folk, according to the best of my skill and judgment. So help me God." Which oath, or affirmation, the mayor, recorder, or either of the aldermen, are hereby authorised to administer, and grant a certificate of the same to the person or persons so qualified, which certificate shall be lodged with the clerk of the borough of Norfolk, and by him entered of record on the books of the said common council. All intermediate vacancies in the common council shall be supplied in like manner on any day which the mayor, recorder, or senior alderman, as the case may be, shall appoint, previous notice thereof being given as aforesaid; and the person or persons so chosen shall continue in office until the next general election. The common councilmen when chosen shall elect one of their body to preside at their meetings, who shall have power to convene the said common council when necessary. And in case of the death, resignation or removal of the common councilman so chosen to preside, it shall be lawful for the mayor, recorder, or senior alderman, as the case may be, to convene the common council for the purpose of electing one of their body to supply such vacancy. The sole and exclusive right of passing bye-laws, and taxing the freeholders and inhabitants of the said borough, together with the appropriation of all monies belonging to the same, is hereby vested in the common council. All taxes within the said borough shall be equal and uniform, and for the sole purpose of regulating the police of the same. All vacancies in the court of hustings shall be supplied by the governor, with the advice of the council, on recommendations of the said court, from the members of the common council, or from among the citizens of the said borough, who shall have the qualifications prescribed by this act for the members of the common council. The election of the mayor is hereby declared to be vested in the court of aldermen. So much of the charter of the borough of Norfolk, and of all and every act or acts of assembly, as is contrary to the intent and meaning of this act, is hereby repealed.

An Act for regulating the rights of Cities, Towns, and Boroughs, and the jurisdiction of Corporation Courts.

(Passed in 1788.)

Section I. Whereas the accumulating, different and distinct offices of power and authority in the same persons, has a tendency to introduce abuses, and to create an improper and dangerous influence in a few individuals, contrary to the spirit and genius of republican government, and naturally productive of oppression, and subver

sive of liberty: Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly, That from and after the first day of March next no person being a member of any corporation court, court of hustings, or common council of any city, town or borough within this commonwealth, shall, while a member of such corporation court, court of hustings, or common council, be capable of acting as a justice of any county

court.

Sec. II. And be it further enacted, That from and after the said first day of March next, the respective corporation courts, or courts of hustings, in any city, town or borough, shall have jurisdiction only in suits or controversies instituted between the respective inhabitants or citizens of such city, town, or borough, and between one or more of the inhabitants or citizens of such city, town, or borough, and any person or persons not an inhabitant or inhabitants of this commonwealth, and in either case, only where the contract hath been made, or the cause of the action hath accrued within such city, town or borough; and in all such suits and controversics, their respective jurisdiction shall not be limited to any particular sum, but shall be co-extensive with the jurisdiction of the County court.

Sec. III. Provided nevertheless, That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to prejudice or in any manner affect any suit now pending, or which may be instituted in any such corporation court, or court of hustings, before the said first day of March next, nor to prejudice, or in any manner affect the charters of the city of Williamsburg and borough of Norfolk, or either of them.

Sec. IV. And whereas it is contrary to the true principles of representation, that a freehold estate in any particular place should enable the possessor to vote in the elections of different and distinct places; Be it enacted That in any city, town or borough, which at any time hereafter shall obtain and enjoy the privileges of sending in its own right a representative to the house of delegates of this commonwealth, the freeholders thereof shall be, and they are hereby declared incapable of voting in the election of delegates for any county, in virtue or right of their respective freehold estates within any city, town or borough.

Sec. V. And be it further enacted, That so much of any and every law as is contrary to this act, shall be, and is hereby repealed.

An Act to amend the Act for regulating the rights of Cities, Towns and Boroughs, and the jurisdiction of Corporation Courts.

(Passed in 1788.)

Section I. Whereas it is represented to the general assembly that the act, entitled "An act for regulating the rights of cities, towns and boroughs, and the jurisdiction of corporation courts ;" ought to be so extended to the courts of hustings of the city of Williamsburg and borough of Norfolk, as to prevent any member of those courts from acting as a county magistrate: Be it therefore enacted by the general assembly, That from and after the passing of this act no person being a member of any court of hustings and of a county court, shall be permitted to exercise both offices; but it shall be optional in such person to declare which of the offices he means to keep possession of: And his election being made known at the first court for the county or corporation which he shall attend, shall be entered of record, and his seat in the county or corporation court, as the case may be, shall thereupon be deemned vacated.

