Commencement of this

a&t.

II. THIS act fhall commence and be in force, from and after the pafling

thereof.

CHAP. CCXI.

Depofitions taken in certain cafes herein

mentioned, to be lodg

ed with the clerk of county.

Same relief given in

An Act to amend the Act for the relief of Perfons who have been, or may be injured, by the Destruction of the Records of County Courts.

I.

[Paffed the 20th of December, 1796.]

Bare, unitereafter Gay be taken by virtue of an act, intituled, " de act for the relief of persons who have been, or may be injured, by the deftruction of the records of county courts," shall be lodged with the clerk of the county in which fuch accident may have happened, or shall hereafter happen, there to remain as evidence in all cafes for eftablishing the right of the perfon or perfons injured, when better evidence cannot be obtained.

E it enacted by the Gentral Affembly, That all depofitions which now

II. And be it further enacted, That where any perfun or perfons shall have the lofs of diftrict court fuffered, or may fuffer by the deftruction of records, or other papers, in dif

record, &c. as in

counties.

Repealing claufe.

Commencement of this

act.

trict or corporation courts, the fame relief shall extend to fuch perfon or perfons as is given by this, and the above recited act, to fufferers by the destruction of records or other papers in counties.

III. SO much of the above recited act, as comes within the purview of this act, shall be, and the fame is hereby repealed.

IV. THIS act fhall commence and be in force, from and after the paffing

thereof.

CHAP. CCXII.

An Act to amend the Act afcertaining the Salaries of the Officers of Civil

Salaries of certain offi- I. cers of civil govern

ment, clerks, &c,

BE

Government.

[Paffed the 20th of December, 1796.]

E it enacted by the General Affembly, That the feveral officers herein after mentioned, shall receive for their falaries, in quarterly payments, after the fame shall have been audited according to law; the governor of the commonwealth, the fum of three thoufand three hundred and thirty-three dol. lars, and thirty four cents, per annum; the judges of the court of appeals, and the judges of the general court, each, the fum of fifteen hundred dollars, per asnum; the auditor of public accounts, the fum of twelve hundred and fifty dollars, per annum; the regifler of the land office, twelve hundred and fifty dollars, per annum; the treasurer, the fum of two thousand dollars, per annum; the firit clerk of the treafurer, regifter, and auditor, the fum of fix hundred and twentyfive dollars, per annum, each; and each of the other clerks of the treafury, and auditor, the fum of four hundred and fixteen dollars, and fixty- feven cents, per arnum; the clerk of the council, fix hundred and twenty five dollars, per annum; and the affiflant clerk of the council, four hundred and fixteen dollars, and fixty-fiven cents, per annum. All which feveral fums fhall be paid in fpecie, and the auditor is hereby authorifed to audit the fame, and iffue his warrants upon the treafury accordingly.

II.

AND be it further enacted, That the act, intituled, "An act, allowing travelling expenjes to the judges of the general court," fhall be, and is hereby repealed.

II. ALL and every act, or acts, claufes and parts of acts, coming within the purview of this act, fhall be, and the fame are hereby repealed. IV. THIS act shall commence and be in force, from and after the first day of January next.

Preamble

CHAP. CCXIII.

An de concerning the Keepers of Public Fails.

[Paffed the 20th of December, 1795.]

HE allowance at prefent made by law to the keepers of district, and county jails, for keeping and oieting perfons committed to their custody, being, during the print price of pro tions, unreafonabiy low:

1. BE it enacted, That the feveral diftris courts, fhall be, and they are District courts to regu hereby empowered at each feffion, to order and direct fuch allowance to be late the allowance for made for the prifoners confined in the jail of fuch district, with whofe fupport dieting prisoners, &c. the commonwealth is by law chargeable, and to the keeper of fuch jail for his trouble, as to fuch court fhall feem reasonable, provided the allowance fo made, fhall not exceed thirty-four cents per day, for each prifoner. The allowance made, fhall be certified to the auditor after each feffion of the court, who fhall debit the fame, and iffue a warrant on the treasurer, therefor.

.II. THE keepers of county and corporation jails, fhall be allowed for Courts of counties, &c. Reeping and dieting each prifoner in their cuftody, with whofe fupport the to make allowance to commonwealth is by law chargeable, fo much as the courts of their respective jailors for keeping pricounties and corporations hall judge reafonable, provided the allowance for loners, &c. made, fhall not exceed that made by the court for the district, in which the county or corporation lies. The allowance fhall be made after each feflion of the court for the district, and fhall be certified to the auditor, who thall in like manner debit the fame, and iffue his warrant on the treasurer, for the payment thereof.

III.

debtors,

WHEREVER a creditor shall be liable to the jailor for prifon fees, ilo's fees for keeping on account of his debtor, it fhall be lawful for fuch jailor to charge the fame fees, as may under this act be charged against the commonwealth.

IV. AND whereas, it is reprefented that in fome inftances, the court fitting next after the performance of the fervice, has failed to certify the allow ance to which the keeper of the jail for the district, was by law entitled, and a fubfequent court has doubted its authority to make the allowance and grant the certificate. Be it enacted, that in any fuch cafe, a fubfequent court shall, and may proceed in like manner as the court next immediately fucceeding the rendition of the fervice, might by law have proceeded.

CHAP. CCXIV.

An Act to alter the Mode of Appointing and Commifiening Inspectors of Tabacco, in certain cafes.

[Paffed the 22d of November, 1796.]

