OF THE STANDING REVENUES, OR PUBLIC FUNDS IN VIRGINIA.
Sec. 12. There are five sorts of standing public revenues in that country,
viz: 1. A rent reserved by the crown upon all the lands granted by
patent. 2. A revenue granted to his majesty by act of assembly, for the
support and maintenance of the government. 3. A revenue raised by the
assembly, and kept in their own disposal, for extraordinary occasions.
4. A revenue raised by the assembly, and granted to the college. And 5.
A revenue raised by act of parliament in England upon the trade there.
Sec. 13. 1. The rent reserved upon their lands, is called his majesty's
revenue of quit rents, and is two shillings for every hundred acres of
land, patented by any person in that country, and two pence per acre for
all lands found to escheat; this is paid into the treasury there by all,
except the inhabitants of the Northern Neck, who pay nothing to the
king; but the whole quit rent of that neck is paid to certain
proprietors of the Lord Colepepper's family, who have the possession
thereof to themselves, upon the pretensions before rehearsed in the
first part of this book.
This revenue has been upwards of fifteen hundred pounds a year, since
tobacco has held a good price. It is lodged in the receiver general's
hands, to be disposed of by his majesty. This money is left in bank
there, to be made use of upon any sudden and dangerous emergency, except
when it is called home to England; and for want of such a bank, Sir
William Berkeley was not able to make any stand against Bacon, whom
otherwise he might easily have subdued, and consequently have prevented
above one hundred thousand pounds expense to the crown of England, to
pacify those troubles.
Sec. 14. 2. The revenue granted 10 his majesty by act of assembly, for the
support and maintenance of the government, arises first out of a duty of
two shillings per hogshead, which is paid for every hogshead of tobacco
exported out of that colony. 2. By a rate of fifteen pence per ton for
every ship, upon each return of her voyage, whether she be empty or
full. 3. By a duty of sixpence per poll for every passenger, bound or
free, going into that country to remain. 4. By the fines and forfeitures
imposed by several acts of assembly. There is also an addition, by wafts
and strays having no owner, composition of two pence per acre for
escheat land, chattels escheat, and the sale of land instead of rights,
at five shillings per right; all which are paid into the hands of the
receiver general, and disposed of by the governor and council, (with
liberty for the assembly to inspect the accounts when they meet,) for
defraying the public charges of the government.
The revenue, _communibus annis_, amounts to more than three thousand
pounds a year.
Sec. 15. 3. The revenue arising by act of assembly, and reserved to their
own disposal, is of two sorts, viz: a duty upon liquors imported from
the neighboring plantations, and a duty upon all slaves and servants
imported, except English.
The duty on liquors used to be 4d. per gallon on all wines, rum, and
brandy; and 1d. per gallon on beer, cider and other liquors, discounting
twenty per cent. upon the invoice, except oats.
The duty on servants and slaves used to be twenty shillings for each
servant, not being a native of England or Wales, and five pounds for
each slave or negro.
The former of these duties amounts _communibus annis_, to six hundred
pounds a year, and the latter to more or less, as the negro ships happen
to arrive.
The charge of building and adorning the governor's house and capitol,
was defrayed by these duties, and so was the erecting of the public
prison.
These funds are gathered into the hands of the treasurer of the country,
and are disposed of only by order of assembly.
Sec. 16. 4. The revenue raised by the assembly, and granted to the college,
is a duty on all skins and furs exported. This fund raises about an
hundred pounds a year, and is paid by the collectors, to the college
treasurer.
Sec. 17. 5 and last. The fund raised by act of parliament in England upon
the trade there, is a duty of one penny per pound, upon all tobacco
exported to the plantations, and not carried directly to England. This
duty was laid by Stat. 25, Car. 2, cap. 7, and granted to the king and
his successors; and by their gracious majesties King William and Queen
Mary, it was given to the college. This duty does not raise, both in
Virginia and Maryland, above two hundred pounds a year, and is accounted
for to the college treasurer.