Sec. II. And be it also enacted, That no person holding both offices shall exercise the power of either, until his determination or choice be entered of record as before recited: Provided, That nothing in the before recited act shall be construed to affect the jurisdiction of the courts of hustings in the city of Williamsburg, or borough of Norfolk, or either of them, or in any wise to affect the rights or privileges of the common councilmen of the city of Williamsburg, or borough of Norfolk, as heretofore exercised.

An Act to grant certain privileges to the Cities of Richmond and Williamsburg, and to the Borough of Norfolk.

(Passed in 1790.)

N. B. The four first sections relate to the city of Richmond.

Section V. And be it further enacted, That the courts of hustings of the city of Williamsburg and borough of Norfolk, at their respective quarterly sessions, shall have the same power and authority to impanel grand juries as is by this act given to the court of hustings of the city of Richmond.

Sec. VI. And be it further enacted, That the inhabitants of the berough of Norfolk, shall not be grand jurymen in the county of Norfolk.

Sec. VII. So much of every act which comes within the purview of this act, shall be and the same is hereby repealed.

An Act concerning certain Corporation Courts.

(Passed in 1793.)

Be it enacted, That from and after the passing of this act, it shall be lawful for any corporation courts, whose powers of levying maney on the inhabitants thereof are limited by law to any specific and certain sum, to levy on the inhabitants of the said corporations, in addition thereto, so much money in each year, as will enable them to build and keep in repair sufficient jails, pillories and stocks in the said corporations respectively; any thing in any other law to the contrary in any wise, notwithstanding.

An Act to extend the jurisdiction of the Hustings Court of Norfolk

Borough.

(Passed in 1796.)

Sec. I. Be it enacted, That the jurisdiction of the court of hustings of Norfolk borough, shall extend to all vessels lying at any wharf, projecting from the said borough, and also all vessels made fast to others lying at the wharves, or in the docks or waters within the wharves.

Sec. II. This act shall commence and be in force, from and after, the passing thereof.

An Act concerning Corporations.

(Passed in 1796.)

Section I. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That from and after the passing of this act, the mayor, aldermen and commonality of the several corporate towns within this commonwealth and their successors, shall, upon request of any person or persons desirous thereof, grant licenses to exercise in such town the trade or business of an auctioneer; Provided, That no such license shall be granted until the person or persons requesting the same, shall enter into bond with one or more sufficient sureties, payable to the mayor, aldermen and commonality of such corporate town and their successors, in such penalty with such condition as by the bye-laws and ordinances of such corporate town shall be required, And provided also, That any license which may have been heretofore granted, by the supervisor of this district, shall remain in full force during the

term for which the same was granted. And every person or persons so licensed, shall have the same powers, and be subject to the same regulations, and to the payment of the same sum as the vendue masters or auctioneers, appointed, or to be appointed by the mayor, aldermen and commonality of the several corporate towns, are liable and subject to.

Sec. II. And be it further enacted, That the magistrates of any corporate town shall have the same power to examine privily, and take the acknowledgement of feme covert to a conveyance and to certify the same, as is by law given to justices of the peace of a county; and the court of hustings for each corporation within this commonwealth shall have the same power to admit to record, authenticated copies of wills, proved according to the laws of any of the United States, or of countries without the limits of the same, as is given by law to the county courts.

An Act to authorise one or more Lotteries in the Borough of Norfolk.

(Passed in 1796.)

Section I. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That it shall be lawful for the mayor and commonality of the borough of Norfolk, to raise by one or more lotteries, the sum of ten thousand dolJars, to be by them applied towards paying the expense of paving the streets in the said borough.

Sec. II. This act shall commence and be in force from and after the passing thereof.

An Act to amend the Act providing for the Poor, and declaring who shall be deemed Vagrants.

(Passed in 1798.)

Section I. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That whensoever any county or corporation shall neglect or fail to appoint persons at the time prescribed by law, to superintend the elections of overseers of the poor, every court where such failure may happen, shall be, and it is hereby empowered and required to make such appointment at any subsequent court, or to fill the vacancy in the office of an overseer or overseers of the poor at any court after the same shall happen.

Sec. II. This act shall commence and be in force from and af ter the passing thereof.