The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-02-04
Qbe enquirer.
RICHMOND, 4tb FEsRvAR2..


We publih the following Circular Ierer TO- .h,
purpoie of giving readers general iketch ,f th.
mott important Legislative proceedings of the prefent
General Aiieaibly. ir is adJrefed 10 his con,ueuts
by Mr. Manford of the Senate, recently eeIaed into
the Executive Council.
10 Hs t tohsr, ia tie Senatorial Dar7, eomeesI Of
tie eo"nfies Of B'S.fsoiek, Lur.ziarg, A1eeien5a,e,
and Greeg/uak-
Richmond, February Cd, 1906.
DEAR Sir,
In compliance with my duty as your repre-
tentative, proceed to give ycnI fo,ne account
OF the tranfattions Of the General AiTembly,
during their prefent telfion. AS ufa, a great
part ct our time has been confirmed in receiving
petitions and ra!ling bills on fut,ieSts of pri-
vate and local nature, and in difculling plans
propoied which were finally reiecfed.-The
Till to extend the inrifdietion of Jingle iuitice
OF the peace TO matters in controversy not ex-
cercing twenty dollars, which was aghated at
the lat felton,, again pa1ed the houfe of De.
legates, but was rejected in the fenate, by the
ca'tinp vote of the Soeaker.-In my opinion, the
repeated failure Of bill, by which the delays
yand expenies attending the recovery of finall
debts by petition and luminous would be A.
voided, ishuchto be regretted. Various at
ten,pts have been made to amend the iudicisry
'ttttsm, the defects in which were acknowledge
ed on all hdes, but no plan was propofetl that
obtained the appreciation of a majority of the
tiouie of Delegates. Mott of the changes con-
templated, (however beneficial they might o.
ther~i'e have been,) were liable to infuperable
objections on the ground of conlfitutionaiitv
snd every year makes ii more and more evident,
that no efeetual alteration for the better in the
judiciary fyftem will ever take place, until a
convention is called 10 amend the contribution.
This meafure, which alone can produce radi-
cal amendment in the different departments of
our Tale government, was again propofed, but
after Hort dhcullion was rejected
The Following is a ffatement of fuch of the
acts that have been pafiid as are mott generally
in erehing.
|. An ACT to amend the ftveral laws concern
ing flaves.
1. By this aa the prohibition of the impor.
tation ofllaves is extended to all cafes wha,e
yer, except that OF travellers, pailisg through
the tate, bringing ti1ves with them for necer.
larry attendance aud carrying them out again.
With that exception only, any flave brought
into the commonwealth after the Gr;t day OF
May next and remaining therein year, or 70
long at different times fllail amount thereto.
or Tod or hired within the fame, (infead of be.
ing entitled to freedom as the law hitherto IL,
force dretted,) is to be forfeited, and the right
veltedin the Orerfeers ofthe Poor OF any conn
ty or corporation, who ihal! appreaend or at.
tempt to apprehend him, in truit for the hcne
TIT OF the Poor. The manner in which the
Overteers of the Poor are TO obtain poffeiIion
or any iuch Have is accurately pointed out, &
to encourage them To do their duty, ten per
cent. upon the amount OF the fale is allowed as
compcnt;. ion TO themieIves.
2. Any perion bringing A Have into the Gate.
contrary to this act or knowingly telling, buy
ing, or hiring any fuch fave, forfeits 400 dollars
to the commonwealth, to- be recovered by acti
on OF debt or Information, in which the tiefcn
dant HALL be held TO fpecial bail. Judgment ihai
be given without regard to any exception for
want Of form, and an attorneys fee of twenty
dols. !ha!l be taxed in the bin of offs.
s. Any have, who hath been or NAV be
brought INTO this hate, contrary to law, or who
may Dc paiiing thro' the fame by land or water,
and ihall commit capital crime, fhall not be
vaned by the court condemning him, nor paid
ror out of the public treafury.
4. No fave ihall be paid for by the public
who iha'ihe executed for any crime, in the per-
Petraton OF which the owner flal be either
principal or acceiiary and be thereof convieted.
5. 1t any flave hereafter emancipatcd q a
remain within this commonwealth more than
we've mouths, after his or her right to freedom
| hail have accrued, fnch five fhall forfei, al
:uch right, and may be Spprehended and fold
By the Cverfeers OF the Poor of any county or
corporation, where he or ihe may he found, for
the benefit OF the Poor.-This important pro-
'lAon, by means of which | hope an increafe
OF the mitchiefs of partial emancipation will be
prevented, and the commonwealth in fome de-
gree dliencumbered of population 70 injurious
to its PROPERTY, was propofed in the Senate
by way of amendment o the bill, & fortunately
carried by votes to in the frft initance,
and, on the final decilion, by a majority of one
only, the Houfe being equally divided, aud the
ipeaker voting in favour Of the bill as amend
ed.
Eothinr in This a6i contained i, 10 abriige the
power OF the executive TO remove ilayes unlaw-
full brought into the Fate, conferred by an
act pdfed The 2lo of January, 1907.
The tine Of commencement is the 1T of Nav
next.
III. An act, regulating TIE manner in which
certain duties ihalI be performed by the county
and corporation courts, dire CTS that it flall not
br lawful for the jufices of any court to make
any order for the erection Of public buildings
or bridges, to recommend any perfons to
be commifiioned as juitices, nor to elect
clerk of iuch court, unlefS majority of the
acting jrfices be prefsnt or unlefs the court
iha have ligni6ed their intention relative there
to at leaft one month before and fball h,ve