Culpeper, and Botetourt, shall have an additional reward of fifty pounds of nett tobacco for every young wolf, not exceeding the age of four months, and for every wolf above that age one hundred pounds of nett tobacco, to be levied and paid in the respective counties wherein the services shall be performed; and the several county courts of Louisa, Fauquier, Culpeper, and Botetourt, are hereby impowered and required to levy the same in their annual county levy to the persons intitled thereto.

CHAP. XXXIV.

An act for destroying crows and squirrels in certain counties therein 'mentioned.

squirrels, in

I. WHEREAS it is represented to this General As- Act for desembly, that crows and squirrels do great damage to stroying the crops of corn, in the counties of Accomack, Albe- crows and marle, Amherst, Augusta, Bedford, Buckingham, Cul- certain counpeper, Fauquier, Frederick, Hampshire, Loudoun, ties. Northumberland, Orange, Pittsylvania, and Prince Edward: For remedy whereof, Be it enacted, by the Governor, Council, and Burgesses, of this present General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted, by the authority of the same, That from and after the passing of this act every person dwelling within the said counties respectively, who is by law obliged to give a list of the tithables in his or her family, shall annually, before the time appointed for returning such list to the county court, produce to the justice of peace, who shall be appointed to take lists of tithables in the precinct where such person shall dwell, five crows heads, or squirrels scalps, for every tithable by him or her listed for that year; and every such justice shall forthwith cause such scalps and heads to be destroyed, to prevent their being produced a second time, and shall, in a distinct column, to be for that purpose made; in the said list, enter the number of such heads and scalps in a line, with the name of the person producing the same. And the court of each of

the said counties of Accomack, Albemarle, Amherst, Augusta, Bedford, Buckingham, Culpeper, Fauquier, Frederick, Hampshire, Loudoun, Northumberland, Orange, Pittsylvania, and Prince Edward, shall aunually, at the laying of the county levy, give the county credit, in one article, for one pound of tobacco, for every head or scalp wanting to make up the full number required by this act. And the sheriff, or collector of each of the said counties respectively, is hereby impowered and required to demand and receive of such delinquents, or levy by distress, the said one pound of tobacco for each head or scalp so wanting to make up the said number of five heads, for every tithable, as aforesaid, on every person respectively, who shall have failed to produce the same, according to the directions of this act, to be applied towards the discharge of the said county debt, in the manner herein directed.

II. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That this act shall continue and be in force for three years from the passing thereof.

Commission

bacco, by a

storm, in

houses.

CHAP. XXXV.

An Act to appoint Commissioners to state and settle the damages done by the late storm in several warehouses.

I. WHEREAS large quantities of tobacco, by a vioers to state, lent storm in the month of September last, have been and settle damaged at the public warehouses, at Roy's, Crutchdamages field's, Guilford, and Page's, and at other public waredone to tohouses, in this colony, the exact quantity of which, and the names of the proprietors, cannot now be ascertainseveralware- ed: To the end therefore, that it may fully appear to whom the said damaged tobacco belonged, and that a just account thereof may be stated, and the sufferers receive satisfaction for their several losses, Be it enacted, by the Governor, Council, and Burgesses, of this present General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted, by the authority of the same, That Edmund Pendleton, Walker Taliaferro, Robert Gilchrist, James Taylor, William

Macon, John Snelson, Richard Johnson, John Syme, Southy Simpson, John Watts, William Taylor, Tully Robinson Wise, Richard Henry Lee, Richard Lee, Thomas Chilton, William Booth, Richard Randolph, and Richard Adams, gentlemen, shall be, and they are hereby constituted and appointed commissioners for taking, examining, and stating the accounts, claims and demands, of the proprietors of the tobacco damaged at any of the warehouses aforesaid; and in stating the said accounts, the said commissioners, or any two or more of them, shall, and are hereby directed and required to distinguish the quantity of crop, and of transfer tobacco, that had been inspected, and such other tobacco as was not inspected, which accounts the said commissioners, or any two or more of them, shall deliver certified under their hands and seals, to the proprietors thereof, expressing therein the value of such damaged tobacco in money, which said accounts, so certified, and produced to the treasurer, for the time being, shall be a sufficient warrant for the payment of the respective sums specified therein; and which the said treasurer is hereby authorized and required to pay out of the public money in his hands.

II. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That the said commissioners, or any two or more of them respectively, shall, and they are hereby impowered and required to meet at such time or times, and at such places, as they shall think fit, of which time and place public notice shall be advertised in the Virginia Gazette, and at each respective warehouse, at least one month before such meeting, and to examine any person or persons they shall think necessary for their information, in all things relating to the said accounts, and to administer an oath or affirmation, as the case shail require, for the better discovering the true quantity of the said damaged tobacco, to any person or

persons.

III. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That every of the said commissioners, hereby constituted, before he enters upon the execution of this act, shall, before some county court, take the following oath:

I A. B. do swear, that I will, according to the best of my skill and knowledge, faithfully, impartially, and truly demean myself in taking, examining and stating, the accounts, claims and demands, of the proprietors of

the tobacco damaged in

warehouse, according to the directions of the act of Assembly lately made for that purpose.

IV. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That the inspectors, at the said several warehouses, shall sell, at public auction, so much of the said damaged tobacco as can be saved at their respective warehouses, giving fifteen days notice, at least, of the time and place of such sale, and immediately pay the money arising from such sales to the said treasurer, for the use of the public, who shall account for the same to the General Assembly.

1

Acts exemp

tants of

county of Mecklen

burg, from

payment of ferriage, on certain days,

CHAP. XXXVI.

An act to repeal an act of the General Assembly exempting the inhabitants of Mecklenburg county from the payment of ferriage on certain days.

I. WHEREAS by an act of the general assembly ting inhabi- passed in the seventh year of his present majesty's reign, intituled An act for exempting the inhabitants of Mecklenburg county, and also the minister and other parishioners of St. James's parish, in the said county, from the payment of ferriage on Sundays, court days, and on the days appointed for general musters, the inhabitants of Mecklenburg county were exempted from the payment of ferriage on certain days, and the court of the said county were impowered and required to contract and agree with the ferry keepers for an annual allowance to be paid them, which was directed to be levied upon the people.

repealed.

II. And whereas it is represented to this present general assembly, that the said act is burthensome to the inhabitants of the said county, and no ways expedient: Be it therefore enacted, by the Governor, Council, and (1766) cap. Burgesses, of this present General Assembly, and it is 37 repealed. hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the

7 Geo. III

said act, and all and every the clause or clauses therein contained, shall be, and the same are hereby repealed.

CHAP. XXXVII.

An act for exempting free negro, mu- Royal assent latto, and Indian women, from the April 3,1771. payment of levies.

16, sect. 1.

1. WHEREAS by an act of the general assembly passed in the twenty second year of the reign of his late majesty George the second, intituled An act concerning tithables, it is among other things enacted,* *22 Geo. II. that all free negro, mulatto, and Indian women, of the (1748) cap. age of sixteen years, except Indians tributary to this government, and all wives of free negroes, mulattoes, and Indians, except as is before excepted, should be, and are thereby declared tithables, and chargeable for defraying the public, county, and parish levies, of this colony and dominion, which is found very burthensome to such negroes, mulattoes, and Indians, and is moreover derogatory of the rights of free-born subjects: For remedy whereof, Be it enacted, by the Governor, Council, and Burgesses, of this present General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted, by the authority of the same, That from and after the ninth day of June next, all free negro, mulatto, and Indian women, and all wives, woman, &c. other than slaves, of free negroes, mulattoes, and In- exemp tfrom dians, shall be, and are hereby exempted from being paying lelisted as tithables, and from the payment of any public, county, or parish levies.

Free negro

vies.

II. And be it further enacted, by the authority afore- Repealing said, That so much of the said recited act as declares clause. free negro, mulatto, and Indian women, to be charge

able with public, county, and parish levies, shall be,

and the same is hereby repealed.

III. Provided always, That the execution of this act Suspending shall be, and the same is hereby suspended, until his clause majesty's approbation thereof shall be obtained.

Z 2-VOL. 8.