(    20 )

fecond in the Space of 23 years, the fee mid to he vacated by the third in the fpace of 3 years: ami why the third Should not be vacated hy the fourth form of government, J Ailing from the fame power with the former two, and which took place about 25 years after, and continued in being for 150 years Since, and under which all her public and private bufinefs was rranfadled, her purchafes made, her warrants for Survey and [latent* for land obtained, is too m>lterious to account for.

Either the re-afliimption of the London company's charter into the hands of the crown was an uftirpation, or it was not. If it was, then, Strictly fpeaking, is everything which Virginia has done under that ufurpatiot! illegal, and (he may be faid to have lived in the limit curious fpecies of rebellion ever known ; rebellion againfl the London company of adventurers, for if the charter to the company ( for it was not to the Virginians ) ought to be in being now, it ought to have been in being then ; and why flie fhould admit its vacation then, and reject it now, is unaccountable ; or why (he fhould etteem her purchases of lands good which were then made contrary to this charter, arid now contend for the operation of the fame charter to poSTefs new territory by, are circumllances which cannot be reconciled.

But whether the charter, as it is called, ought to be extinct or not, cannot make a question with us. All the parties concerned in it are deceafed, and no fucceSTnrs, in any regular line of fucceffion, appear to claim. Neither the London company of adventurers, their heirs or af-figns, were in poifeffion of the exercife of this charter at the commencement of the revolution ; and. therefore the State of Virginia does not, in point of fact, fuccecd to and inherit from the company.

But fay they, we fucceed to and inherit from the Crown of England, which was the immediate poffefTor of of the fovereignty at the time we entered, and had been fo for 150 years.

To fay this, is to fay there is no charter at all. A charter is an affurance from one party to another, and cannot be from the fame party to itfelf.

But