Chap. 397.—An ACT to give an appeal as of right to the common-
wealth in all cases where suits are instituted under the act approved
January 14, 1882, entitled an act to prevent frauds against the com-
monweulth and the holders of her securities in the collection and dis-
bursement of revenues.

Approved Mareh 12, 1884.

1. Beit enacted by the veneral assembly of Virginia, That
in all proceedings in any court of the commonwealth, unde
the act approved January fourteenth, eighteen hundred and
eivhty-two, entitled an act. to prevent frauds on the common-
wealth, and the holders of her securities in the collection and
disbursement of revenues, and under the act approved Jan-
uary twenty-sixth, eighteen hundred and eighty-two, entitled
an act to provide for the more efficient collection of the
revenue to support government, maintain the public schools,
and to pay interest on the public debt, it shall be the duty of
the attorneys for the commonwealth to defend the suits, and,
if a case be decided against the commonwealth, it shall be
his duty to appeal] to the court above, and auch appeal shall
be a matter of right; and where an appeal is taken to the
court of appeals, it shall be the duty of the clerk of the cir-
cuit court from which the appeal is taken, to deliver a copy
of the record to the clerk of the court of appeals as soon as
practicable, in like manner as is provided in the sixteenth
section of chapter one hundred and seventy-eight of the Code
of eighteen hundred and seventy-three in cases of appeal to
the circuit courts.

2. In all suits arising under the aforesaid acts, which may
be brought in the ftder ral courts, it shall be the duty of the
attorney y-weneral to appear as counsel for the commonwealth,
or the collector of taxes, to defend such suits, and if the judg-
ment be against the commonwealth, or the collectors of taxes,
to take an appeal to the supreme court of the United States.

3. Any commonwealth’s attorney failing to carry out the
provisions of this act. shall be deemed cuilty of a misde-
meanor, and shall be fined not less than fifty nor more than
one hundred dollars.

4, This act shall be in force from its passage.