CHAP. X.

An act to ascertain the losses and in

[Chap. L, in original.]

Continued by May 1783

4, & Oct. 1783, c. 10.

juries sustained from the depreda- c. tions of the enemy within this commonwealth.

evidence of

I. BE it enacted by the General Assembly, That County the courts of the several counties within this state shall, courts to coland they are hereby empowered and required either to lect & state hold special courts, or to appoint so many of their own injuries from body as to them shall seem most proper, to collect and depreda state, from the best proof the nature of the case will tions of the admit of, the various losses and injuries, both public enemy. and private, which have been sustained within their respective counties during the war, from the depredations of the enemy in their several invasions, and to state the same under so many different heads as such losses or How to reinjuries may consist of, and return their proceedings herein, together with the proofs made in support there, proceedings. of, to the governor and council, to be by them laid before the next assembly.

port their

I. WHEREAS the roads from the passes in the Preamble. mountain commonly called the Blue Ridge to the seat of government, and to other sea-port towns, and from one sea-port town to another, are so indirect and unfixed that great difficulty and expence hath arose to the good people of this commonwealth travelling thereon, as well as greatly encreasing the public charge of carriage: To prepare for the remedy of which evil,

II. Be it enacted, That where any one or more persons shall employ a surveyor, with his proper attend

roads

to the seat

of govern

ment, or to

sea port

Survey of ants, at his or the said employers own expence, to surthrough the vey any road or roads as aforesaid, and the surveyor passes in the with his said attendants shall first, before some justice Blue Ridge of the peace, make oath or affirmation that they will justly and truly do their duty in the mensuration and survey so employed in by the employer or employers aforesaid, and having a certificate thereof from the said justice, shall be permitted and empowered to take the courses and measure the said roads, and mark the distance of miles on any of the natural grown trees on the thorised, at sides thereof, if his instructions from his employer or the expense employers so direct; and the said surveyor who shall ties employ- have been so qualified and run his courses along the ing survey traverses and meanders of any road from the said moun

towns, and

from one sea port town to

another, au

of the par

ors.

tain to the seat of government, to any other sea-port town, or from one sea-port town to another, shall hereby be further empowered, with his necessary attendants as aforesaid, without any let or hindrance whatsoever, to run a protracted or straight line to his place of departure, or to any other point, to ascertain the true distance, that the same may be laid before the next or some future general assembly of this commonwealth, to take future order therein.

III. And be it further enacted, That if any person or persons shall stop, oppose or hinder any surveyor or his attendants from doing their duty therein as aforesaid, upon proof thereof made, he or they shall pay all costs attending such survey, and the penalty of ten pounds, to be recovered in any court of record within this commonwealth. Provided nevertheless, That no protracted course of any survey to be made as aforesaid, shall be run between the first day of May and the fifteenth day of July, whereby damage shall be done to any field of grain by the surveyor and his attendants passing through the same, without consent of the owner thereof.

IV. And be it further enacted, That any penalty recovered by virtue of this act, shall be appropriated towards lessening the county levy where such recovery shall be made.

CHAP. XII.

An act to establish a town at the courthouse in the county of Buckingham.

[Chap. LII in original.]

Town of

1. WHEREAS it hath been represented to this general assembly, that the laying off ninety-six acres of Greensville at Bucking land in lots and streets for a town at the court-house ham courtin the county of Buckingham, will be of great utility: house estaII. Be it therefore enacted, That ninety-six acres of blished. land, lying on the public road leading from the said. court-house down the country, and uninclosed, being part of a large tract of land the property of John Cox, be, and the same is hereby vested in John Nicholas, Joseph Cabell, Thomas Miller, Charles Patteson, and Thomas Anderson, gentlemen, trustees, to be by them, or any three of them, laid out into lots of half an acre each, with convenient streets, which shall be, and the same is hereby established a town, by the name of Greensville: That so soon as the said ninety-six acres of land shall be so laid off into lots and streets, the said trustees, or any three of them, shall proceed to sell the said lots at public auction for the best price that can be had, the time and place of which sale shall be previously advertised for three months in the Virginia gazette, the purchasers to hold the said lots respectively subject to the condition of building on each of the said lots a dwelling-house sixteen feet square at least, to be finished fit for habitation within five years from the day of sale; and the said trustees, or any three of them, shall, and they are hereby empowered to convey the said lots to the purchasers thereof in fee simple, subject to the condition aforesaid, and pay nine-tenths of the money arising from the sale thereof to the said John Cox, his heirs, executors, administrators or assigns, and the remaining one-tenth to apply towards repairing the court-house and building a prison for the said county: Provided always, That four of the said lots. in the centre of the said town shall be, and they are hereby reserved for the public use of the said county.

Commons.

III. And be it further enacted, That one hundred acres of land, the property also of the said John Cox, and adjoining the said town, be, and the same is hereby vested in the said trustees, to and for the common 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 said lots, and to' settle such rules and orders for the regular and orderly building of houses thereon, as to them shall seem best and most convenient; and in case of the death, removal out of the county, or other legal disability of any of the said trustees, it shall be lawful for the other trustees to elect and choose so many other persons in the room of those dead, removed or disabled, as shall make up the number; which trustees so chosen shall be, to all intents and purposes, vested with the same power and authority as those in this act particularly mentioned:

IV. And be it further enacted, That the purchasers of the lots in the said town, so soon as they shall have built upon and saved the same, according to the conditions of their respective deeds of conveyance, shall be entitled to, and have and enjoy all the rights, privileges and immunities which the freeholders and inhabitants of other towns in this state not incorporated by charter have, hold and enjoy. If the purchaser of any lot shall fail to build thereon within the time before limited, the said trustees, or the major part of them, may thereupon enter into such lot and may sell the same again, and apply the money towards repairing the streets, or in any other way for the benefit of the said town.

CHAP. XIII.

An act for altering the place of holding courts in the county of Lunenburg.

I. WHEREAS it is represented to this present general assembly, that the situation of the present courthouse in the county of Lunenburg is inconvenient to the inhabitants thereof:

II. Be it therefore enacted, That the justices of the said county of Lunenburg, or a majority of them, shall provide for building, as soon as may be, a court-house, prison, pillory, and stocks, on some convenient place at or near the centre of the said county; and that after such buildings shall be compleated, a court for the said county shall be constantly held at such place, and that in the mean time, and until such buildings shall be compleated, the justices may hold their sessions at such place as they may think most convenient.

[Chap. LIII, in original.]

Place of holding courts

in Lunenburg county removed.

CHAP. XIV.

An act to amend the several acts of assembly for appointing and supporting our delegates in congress.

[Chap. LIV in original.]

[Chan. Rev. p. 158.]

See vol. 9, p

158. Vol. 10,

p. 163.

I. WHEREAS by an act intituled, "An act to amend an act intituled, An act limiting the time for continuing the delegates to general congress in office and making provision for their support, and for other purposes," it is enacted, that no person shall thereafter be Limitation to eligible to or capable of serving in congress for more 3 years serthan three years in any term of six years, and since vice to delethe passing the said law the confederation of the Uni- gates to conted States hath been compleated, whereby it is decla- ed. gressrepealred, that no person shall be capable of sitting in con