Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1841-05-06
SKETCHES OF THE ACTS.
Passed at the last session ofthe General .as.<z,.
biy Of Tirginia.

10 declare divldends; authorizes the bank TO
declare out Of the profits of the year Just end.
ed, dividend not exceeding two per cen.
tum on the capital of said bank paid in. and
the residue of said profits shall be applied 10
repair the deficiency existing in the capit.I,
and hereafter the bank may declare dividend
of two per centum semi-annually until the
capital be made good and a contingent fund
of at least five per centum on the capital shall
be accumulated, and the residue Of the pro.
fits shall be applied to make good the said
capital and the contingent fund.
An act increasing the reward for apprehen.
ding runaways in certain cases; allows ESQ
reward for experimenting, and ten cents mile
tor travelling, to any person who shall appre.
bend any runaway male slave above the age
of l6 years, within this State, more than so
miles from his usual place of abode, and
within ten miles Of the dividing lines between
this State and the States of Ohio and Penn.
sylvania, and that portion of the line of tho
State of Maryland, commencing at its inter-
section with the line of Pennsylvania on the
west, and terminating at the point where the
dividing line OF the counties of Loudoun and
Fairfax intersects said line.
An act changing the existing laws relative
to Lunatic Asylums. This act is revisal of
all the laws relative to the hospitals at Will
liamsburg and Staunton; prescribes the du-
ties of the courts Of directors; empowers them
| to ordain regulations for the government of
their respective asylums. to appoint officers,
nurses and attendants, TO provide for the ac-
commodation, maintenance and cure of pa.
| tients therein; eXempts the superintendents
and other officers &c., from serving on juries,
working on roads and from military duty in
time OF peace; gives authority under certain
regulations to the directors to examine per.
sons alleged to be insane, and to receive them
into their asylums without the Intervention Of
process from magistrates; to contract with
any lunatic's friends for his support, and to
recover the amount contracted for. Provides
Tor the apprehension of lunatics by magis.
trates, and for their examination and confine-
ment In the said asylums and for their dis
charge by the court of directors, if they deem
that they ought not to be confined; given
power to the directors at any time to delivera
lunatic to any friend who will become hound
to restrain and take care Of him. Prescrbes
regulations for appointing committees TO tako
charge OF the estate of insane persons, and
to manage it for the benefit of their families.
The expense of maintaining and endeavorino
to cure such persons, to be paid first from tho
State Treasury, and to be refunded out OF
such PERSONS estate, if any such, or by the
friends, &C., who may contract therefor.-
Provides for guarding and removing such per-
compensation therefor; and for sending them
back when. for want of room, admission NAV
be refused them; and combining them in tho
county Jails thereafter. Requires sheriffs to
write to the superintendent Of the asylums
to ascertain If there be room before removing
patients, and to confine them in Jail till room
be obtained. Requires all clothing for the
patients to be made as far as practicable at
the State Penitentiary. Prohibits the recep-
ton OF idiots into eitner asylum, and directs
them to bo supported by the Overseers ofthe
Poor of the counties in winch they may BE-,
where they have not estate sufficient TO- SUM-
port themselves; and directs these now in tho
, asylums to be sent back TO the counties from
whence they came. Makes it the duty of tho
courts TO make provision for the clothing, SUD-
port and attendance of such iunatics as arc
confined in their county jails; the amount 10
limited and is to be certified to the Auditor
and paid out Of the public treasury; to be re-
funded out of the lunatic's estate, he have
eny. Requires Sheritls and Scrgeants, under
penalty, to report to the Auditor, on or be-
fore the 18th of December, annually, the num-
Der of iuna,ics confined in their tails and the
the time they have been confined, to be trans
mitted to the Legislature. Gives power to
the Superior Courts to appoint committee
Tor the estate of persons who have removed
out OF the State, and who become insane there
after; and to the County and Corporation
Courts to appoint committees for idiots and
lunatlcs not sent to either Of the Asylums, to
take charge Of their persons and estates and
prescrlbes the mode Of making sale of the es-
tate OF such persons when their interest re.
quiEes it.
An act to preven. the citizens of New York
from carrying slaves out of this Common
wealth, and to prevent the escape of persons
w Is
prohibits all vessels, except foreign or nation
al vessels, owned in whole or in part, or COM
manded or navigated by any citizen or resi-
dent OF N. York, or by any other person than
an inhabitant and resident of this State, and
departing from any port in this State for any
port In N. York, from departing out of tho
Commonwealth, until such vessel has under.
gone an inspection, to see that no slave or
person held to service or labor in this State,
or person charged with the commission of any
crime In this State, shall be concealed on
board OF such vessel, and until the comman-
der thereof shall have received certificate Of
inspection, under the penalty Of $500, to be
recovered by any person who will sue for the
same in any court of record in tho State by
indictment or information, or by action Of
DEBT; authorizes the inspectors TO take and
keep possession of every such vessel. until
tne master or ownor, or some other person eos
him or them, shall execute bond with two
or more securities, inhabitants Of the State,
in the penalty Of $1,000, conditioned TO paw
aud satisfy to the owner Of any slave which
may be carried away in such vessel the full
value of such slave, with all other damages
sustained by the owner; or in case o. inabfli-
ty to give security, shall deliver to the inspeo-
tor the papers Of tho vessel to be retained till
its departure, and making at the same time
affidavit that he will not depart until the In
spection shall be completed, and that he will
not carry, or suffer to be carried, any person
out oftbe State in violation of the nck