The Virginia Gazette

WILLIAMS BURG, April 17.

Last Saturday the Business of this Session of the General Assembly of this Colony, being brought to a Conclusion, his Honour the Governor was pleased to send for Mr. Speaker, and the House of Burgesses into the Council Chamber, and gave his Assent to the following Acts:

1. An Act, for reducing the Laws made for laying a Duty on Liquors, into one Act of Assembly.

2. An Act, for continuing the Act, intituled an Act, for laying a Duty upon Slaves, to be paid by the Buyers.

3. An Act to amend the Act, for establishing the General Court; and for regulating and settling the Proceedings therein.

4. An Act, for the Revival of the Laws.

5. An Act, for further amending the Act, intituled, An Act, for reducing the Laws made, for amending the Staple of Tobacco; and for preventing Frauds in his Majesty's Customs, into One Act of Assembly.

6. An Act, for regulating and collecting certain Officers Fees; and other Purposes therein mentioned.

7. An Act, to regulate Attornies practicing in the County Courts; and the granting Writs of Certiorari.

8. An Act, for continuing and amending an Act, intituled, An Act, for inspecting, weighing, and stamping all Pork and Beef, packed in this Colony, or imported for Sale, before the same shall be sold here, or shipped for Exportation: And to amend the Act, intituled, An Act, for ascertaining the Gauge of Barrels for Pork, Beef, Tar, and Pitch; and for inspecting, weighing, and stamping all Flour exported.

9. An Act, to explain and amend an Act, intituled, An Act, for licensing Pedlars; and preventing Frauds in the Duties upon Skins and Furrs.

10. An Act, for giving a further Premium for raising and exporting Hemp.

11. An Act, for amending an Act, intituled, An Act, for Encouragement of building Water-Mills.

12. An Act, for the Encouragement of making Salt-Petre.

13. An Act, for appointing several new Ferries.

14. An Act, for making Reparation for the Tobacco lately damaged and lost in Gray's Creek and York Warehouses.

15. An Act, for altering several Court Days.

16. An Act, for paying the Burgesses Wages in Money, for this present Session of Assembly.

17. An Act, to amend the Act, for giving a Reward for killing Wolves in the County of Frederick, to be levied on the Inhabitants of the said County, by the Court; and for altering several Court Days; and to collect a Tax already laid on the Inhabitants of Augusta County.

18. An Act, for the more effectual clearing of James and Appamattox Rivers.

19. An Act, for giving a certain Sum of Money to Trustees, for clearing the Fluvanna, and for appointing a Storehouse at Westham; and for other Purposes therein mentioned.

20. An Act, for confirming the Vestry of the Parishes of St. Anne, and Truro; and for dissolving the Vestries of the Parishes of St. Margaret, and Newport.

21. An Act, for settling the Allowance on Tobacco paid in the County of Lunenburg, in Discharge of Public Debts; and to oblige the Surveyors of that County to reside therein.

22. An Act, for dividing the County of Brunswick, and Parish of St. Andrew; and for other Purposes therein mentioned.

23. An Act, for obliging the Parish of St. Martin to repay to the Parish of Fredericksville, their Proportion of Ninety Four Pounds, levied on the said Parish of St. Martin before the Division thereof.

24. An Act, for enlarging the Power of the Sheriff of James City County.

25. An Act, for preventing the building Wooden Chimneys in the several Towns therein mentioned, and pulling down such as are already built in the said Towns; and to restrain Hogs going at large in Newtown, and Newcastle.

26. An Act, for raising a Public Levy: and other Purposes therein mentioned.

27. An Act, to vest Eighty Seven Acres of Land, appropriated for a Glebe in the Parish of Hungar's, in the County of Northampton, in Trustees, to be sold; and for other Purposes therein mentioned.

28. An Act, to enable George Eskridge to sell Part of a Tract of Land, not exceeding Three Hundred and Fifty Acres, to raise Money for the Payment of his proportionable Part of the Debts of his Grandfather.

