134. A Bill Declaring Bills of Credit to Be Equal to Gold and Silver Coin of the Same Denominations, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that the bills of credit emitted by the American Congress, so long as they continue current by the same authority, and the like bills emitted by act of General Assembly, may be paid in discharge of all demands due in money, every four pence, contained in the denominations of the said bills, being computed equal to three pence of sterling money, or of the...
269. A Bill to Encourage the Apprehending of Horse Stealers, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that whosoever shall apprehend one charged with horse stealing, if the prisoner be convicted of that crime, shall be intitled to a reward of pounds, to be paid by the Treasurer, upon a certificate of the General Court, that the claimant was the apprehender, and either that he was not examined as a witness at the trial, or that the other evidence then...
373. A Bill against Conspirators, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it declared and enacted by the General Assembly, that conspirators be they that do confederate or bind themselves by oath, covenant, or other alliance that every of them shall aid and bear the other falsely and maliciously to move or cause to be moved any indictment or information against another on the part of the commonwealth, and those who are convicted thereof at the suit of the...
41. A Bill to Arrange the Counties into Senatorial Districts, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly that the districts, for which Senators are to be chosen to serve in General Assembly, shall be those which are herein after described, that is to say, the counties of Accomack and Northampton, one district; the counties of Princess Ann, Norfolk, and Nansemond, one other district; the counties of Isle-of-wight, Surry, and Prince George, one other district;...
540. A Bill for Restitution of Stolen Goods, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that if any felon do rob or take away any money, or goods, or chattels, from any of the citizens of this commonwealth, from their person or otherwise, within this commonwealth and thereof the said felon be indicted, and after arraigned of the same felony, and found guilty thereof, or otherwise attainted by reason of evidence given by the party so robbed,...
6107. A Bill for the Speedy Determination of Suits Wherein Foreigners Are Parties, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that a suit, commenced in the High Court of Chancery, or General Court, by or against a party, who is no citizen of the commonwealth, shall be heard or tried in the term to which the process shall be returned, regularly executed, or so soon afterwards as may be; and, to this end, subsequent process to compel appearance may be returnable to any day of a...
7111. A Bill for Preventing Vexatious and Malicious Prosecutions and Moderating Amercements, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that every action at common law, or suit in equity, commenced in the name of a person not residing in Virginia, unless he be employed abroad in the service of the commonwealth, or of the United States of America, shall be dismissed, if security be not given with the clerk of the court from whence the process shall issue, or wherein it shall be depending,...
875. A Bill to Punish Bribery and Extortion, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that no Treasurer, keeper of any public seal, Councillor of State, counsel for the commonwealth, Judge, clerk of the peace, sheriff, coroner, escheator, nor any other officer of the commonwealth, shall in time to come take, in any form, any manner of gift, brocage, or reward for doing his office, other than is or shall be allowed by some act of General...
93. A Bill Empowering One of the Privy Council to Officiate in Certain Cases as Lieutenant Governor, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that if the Governor and President of the Privy Council shall die, or otherwise become unable to perform his duty, in the recess of the General Assembly, the Privy Councillor whose name stands next in the list of their appointments shall officiate as Lieutenant Governor, until the vacancy be supplied, or the disability cease. And, in the absence of the...
1038. A Bill for Preservation of Vessels Wrecked, or in Distress, and of Their Crews and Cargoes, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that a person descrying a vessel wrecked, or in peril, or goods belonging to her in danger of being lost, shall immediately give notice thereof, to some neighbouring Justice of the Peace, or the Naval-Officer of the next port: And a Justice of the Peace descrying, or being informed of such vessel or goods, shall forthwith call together, to assist in the...
1142. A Bill for Improving the Breed of Horses, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that no person shall suffer a stoned horse, of the age of two years, whereof he is owner, or hath the keeping, to run at large, out of the inclosed ground of the owner or keeper; and whosoever shall wilfully or negligently do so, after having been admonished to confine such horse, shall forfeit and pay five pounds, to him who will sue for it, and double...
12109. A Bill for Recovering Demands of Small Value in a Summary Way, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that any debt, or penalty, amounting to more than twenty five shillings, or two hundred pounds of tobacco, and not exceeding one hundred shillings, or eight hundred pounds of tobacco, may be demanded, by petition, to the court of a county, city, or borough. The clerk of the peace shall draw the petition, stating therein how the debt became due, or by...
