Difference between revisions of "Collection of All Such Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia (1803)"

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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''A Collection of All Such Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia''}}
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''A Collection of All Such Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia, of a Public and Permanent Nature, as are Now in Force: to Which are Prefixed the Declaration of Rights, and Constitution, or Form of Government''}}
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<big>''A Collection of All Such Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia, of a Public and Permanent Nature, as are Now in Force: to Which are Prefixed the Declaration of Rights, and Constitution, or Form of Government''</big>
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===by General Assembly of Virginia===
 
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__NOTOC__
 
{{BookPageInfoBox
 
{{BookPageInfoBox
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|imagename=
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|imagename=CollectionOfAllSuchActsOfTheGeneralAssemblyOfVirginia1803 TitlePage.jpg
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|link=https://catalog.swem.wm.edu/law/Record/515843
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|link=https://wm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01COWM_INST/g9pr7p/alma991022959009703196
 
|shorttitle=A Collection of All Such Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia, of a Public and Permanent Nature
 
|shorttitle=A Collection of All Such Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia, of a Public and Permanent Nature
 
|commontitle=Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia (1803)
 
|commontitle=Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia (1803)
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|lang=English
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|lang=[[:Category:English|English]]
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|publoc=Richmond
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|publoc=[[:Category:Richmond|Richmond]]
 
|publisher=Printed by S. Pleasants, Jun. and H. Pace
 
|publisher=Printed by S. Pleasants, Jun. and H. Pace
 
|year=1803
 
|year=1803
 
|pages=v, 454, 72
 
|pages=v, 454, 72
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|desc=4to. (26 cm.)
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|desc=[[:Category:Quartos|4to (26 cm.)]]
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}}
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\shelf=L-5
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}}Published in 1803 and authorized by a 1792 act of the General Assembly, ''A Collection of All Such Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia'' built upon the 1794 edition.<ref>''A Collection of All Such Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia, of a Public and Permanent Nature, as are Now in Force: to Which are Prefixed the Declaration of Rights, and Constitution, or Form of Government'' (Richmond: Samuel Pleasants, Jr. & Henry Pace, 1803), i.</ref> The latter had become "extremely scarce" and although it cost eight dollars when it was published, had become "almost impossible to obtain . . . at any price whatever."<ref>Ibid.</ref> Aside from being rare, the 1794 edition had also become obsolete; many of the laws contained within it had been revised and repealed.<ref>Ibid.</ref> This meant that the practicing lawyer needed to have the yearly-published folios containing amendments to the 1794 edition in order to know the law.<ref>Ibid.</ref> The 1803 edition was published partially in the interest of preventing practitioners from having to carry a "portmanteau large enough to contain such masses of print and paper."<ref>Ibid., ii-iii</ref> In order to prevent the scarcity that occurred for the 1794 edition, the legislature passed an act ensuring a large print run.<ref>Ibid., 430.</ref><br />
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''A Collection of All Such Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia'' was published in 1803 and authorized by a 1792 act of the General Assembly.<ref>''A Collection of All Such Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia, of a Public and Permanent Nature, as are Now in Force: to Which are Prefixed the Declaration of Rights, and Constitution, or Form of Government'' (Richmond: Samuel Pleasants, Jr. & Henry Pace, 1803) i.</ref> The ''Collection'' starts with a few of Virginia’s historical milestones, including the Virginia Declaration of Rights, the Virginia Constitution, and a 1748 act confirming grants made by the King.<ref>Ibid., 1-10.</ref> The laws reflect the need for set standards in the Commonwealth and include acts creating property rights for authors of literary works, defining the law regarding shipwrecks, and establishing a Virginia Statute of Frauds.<ref>Ibid., 14-15.</ref><br />
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The 1803 edition contains seven additional years, covering the period 1782-1802. Important for [[George Wythe]], the ''Collection'' contains laws setting the salary of the judge of the High Court of Chancery at $1,556.67.<ref>Ibid., 353.</ref> In 1802, this amount was reduced to $1,500 when the legislature dissolved the High Court of Chancery and created the Superior Courts of Chancery.<ref>Ibid., 428-429.</ref> In addition, the ''Collection'' includes acts for regulating the militia, inspecting food, inspecting tobacco, and establishing public schools.<ref>Ibid., 331, 352, 365, 354.</ref><br />
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The laws also reflect the increasing importance of commerce in the Commonwealth. An important 1786 Act ratified an agreement made between Maryland and Virginia concerning commerce on the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River.<ref>Ibid., 23-26.</ref> Other laws dealt with circulation of private bank notes, creation of roads, regulation of food, conveyance of land to the United States for the purpose of building a light house, and navigation of the James River.<ref>Ibid., 16, 26, 30-31, 44, 54.</ref><br />
 
