The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-01-20
INCORPORATING THE TOWN.

subject Is obtaining more and more of the public
attention, and that hundreds. who before cared
nothing about it, and who did not think it worth
while TO bestow moments attention upon it.
are now anxious to have their names given for
the Petition of Incorporation,
There will be full meeting of the citizens
To-NIGHT at the Town Hall, and without any
arguments from our pen, we submit for the perusal
of the public copy of the Bill which has been
asked of the Legislature for the Town of Ports
mouth. The change which has taken place in
Public Work, and the uncertainty of employment
in the Navy Yard, is severely felt, and the abso-
lutte necessity Of doing something to preserve
ourselves and our town from destruction, is appa-
rent on every hand. The emergency calls for the
concentration of all the energies of all our citi-
zens, TO ward off the impending ruin, which
threatens us from having put too implicit reliance
in the perlnanence of employment furnished by
| the General Government, and we cannot CON
troll that, it is high time that we took the control
of our own affairs into hands, and opened other
avenues of trade and commerce, which have been
heretofore closed by dependence and hopes
on the vacllating policy which governs the
nation. BE We all, therefore, at the Town Hall,
to night and one man carry this thing through,
and II will not be long before such, advantages will
present themselves, as will make us rejvice that
that the Government broke lis implied faith with
us, in the manner it has, and Virginia Mechanics
will teach Northern politicians and old Navy
officers, who ought to be abed, or at sea, that
they something else besides fiddle strings. to
be played upon at pleasure.
A BILL
For Incorporating the TO,cn of Portsmouth
| |. Be it enacted by the General Assembly,
That the territory contained within the limits of
the Town OF Portsmouth as. prescribed by sundry
acts ofassembly heretofore passed and extending
| TO the channel of Elizabeth River shall be deemed
| and taken the Town of Portsmouth, and the
| treeholders, housekeepers and inhabitants within
the said limits, and their SUCCESSORS, shall be and
they are hereby made a body polite and cooperate
by the name and style of " the Town of Ports
mouth" and as such and by that name may con
tract and be contracted with, sue and be sued
plead and be inpleaded, answer and be answered
unto, and may purchase, take, receive, hold and
use goods and chattels, lands and enemenls, and
chooses In action, or any interest, right, or estate
therein, either tor the proper use of the said Town
or in trust for the benefit of any persons or asso
Citations therein, and the same may grant sell,
convey, transfer and assign, let, pledge mortgage,
charge and cucumber In any case, and in any
manner in which it would be Lawful! for private
person so to do; and may have and use a common
seal and alter and renew the same at pleasure :;
and generally shall have all the rights, franchises
capacities and powers appertainIng to municipal
corporations in this Commonwealth.
2. Be it further enacted, That all the real and
personal estate, and all the funds, rights, titles,
taxes, credits and claims, and all rights of action
of the present Town of Portsmouth on the Trus-
tees thereof, or which are held in trust OF have
been appropriated for the use or benefit of the
said Town or the Trustees thereof or of the in.
habitanis of the said Town shall be, and the same
are hereby transferred to, and vested in the said
Town of Portsmouth hereby incorporated.
d All real and personal estate heretofore CON
veyed TO the said Town or the Trustees thereof
in trust, or for the use benefit or advantage of any
persons or associations shall be and the same is
hereby transferred 10 and vested in the Town of
Portsmouth to be held subject to all the trusts,
conditions and qualifications to which it would
have been subject in the possession of the said
Town or Trustees if this act had not been passed.
q. All bonds and writings obligatory, OF con-
tracts with, and all rights, claims and demands
against the said Town of Portsmouth, or the
Trustees thereof shall be good in law for or against
the Town Of Portsmouth, the same as they would
have been for or against the said Town o. Ports
mouth or Trustees if this act had not been passed
~ DE ~ iuINH6I enacted, nat at all elections
which shall be held by the voters Of the said
Town for the corporate authorities of the same,
the following persons shall be entitled 10 vote,
viz: all free white male citizens of the age of
twenty one years, resident therein for the space
of twelve months previous to suck elections, who
shall have paid such taxes as may have been
assessed against them the year previous to such
election.
On the second Wednesday of April next and
in each succeeding year, the said persons entitled
to the right OF suffrage shall assemble at the
Town Hall and by viva vOce vote elect Mayor,
Recorder, Z Alderman, and 8 Councilmen Such
election shall be conducted by the Sergeant of The
corporation or his Deputy, but at the first election
the Sheriff shall act
Z. The Mayor, Recorder and each of the AL.
derDen. shall have and exercise the jurisdiction
Of justices of the peace within the corporation
hereby established, and all power and authority
of the Magistrates Of Norfolk County shall be
and is hereqy determined and ended within the
said corporation except as hereinafter provided.
8. The Mayor, Recorder and Aldermen or any
four Of them shall constitute Hastings Court for
the said Town of Portsmouth, with the like
jurisdiction, power and authority in all matters
both civil and penal and in Common Law and
ChanceTy within the corporate limits hereby es-