1855. COUNTIES, Division of.—
In what
terms reconcilable to Majesty, and at the
same time to truth, shall we speak of a late
instruction to the Governor of the Colony of
Virginia, by which he is forbidden to assent
to any law for the division of a county, unless
the new county will consent to have no representative
in Assembly? That Colony has as
yet fixed no boundary to the westward. Their
westward counties, therefore, are of indefinite
extent. Some of them are actually seated
many hundreds of miles from their eastern
limits. Is it possible, then, that his Majesty
can have bestowed a single thought on the
situation of those people, who, in order to obtain
justice for injuries, however great or
small, must, by the laws of that Colony, attend
their County Court, at such a distance, with
all their witnesses, monthly, till their litigation
be determined.—
Rights of British America. Washington ed. i, 136.
Ford ed., i, 441.
(1774)
