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Bat fuppofe it could be proved to be in being, which it cannot, btcaufe being in a charter is power, it would only prove a right ill behalf of the London company of adventurers, but how that right is to be difpofed of is another mieftion. We are not defending the riubt of the London company deceafed 150 years ago, but taking up the matter at the -place where we found it, and fo far as the authority of the Crown of England was excrcifed when the levolulion commenced.

The charter was a contract between -the Crown of England and thofe adventurers for their own emolument, and not between the Crown and the people of Virginia; and whatever was the occafion of the contract becoming void, or i'urrendered up, or fuperceded, makes no part of tue quellion now. It is fuflicieni that when the United States fuccteded to fovereignty they found no fuch contract in exigence or even in litigation. They found Virginia under the authority of the Crown of England, both as to foil and government, fubject to quit-rents to the Crown and not to the company, and had been fo for upwards of 1 jo yeats: and that an inftrument or deed of writing, of a private nature, as all proprietary contracts are fo far as land is concerned, and which is now only hifloiically known, and in which Virginia was no party, and to which no fucceliion in any line can be proved, and have ceafed for 1 Jo years, fhould now be raked from oblivion and held up as a charter whereon to atluine a right to boundlels territory, and that by a perverfion of the order of it, is fomething very lingular and extraordinary'.

If there was any innovation on the part of the crown, the contell relied between the crown and the proprietors, the London company, and not between Virginia and the faid crown. It was not her charter ; it was the company's charter, and the only parties in the cafe were the crown and the company.

But why, if Virginia contends for the immutability of charters, has flie lelected this in preference to the two former ones ? All her arguments arifing from this principle in lift go to the firft charter and not to the lad ; but by placing them to the laft, inliead of the firft, fhe admits a fact againft her principle; becaufe, in order to eftablim the Lift, fhe proves the firft to be vacated by the

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