Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-03-19
the Orphans Court !!

justices courts! r. :, hard.
% What particular cases, IL any, OF ha'u'
>b;n or abuse, under the TWO last in'errogs'o'
fies. have occurred within your Sho"euse
| "a Are The laws and legal 2roceeainss I"
the county Of Alexandria materially c,ne'e"'
from those in .hr county oil Washi"g'o"
| OK TT dissimilar, what evisIesuli from TINS,
generally, and also, particularly, from Tue 'aL''
,ba, The same Circui, Court is required 10 ad'
minister the two different codes IL 'he c'h'''
ent counties
e6 VIVA, Influence has the pas, operation oil
The laws, and The effects Of their adminls'ra
lion, produced upon the loves classes Oh so'
cie,y-moral and sslutary; or 'herwise
| 81. Could not single code Of laws be devi>
sed. blending and assimilating the laws oil Vir-
ciuia and Maryland, which would provide Tor
the exieencies Of and BIZ satisfactory The peo>
pie of The entire District! =,
%. Can this be done. or can The existing evil
Of he presen, system be rsmedied BY Congress
in any way, short Of appointing able and efh,
Gent Commissioners 10 perform the work sug"
pes,ed by the above resolution! and what are
the reasons for and against this measure.
90 What are the sons for and against the
establishment, OF Territorial Government! q
how can the objections against il be ob'ia'ed!
80. Can Congress devote so much ,imc 20
LEGISLATION for This District as VIII be lndls
nensible 10 the welfare Of the people!
When il is considered that the answers 10
these questions may have an important bearing
upon the future interests, prosperity and happi-
ness Of this rapidly Increasing population OF
this in, suing lerilory, it is confidently mop
cd ,ba; the informal ion sought for will be most
cheerfully given
have the honor TO be most respectfully
your obedienl servant.
C. POWERS, Chairman.
.7ucers to the questions pyopoundsd by tie Chairman 81
the Committee Of the District IF toiumb,a' an me
Rouse of Representatives. to the undersigned 'cho h"re
met together for The purpose Of presenting ia one COM
nnuicaton, such information and peps as each pos
sesses on The subjects embraced in the interrogator'es
u8ns,ser | To the fist interrogs'ory. we an
swer, that there are laws in force In the coun'J
of Alexandria, in the District OF Columbia,
which have been either repealed or amended by
the Legislators Of Virginia, since the 27'h day
Of February. 1901, not sui'e6 20 the present
times and circumstances Of the people OF the
District. Among these, we would hrst refer
10 the statute regulating the proof and registry
of conveyances BY the law now IN toice, all
deeds, in order TO be admitted to record, must
be either acknowledged by the persons execut>
ing them before the Court, OIL be proved by the
oompeten, number of witnesses before the court
This mode subjects The grantee 10 much in
convenience and delay.
3y the present law Of Virginia, the grantor
may acknowledge the same before the clerk IN
his Office, or 1t may be proved before the clerk
by The competent number OF Witnesses, or II
NAV be acknowledged by the grantor before
two Justices of the Peace; upon which the
deed NAV be Immediately recorded
Cd. BY the present law relating to exeeu;-
ors and neutrality-suspicious., &c their re-
personalities and securities, are liable 10 be
called 70 an account a, any indefinite period OF
tine, even after they have settled, with the
proper tribunal, their account: yet this state
men, is liable 10 De opened, and The executor,
administrator, guardian, or their securilles'
called into court Of equity to re.seitle; af'er
witnesses are dead and .ouo hers lost. MANY AN
innocent surety has been ruined by this course
The Legislature of Virginia, on the 9Th OF
March, 1926, passed law for The limitation Ell
actions against persons in fduciary character.
The passage Of such law Ivy Congress for
this Dis,ric, is much wan'ed. BY the old law,
only an administrator before he makes dlstri-
| blu ion of the assets, could require disiribu.
| tee TO give him bond and security 10 indemnify
| him apains, any further claims Of creditors.
On the 18th February, 1928. the Legislature
Of Virginia amended the law, so as 10 give the
same RICH: 10 Executors.
/ Sd. By the law which existed in the Dis
,rict an,ecedent TO the year 1912, according 10
he decision Of the Supreme Court, no execu-
| tor or administrator could sue in the District
for debt due The deceased person, without adj
| mnlstering in the proper court in the District
Congress, in the year 1912, by the ! lth sec
ton Of law, entitled An act 10 amend the
laws Of the Distrc, Of Columbia" authorized
| persons obtaining letters ies,amen,ary or OF
administration, out Of the District of Colum-
bia, to D, osecute claims within il. The effect
of this law is. and has been, that person who
administers in Virginia on the estate OF de.
ceased person, who may have, al The lime OF
his death, assets in the Distric:, may rake them
| from the jurisdiction Of the courts here, with
GU, giving any security, and leave the credit
ors here unpaid. l, has been decided, that the
bond given by the administrator or executor,
! in Virginia, does not cover any assets which
are not properly Virginia assets. He may,
therefore, waste the District assets, and the
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