Fairfax County Court's Majority Ruling on Levies (January 1789)

January Court 1789.

Fairfax Sct.

On a motion to levy Tobacco for the Purpose of erecting a new Courthouse or repair the present one, it was objected that the Court had no legal authority to levy on the inhabitants of the County any money or Tobacco for any purpose whatever. And the question being put whether the Court were vested with that power or not, George Mason, Charles Broadwater, Martin Cockburn, Richard Chichester, David Arell, Charles Little, William Payne, Charles [ "401 1789 Alexander, Roger West, William Lyles, William Herbert and Thomas Gunnell Gent were of opinion that that Power was taken from the County Courts by the Bill of rights of this Commonwealth. And Robert Adam, George Gilpin, John Moss, David Stuart, James Wren, Richard Conway, John Fitzgerald, William Brown, Benjamin Dulany & John Potts Gentlemen were of the contrary opinion.