4 [68] 
Jlnd whereas it is represented to this General Assembly, that the 
Potomac company aie willing, and desirous, tliat a charter shall he 
granted to a new company, upon the terms, and conditions hereinaf- 
ter expressed; and that the charter of the present company shall cease 
and determine: 
Sec. 1. Beit therefore enacted hy the General ^issemblij of Virginia, 
That, so soon as the legislatures of Maryland and Pennsylvania, and the 
Congress of the United States, shall assent to the provisions of this 
act, and the Potomac company shall have signified their assent to the 
same by their corporate act, a copy whereof shall be delivered to the 
lixecutive of tlie several states aforesaid, and to the Secretary of the 
Treasury of the United States; there shall be appointed by the said 
Executives and the President of the United States, three commission- 
ers on the part of each state, and of the Government of the United 
States, any one of whom shall be competent to act for liis respective 
government; the said commissioners shall cause books to be opened 
at such times and places as tliey shall think fit, in their respective 
states and the District of Columbia, under the management of sucli- 
persoBs as they shall appoint, for receiving subscriptions to the ca- 
pital stock of the company hci'cinafter incorporated, which subscrip- 
tions may be made either in person or by power of attorney, and no- 
tice shall be given in such manner as may be deemed advisable, by one 
or more of the said commissioners, of the time and places of opening 
the books. 
Spc. 2. And be it enacted, That the said commissioners sliall cause 
the books to be kept open at leat forty days; and, w ithin twenty days 
after the expiration thereof, shall call a general meeting of the sub- 
scribers, at the City of Wasliington, of which meeting notice shall be 
given, by a majority of the commissioners aforesaid, in at least four 
of the newspapers printed in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and 
the District of Columbia, at least twenty days next before the said 
meeting; and such meeting shall and may he continued from day to 
day, until the business is finished: andtlie commissioners, at the time 
and place aforesaid, sliall lay before such of the subscribers as shall 
meet, according to the said notice, the book containing the state of 
the said subscriptions; and if one fourth of the capital sum of six 
millions of dollars should appear not to have been subscribed, then the 
said commissioners, or a majority of them, at the said meeting, are em- 
powered to take and receive subscriptions to make up such deficiency, 
and may continue to take and receive such subscriptions for the term 
of twelve montlis thereafter, and a just and true list of all the sub- 
scribers, with the sum subscribed by each, shall be made out and re- 
turned by the said connnissiojiers. or by a majority of them, under 
their hands, to the Board of Public Works of this state, to the Governor 
and Council of the state of Maryland, to the Secretary of the state of 
Pennsylvania, and to the Secretary of tlie Treasury of the United 
States, to be carefully preserved; and, in case more than six millions 
of dollars shall be subscribed, then tlie sum subscribed siiall be reduc- 
ed to that an\ount, by the said comniissioners, or a majority of them, 
>v 
