143 



per form and volume, and report it to the assembly. 

 This work has been executed by three gentlemen, and 

 reported ; but probably will not be taken up till a re- 

 storation of peace shall leave to the legislature leisure 

 to go through such a work. 



The plan of the revisal was this. ' The common law 

 of England, by which is meant, that part of the English 

 law which was anterior to the date of the oldest sta- 

 tutes extant, is made the basis of the work. It was 

 thought dangerous to attempt to reduce it to a text: it 

 was tiierefore left to be collected from the usual monu- 

 ments of it. Necessary alterations in that, and so much 

 of the, whole body of the British statutes, and of acts 

 of assembly, as were thought proper to be retained, 

 were digested into 126 new acts, in which simplicity 

 of style was aimed at, as far as was safe. The follow- 

 ing are the most remarkable alterations proposed : 



To change the rules of descent, so as that the lands 

 of any person dying intestate shall be divisible equally 

 among all his children, or other representatives, in equal 

 degree. 



To make slaves distributable among the next of kin, 

 as other moveables. 



To have all public expenses, whether of the general 

 treasury, or of a parish or county, (as for the mainten- 

 ance of the poor, building bridges, court-houses, &c.) 

 supplied by assessments on the citizens, in proportion 

 to their property. 



To hire undertakers for keeping the public roads in 

 repair, and indemnify individuals through whose lands 

 new roads shall be opened. 



To define with precision the rules whereby aliens 

 should become citizens, and citizens make themselves 

 aliens. 



To establish religious freedom on the broadest bot- 

 tom. 



To emancipate all slaves born after passing the act. 

 The bill reported by the revisors does not itself con- 

 tain this proposition ; but an amendment containing 

 it was prepared, to be offered to the legislature when- 



