Chap. 579.—An ACT directing the return of the portrait of William Pitt, earl
of Chatham, which now hangs in the hall of the house of delegates, to the
authorities of Westmoreland county.

Approved April 2, 1902.

Whereas, in the year seventeen hundred and sixty-eight Edmond Jen-
nings, esquire, of London, presented to the gentlemen of the county of
Westmoreland a portrait of William Pitt, earl of Chatham, to be hung
in the courthouse of the said county; and,

Whereas, the said portrait was accepted, and after having been hung in
Stratford hall, in said county, was, upon the completion of the new
courthouse in said county, in eighteen hundred and twenty-five, removed
to and hung in the said new courthouse; and,

Whereas, in the year cighteen hundred and thirty-three, Benjamin
W. 5S. Cabbell and James C. Cabbell, chairmen, respectively, of the senate
and house brary committees, upon the suggestion of William Young
Steerman, then delegate in this house from the county of Westmoreland,
by letter addressed to the gentlemen, justices of Westmoreland county,
requested that, in view of the then condition of the court building of said
county, the said portrait be sent to the State library for safe-keeping and
preservation; and,

Whereas, by an order of the county court of Westmoreland county en-
tered on the twenty-fifth day of January, cighteen hundred and forty-
seven, it was decided that the said proposition as to the disposition of
the said portrait should be accepted; and,

Whereas, in pursuance of said order, the said portrait was sent to
Richmond, and, at the suggestion of the State librarian, hung in the hall
of the house of delegates, where it still remains; and,

Whereas, there has been recently erected in the county of Westmore-
land a large and handsome courthouse building, wherein the said portrait
can be hung and cared for suitably; and,

Whereas, the citizens of said county are anxious that said portrait
should be returned to said courthouse in said county ; and,

Whereas, on March fourth, nineteen hundred and two, the board of
supervisors of said county, acting in accordance with the aforesaid pop-
ular demand, passed and entered upon their records a resolution, reciting
the facts hereinbefore recited, and requesting the return of the said por-
trait, a certified copy of which said resolution is hereto attached: there-
fore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the register
of the land office be, and he is hereby, directed to deliver the said portrait
to the authorities of the county of Westmoreland upon the order of the
county court or board of supervisors of said county, to be returned to said
county at the said county’s expense.

2. This act shall be in force from its passage.