Chap. 349.—An ACT Giving the Consent of this State to the Purchase by
the United States of u Tract of Land in the County of Fairfax, to be
used for a Military Cemetery, and exempting the same from State,
County or City Taxes.

Approved March 26, 1872.

1. Whereas, it is represented by William Myers, captain and
depot quartermaster, that he is instructed by the quartermas-
ter-general of the United States army to apply to this gene-
ral assembly for its consent to the purchase by the authorities
of the United States of a tract of land in the county of Fair-
fax, near the city of Alexandria, now occupied as a national
military cemetery, and that according to his description of said
land it is laid down and bounded as follows:

First. A lot leased from the corporation of Alexandria con-
taining two acres and thirty five perches, beginning at a point
at the intersection of the centre line of Wilkes’ lane, extended
with the westerly boundary line of the Methodist Episcopal
burial ground; and running thence north eleven degrees and
thirty minutes, east three hundred and seventy-two feet and
eighty-seven one hundredths of a foot, to the southerly line of
the land of the Orange and Alexandria company; thence north
eighty-two degrees and twenty minutes west, and along the last
mentioned line two hundred and thirty-seven feet and sixty-two
one hundredths of a foot; thence south eleven degrees and
thirty minutes west, three hundred and sixty feet and forty-one
one hundredths of a foot; thence south eighty-seven degrees
and thirty minutes east, two hundred and thirty-seven feet and
sixty-two one hundredths of a foot, to the pomt or place of
beginning, containing two acres of land, be the same more or
less, together with all the rights and privileges and appurte-
nances thereunto belonging, or in any wise appertaining, being
the same land which was conveyed to the said city council of
Alexandria, by deed bearing date the first day of June, eigh-
teen hundred and sixty-two, made and executed by John H.
Baggett and wife, &c.

Second. A lot purchased from J. H. Baggett containing two
acres and one-sixteenth hundredths perches, beginning at the
southeastwardly corner of the land leased by the city council
of Alexandria to the said United States of America and used
as a military cemetery; thence running westwardly along said
cemetery two hundred and thirty-seven feet to the west boudary
thereof;.thence southwardly, parallel with the western boundary
of the Methodist Protestant burial ground three hundred and
seventy-two feet; thence eastwardly parallel to southern boun-
dary of the said cemetery to the western boundary of the said
Methodist Protestant burial ground two hundred and _ thirty-
seven feet; thence northwardly above the line of the said
burial ground three hundred and sixty-two feet to the place of
beginning, being part of a large lot of ground which William
B. Richards and Priscilla, his wife, by deed dated the sixth day
of January, one thousand cight hundred and fifty-five, and
entered among the records of the courthouse, Fairfax county
aforesaid, in Liber. W. No. 3, page 40, &c., granted and con-
veyed unto the said John H. Baggett in fee, &c.

Third. Lot purchased from John H. Baggett containing
eight and twelve hundredths perches, beginning at the south-
cast corner of the lot heretofore conveyed by said Baggett to
the United States, and in the western line of the Methodist
Episcopal burying ground; extending thence with said lot
north seventy-eight degrees, seven minutes west two hundred
and thirty-seven feet to the southwest corner of said lot; thence
south twelve degrees four minutes, west five and a quarter feet
to the southwest corner of said cemetery; thence with the
southern line thereof, south seventy-eight degrees, twenty-four
minutes, east two hundred and thirty-seven feet to the south-
east corner of same, in the said line of the said burial ground;
thence with said line, north twelve degrees, fifty minutes, east
four feet one inch to the beginning, containing eight and one-
eighth square perches, &c.

Fourth. Piece of land belonging to the Orange, Alexandria
and Manassas Railroad Company containing two and four-tenths
perches, beginning at A, the northeast corner of the cemetery,
thirty-nine feet four inches, southward and perpendicular from
the centre of the track of said railroad; thence north eight
degrees and three quarters of a minute, west two hundred and
thirty-seven and sixty-two hundredths feet to B, the northwest
corner of the cemetery, thirty-nine feet southward and perpen-
dicular from the centre of the track of said railroad; thence
south twelve degrees four minutes, west one foot; thence south
eighty degrees, ten minutes, east two hundred and thirty-seven,
sixty-two hundredths feet to the line of the Methodist Pro-
testant burial ground; thence with said line north twelve
degrees, east three feet eight inches to the beginning, contain-
ing two and four-tenths square poles. The whole area of said
lots and piece of land being four acres and eleven and sixty-
seven hundredths perches: therefore,

Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the
consent of this state is hereby given to the purchase of said
land from the owners thereof, whether individuals or corpora-
tion, by the government of the United States of America, or its
authorized officers or agents, to be occupied and used as a
National Military Cemetery and for this purpose only. But
this consent is given, subject to the following terms and condi-
tions, to wit:

First. That this state retains concurrent jurisdiction with the
United States over the said place, so that courts, magistrates
and officers of this state may take such cognizance, execute
such process and discharge such other legal functions within
the same as may not be incompatible with the consent hereby
given.

Second. That if the purposes of this grant should cease or
there should be for five years consecutively a failure on the
part of the United States to use said place for said purpose,
then the jurisdiction hereby ceded shall cease and determine
and the same shall revert to the commonwealth of Virginia.

The said tract of land and the buildings that may be erected -
thereon for the purpose aforesaid, and, any property of the
United States for said purposes on said tracts, are hereby
exempted from all taxes imposed by this state or by the consti-
tuted authorities of the county of Fairfax or the city of Alex-
andria; but this exemption shall continue only so long as the
United States shall be and remain the owners of said military
cemetery.

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

CHap, 350.—An ACT to Anthorize the Accused to Testify in Cases o
Assault and Battery and Unlawful Trespass. :

Approved March 26, 1872.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That hereafter, in
all prosecutions for assauit and battery and unlawful trespass,
the accused may be sworn and examined as a witness in his
own behalf.

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