences have been incurred by calling out the militia to oppose the incursions and depredations of the enemy, since the use of gallies for that purpose has been laid aside, and the commerce of this commonwealth has been greatly distressed and its coasts ravaged by a very small and contemptible naval force of the enemy: For remedy whereof,

II. Be it enacted, That the governor, with the advice of the council, be, and he is hereby empowered and directed forthwith to cause to be procured or built, equipped, officered and manned, four such gallies as they may think most likely to answer the above purposes.

CHAP. XVI.

An act for establishing a new ferry. [Chan, Rev.

p. 145.]

I. BE it enacted by the General Assembly, That a Ferry from public ferry be constantly kept at the following place, Black's to and the rates for passing the same shall be as follows, Rockett's es that is to say, From the land of William Black, in the tablished. county of Chesterfield, across James river to the public landing at Rockett's, in the county of Henrico, the price for a man, four pence, and for a horse the same. And for the transportation of wheel-carriages, tobacco, cattle and other beasts, at the place aforesaid, the ferry-keeper may demand and take the following rates, that is to say, For every coach, chariot or waggon, Rates. and the driver thereof, the same as for six horses; for every cart or four-wheel chaise, and the driver thereof, the same as for four horses; for every two-wheel chaise or chair, the same as for two horses; for every hogshead of tobacco as for one horse; for every head of neat cattle as for one horse; for every sheep, goat or lamb, one fifth part of the ferriage for one horse; and for every hog, one fourth part of the ferriage for one horse, and no more. If the ferry-keeper shall presume Penalty for to demand or receive from any person or persons what- exceeding soever, any greater rates than is hereby allowed for the legal rates. carriage or ferriage of any thing, he shall, for every such offence, forfeit and pay to the party grieved, the ferriages demanded or received, and ten shillings; to be recovered with costs before a justice of peace of the county where such offence shall be committed.

ued, and ano

c. 20.

II. And be it farther enacted, That from and after Lynch's ferthe first day of August next, the ferry heretofore kept ry discontin from the lands of John Lynch, in Bedford county, across the Fluvanna to the opposite shore in Amherst, blished.--See shall be discontinued; and that instead thereof, a ferry May 1782, shall be kept from the lands of the same John Lynch, lately purchased of Edmund Winston, esquire, across the said river to the opposite shore in Amherst, for transportation, over which the same rates of ferriages shall be demandable in specie as were before the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven, and

the courts shall have the same powers and the keepers be subject to the same penalties at the new ferry, as they had or were subject to, at the present one, before the said term.

Preamble:

Governor &

constitute

CHAP. XVII.

An act giving powers to the governor, with the advice of council, to appoint a special court for the trial of certain offenders.

I. WHEREAS so much of the act entitled "An act for giving certain powers to the governor and council, and for punishing those who shall oppose the execution of laws," as relates to the appointment of a special court of oyer and terminer for the trial of certain offenders, hath already had its operation: And whereas many persons are already apprehended in different parts of the country, who are suspected of being unfriendly to this commonwealth, and who must continue in close confinement until April next, unless relieved by some more speedy mode of trial: In remedy whereof,

II. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That the council au- governor, with the advice of council, may appoint some thorised to three persons learned in the law, either of the judges special court of this commonwealth or of others, by commission of with powers oyer and terminer to hold courts at such time and place of general as-shall be therein defined, which said court shall have trial of crim. full power to hear and determine all criminal matters inal matters. which the general court might have heard and deter

court, for

Mode of proceeding.

mined. The said court shall be attended either by the clerk or sheriff of the general court, or by the clerk or sheriff of the county wherein it shall be held, either of which sheriffs shall summon grand and petit juries from the adjoining counties, where the case may require it. Provided, That the said court may, by order, direct a venire to be summoned either of the bye-standers or of

others, where the circumstances of the case may prevent the getting a jury from the vicinage. The said court shall be attended by the attorney-general, or in his absence by any attorney for the commonwealth. And if the clerk of the county shall attend the said court, he shall transmit to the clerk of the general court a transcript of the proceedings of such court, to be by him carefully preserved among the records of his of fice. All persons owing suit or service to the said court so to be erected, shall be subject to, and pay the same fines, forfeitures and penalties for any neglect of duty, as the like persons bound to render suit or service to the general court are liable to; the said court thus constituted, shall have power to adjourn from time to time, as to them shall seem good, or as the public exigencies may require:

CHAP. XVIII.

An act for the relief of military pensioners.

1. WHEREAS by the act of general assembly for See vol. 9, p. establishing a board of auditors, the said board was 537. authorised to allow pensions and sums in gross to a certain extent to officers and soldiers of the army or navy raised by act of general assembly and disabled in the service, and to the widows of those slain or dying therein; which allowances having been made in paper currency, have, by the depreciation of that, become inadequate to the benevolent purposes of the said

.act:

Pensions

II. Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly, That all such allowances made, or to be made, shall payable in be payable in specie, the auditors taking care that they specie. be properly reduced where, in consideration of such depreciation, they shall have been made larger than they should be when to be paid in specie.