Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-04-18


OF his county or corporation.
And ii any waterman or watermep, be-.
ins free, shall hereafter be detected in
burning OF stealing rails, or other wood al
ready CUT cutting locust or other trees,
stealing grain OF any kind livestock of a..
ny kind, or other thing whatsoever, and be
convicted thereof, before any justice OF the
peace, having jurisdiction of the case,
shall forfeit and pay to the over of the
property so stolen, cut or burnt, treble
the value thereof, to b. fixed by the judg-
ment OF the justice before whom such otfe "a -
der may be convicted, upon such evidence
as to him shall be convincing-which jus.
tice is hereby required to issue execution
aga nst the goods aud chatiles of the often.
der, in favor OF the owner of any such sto.
len property, for the amount of such judg-
ment and costs of prosecution, directed to
any sheriff, or constable, who shall exc.
cute and return the same, and be liable to
the same remedies and fines for neglect OF
duty as in case of other executions. And
the said offender or offenders, shall suffer
such other pains and punishments as are
by law for such offences made and provid.
ed. But when the testimony of the owner
OF the property, so stolen, cut or burnt, shall
be necessary TO the conviction of the offen-
der or offenders, the same course shall be
| pursued, exec pit that the forfeiture of thr, e
times the value shall be pad to the magis.
| trate who issued the execution or oxecuti-
ons for the use of the poor of his county or
corporation. And when any slave or slaves
shall be convicted of any or either of the
aforesaid offences, the owner of, or person
hiring the SAID slave or slaves, shall for.
felt and pay to the owner of the property SO
stolen, cut or burnt, the full and equal val
ne thereof-to be ascertained and recover
ed, against such owner or person hiring,
as IN the case of a free person. and the
| said slave or slaves shall receive twenty
lashes on his or their bare backs for the
first offence--and, for the second offence,
the same forfeiture shall be incurred by
| such master or person hiring, aud double
| the number of lashes inflicted upon such of.
feDder-and, for the third offence, as well
as for every succeeding offence, three times
the said forfeitures shall be paid by such
master or person h ring, and the same num-
Der OF lashes shall be inflicted as for the Sc
cond offence. But when the testimony of the
| owner OF the property, SO stolen, cut or
burnt, shall be necessary to the conviction
of the SAID slave or slaves, the forfeit .nrss
shall be paid as in the Case of free per.
| son. for the use Of tine poor.
And be it further enacted, That all per.
sons who shall hereafter load any boat, in
| whole or in part, shall grant TO the head
man of the boat a manifest OF such loading,
giving particular description of the guam
" of each article, and whether in bags,
boxes, barrels, hogs-heads and so forth,
and shall keep A copy OF the said manifest J
IRpd tie, said headman of the boat shall de-
Efysr tdthe said Inspector of boats his mani
Ffef, betore he shall diligently and minute
~ <x plne the said boats, and compare
ors&rl aof nun1 ord ifh -,
lfxst Which manifest shall be filed in the
Said Inspectors office and, if he shall find
any article on board of any boat. not con-
tanned in the said manifest, the necessary
provisions and ldfhiture of the said boat
excepted, he Sskall take from on board all
such artiCleS unto hiscustody, and advertise
the same giving true description there
kof, for tHe space of six weeks in some one
of Ne public prints in Richmond to be sold
for taSks: Provided, that pershable art,.
cies may beasQld Immediately for cash and
advertised aFterwards-and provided, that
Yowners of such artaSies, proving their right
to the same. within tfesspace of six months
after the date of the advertisement shall
have such articles, If clained before the
sale, or the money arising from the sale,
If claimed afterwards, and before the end
of the said space of six months--the SAID
owner paying the e::pences of advertising
the sane-all monies arising from such
sales, and remaining in the hands of the
said Inspector after the space of six months
shall be by him paid into the public Urea.
sury for the use of the commonwealth .
And when any free negro or mulatto shall
give a manifest of any loading put on board
of any boat, he or she shall obtain a Ger.
tihcate from some respectable white per-
son, certifying the truth of the manifest,
and his or her right to the property there.
in mentioned; which certificate shall &C.
company the said manifest and the per-
son granting such certificate shall keep a
copy thereof.
And be it further enacted, that it shall be
the duty of every nsvig tor of boat on the
said river and its branches when he shall take
on board any species of property, for sale or
transportation which he claims as his own, to
ge. certificate from some respectable pr
son in tue neighboarhoodJ where he snail take
the same sta ing the quantity and the particu
lar kind ofproperty 30 shipped.
And be it further enacted, that, in future,
every free waterman who shall receive on
board Of his boat or other vessel any produce
goods, wares or merchandise, and shalt en-
bezzle the same, or any part thereof. to the
value Of dollars and upwards, shall be dee.
med guilty of felony upon conviction
thereof before any Court having competent iu-
rsdction, ne shall suffer a Confinement i'm the
Jail and Penitentiary house for a term of not