 
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After independence, Virginia became increasingly concerned with the competency and virtue of its public officers and the ''Collection'' contains numerous laws about public officials. One law, in particular dealt with the practice of bribery and the sale of public office.<ref>Ibid., 56-57.</ref> In particular, the General Assembly directed its focus on reforming and standardizing the court system: the ''Collection'' contains rules on the general, district, and county courts.<ref>Ibid., 69, 72, 83.</ref> Importantly for George Wythe, a 1792 law concerned the High Court of Chancery and, in addition to providing the boundaries of its jurisdiction and procedure, required that the Court “shall consist of one Judge, to be chosen and commissioned in the manner as directed by the Constitution of this Commonwealth.”<ref>Ibid., 63-69.</ref> One 1792 act provided guidelines for counsel and attorneys at law.<ref>Ibid., 96.</ref> These laws may have their origin in Thomas Jefferson’s concern, reflected in earlier laws passed in 1776-1779, that “swarms of petty lawyers would corrupt the grand designs for republican law that he had in mind for Virginia.”<ref>A.G. Roeber, ''Faithful Magistrates and Republican Lawyers'', (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1981) 167.</ref><br />
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The ''Collection'' also deals with slavery and freed slaves. One act required a yearly tax to be paid on slaves of 44 cents for every hundred dollars in value.<ref>Ibid., 395.</ref> Another act outlined proceedings for persons believed to be illegally detained in slavery.<ref>Ibid., 346.</ref> Overall, the laws contained in the ''Collection'' reveal the increasing importance of the Virginia General Assembly in the early years of statehood.
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The ''Collection'' also deals with slavery and freed slaves. One act required a yearly tax to be paid on slaves of 44 cents for every hundred dollars in value.<ref>''A Collection of All Such Acts'', 395.</ref> Another act banned the importation of slaves from West Africa and the importation of freed slaves from neighboring states.<ref>Ibid., 315-16.</ref> The same act required triennial registration of all freed slaves.<ref>Ibid.</ref> Freed men and women were required to carry a certificate confirming registration status at all times and needed the document in order to gain employment.<ref>Ibid</ref><br />
 
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Overall, the laws contained in the ''Collection'' reveal the concerns of lawmakers in the early years of independence and reflect the desire to regulate government, society, and commerce.  
 
  
 
==Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library==
 
==Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library==
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The [https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433 Brown Bibliography]<ref> Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 201, rev. May 2014) Microsoft Word file. Earlier edition available at: https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433.</ref> suggests Wythe owned this compilation based on the mandate that the chancery judge would receive a copy. This may have been one of the items to which [[Thomas Jefferson]] referred in his [[Jefferson Inventory|inventory]] of [[Wythe's Library]] as "Laws of Virga. various edns." Jefferson kept Wythe's copies of Virginia laws, and may have sold some or all of them to the Library of Congress in 1815. He did sell a copy of the 1803 ''Collection'', and the volume still exists. Unfortunately, it includes no inscription or other markings linking it to Wythe.<ref>E. Millicent Sowerby, ''Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson'', (Washington, D.C.: The Library of Congress, 1952-1959), 2:263-264 [http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015033648109;view=1up;seq=282 [no.1868]].</ref> The Wolf Law Library moved a copy from its general rare books collection to the [[George Wythe Collection]].
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[[File:CollectionOfAllSuchActsOfTheGeneralAssemblyOfVirginia1803 Signature.jpg|left|thumb|300px|<center>Signature of Gawin L. Corbin, front free endpaper.</center>]]
  
 
==Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy==
 
==Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy==
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Bound in contemporary calf. Spine features double-ruled compartments and a red morocco label with gilt lettering and decorative bands. Signed "Gawin L Corbin" on the free endpaper. Erata leaf pasted to verso of cover dated February 8th, 1803 signed by James Rind and Geo. Wm. Smith.
  