13113. A Bill Providing that an Infant May Sue by His Next Friend, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
In every case where such as be within age may sue, it is enacted by the General Assembly, that their next friends shall be admitted to sue for them. Report Report of the Committee of Revisors Appointed by the General Assembly of Virginia in MDCCLXXVI , Richmond, 1784 , p. 80. Text as adopted is in Hening, William W. Hening, The Statutes at Large; Being a Collection of All the Laws of Virginia...
1477. A Bill to Prevent the Spreading of the Small-Pox, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that it shall not be lawful for the master or mistress of a family, of which no one was before casually infected with the small-pox, to inoculate any person at his or her house, or, if any there be infected, to inoculate one who is not of his or her family, or knowingly suffer another to do it, or bring or suffer to come an infected person thither, until...
1581. A Bill for Establishing a Public Library, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that on the first day of January, in every year there shall be paid out of the treasury the sum of two thousand pounds, to be laid out in such books and maps as may be proper to be preserved in a public library, and in defraying the expences necessary for the care and preservation thereof; which library shall be established at the town of Richmond. The...
16115. A Bill Prescribing a Method of Protesting Inland Bills of Exchange and Allowing Assignees of Obligations to Bring … (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that if a bill of exchange, for the sum of five pounds, or upwards, dated at any place in Virginia, drawn upon a person at any other place therein expressed, to be for value received, and payable at a certain number of days, weeks, or months after date, being presented to the person upon whom it shall be drawn, shall not be accepted by subscribing his...
17117. A Bill for Granting Attachments against the Estates of Debtors Removing Privately or Absconding, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that when any person shall privately remove out of the county he had resided in, or shall abscond so that he cannot be served with process, a Justice of the Peace of the same county, at the request of any to whom he who shall so remove or abscond is indebted, shall and may, by his precept, returnable to his next county court, command the sheriff to attach...
18121. A Bill Allowing a Bill of Exceptions to Be Sealed, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
When one impleaded before any court, and in any cause, where appeal lies to a higher court, doth alledge an exception praying that the Justices will allow it, if they will not allow it and he that alledged the exception do write the same exception, and require that the Justices will put their seals in testimony thereof, the Justices or the greater part of them present shall so do; and if such...
1985. A Bill for Appointing Days of Public Fasting and Thanksgiving, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that the power of appointing days of public fasting and humiliation, or thanksgiving, throughout this commonwealth, may in the recess of the General Assembly, be exercised by the Governor, or Chief Magistrate, with the advice of the Council; and such appointment shall be notified to the public, by a proclamation, in which the occasion of the fasting or...
2052. A Bill concerning Servants, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that all white persons, not being citizens of any of the confederating states of America, who shall come into this commonwealth under contract to serve another in any trade, or occupation, shall be compellable to perform such contract specifically during the term thereof, or during so much of the same as shall not exceed seven years. Infants under the age...
21119. A Bill Permitting Those Who Will Not Take Oaths to Be Otherwise Qualified, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that any person refusing to take an oath, and declaring religious scruples to be the true and only reason of such refusal, if he will use the solemnity and ceremony, and repeat the formulary, observed on similar occasions, by those of the church, or religious society he professeth himself to be a member of, or to join in communion with, shall thereupon be...
2287. A Bill against Usury, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that no person shall hereafter, upon any contract take, directly or indirectly, for loan of any money, wares or merchandize, or other commodity, above the value of five pounds, for the forbearance of one hundred pounds, for a year, and, after that rate, for a greater or lesser sum, or for a longer or shorter time; and all bonds, contracts, covenants,...
2354. A Bill Declaring What Persons Shall Be Deemed Mulattoes, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that every person, of whose grandfathers or grandmothers any one is, or shall have been, a negro, although all his other progenitors, except that descending from the negro, shall have been white persons, shall be deemed a mulatto; and so every person, who shall have one fourth part or more of negro blood, shall, in like manner be deemed a mulatto. Report...
24125. A Bill Providing Remedy and Punishment in Cases of Forcible Entries and Detainers, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that none make any entry into any lands and tenements, or other possessions, whatsoever but in case where entry is given by the law; and in such case not with strong hand, nor with multitude of people, but only in peaceable and easy manner; and that none who shall have entered into the same in peaceable manner hold the same after with force. And if any do...
2556. A Bill concerning Aliens, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that all manner of aliens, of whatsoever nation or country they be, being in amity with the United States of America, together with their families, agents and servants whom they bring, shall be welcome, and freely may come within the commonwealth and there be conversant to merchandise and tarry, or travel, as long as them liketh, and they bear themselves...
