The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg, Va., 1776-07-05 00:00:00, page 1

ESOLVED, as the opinion of this
R Convention, that on account of the
wiaippy difpates betweeu Great Britain
and the colonies, and the unsettled ttate
of this country, the lawyers, suitors, and
witneflzs, ought not to attend the prose
cution or defence of civil suits at the next
General Court; and it is recommended to
th= (everal courts of juilice not to proceed
to the hearing or determination of suits on
their dockets, except attachments, norto
give judgments but in the case of fheriffs
or other collectors for money or tobacco
received by them; in othec cufes, where
such judgment shall be voluntarily confefi
ed, or upon such amicable proceedings as
may become necessary for the settlement,
division, or diltribution of estates. Aund
during this fufpention of the adminiltration
of jaftice, it is earneltly recommended to
th people to observe a peaceable and or
derly behaviour, to all creditours to be as
mdulgent to their debtors as may be, and
to il debrors to pay as far as they are able;
ald where differences may arise which can
not be udj:lﬂed between the parties, that
they refer tire decision thereof to judicious
n-ighbours, and abide by their determi
na‘ions A
5, 1776
JULY
INCONVEN'I‘ION.
SATURDAY, March 25, 1775. ,
[0 G O NV BN R X R
WEDNESDAY, Fuly3, 1776.
Ar ORDINANCE to enable the present
magistrates and officers to continue the
alninifiration of justice, and for [ettiing
the gener:l mode of proceedings in crimi~
nal and other cafcs, till the fume can be
more wmply provided for.
%1 THEREAS ithathbeen found indifpen
\V {:bly necessary to eltablifh govern
ment in this colony, independent of the
crown of Great Britain, or any anthority
derived therefrom, and a plan ot such
guv-rnment hath been accordingly tormed
by the General Convention, batit will re
quiire {yme considerable time to compile a
body of tuvs {uited 1o the circumitances
of the country, and it is neceflary to pro
vile {ome method of preserving peace and
{curity 1o the cominunity in the mean
P lime 3
. Deit theveforeardained, by the reprefonta-
E tives of the people now met in Geueral Con
- vention, that the several persons named in
the co nmi{fion of the peace in each coua
ty respectively, havingin the court of the
ety taken the following oath, which
fudl be adminiltered to the firft perfin
naned who is present by avy two of the
others, and then by him adminiltered to
all the others, tharis to fay: [ A.8.d0
Jolemnly swear, that I will be faithful and
true to the commonwealth of Vicginia s that
| LTwill, 1o the utmost of my power, [upport,
- maintain, and defend, the constitution and
- govermnent thereof as [etiled by the General
Convention ; and that 1 will faithfully ex
¢cute the office of Jor the
Connty of and do
€qual right and. justice to all men, to the
best of my judgment, and according to law;.
thall each, and every of them, have fuil
power to execute the oflice of a justice of
peace, as well within his county court as
without, in all things, according to law.
And be i farther ordained, that where it
shall happen that there is not a futlicient
namber of magistrates fur holding a court
i any county already appcinted, the Go
vernour may, withtheadrice of the Privy
Council, appoind such and {o many magis
trates in fach county as may be judged
proper and neceflury.
And whereas courts in the diftric of
Weft Augrfta have been hitherto held by
writs of adjournment, which writs ean
not now be obtaineriz Be it therfore or
dained, that the jultices residing i the said
diltrict, ontaking the fame oath atorefuid,
{ll have the power and authority toholda
court within the fuid dittrict, on the third
Tue/dav in every month, at such place as
they may appoint, and shall exercise their
office, both incourt and without, in the
fime manper as the joltices of the several
counties are by this ordinance empowered
to do. '
Provided always, that upon com
pliint made to the Governcur and Privy
Councl agaiult any juflice of peace, now
in commiiiion, of mistcazance in office, or
difaffection to the commonwealth, it {hall |
and may be lawful for the Governour,
with advice of the Privy Council, on a
full and fair hearing of both purties, to
remove {uch justice from his office, if they
thall be of opinion that the fuid complaint
is jult and well founded.
