The History of the City of Fredericksburg, VirginiaQuinn, S. J. (Silvanus Jackson)
History
The History of the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia
Quinn, S. J. (Silvanus Jackson)
Fredericksburg (Va.) -- History
Finding its requests and orders disregarded, the court issued an order
declaring that the Council must build a new courthouse or provide a better
place for holding court, but even this did not appear to hurry the
Council, which moved along in its own quiet way. This controversy went on
for several years, the court requesting, ordering, even threatening,
without avail. It finally reached a point where it seems to have exhausted
its patience and determined to assert its authority.
On the 14th of June, 1849, the court being composed of Mayor Semple and
Justices Wm. H. White and Peter Goolrick, the following order was made and
entered on the record book:
"It is ordered, that Thomas B. Barton, John L. Marye, Robert B.
Semple, Wm. C. Beale and John J. Chew, who are hereby appointed a
committee for that purpose, do examine and report to this court, some
plan for the enlargement and repairs or rebuilding of the courthouse
for this corporation, for the convenient administration of justice;
and the said committee are also requested to examine and report
whether any other public building, belonging to this corporation, can
be so changed as to answer the above purpose, and to inquire and
report the probable cost of such plan or plans as they may approve
and report upon, and it is ordered that the justices for this
corporation be summoned to attend here at the next court to consider
and decide upon said report."
While this order and the appointment of the committee, with its
instructions, created considerable comment, it did not seem to excite the
Council or precipitate any action favorable to the proposed building. At
the next court eight justices were present in answer to the summons issued
at the last session of the court. Those present were R. B. Semple, Robert
Dickey, Beverly R. Wellford, Wm. C. Beale, Wm. H. White, Peter Goolrick,
Wm. Slaughter and Wm. Warren.
The report of the committee appointed at the previous court, was made, and
the court declared "that in obedience to the act of the General Assembly,
which requires that courts for the corporations within this Commonwealth
should cause to be erected one good and convenient courthouse, that it is
necessary and proper to build a courthouse for this corporation," and the
report of the committee "having been returned to court, and therewith an
order from the county court of Spotsylvania, releasing to this court all
title and interest the said county has to the jail and courthouse, within
this corporation, and the said lots on which they stand, being considered
by this court, it is approved and confirmed."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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