2623. A Bill Securing the Rights Derived from Grants to Aliens, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that those citizens who heretofore were aliens, and had not been naturalized, shall be deemed to have been able to hold the lands, tenements, or hereditaments granted to them by the crown, or conveyed to them by others, so that all who deriving the rights and titles they claim under such grants or conveyances, either by color of hereditary succession or...
2758. A Bill Directing What Prisoners Shall Be Let to Bail, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
For ascertaining in what cases persons apprehended on suspicion of felony shall, or shall not, be admitted to bail, Be it enacted by the General Assembly that those shall be let to bail who are apprehended for any crime not punishable in life or limb: And if the crime be so punishable, but only a light suspicion of guilt fall on the party he shall in like manner, be bailable: But if the crime...
2897. A Bill for Licensing Counsel, Attorneys at Law, and Proctors, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that no person, except the Attorney General, shall be permitted by any court to practice therein as a Counsel, Attorney at law, or Proctor, unless he shall heretofore have obtained a license, in the manner prescribed by the law then in force, or until he shall obtain a license, in writing, from three of those, who shall be at that time, Judges of the High...
2925. A Bill to Prevent Frauds and Perjuries, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that no action shall be brought, whereby to charge any executor or administrator upon any special promise, to answer any debt or damages out of his own estate; or whereby to charge the defendant upon any special promise to answer for the debt, default or miscarriage of another person, or to charge any person upon any agreement made upon consideration of...
30100. A Bill Directing the Method of Proceeding upon Impeachments, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that the process against any person impeached by resolution of the House of Delegates shall be summons, attachments and distress, bearing teste, the first of them the day of emanation, and the others the return-day of the process preceeding, and shall be issued and signed by the clerk of the said court. A copy of the articles of impeachment shall be...
3199. A Bill to Prevent the Sale of Public Offices, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that if any person shall, for valuable consideration, dispose of any office which concerns the receipt, or the controlment or auditing accounts, of the public revenue, taxes, or duties; the office of Attorney for the commonwealth, clerk of the Council, or of any other public board, clerk of a Court of Record, sheriff, Naval-Officer, Advocate, Register, or...
3231. A Bill for Levying County Rates, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that the Justices of every county, at some court, to be held for their county, between the last day of April and second Tuesday in July, in every year, shall make up in their minutes an account of all expences incurred by the said court, under authority of law, and remaining unpaid, stating therein the sums due, for what, and to whom due, and all credits...
3366. A Bill concerning Treasons, Felonies and Other Offences Committed Out of the Jurisdiction of this Commonwealth, 18 … (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that all high treasons, misprisions and concealments of high treasons and other offences, except piracies and felonies committed by any citizen of this commonwealth, in any place out of the jurisdiction of the courts of common law of this commonwealth, and all felonies committed by citizen against citizen in any such place, other than the high seas, shall...
3470. A Bill for Preserving the Privileges of Ambassadors, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
For preserving the privileges of Ambassadors and other public ministers from other states, it is declared by the General Assembly, that all process whereby the person of any such Ambassador, or other public minister, authorised and received as such by this commonwealth, or by the Congress of the American States, in union with this commonwealth, or any his domestic servants whom he brought with...
3529. A Bill Providing that Wrongful Alienations of Lands Shall Be Void So Far as They Be Wrongful, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that all alienations and warranties of lands, tenements and hereditaments made by any purporting to pass or assure a greater right or estate than such person may lawfully pass or assure, shall operate as alienations or warranties of so much of the right and estate in such lands, tenements, or hereditaments as such person might lawfully convey; but shall...
36104. A Bill Directing the Method of Trying Slaves Charged with Treason or Felony, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that the Justices of every county shall be Justices of Oyer and Terminer, for trying slaves charged with treason or felony: Which trials shall be by five at the least, without juries, upon legal evidence, at such times as the sheriffs shall appoint, not being less than five, nor more than ten, days after the offenders shall have been committed to jail. No...
3772. A Bill Forbidding and Punishing Affrays, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that no man great nor small, of what condition soever he be, except the ministers of justice in executing the precepts of the Courts of Justice, or in executing of their office, and such as be in their company assisting them be so hardy to come before the Justices of any court, or other of their ministers of justice doing their office, with force and arms...
3835. A Bill to Prevent the Circulation of Private Bank Notes, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that it shall not be lawful for any person to offer in payment a bank bill, or note for money, payable to bearer, and whosoever shall offend herein shall not only forfeit, to the informer, ten times the value of the sum mentioned in such bill or note, but may be apprehended by warrant of a Justice, and, upon due proof of the fact made to him, or upon his...
