of Montgomery, Washington, and Russell, shall in future be held on the several days of holding courts within the said counties in the months of April, June, September, and November; and a court for the county of Lancaster shall be held on the third Monday in every month; any law to the contrary thereof, notwithstanding. Estate of Wm. Love rion Love. CHAP. CXIII. An act for vesting the real estate of 1. WHEREAS William Love, merchant, late of the county of Stafford, died intestate, and without issue, vested in Ma leaving Marion Love, his widow and relict; and whereas it has been represented to the present general assembly, that the heir at law of the said William Love is an alien, whereby the real estate, whereof, he died seized, is escheatable to the commonwealth, and the said Marion Love having petitioned this assembly that the same inay be vested in her: Further time allowed for II. Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly, That the real estate, whereof the said William Love died seized, shall be, and the same is hereby vested in the said Marion Love, and her heirs, in fee simple: Saving nevertheless, the rights, legal and equitable, of all and every person and persons, bodies politic or corporate, except of the commonwealth and those claiming under it, in and to the said real estate, and every part thereof. CHAP. CXIV. An act giving further time for improving the navigation between the Great Falls of Polowmack river and Fort Cumberland. BE it enacted by the General Assembly, That the Potowmack company shall be, and they are hereby al lowed, until the seventeenth day of November, one improving na thousand seven hundred and ninety, for making and vigation of Potowmack improving the navigation between the Great Falls and river. Fort Cumberland; any law to the contrary thereof, notwithstanding. This act to take place as such, on a similar law being passed by the legislature of Maryland, and not otherwise. CHAP. CXV. An act for completing the revision of the laws. Revisal of under the act 1. FOR completing the revision of the laws, Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That a committee, to laws, further consist of three persons, shall be appointed by joint provision for ballot of both houses (two of whom to be a quorum) completing, who shall take into consideration such of the bills con- of 1776. tained in the revisal of the laws prepared and reported by the committee appointed for that purpose, in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, as have not been enacted into laws; shall examine what alterations therein may be rendered necessary, by a change of circumstances or otherwise, and shall make report thereupon to the next meeting of the general assembly, as the said committee shall judge proper. II. And be it enacted, That the said committee shall also take into consideration, all acts of assembly passed Power of resince the revisal aforesaid was prepared, and shall visors. have full power and authority to revise, alter, amend, repeal or introduce, all or any of the said laws, to form the same into bills, and report them to the general assembly. And to prevent any delay which may happeu in the proceedings of the said committee, by the death or disability of any member thereof; Vacancies III. Be it enacted, That if either of the said members should die, refuse to act, or be disabled by sick- how supplied ness, from proceeding in the said work, it shall be lawful for the remaining members to appoint some other person in his stead, which person so appointed is heredeclared a member of the said committee, in- like VOL. XH. B 3 ers. manner as if he had originally been appointed by joint ballot of both houses. IV. And be it enacted, That the said committee Further pow. shall have power to meet at such times and places as they shall think proper, for the purposes aforesaid; to appoint a clerk for their ease and assistance; and to send for any copies of records to the clerk in whose custody they are, which such clerk is hereby directed forthwith to transmit to them. Provided, That such bills to be prepared and reported by the committee to be appointed as aforesaid, shall be of no force or authority until they shall have gone through their several readings in both houses of assembly, and been passed by them in such manner and form, as if the same had been originally introduced without the direction of this act. 'ded, V. And that the operation of each and all of the acts Operation of passed at the present general assembly, of the followcertain acts ing titles, to wit, "An act forbidding and punishing assembly of affrays-An act for licensing counsel attorneys at law 1786, suspen and proctors-An act against conspirators-An act concerning partitions and joint rights and obligations, An act for recovering demands of a small value in a summary way-An act providing that an infant may sue by his next friend-An act for speedy recovery of money due from certain persons to the public-An act providing that actions popular prosecuted by collusion shall be no bar to those which be pursued with good faith--An act for preventing vexatious and malicious prosecutions, and moderating amercements-An act concerning treasons, felonies, and other offences committed out of the jurisdiction of this commonwealthAn act for punishing disturbers of religious worship and sabbath breakers-An act prescribing the punishment of those who sell unwholesome meat or drink, An act to encourage the apprehenders of horse-stealers-An act declaring when the death of persons absenting themselves shall be presumed-An act for reforming the method of proceeding in writs of right— An act directing the method of trying slaves charged with treason or felony-An act for the suppression and punishment of riots, routs, and unlawful assembliesAn act to punish bribery and extortion-An act against conveying or taking pretensed titles-An act prescribing the method of protesting inland bills of exchange, and allowing assignees of obligations to bring actions thereupon in their own names-An act providing a mean to help and speed poor persons in their suits-An act against usury-An act directing the method of proceeding against and trying free persons charged with certain crimes"-shall be suspended until the first day of July next. esche ators. VI. And be it enacted, That the act passed at the last session of general assembly, intituled "An act con- Report of act cerning escheators," being rendered superflous by the concerning subsequent passage of an act, intituled "An act to extend the operation of an act, intituled an act concerning escheators," to the several counties in the Northern Neck, shall be and the same is hereby repealed. Edmund Ran. dolph, esqr. governor. AT A GEFNRAL ASSEMBLY BEGUN AND HELD At the Public Buildings in the City of Richmond, on Monday the fifteenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, and in the twelfth year of the commonwealth. Preamble. CHAP. I. An act to amend the laws of revenue, to provide for the support of civil government, and the gradual redemption of all the debts due by this commonwealth. [Passed the 1st of January, 1788.] I. WHEREAS it appears to the present general assembly, upon an accurate examination of the various branches of revenue, and the several demands on the public for the debts and expences of government, that the taxes now levied on the citizens of this commonwealth are heavier than the circumstances of the people will admit of, without suffering great distress, and it appearing also that some of the taxes may be reduced and sufficient provision made. Nevertheless, for the support of civil government, and the punctual payment of the annual interest of all the debts due by the state, and a certain sum may also be applied in discharge of part of the principal of such debts; it hath therefore become necessary to amend the laws of reve |