Chap. 71.—An ACT to disband the Richmond Light Infantry Blues and
to incorporate the Richmond Light Infantry Blues Association.

Approved February 6, 1877.

Whereas, since the year seventeen hundred and eighty-
three, a military organization has existed in the city of Rich-
mond, known as the Richmond Light Infantry Blues, to which
company many of the best and oldest citizens (of said city)
have belonged and feel attached; and whereas the former as
well as the present members of said company are anxious to
iorm an association which shall preserve and perpetuate the
traditions and history thereof in the past and insure its effi-
ciency in the future, and to that end desire a charter; there-
ture be it enacted by the general assembly, as follows:

1. That the organization known as the Richmond Light
Intantry Blues, or company BH, first Virginia regiment, be,
and the same is, disbanded; and the governor of Virginia is
directed and authorized to revoke and annul any and all
commissions held by the officers thercof, to demand and re-
ceive all state arms or property now in possession of said
company, and to discharge the officers and men composing
the same from further service under their enlistment in the
said company as volunteer militia of this state.

2. That George Wythe Munford, Thomas B. Bigger, Isaac
L. Cary, William Y. Sheppard, William H. Fry, Ezekiel J.
Levy, Charles P. Bigger, George W. Jarvis, John M. Patton,
Thomas H. Blankenship, T. R. Glazebrook, John F. Regnault,
John S. Wise, and such other persons as they may see fit to
associate with themsclves, be, and they are hereby, constituted
a body politic and corporate, by the name of The Richmond
Light Infantry Blues Association; and by this name they
shall have perpetual succession; a common seal; may sue
and be sued; contract and be contracted with; plead and be
impleaded. They may frame such constitution and by-laws
for the government of their association as they may think
proper, not inconsistent with the laws of this state or of the

“nited States.

3. Said association shall have power to purchase, receive
and hold any lot or lots of land in Richmond, Virginia, and
erect thereon buildings suitable tor holding meetings: pro-
vided, the same shall not exceed one acre. The principal
office thereof shall be in Richmond, Virginia. The officers
thereof for the first year shall be, George Wythe Munford,
president; Isaac L. Cary, vice-president; Ezekiel J. Levy,
treasurer; and Thomas H. Blankenship, secretary.

4. The objects of said association are to preserve the history
of the Richmond Light Infantry Blues, a history which is be-
lieved to be of great interest, not only to the members ot that
company, but to the whole community of Richmond; to per-
petnate the organization, which has already existed for nearly
acentury; to secure co-operation in its maintenance among
its old members, and by giving them a voice in its manage-
ment, to promote the efficiency thereof; to guard the material
composing it, and to furnish the means to maintain said com-
pany in a manner befitting its traditions and former stand-
ing; and finally, to unite its members for purposes of friendly
and social intercourse.

9. Said association is empowered, in addition to the powers
above granted, to organize, from such of its members as the
president thereof may designate, a military company, to con-
sist of not less than fifty nor more than one hundred men.
The officers whereof, commissioned and non-commissioned,
shall be elected at general meeting of said association, assem-
bled upon the call of the president, at which election every
member shall havea vote. When such officers are elected in
general meeting, they shall proceed with the men composing
their company to apply to the governor for commissions and
authority to organize, in the manner prescribed by law for
the formation of companies of volunteer militia; and if the
governor issues said commissions, and said company is mus-
tered into service, it shall thereupon and thereafter be subject
to all laws now in force touching volunteer militia, except as
follows: .

I. Said company may wear the uniform worn by the Rich-
mond Light Infantry Blues in eighteen hundred and sixty, and
prior thereto, unless it be assigned to some regiment, in which
case the governor may, in his discretion, require it to provide
itself with regulation uniform for regimental purpeses.

II. The commissioned officers of said company shall be
elected, and vacancies supplied, in general meeting of the
Richmond Light Infantry Blues association; which election
shall be certified to the governor by the president, who, if
satisfied of the propriety of such election, may issue his com-
mission to such officer.

III. All elections to membership in said company shall be
subject to the ratification of said association in general meet-
ing.
IV. For all arms or other state property issued to said
company, for which bond is now required by law from the
captain or other officer of militia, the bond of said association
with proper security shall be taken.

6. The governor of Virginia may, at any time, for any
cause enumerated in the general laws relating to volunteer
militia, or other reason satisfactory to himself, disband the
Richmond Light Infantry Blues, the formation whereof is
above authorized, or he may, in his discretion, revoke all
supervisory power over said company hereinabove granted
to said association, and place said company upon a footing in
all respects identical with that of the other volunteer militia.

7. Said company may, without the concurrence of said
association, elect forty contributing members upon the terms
and for tbe purposes set forth in chapter one hundred and
eighty-three, section one, Acts eighteen hundred and seventy-
five—six; but the initiation fees of such members shall be paid
to the treasurer of said association, who shall be ex-officio
treasurer of said company also; but such contributing mem-
bers shall not by such election acquire any rights as members
of said association, unless with the concurrence thereof.

8. This charter may at any time be repealed or modified
by the general assembly,

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