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View this book in [https://catalog.swem.wm.edu/law/Record/515843 William & Mary's online catalog.]
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Images of the library's copy of this book are [https://www.flickr.com/photos/wolflawlibrary/sets/72157658781982011 available on Flickr.] View the record for this book in [https://wm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01COWM_INST/g9pr7p/alma991022959009703196 William & Mary's online catalog.]
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==See also==
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*''[[Collection of All Such Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia (1794)|A Collection of All Such Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia]]'' (1794)
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*[[George Wythe Room]]
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*[[Wythe's Library]]
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
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[[Category:Titles in Wythe's Library]]
 
[[Category:Titles in Wythe's Library]]
 
[[Category:Virginia Statutes]]
 
[[Category:Virginia Statutes]]
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[[Category:English]]
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[[Category:Quartos]]
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[[Category:Richmond]]

Latest revision as of 11:26, 13 October 2021

by General Assembly of Virginia

Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia (1803)
CollectionOfAllSuchActsOfTheGeneralAssemblyOfVirginia1803 TitlePage.jpg

Title page from A Collection of All Such Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia, of a Public and Permanent Nature, George Wythe Collection, Wolf Law Library, College of William & Mary.

Author {{{author}}}
Editor {{{editor}}}
Translator {{{trans}}}
Published Richmond: Printed by S. Pleasants, Jun. and H. Pace
Date 1803
Edition {{{edition}}}
Language English
Volumes {{{set}}} volume set
Pages v, 454, 72
Desc. 4to (26 cm.)

\shelf=L-5

Location [[Shelf {{{shelf}}}]]
  [[Shelf {{{shelf2}}}]]

Published in 1803 and authorized by a 1792 act of the General Assembly, A Collection of All Such Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia built upon the 1794 edition.[1] The latter had become "extremely scarce" and although it cost eight dollars when it was published, had become "almost impossible to obtain . . . at any price whatever."[2] Aside from being rare, the 1794 edition had also become obsolete; many of the laws contained within it had been revised and repealed.[3] This meant that the practicing lawyer needed to have the yearly-published folios containing amendments to the 1794 edition in order to know the law.[4] The 1803 edition was published partially in the interest of preventing practitioners from having to carry a "portmanteau large enough to contain such masses of print and paper."[5] In order to prevent the scarcity that occurred for the 1794 edition, the legislature passed an act ensuring a large print run.[6]

The 1803 edition contains seven additional years, covering the period 1782-1802. Important for George Wythe, the Collection contains laws setting the salary of the judge of the High Court of Chancery at $1,556.67.[7] In 1802, this amount was reduced to $1,500 when the legislature dissolved the High Court of Chancery and created the Superior Courts of Chancery.[8] In addition, the Collection includes acts for regulating the militia, inspecting food, inspecting tobacco, and establishing public schools.[9]

The Collection also deals with slavery and freed slaves. One act required a yearly tax to be paid on slaves of 44 cents for every hundred dollars in value.[10] Another act outlined proceedings for persons believed to be illegally detained in slavery.[11] Overall, the laws contained in the Collection reveal the increasing importance of the Virginia General Assembly in the early years of statehood.

Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library

The Brown Bibliography[12] suggests Wythe owned this compilation based on the mandate that the chancery judge would receive a copy. This may have been one of the items to which Thomas Jefferson referred in his inventory of Wythe's Library as "Laws of Virga. various edns." Jefferson kept Wythe's copies of Virginia laws, and may have sold some or all of them to the Library of Congress in 1815. He did sell a copy of the 1803 Collection, and the volume still exists. Unfortunately, it includes no inscription or other markings linking it to Wythe.[13] The Wolf Law Library moved a copy from its general rare books collection to the George Wythe Collection.

Signature of Gawin L. Corbin, front free endpaper.

Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy

Bound in contemporary calf. Spine features double-ruled compartments and a red morocco label with gilt lettering and decorative bands. Signed "Gawin L Corbin" on the free endpaper. Erata leaf pasted to verso of cover dated February 8th, 1803 signed by James Rind and Geo. Wm. Smith.

Images of the library's copy of this book are available on Flickr. View the record for this book in William & Mary's online catalog.

See also

References

  1. ↑ A Collection of All Such Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia, of a Public and Permanent Nature, as are Now in Force: to Which are Prefixed the Declaration of Rights, and Constitution, or Form of Government (Richmond: Samuel Pleasants, Jr. & Henry Pace, 1803), i.
  2. ↑ Ibid.
  3. ↑ Ibid.
  4. ↑ Ibid.
  5. ↑ Ibid., ii-iii
  6. ↑ Ibid., 430.
  7. ↑ Ibid., 353.
  8. ↑ Ibid., 428-429.
  9. ↑ Ibid., 331, 352, 365, 354.
  10. ↑ Ibid., 395.
  11. ↑ Ibid., 346.
  12. ↑ Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 201, rev. May 2014) Microsoft Word file. Earlier edition available at: https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433.
  13. ↑ E. Millicent Sowerby, Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson, (Washington, D.C.: The Library of Congress, 1952-1959), 2:263-264 [no.1868].
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