Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-12-04
following leiler from Inc revision Of tn.

session OF the General Assembly, entitled
An act concerning new edition of
The laws ofthis Commonwealth, we have
the honor 10 inform You, that we have
performed the duties required of us by
that act. a Report of our proceedings
has been printed, and will, in few days,
be transmitted TO both branches of the
Legislature.
This Report cmbraees--a list of such
laws, and parts of laws, OF a general con-
ccru, as ought, IN our Judgment, 10 remain
IN iorce al the end of the present session
cfihe General Assembly, and he publish
ed III general compilations OF The laws
draughis OF bills uponiiie subject Of such
laws, as, from their multiplicity, Oughf
to be reduced INTO single acts-a list of
such laws as arc unfit To be continued in
force, and winch ought, therefore. TO be
repeaicd-a report of Tie titles of such
laws as are proper io be omitted i'm gem
eral compilation OF The laws--amd such
notes OF reference and explanation as
appeared TO us 10 be proper.
In performing this duty, we have tore
greet the SiIorinesS OF the time allowed us
for the purpose, and this Inconvenience
was also unavoidably increased by the
conflicting public duties of most of our
members. As, however, the work is con-
porlance, and a Report Is called for. at
this time, by the aci aforesaid, we have
not delayed TO make one.
I'm drafting the bills now submitted,
we have endeavored 10 throw oil all use
less and superfluous matter. Some of
them, however, may, nevertheless, appear
to be prolix. We uIight have reduced
still more the bulk OF these bills but, by
varying their plraseology in greater de-
gree, the public would have lost the be-
neht of many judicial decisions, which
have been founded upon the actual word
my OF the laws, as they now exist. These
bllis refer, Ill every section, TO the respec-
live acts from which they were taken.-
We have also taken the liberty TO suggest
JeW alterations N the acts but, consi-
tering that it was the wish of the legisla-
ture To have sinplitied and not a attr
code 'of the laws subuilicd TO them, (a
construction which results, as well from
III" terms of the law under which we act
as from the resolution of The house of
delegates III 1891 on the same s,Ibiect)
The proposed alterations are not numer-
Gus, and are confined lo cases which are
believed 10 be clear and paipab.e. All
our notes Except those of reference TO
lie antecedent laws) are in manuscript,
aud are annexed 10 few, only, OF The
COPIES of the Report. Time did not adj
Mill ut IL had been otherwise proper and
necessary that they should be also carried
into print
In deciding upon such acts as are not
proper 10 be published in general COM
pilail0n of the laws, while it is an impor-
tant object TO avoid swelling the code as
much as possible, it is also Of great i'm
portance that all the acts of the egisla-
ture should be published in permanent
and convenient volumes, and that thew
should not exist in the fugitive sheets, on
", OF tile acts OF The several sessions. -.
We therefore recommend, I'm the strony-
est manner, that provision may be made
Tor bringing up the statutes at large 10
the present time, and for continuing the
system IN future. This work has been
commenced by Mr.. Hening, under the
patronage of The legislature, but has, from
some cause, stopped. Wealsorecon u end
that several acts omitted iii Mr.. Hening's
volumes (rxcept their titles may be sup
plle.i III an appendix.-if all tie laws Of
the land shall exist i'll this form, with a
good index, and be deposited in The seve-
raj clerks offers, and in the hands of such
citizens as may choose 10 buy them while
1t Will afford great facility to our peo-
pie, Ill relation TO many of their i;npor-
tant rights, it will also form an apology
for not bringing many of those laws INTO
The general code, which, perhaps, ought.
otherwise, 10 be found therein. If. how
ever, the Legislature should not think
proper 10 bring up Tive statutes atlarge, We
should be of opinion that certain classes
OF acts, (such as those for improving our
rivers and roads, and relating 10 the Mu-
tual Assurance Society against fire, &cl
ought IA $50 to be publish,d in the general
code. II such should be tie will Of the
Legislature, We shall hold ourselves rea-
ny TO make the selection
1t presumed that the Legislature will
postpone the operation of the drafted
bills Till a future day, within which the
code may be published and promulgated.
Under that idea, we have left ihe DAYS
blank Tor the commencement of all the
acls OF Tins character; and we fake the Ii
beriy ct recommending that their ope-
ration should commence oil the same day.
i!h great respect, we are, Sir,
- oar ObedIent servants,
SPENCER ROANF,
JNO. COULTER,
RORT WHITE,
VIM kOCKENBROUCH
b. W. LEIGH.
On motion of MIR. MarilI. Resolyed
That The said letter and report be referred
to Il select committee and committee
was appointed OF Mes rs. AlagiIl, Robert,
son Of Richmond, Blackburn, TAYLOR Of
chesterfield, Lane, NAY Tor, Harrison of
Prince William, Thompson of Fairfax
Edward NiisOs of NORTHAMPTON. Scott
Lewis, Penn, Humphreys, Robertson Of
Petersburg, Thweatt, BOwyer, Chamber
layne, Buckner, Clarke of Powhatan
Clarke OF Augusta, Loyal and SUMMERS