When was it published?

May 5, 1775 in The Virginia Gazette

Foreign News May 5, 1775

The Virginia Gazette

Q: What keywords are associated?

Parliamentary Bill, Government Reform, Magistrates, Officers, Salaries, Pensions, Penal Laws, Public Money

Williamsburg, Virginia

View full issue View on Library of Congress PDF Page 5

What is this article about?

On March 8, a proposed bill for Parliament outlines reforms to limit magistrate tenures, reduce numbers and salaries, control pensions, minimize penal laws, and ensure accountability for public officials.

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OCR Quality

98% Excellent

Full Text

March 8. The following is handed about, as the heads of a bill which is intended to be brought into Parliament in a few days, by a well known friend to his country: "To allow no superior magistrate or officer to remain long in office: to have no more magistrates or officers than what are absolutely necessary for the administration of government; to allow but small salaries to any magistrate or officer, that people may be prompted by their ambition, and not by their avarice, to serve the nation; not to suffer any pensions, or gratuities, exceeding the bounds of desert and charity, which, with the rewards for publick service, shall be at the disposal of the Parliament; not to have so many penal laws, especially such as any magistrate or officer may dispense with or mitigate; and to have the conduct of superior magistrates and officers often and freely inquired into by the supreme assembly of the people; and particularly to call every man to a strict account, who has, by his office, the disposal of publick money."

What sub-type of article is it?

Political

What keywords are associated?

Parliamentary Bill Government Reform Magistrates Officers Salaries Pensions Penal Laws Public Money

Foreign News Details

Event Date

March 8

Event Details

Heads of a bill intended to be brought into Parliament: allow no superior magistrate or officer to remain long in office; have no more magistrates or officers than necessary; allow small salaries to prompt ambition over avarice; limit pensions and gratuities to desert and charity, disposed by Parliament; reduce penal laws, especially dispensable ones; inquire into conduct of superiors by supreme assembly; call to account those disposing public money.