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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Report by George Burrington concerning acts of the North Carolina General Assembly
Burrington, George, 1680-1759
1731
Volume 03, Pages 190-194

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[B. P. R. R. O. North Carolina. B. T. Vol. 8. P. 365.]
TITLES OF ACTS WITH GOVr BURRINGTON'S REMARKS.

1. An Act for the lessening the Pole and Land Tax and preventing of Concealments.

This was the first publick breach of the Funds laid for sinking the Bills but was soon repealed by another that made a greater Step.

2. An Act to confirm a Decree made in the Court of Chancery of this Province upon a Bill of Complt exhibited by William Duckenfield Esqre

A Private Act.

3. An Additional Act to the Act intituled an Act for establishing the Chuch and appointing select Vestrys.

An additional Act to the Vestry Act.

4. An Act in addition to the Act of making a Town at Queens Anns Creek.

An additional Act for the Town of Edenton.

5. An additional Act to an Act intituled an Act concerning Ordinary Keepers and Tipling Houses.

An additional Act concerning Ordinary Keepers.

6. An Act in explanation of an Act concerning Servants and Slaves.

An additional Act to the former about Servants and Slaves.

7. An act for a Road from Coare Pint in Pamplico to Newbern on Neuse River.

Never comply'd with.

8. An Act for making the sum of Twelve Thousand Pounds Publick Bills of Credit for exchanging such of the Publick Bills of Credit as are now current thereby to render them the more usefull to the Government And for regulating the Taxes.

This Act lessened the Taxes so as little or nothing was after brought in clear to sink the remainder of the Bills for when the Law in 1729 was made, that repealed this Law and called in those Bills tho' seven years after there was computed to be 10000£ out to be changed and it appears that was something short of the computation.

9. An Additional Act, to an Act entituled An Act appointing Tole Books.

An addition to Toll Act.

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10. An Act for enlargeing and encouragement of the Town called Edenton in Chowan Precinct.

Another additional Act about Edenton.

11. An Act for incorporating the sea Port of Beaufort in Carteret Precinct into a Township by the name of Beaufort.

This Act is for making a Town at Beauford in Core Sound which tho' a good Inlett and convenient yet the Town hath had but little success & scarce any inhabitants.

12. An Act appointing that part of Albemarle County lying on the west side of Chowan river to be a Precinct by the name of Bartie Precinct.

An Act appointing Bertie Precinct. This is a very thriveing Place which is so much increased that there is talk already of a new division in it.

13. An Act concerning Fees and Officers.

This was an additional Act to the former about Fees and was the first Establishment of Fees for a Chief Justice, which being done when Bills were current is stated the highest of any Officer.

14. An Act appointing that part of the S. W. parish of Chowan that lyes on the South Shore and Aligater to be a distinct Parish by the name of the south Parish of Chowan and for appointing Vestry men for the same Parish.

An Act for dividing a Parish.

15. An Act for settling the Precinct Court and Court Houses.

Before this Act the Precinct Courts were held at divers Places which was found illconvenient and now reduced to a stated Place and Court Houses erected.

16. An Act to provide indifferent Jurymen in all Causes Civill and Criminall.

This is observed upon in my Report.

17. An Act entituled An additional Act relating to Biennial and other Assemblys and regulating Elections and divers other things relating to Towns.

An additional Act about Town Elections and Burgesses.

18. An Act for appropriating part of the Impost duty on Vessells or powder money to beacon or buy out the Channells from Roanoake and Ococock Inlets and severall other things to facilitate the Trade and Navigation in this Government.

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19. An Act being an additional Act to an Act entituled Staple Commoditys rated.

This was an advancement of the rates of Commoditys many years after the Fees and Quit Rents had been stated and allowed to be paid in Commoditys There was also other Commoditys added at a high valuation, which was an apparent Injury to the Lords Officers & their Revenue.

20. An Act for settling the Titles and bounds of Land.

This Act is called the Processioning Act and the substance of it is taken from a Law in Virginia but it hath never been duly put in execution.

21. An Act for an additionall Tax on all free Negroes Mullattoes Mustees, and such Persons male & female as now are or hereafter shall be intermarried, with any such Persons resident in this Government.

An Act about a Tax on free Negroes & Mullattoes.

22. An act for the better ascertaining Navall Officers and Collectors Fees.

This Act seems to make a better Provision than had been for the naval Officer and Collector who were obliged hereby to take their Fees in Bills about which there had been some Disputes. But at the same time it was taking from the Governor a Fee of 22s 6d silver on every Vessell that was before allowed and by this Act repealed, which was farr more than what they added now to the naval Officers and was an apparent Injury to succeeding Governors, and could hardly have pass'd but under a President that did not expect to hold it. It being the only Fee a Governor had worth anything.

23. An Additionall Act to an Act intituled an Act for quallification of Publick Officers.

This Act was made under a President, just before the arrivall of a Governor and seems calculated purely to exclude any Persons from Office he might bring with him.

24. An Act for destroying Squirrells.

This Act is now repealed with all the Laws against Vermin.

25. An Act for regulating Proceedings on Originall Attachments.

This is an addition and amendment on the former Law about originall Attachments and is a good regulation.

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26. An Additionall Act to an Act entituled An Act concerning proving Wills and granting Letters of Administration, and to prevent frauds in management of Intestates Estates.

This was a Provision much wanted before, when Orphans Estates and Creditors by undue appraisement had been much injured and great Frauds and abuses about them That are well remedyed hereby.

27. An Act to restrain the keeping too great a number of Horses, and Mares and for amending the Breeds.

An Act for mending the breed of Horses which are generally very small in this Country.

28. An Act for enlargeing and Encouragement of the Town at the Island of Roanoake now called Carteret.

This Act was to promote a settlement on Roanoake Island at the mouth of Roanoake Inlett but never took effect so I can say but little to it only if due care was taken for Pilotage and making good the Channel there it would encourage our Trade.

29. An Act for the better settling of the Town of Newbern in the Precinct of Craven.

An Act for making a Town in Bath County on Neuse River, which hath made but little Progress.

30. An Act to encourage the tanning of Leather in this Province since repealed.

31. An Act for regulating Towns and Election of Burgesses.

This Act was made for regulating the Town Elections of Burgesses there being three Towns in this Government that hath the priviledge of sending Burgesses and this Act was to adjust the manner of chuseing them.

32. An Act to regulate Trade in Bath County, a Temporary Law Expired.

Expired.

33. An Act for encouraging and facilitating Navigation in this Province.

This Act was intended to make some Provision for a settlement at Ocacock Inlett where large Vessells may safely come into good anchoring and harbour but hath not taken effect for want of better encouragement and further measures taken about it.

34. An Act to encourage destroying Vermin a Temporary Law expired.

Expired.

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35. An Act for enlargeing and confirming the Power of the Precinct Court and to prevent Actions and Indictments of small value being brought in the General Court, a Temporary Law expired.

Expired.

36. An Act to appoint the North West part of Bartie Precinct a District Parish by the name of the North West parish of Bartie Precinct And for appointing Vestrymen for the said Parish, & to appoint Commissioners in every Parish in this Government to call the Churchwardens and Vestry to account for the Parish money by them received.

This Act was to make a new Parish of the upper parts of Bertie Precinct which increases so fast that they begin to talk of another Division and by this Act there was particular Commissionrs to be appointed in each Parish for inspecting the Parish accounts on a pretence that there had been some irregularities, but some Parishes not thinking it worth while and where they were chosen none of the Commissioners having detected any irregularities little came of it.