Chap. 110.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 2844 of the Code of Vir-
ginia in relation to public holidays, as amended and re-enacted by an act
entitled an act to amend and re-enact section 2844 of the Code of Virginia in
relation to public holidays, approved February 28, 1890, as amended and re-
enacted by an act entitled an act to amend and re-enact section 2844 of the
Code of Virginia, approved February 5, 1892, as amended by an act entitled
an act to amend and re-enact section 2844 of the Code of Virginia, in rela-
tion to public holidays, approved February 19, 1896, as amended and re-
enacted by an act entitled an act to amend and re-enact section 2844 of the
Code of Virginia, in relation to public holidays, approved April 2, 1902, as
amended and re-enacted by an act entitled an act to amend and re-enact
section 2844 of the Code of Virginia, in relation to public holidays, approved
July 28, 1902, as amended and re-enacted by an act entitled an act to amend
and re-enact section 2844 of the Code of Virginia, in relation to public holi-
days, approved March 12, 1904, and to establish the entire day of every
Saturday as a public holiday and a non-secular and non-business day as
regards negotiable instruments, and as a half holiday as regards the trans-
action of business generally.

Approved March 9, 1906.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That section
twenty-eight hundred and forty-four of the Code of Virginia, in relation
to public holidays, as amended and re-enacted by an act entitled an act
to amend and re-enact section twenty-eight hundred and forty-four of the
Code of Virginia, in relation to public holidays, approved February twen-
ty-eighth, eighteen hundred and ninety, as amended and re-enacted by an
act entitled an act to amend and re-enact section twenty-eight hundred
and forty-four of the Code of Virginia, approved February fifth, eighteen
hundred and ninety-two, as amended and re-enacted by an act entitled an
act to amend and re-enact section twenty-eight hundred and forty-four of
the Code of Virginia, in relation to public holidays, approved February
nineteenth, eighteen hundred and ninety-six, as amended and re-enacted
by an act entitled an act to amend and re-enact section twenty-eight hun-
dred and forty-four of the Code of Virginia, in relation to publie holi-
days. approved April second, nineteen hundred and two, as amended and
re-enacted by an act entitied an act to amend and re-enact section
twenty-eight hundred and forty-four of the Code of Virginia, in relation
to publie holidays, approved July twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred and
two, as amended and re-enacted by an act entitled an act to amend and
re-cnact section twenty-eight bundred and forty-four of the Code of Vir-
vinia, in relation to public holidays, approved March twelfth, nineteon
hundred and four, be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows :

$2844. Public holidays; when bills, notes, and soforth, otherwise pre-
sentable on any such holiday or on Saturday to be presentable.—The first
day of January, the nineteenth day of January (known as Lee-Jackson
day). the twenty-second day of February, the thirtieth day of May (Con-
federate memorial day), the fourth day of July, the first Monday in
September (known as labor day), the Tuesday next following the first
Monday in November (known as election day), the twenty-fifth day of
December, and any day appointed or recommended by the governor of
this State or the president of the United States as a dav of thanksgiving
or fasting and prayer, or other religious observance, are hereby designated
and established, and shall be considered as public holidays, and every
Saturday after twelve o’clock noon is hereby designated and established.
and shall be considered, a half-holiday as to the transaction of all busi-
ness, except as to the maturity, the presentment for aceeptance or pay-
ment and the protesting of negotiable instruments, as hereinafter pro.
vided. Whenever the first day “of January. the nineteenth day of Jan-
uary, the twenty-second day of February, the thirtieth day of May, the
fourth day of July, or the twenty-fifth day of December shall fall on a
Sunday, the Monday next following shall be a public holiday, with the
same eTect as if the days above named, respectively, had fallen on the said
Monday : provided, however, that no contract made, instrument executed,
or act done on any of said public holidays, or on any Saturday, whether
before or after twelve o’clock noon, shal) be thereby rendered invalid, and
that nothing in this act contained shall be construed to prevent or invali-
date the entry, issuance, service or execution of any writ, summons, con-
fession, judgment, order or decree, or other legal process whatever, or the
session or the proceedings of any court or judge on any of the said public
holidays or Saturdays either before or after twelve o’clock noon; nor to
prevent any bank, banker, banking corporation, firm or association from
keeping their doors open and transacting any lawful business on any day
of ae said public holidays or Saturdays.

2. All days now or hereafter designated or established as public holi-
days in this State, and the entire day of every Saturday shall, for all
purposes whatsoever as regards the maturity, the presenting for accept-
ance or payment and of protesting and giving notice of the dishonor of
any bill of exchange, draft, check, negotiable note, or other negotiable
instrument, made on or after the day on which this act shall take effect,
constitute and shall be considered and treated as public holidays, and as
non-secular and non-business days, and shall be so considered and con-
strued within the meaning of the act of the general assembly approved on
the third day of March, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, known as the
negotiable instrument law; and every such bill of exchange. draft, check,
negotiable note or other negotiable instrument which would otherwise be
presentable for acceptance or payment on any of the said holidays or Sat-
urdays, or on a Sunday, shall be deemed to be presentable for acceptance
ur payment on the next succeeding secular or business day. And no
person, firm, corporation, association or company shall be deemed guilty
of any neglect or omission of duty, nor incur any liability in not present-
ing for acceptance or payment, or in not collecting, or in not protesting.
or in not giving notice of non-acceptance, non-payment or dishonor of
any instrument. whether negotiable or non-negotiable, made on or after
the day on which this act shall take effect on any of the said public holi-
days, or on any Saturday or Sunday: provided, however, that notice of
the non-acceptance, non-payment, dishonor or protest of any such instru-
ment as is hereinbefore specified may be given on any such holiday, Satur-
day or Sunday with the same effect as if it were a secular or business day.

3. Nothing contained in this act shall affect the liabilities or duties of
any person in respect to any bill of exchange, draft, check, negotiable note
or other negotiable instrument made, indorsed or accepted before the day
on which this act shall take effect: but the duties and liabilities of anv
person in relation to al] such instruments shall be the same as if this act
had not been passed.

4. An act, entitled “an act to designate and establish certain days as
public holidays and to establish and declare Saturday after twelve o’clock
noon a half-holiday as regards the transaction of business generally, with
exceptions specified in this act,” approved July twenty-ninth, nineteen
hundred and two, and all acts and parts of acts inconsistent herewith are
hereby repealed, except that nothing herein contained shall be deemed or
construed to be intended to repeal any of the provisions of the act of
assembly approved Merch third, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight.
known as the negotiable instrument law: and provided further, that noth-
ing herein contained shall be construed to authorize the closing of the
clerk’s office of any court in this State on any other day than that now
provided by law. .