29. An Act, to dock the Entail of certain Lands in the County of Gloucester, late the Estate of Thomas Todd, and vesting the same in Trustees, to be sold; and the Money arising therefrom to be laid out in Slaves, to be settled to the same Uses.

30. An Act, to dock the Entail of certain Lands in the County of Gloucester, late the Estate of John Smith, and vesting the same in Trustees, to be sold; and the Money arising therefrom, to be laid out in Slaves, to be settled to the same Uses.

The Governor also gave his Assent to the following Resolves, which the Council had agreed to.

Resolved, That the Sum of Six Hundred Pounds, be paid by the Treasurer, out of the Public Money in his Hands, to Mr. Secretary Nelson, Mr. Digges, Mr. Swaney, Mr. Westwood, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Bohun, and Mr. Hutchins; by them to be applied towards providing Firewood, Candles, fresh Provisions, and Quarters, for the Soldiers bound to Cape Breton, but by bad Weather and contrary Winds forced into this Colony; in Proportion to the Number of Men in each County: And to be accounted for to the next Assembly.

Resolved, That a Sum of Money, not exceeding Two Hundred Pounds, be paid by the Treasurer, out of the Public Money in his Hands, to the Honourable William Gooch, Esq; to be by him transmitted to such Persons as he shall think proper; and to be by them presented, in the Name of this Colony, to the Six Nations of Indians.

Resolved, That the Sum of Two Hundred and Eighty Pounds per Annum, be allowed William Parks, from this Time to the next Session of Assembly, for his Salary, and as a full Recompence for printing and delivering Inspector Notes and Books, Notes and Receipts for the Duty on Slaves, and all other Acts of Government.

And then made the following Speech:

Gentlemen of the Council, Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen of the House of Burgesses,

The several Measures that have been concerted this Session, so apparently tend to the Interest and Honour of Virginia, and so exactly correspond with what I expected from your Fidelity and Prudence, that I should be unjust to your Proceedings, if I did not thankfully acknowledge the Diligence, Vigour, and Unanimity with which they have been effected.

The dutiful Address and solemn Engagement we have, with one Heart and Spirit, joined in, as they manifest an unfeigned Zeal for the Royal Cause, and that of our Country and pure Religion, will, no doubt, be kindly accepted by our most gracious Sovereign, and procure for us the honourable Reward of having our Names registered with those, who stand celebrated and eminently distinguished for inflexible Loyalty and sound Faith.

If Time would permit, I should with Pleasure recite and enlarge upon the well-advised Resolves, and wholesome Bills, that have been presented to me: But as I am sensible, after so long Attendance, the Report would bring your Patience to too severe a Trial, I shall content myself with selecting, and briefly observing, upon the judicious Proof of your Benevolence to William and Mary College. For, as by that Act, the Masters are very affectionately incited, by an Addition to the College Revenue, to pursue, with their former Care and Assiduity, the important Business of initiating Youth, on whose Education the future Glory and Happiness of your Country depends, in the Study of the liberal Arts, and the Practice of Divine and Moral Virtues; so, from your generous Concern to secure the Foundation, the Society may conclude, that Perseverance in their learned Labours, will, in due Time, be recompensed with your Consent to give the finishing Stroke to that Monument of Piety and School of Instruction, erected by your worthy Predecessors.

And seeing we have sufficient Ground to hope, from the Wisdom and Goodness of God, that Truth and Justice will prevail; I promise myself the Satisfaction of rejoicing with you upon the Success of His Majesty's Arms, and the total Defeat of all His Domestic and Foreign Enemies. When this delightful News shall be confirmed, when Fury and Rebellion shall be bound in Chains, and no longer able to disturb the Tranquility of the British Dominions; let us be in a fit Temper of Mind to offer up our Thanksgivings to the Throne of Grace, for so signal a Blessing; and improve the happy Event, by endeavouring to make all Men in Love with the Principles we profess, and are determined to adhere to, of fearing God and honouring the King.

I shall keep you no longer than to acquaint you, that I have thought fit to Prorogue this Assembly to the Third Thursday in June next; and this Assembly is accordingly Prorogued to that Time.