#nd be it farther ordained, that the
common law of England, all itatutes
or acts of parliament made in aid of
the comwmwon law prior to the fourih
year of the reign of king Fames the
firlt, and which are of a general nature,
not local to that kingdom, together with
the several acts of the General Aflembly
of this colony now in force, {0 far as the
{ime may confitt with the several ordinan
ces, declarations, and refulutions ot the
Gencral Convention, shall be the rule of
decision, and (hall be considered as in full
force, until the fame (hall be altered by
the legislative power of this colony.
Provided always, and be it farther or
dained, thatall quitrents and arrears there
of, and all daties, aids, penalties, hnes,
and forfeitures, heretofore made payable
to the king, hisheirs and facceflours, hall
be and inure to the use of the common
wealth, and all bonds for {-curing the fame
shall be made payable to the person or per
{fons having the exccutive power.
Ani be it farther ordained, that all bonds
to be ensered into by fheriffs, or other
publick officers, and in all other cases,
where the fame are required by law, shall
be made pavable to the jultices of the
court taking such bond, and, in the names
of them or their fucceffours, may be sued
and profi cuted at the costs and for the
benefit of the publick, or any private per
son or perfonsinjured by the breach there
of, as often as there may be occasion, until’
the whole penalty be levied.
And be it farther ordained, that all the
present fheriffs now wvotfice under a coni-
miflion from :he late Governour, upon
taking the oath before preferibed in the
court of their county, thall tontmue 1o
act, and have all the powers and authori
ties of {heriff, according to law, untl the
25ch day of Odeber next. _
An ORDIN 4 NCE to arrange the counties
in districts, for electing Senators, and to
ascertain their wages.
FOR the regular clection of Senators to
this Convention, at the time the fame
inall be adjourned to, and thatthe people
may be more equaily represented in that
branch of the legislature :
Be it ordaived, by the delegates of the
counties and corporations of Virginia #ow
met in Convention. and it is hereby ordained
by the authority thereof, that the counties
of Accomack and Northawmpton {hall be one
diitrict ; the counties ot Prince/s Aune,
Norfolk, and Nanfemond, one other dittrict;
the counties of Jfle of #ight, Surry, and
Prince George, one other district; the
countics of Dinwiddie, Southampton, and
Suflcx, ove other district; the counties of
Brunswick, Lunenburg, and Mecklenburg,
one other district; the counties ot Clarloite,
Halfox, and Prince Edward, ove other
diltrict; the counties of Chefferfield,
Amelia, and Cumberlard, one other dil
trict ; the counties'of Buckingham, Albe
marle, and Amber/?, one other district;
the counties of Pittfyivania and Bedford,
one other difl.i¢t; the counties of Bole
tourt and Fincaflle, one other district ; the
counties of Elizabeth City, Warwick, and
Tork, ome other diitrict; the cou;uies of
Charles City, Fames City, and New Kent,
one other district ; Ihe counties of Henrico,
Goochland, and Louisa, cne other dilirict;
the connties of Hanover and Caroline, one
other (iitrict ; the counties of East Augufla
and Dunmore, one other diftrict'; iwhe
counties of Gloucefler and Middlesex, one
other diftri¢t; the counties of Essex, King
William, and King and Qucen, one other
diftri¢t; ihe counties ot Lancaster, Rich
mond, and Northumberland, one other
district; the counties of W efbmorciand,
Stafford, and King George, one other dif=
triét 3 the counties of Spot/ylvania, Orange,
and Culpeper, one other diltriét; the coun
ties of Prince William and Fairfax, onc
other district ; the counties of Loudoun and
Fauquier, one other district ; the counties
of Frederick, Berkeley, and Hampfbire, one
other diltri¢t; and #eft dugufta, one
other district; for every one of which
diftri®ts one Senator shall be’ chosen by
the persons qualified to vote for dele
gates, who shall be {fummoned for that
purpose by the fherifis, or, where there
is no such officers, by the clerks of the
committees of observation and infpediien,
to meet at the courthouses of their respec
tive counties, or, where there are no court
houses, at some other convabient places,
on the second Tuesday in September tor the
firft diltrict, on the 2d Thursday in August
for the 2d and gih diltricts; jon the lib
Thursday in duguft for the gdy 16th, and
19th districts, on the Ift Muriday ir August
for the 18th diftri¢t, on the sth Zhur/dayin
NUMBER 7s.