From John Robinson
Richmond Feby 22. 1807
Dr Sir,
I regret extremely that I did not, until yesterday, receive your fav. of the 12th int— this happened in consequence of an indisposition that confined me to the House for the last 10 or 12 days, and my neglect during that time, to send to the Post Office.
The [following] is a copy of the law requested by you.1
Upon the receipt of your Letter, I immediately made enquiry at the Auditor's Office, as to the situation of Genl. Washington's lands in order that I might communicate to you correct information respecting them, but was happy to hear from the Auditor that he had inclosed you a list of those ap<mutilated> <mutilated>ch the taxes had not regularly been paid, <mutilated> he had given you all the information he wa<s> enabled to furnish upon the subject— I was pleased at hearing from him, that altho' some taxes were due on the lands, they had not been so long in that situation, as to occasion as he supposed any great inconvenience to the proprietors;2 but it will certainly be advisable to have the arrearages settled before the first of next month, lest some of the lands should be found afterwards to be in a worse situation than is now supposed— and if on perusing the preceding act, you should think proper to have any thing done in the business, & it should be in my power to serve you, I hope you will immedy inform me. The copy of the law now sent you, tho' not attested, is correct. It was compared by myself with another copy. Our mail was closed the last evening before I could obtain the law; but anxious that you should see it as soon as possible, I shall risk this I believe by a passenger in the Stage, on a promise that he will put it in the mail at the next post Office.
Our frd Mr. Wm Moncure, who is extremely thankful for yr friendly enquiry, is much benefited in his health— with proper attention to it, he will, I think, be tolerably well in a few months. I have not forgotten your request as to your other friends here, all of whom are much flattered by yr remembrance of them. If Mrs W. is with you, do me the favor if you please, Sir, to present me respectfully to her. Be pleased to accept on yr own account, the wonted respect & esteem of Yrs
J. Robinson
General Assembly, begun and held at the capitol in the City of Richmond, on monday the first day of December, in the year of our lord, one thousand eight hundred and six, and of the Commonwealth the thirty first.
An act to amend an act, entitled "An act more effectually to provide for the payment of taxes upon lands within this Commonwealth (Passed 20th Jany 1807.)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that when the taxes on any tract or parcel of land, shall have heretofore remained, or shall hereafter remain unpaid for the space of two years, such tract or parcel of land shall be forfeited to the Commonwealth, and shall not be subject to location. Provided nevertheless; that the tract or parcel of land so as aforesaid forfeited, shall be subject to the redemption of the former rightful and proper owner, at any time within three years after such forfeiture shall have accrued, upon payment of the taxes due thereupon according to the following rules, to wit; that if the said taxes shall be paid in the first year after such forfeiture shall have accrued there shall be paid an interest of twenty five per centum per annum on the amount of the said taxes from the time they become due, 'till paid. If the said taxes shall be paid in the second year after such forfeiture shall have accrued, there shall be paid an interest of fifty per centum per annum on the amount of taxes due as aforesaid: If the said taxes shall be paid in the third year after such forfeiture shall have accrued, there shall be paid an interest of one hundred per centum per annum as aforesaid. Provided also, that nothing in this act shall be so construed, as to affect the rights of infants, femes covert, or persons of unsound mind, until one year after the disabilities shall have ceased, on their paying all taxes due, with an interest thereon, at the rate of ten per centum per annum on the amount due as aforesaid. All acts and parts of acts coming within the perview of this act, are hereby repealed. This act shall commence and be in force from and after the first day of March next.
Source Note
ALS, ViU: Papers of the Washington Family.
1. See the end of the document for the full text of the law, as included in this letter.
2. Robinson originally wrote "devisees" in place of "proprietors" but crossed it out.
Note: Because this document is only a verified first-pass transcription, it and the document metadata may still contain errors.