loss. And whereas the surplus of the money arising from the various funds appropriated to the payment of the interest on the military debt, constitutes one of the most productive sources of the revenue appropriated for the support of civil government, and it appears that a considerable sum may be drawn therefrom, and a sufficient balance left in the treasury for the payment of the said interest: Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly, That the treasurer shall be empowered and required to draw the sum of six thousand pounds from the funds appropriated to the payment of the interest on the military debt, and to replace the same if it should be necessary from the first sales of tobacco, or the first money received into the funds appropriated for the support of civil government. The said six thousand pounds shall in the first place be applied to make good the votes of the last assembly for the pay and other expences of scouts and rangers on the western frontier, and in the next place to the payment of the expences of the convention, which commenced in the city of Richmond on the second of June; and if any balance, after making the same good, shall remain in the treasury, it shall be applied to the payment of the expences of the present general assembly.

Governor authorised to

CHAP. IV.

An act to authorise the governor to issue certain grants.

WHEREAS sundry surveys have been made in different parts of this commonwealth, which include in issue grants, the general courses thereof sundry smaller tracts of with reserva prior claimants, and which in the certificates granted claims inclu. by the surveyors of the respective counties are reserved ded in the to such claimants. And the governor or chief magis

tions of other

surveys.

trate is not authorised by law to issue grants upon such certificates of surveys, For remedy whereof Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That it shall and may

be lawful for the governor to issue grants with reservation of claims to lands included within such surveys, any thing in any law to the contrary notwithstanding. Copies from the Roll,

Teste,

J. PLEASANTS, JR. Keeper of the Rolls.

March 1st, 1810.

Edmund Randolph, esq. governor.

AT A

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

BEGUN AND HELD

At the Public Buildings in the City of Richmond, on Monday the twentieth of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight, and in the thirteenth year of the commonwealth.

President of U. States, chosen by districts.

CHAP. I.

An act for the appointment of electors to choose a President pursuant to the constitution of government for the United States.

[Passed the 17th of November, 1788)

I. WHEREAS the United States in congress asElectors of sembled, did, on the thirteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight, resolve that the first Wednesday in January next be the day for appointing electors in the several states, which before the said day shall have ratified the new constitution of government for the United States; that the first Wednesday in February next be the day for the electors to assemble in their respective states, and vote for a President; and that the first Wednesday in March next be the time, and the present seat of congress, the place for commencing proceedings under the said constitution: Be it therefore enacted by

the General Assembly, That for the purpose of choosing twelve electors on behalf of this state, to vote for a President in conformity to the constitution of government for the United States, the several counties in this commonwealth shall be allotted into twelve districts, in manner following, to wit: The counties of Amelia, Powhatan, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Brunswick, Greensville, Lunenburg, and Mecklenburg, shall compose one district: The counties of Henrico, Goochland, Louisa, Charles City, James City, and New-Kent, shall compose another district: The counties of Botetourt, Washington, Montgomery, Greenbrier, Augusta, Rockingham, Rockbridge, Russel, Shenandoah, Pendleton, and the district of Kentucky, shall compose another district: The counties of King & Queen, King William, Essex, Caroline, and Hanover, shall compose another district: The counties of Prince William, Fairfax, Londoun, and Fauquier, shall compose another district: The counties of Westmoreland, King George, Stafford, Lancaster, Richmond, and Northumberland, shall compose another district: The counties of Hampshire, Frederick, Berkeley, Monongalia, Ohio, Hardy, Harrison, and Randolph, shall compose another district: The counties of Norfolk, Nansemond, Accomack, Northampton, and PrincessAnne, shall compose another district: The counties of Sussex, Isle of Wight, Surry, Prince George, Dinwiddie, and Southampton, shall compose another district: The counties of Campbell, Pittsylvania, Charlotte, Halifax, Prince Edward, Bedford, Franklin, and Henry, shall compose another district: The counties of Albemarle, Amherst, Fluvanna, Spotsylvania, Orange, Culpeper, and Buckingham, shall compose another district: And the counties of York, Glouces ter, Elizabeth City, Warwick, and Middlesex, shall compose another district:

II. That the persons qualified by law to vote for members to the general assembly, in each county composing a district, shall assemble at their respective courthouses on the first Wednesday in January next, and then and there vote for some discreet and proper person, being a freeholder, and bona fide resident in such district for twelve months, as an elector for such district, to vote for a President of the United States, in conformity to the said constitution.

VOL. XII.

G 4

1

III. The high sheriff of each county, or in case of his sickness or inability to attend, one of the deputy sheriffs, being first duly sworn by a magistrate of the county to act impartially, and a certificate of the taking such oath under the hand of the magistrate delivered to him, shall conduct the said election, at which no determination shall be had by view, but each person qualified to vote, shall fairly and publicly poll, and the name of the voter shall be duly entered under the name of the person voted for in proper poll-books to be provided by the sheriff; for which purpose the said sheriff shall appoint so many writers as he shall think fit, who shall respectively take an oath, to be administered by him, or make solemn affirmation, that they will take the poll faithfully and impartially. He shall deliver a poll book to each writer, who shall enter in distinct columns, under the name of the person voted for, the name of each voter, voting for such person. Like proclamation and proceeding shall be had for continuing and closing the poll in each county of a district as is prescribed by law, in the election of members to the general assembly and proclamation shall also be made at the court house door of the person having the greatest number of votes on the poll at the closing thereof.

IV. Each voter shall be entitled to the same privilege from arrests, and be subject to the like penalty and forfeiture for failing to attend and vote at such election, as prescribed by law in the election of members to the general assembly, such failure to attend to be discovered aud proceeded on in like manner and under the same penalties as is by law prescribed against such failures in the election of members to the general assembly. Immediately after each election in a county, the clerks of the polls having first signed the same, and made oath to the truth thereof (a certificate of which oath under the hand of a magistrate of the county shall be subjoined to each poll) shall deliver the same to the sheriff who conducted the election, and such sheriff, together with the respective sheriffs who conducted the poll of the several counties in the district, except in case of the disability or sickness of such sheriff, then any other sheriff of the county in which such sickness or disability may happen, shall within seven days assemble at the courthouse of the county first named in