WHEREAS by exiftiourts of the feveral counties within the state, wherein any of the public warehouses are established, shall once in every year and no oftener, at their refpective courts holden in the months of Auguft or September, nominate, and recommend to the governor for the time being, for fo many offices of infpection as are or shall be in their refpective counties, four fit and able perfons reputed to be skilful in tobacco, for the execution of the office of infpectors, which nomination the faid courts shall caufe to be entered upon record, and the clerks of the faid courts, are thereby required forthwith, to tranfmit a certificate of the fame to the clerk of the council; and that out of the faid four perfons nominated and recommended for each infpection, the governor, with the advice and confent of council, shall choofe and appoint two to execute the office of infpectors at fuch infpection; and in cafe of the death, refignation or removal of any infpector, the governor shall appoint any perfon named in the laft recommendation from the county court, for that infpection where the vacancy shall happen, to fucceed him until the next nomination and appointment of infpectors:

THEREAS by the exifting law concerning the infpection of tobacco, it

AND whereas, under the operation of the faid law, the executive of this ftate have had occafion to remove from office infpectors of tobacco; and the additional perfons nominated by the county courts, for the execution of the office of infpectors at the warehoufe in which the removal took place, are fuppofed in one inftance, unable to give bond for the due performance of their office, and in another. have been abfent from this commonwealth at the time when the faid removal took place; and the executive in that inftance, have found themselves unable to appoint under the faid law, any other than the individuals before recommended, aud the courts of the counties are in like manner unable, before the months of Auguft or September fucceeding the removal of the faid infpectors, to recommend other perfons to the executive as infpectors whereby the warehouse in question may for a confiderable time be shut want of infpectors to the fame, to the great detriment of the public and of in dividuais; for remedy whereof,

up

for

Power of courts to make allowances for fervices

in certain cales.

Preamble:

Power and authority of

the executive to appoint infpectors in certain cales.

Commencement of this

A&.

I. BE it enacted, That in any cafe where the executive shall have heretofore removed, or shall hereafter remove any infpectors of tobacco from office, and the additional perfons nominated to them by the court of the county, or either of them, shall be unable to give fecurity for the execution of their office, or shall, from information given to the executive, be conceived by them unfit to discharge the functions of the faid office, or shall be abfent from this commonwealth, the executive shall have full power and authority, to appoint any other two perfons in the county where fuch warehouses are, to act as inspectors of the fame, until the next nomination and appointment of infpectors by the court of the county; any thing in the faid law to the contrary, notwithftanding.

II. THIS act shall commence and be in force, from and after the paffing thereof.

CHAP. CCXV.

An Act to amend an act, intituled, "An act to amend the act, for reducing into one, the feveral acts concerning the Land-Office, afcertaining the terms and manner of granting waste and unappropriated Lands, for Settling the Title and Bounds of Lands, directing the Mode of Proceffioning, and prefcribing the Duty of Surveyors."

[Paffed the 18th of November, 1796.]

A herein mentioned, I. tion of an act, intituled, "An act to amend the act, for reducing into

how conflrued.

Further time allowed to appoint proceffioners.

Repealing claufe.

Commencement of this

act.

one, the feveral acts concerning the land office, afcertaining the terms and manner of granting waste and unappropriatea lands, fettling the titles and bounds of lands, directing the mode of proceffioning, and prefcribing the duty of Surveyors, as relates to furveys or locations of land, shall be conftrued to extend only to fuch furveys or locations, as have been, or shall be made, after the laft day of December, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five And the regifter is hereby directed to proceed on all furveys, made prior to the first day of January, one thousand feven hundred and ninety-fix, agreeably to the laws in force at the time of fuch furveys made.

II. BE it further enacted, That where it has happened that any court within this commonwealth, hath neglected to appoint proceffioners at the courts heretofore appointed by law, that they have the further time of fix months from the paffage of this law, to make fuch appointments; and that they be authorifed to appoint proceffioners at any court, within the faid period of fix months: III. BE it further enacted, That the third fection of the law aforefaid, be, and the fame is hereby repealed.

IV. THIS act fhall commence and be in force, from and after the paffing thereof.

CHAP. CCXVI.

Preamble,

Terms of certain diftri&t

ed may be extended,

when holden, &c.

An Act for lengthening the Terms of Seffion of certain Diftria Courts. [Paffed the 21st of December, 1796.]

W

WHEREAS the time allowed for the fitting of the district courts, holden in the towns of Fredericksburg, Dumfries, and Winchester, is not fufficient for the tranfacting of the bufinefs in faid courts:

I. BE it enacted, That the faid courts refpectively, fhall fit if bufinefs recourts herein mention- quire it, fifteen days, Sundays exclufive, unless fuch fitting fhall interfere with fome other district court, in the fame circuit; and to enable the judges to comply with this law, Be it further enacted, that the diftrict court holden at Dumfries, fhall be held on the eighteenth day of May and October in every year; that the diftrict court holden at Winchester, fhall be held on the fifteenth day of April, and on the twenty-ninth day of September, in every year; and the District Court holden at Morgan-Town, fhall be held on the fifteenth day of May, and on the fifteenth day of September, in every year.

Provifion in cafe day of meeting be Sunday.

Brunfwick and Peterfburg district courts,**

II. AND if any of the faid feveral days be Sunday, the court fhall in that, cafe refpectively, begin on the fucceeding day.

III. AND be it enacted, That the district court, holden at Brunswick courthoufe, fhall be held on the fecond day of May, and the fecond day of Octo