VIRGINIA 53 



250 miles from the upper Potowmack to the North Caro- 

 lina line, and from the coast to the foot of the moun- 

 tains 180 miles in breadth ; and about 800 miles to the 

 extreme western limits on the Ohio. With this very ex- 

 tensive surface, the administration being as it is now, 

 there must arise many inconveniences to which the in- 

 habitants are exposed who live at a distance from the 

 seat of government and of the highest courts. For ex- 

 ample, if they are concerned in law-processes of con- 

 sequence, which must be tried before the General 

 Court sitting only at Richmond, they and their neces- 

 sary witnesses are obliged to travel a couple of hundred 

 miles ; * for it is not the custom in Virginia, as it is in 

 Pensylvania, New York, Carolina, and other provinces, 

 for the Judges to visit those counties assigned them 

 in order to pass upon cases, at law in the several coun- 

 ties, in this way sparing the subjects of the state long 

 journeys, waste of time, and expense by reason of 

 which many people are made shy of having recourse 

 to the law for injustice suffered, or a theft &c. Thus 

 I remember a case which a man in the upper part of 

 Virginia told regarding himself. A very valuable horse 

 had been stolen from him ; he believed he knew who 

 the criminal was and could bring sufficient testimony 

 against him ; but to travel 140 miles to Richmond with 

 the witnesses, besides the other expense, would have 

 doubled the amount of the loss sustained ; he preferred 

 therefore to let the matter go. The county courts 

 proper have jurisdiction in trifling cases of debt and 



* Besides the usual County Courts, which are held monthly 

 in every county, Virginia holds annually two General-Courts, 

 each for 24 days ; two Courts of Appeal, each for 6 days ; and 

 two High Courts of Chancery, each for 18 days. 