39110. A Bill Providing That Actions Popular, Prosecuted by Collusion, Shall Be No Bar to Those Which Be Pursued with Good … (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that if any person hereafter sue with good faith, any action popular, and any defendant, in the same action, plead any manner of recovery by action popular, in bar of the said action, or that he before that time barred any plaintiff in any such action popular, then the plaintiff in the action taken with good faith may aver, that the said recovery in the...
4074. A Bill against Conveying or Taking Pretensed Titles, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that no person shall convey or take, or bargain to convey or take, any pretensed title to any lands or tenements, unless the person conveying or bargaining to convey, or those under whom he claims shall have been in possession of the same, or of the reversion or remainder thereof one whole year next before. And he who offendeth herein knowingly shall...
4137. A Bill to Prevent Losses by Pirates, Enemies, and Others on the High Seas, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that when any ship of this commonwealth shall have been defended against pirates or enemies and brought to her port of delivery, and in making such defence any of the officers or seamen shall have been killed or wounded, the Judges of the Admiralty, on the petition of the master or seamen; shall call unto them four or more good and substantial merchants,...
4241. A Bill for Preventing Infection of the Horned Cattle, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that the driving of cattle into, or through, the commonwealth, or any part thereof, if it be not to remove them from one plantation to another of the same owner, or to be used at his house, shall be deemed a nuisance, unless the driver shall produce to any freeholder of a county, wherein the drove is passing, who shall require it, a bill of health, signed...
43108. A Bill for Speedy Recovery of Money Due from Certain Persons to the Public, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that when any person, who hath received or shall receive public money from the Treasurer, for recruiting or paying the army, building, rigging, or furnishing ships or vessels of war, erecting fortifications, buying clothes, provision, arms, or ammunition, erecting or prosecuting public manufactories, or for other public use, hath not applied, or shall not...
44112. A Bill Providing a Means to Help and Speed Poor Persons in Their Suits, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Where it is intended that indifferent justice shall be had and administered to all the citizens of this commonwealth, as well to the poor as rich, which poor citizens be not of ability, nor power, to sue according to the laws of this land for redress of injuries and wrongs to them daily done, as well concerning their persons and their inheritance, as other causes; For remedy whereof, in behalf...
4576. A Bill Prescribing the Punishment of Those Who Sell Unwholesome Meat or Drink, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that a butcher that selleth the flesh of any animal dying, otherwise than by slaughter, or slaughtered when diseased, or a baker, brewer, or distiller, who selleth unwholesome bread or drink shall, on conviction the first time, be amerced; the second time he shall suffer judgment of the pillory, and the third time he shall be imprisoned and make fine; and...
4639. A Bill concerning Estrays, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that it shall be lawful for any person, by himself, or his agent, to take up any estray on his own land; and having taken it, he, or his agent, shall forthwith give information thereof to some Justice of the Peace, for the said county, who shall thereupon issue his warrant to three disinterested freeholders, of the neighbourhood, commanding them, having...
4743. A Bill for Preservation of Deer, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that it shall not be lawful for any person to kill, hunt, or course any wild deer whatever, not being more than twelve months old, or in any year called bissextile or leap year; or to kill, hunt or course in any other year, a wild buck, after the first day of December, and before the first day of August, or a wild doe, between the first day of January,...
48114. A Bill Declaring When the Death of Persons Absenting Themselves Shall be Presumed, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that any person absenting himself beyond sea, or elsewhere, for seven years successively, shall be presumed to be dead, in any case wherein his death shall come in question, unless proof be made that he was alive within that time. But an estate recovered in any such case, if in a subsequent action or suit the person presumed to be dead shall be proved to...
4945. A Bill for Licensing and Regulating Taverns, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that it shall not be lawful for any one to keep a tavern, before they shall have obtained a license for that purpose, from the court of the county in which the tavern is, or, if it be in Williamsburg, from the court of that city; and if any one, without such authority, open a tavern, or sell, by retail, wine, beer, cyder, or rum, brandy, or other...
50120. A Bill for Regulating the Commencement of the Year, and the Computation of Time, 18 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Whereas although the supputation of the year of our Lord, according to which the year beginneth on the twenty-fifth day of March, hath, since the year one thousand seven hundred and fiftyone, been discontinued by the people of this commonwealth, yet the supputation used instead of it, conformable with the usage of all nations with whom they have commerce, hath not been adopted by a proper...