tinue and be in force from and after the expiration thereof, for and during the term of two years, and from thence to the end of the next session of assembly, and no longer. CHAP. IV. [Chapter XCIX in original.] An act to continue the act intituled An act to ascertain the losses and injuries sustained from the depredations of the enemy within this common- 1783, c. 10: wealth. See October es sustained 1. WHEREAS the act of assembly passed at the Act to ascer last session, intituled, “An act to ascertain the losses tain the lossand injuries sustained from the depredations of the e- by the denemy within this commonwealth," will expire at the predations end of the present session of assembly; and it is expe- my. during dient and necessary that the same should be continu- the war, fured: of the ene. ther contin 11. Be it therefore enacted, That the act intituled, ued. "An act to ascertain the losses and injuries sustained from the depredations of the enemy within this commonwealth," shall continue and be in force, from and after the expiration thereof, until the end of the next session of assembly, and no longer. [Chap. C in original.] tailed lands binson, in fee. CHAP. V. An act to vest certain lands in William Certain en- I. WHEREAS it has been represented to this preof Maximili. sent general assembly, that Maximilian Robinson, late an Robinson of the county of King George, having one sou named formerly in William and a daughter named Alice, by one wife, and King George one other son named Harry, by a second wife, did, by now in Westmoreland, his last will and testament bearing date the fourth day vested in of January, one thousand seven hundred and seventyWilliam Bo- five, devise all his lands in the county of King George to his said youngest son Harry, and to the heirs of his body, lawfully begotten, and in default of such issue, to his other son William for life, and to the heirs of his body, lawfully begotten, and failing of such issue, to the male issue of his daughter Alice, who hath since died without male issue, and that the said Harry, upon the death of the testator, entered into the premises and died seized thereof without issue of his body, and intestate as to the said lands, subsequent to the passing of the act of assembly intituled, "An act declaring tenants of lands or slaves in taille to hold the same in fee simple;" that upon his death, William Robinson, his nephew of the half blood and heir in taille under the will of his grand-father the said Maximilian Robinson, entered and died possessed of the said lands, leaving a widow, Margaret Robinson, and a son and heir, William Robinson, and two daughters, Anne Washington Robinson and Margaret Robinson, infants. whereas by the operation of the said recited act, the said lands must either descend to the heirs of Harry, by the whole blood, who are alien enemies, or escheat to the commonwealth, to the great injury of the unof fending infant, William Robinson, who, by Townshend Dade and Beckwith Butler, his guardians, together with the said Margaret Robinson, the widow, have petitioned this assembly for relief: And 11. Be it therefore enacted, That the said lands formerly in the said county of King George, but now in the county of Westmoreland, of which the said Harry Robinson died seized under the will of his father the said Maximilian Robinson, shall be, and the same are hereby vested in the said William Robinson, the infant, in fee; subject, nevertheless, to the dower of the said Margaret Robinson, his mother, in the same; any law to the contrary thereof notwithstanding. CHAP. VI. An act concerning John M'Lean. I. WHEREAS it is represented to this present general assembly, that John M Lean, sometime in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy-four, went over to Great-Britain for the recovery of his health, leaving a wife and children resident in the county of Norfolk, and having lately returned h ther, hath peti tioned this assembly for permission to reside in this state with his family: II. Be it therefore enacted, That the said John McLean, on taking the oaths of allegiance and fidelity to this commonwealth, shall be entitled to the like privileges, immunities and advantages, with the other citi zens of this state. [Chapter CI in origi. nal.] John McLean take the oath permitted to of allegiance and to restate. side in this [Chap. CH in original.] Further time allow. ed to elect vestries, in parishes of Antrim and Westover. CHAP. VII. An act for giving further time to the freeholders and house-keepers of the parishes of Antrim and Westover to elect new vestries. I. WHEREAS the time limited for electing new vestries for the parishes of Antrim and Westover, by an act of assembly, passed at the last session, intituled, "An act for dissolving the vestries of the parishes of Antrim and Westover," has elapsed without such elections being made; and it is expedient and necessary that farther time be allowed for those purposes: II. Be it therefore enacted, That it shall be lawful for the freeholders and house-keepers of the said parishes of Antrim and Westover respectively, on or before the first day of May next, to elect a vestry, in manner directed by the above recited act. [Chapter CIII in ori ginal.] Chan. Rev. CHAP. VIII, An act to amend and reduce the seve· ral acts of assembly for ascertaining certain taxes and duties, and See October for establishing a permanent revenue, into one act. p. 171] 1777, ch. 2. Preamble. Additional x on land. I. FOR amending and reducing the several acts for ascertaining certain taxes and duties, and for establishing a permanent revenue, into one act: And whereas the sum produced by the land tax is disproportionate to that of other subjects of taxation; and it is just and right that property of every kind should be equally burthened for the defence and protection of the state: II. Be it enacted, That from every owner of land or lots within this commonwealth, in addition to the tax Tax on already imposed, there shall be collected and distrained for, fifty per centum on the amount, or ten shillings on the pound of all sums payable for tax on land and lots, as the same may be charged by the examiners appointed under the act of the present session of assembly, for equalizing the land tax; also a tax of ten shil- Poll-tax. lings by every free male person above the age of twenty-one years, who shall be a citizen of this commonwealth; and also upon all slaves, to be paid by the own ers thereof, except such free persons and slaves as shall slaves. be exempted on applications to the county courts, through age or infirmity; also two shillings for every On horses. horse, mare, colt and mule, except covering horses; and for every covering horse, there shall be paid by the owner thereof, the sum which such horse covers one mare the season, which rate or sum the owner shall note down when he delivers in his list of property to the Justice; also three pence per head for cattle of all ages; also six shillings per wheel for all coaches, chariots, phaetons, four-wheeled chaises, stage waggons for riding carriages, chairs, and two-wheeled chaises; also fifteen pounds for every billiard table, and five pounds Billiard ta for every ordinary license; which said taxes shall be bles. paid annually in manner herein after directed. And Ordinary li. for the regular listing of all the articles enumerated above: Covering horses. Cattle. Carriages. censes. Justices to take lists of taxable pro. perty annu III. Be it enacted, That the court of every county shall divide the same into convenient precincts, and annually before the tenth of March, appoint one of the justices for each precinct, to take a list of the said enu- ally. merated articles therein; and every justice shall give public notice of his being so appointed, and at what times and places he intends to receive the lists, by advertising the same at the most public places within his precinct; and shall on or before the twentieth day of April next following, deliver to the clerk of the county-court, together with the vouchers by him taken, a made out & fair alphabetical list of the names of all free male per- clerk. sous above the age of twenty-one years as aforesaid, and resident within his precinct, and of the names of all slaves, specifying to whom they belong, distinguishing in a separate column, such as are above the age of sixteen, for the purpose of carrying into execution the laws concerning county and parish levies, and the Vot xn P How lists returned to |