CHAP. 379.—An ACT to allow the voters of Blackwater voting pre-
cinct, in the county of Princess Anne, to vote on the question of
continuing or repealing the present fence law.

Approved March 3, 1886.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
it shall be the duty of the judge of the county court of Princess
Anne county, upon the petition, in writing, of twenty-five free-
holders of the Blackwater voting precinct in said county, which
petition may be presented either in term time or vacation, to
order a special election to be held in said voting precinct, for
the purpose of allowing the qualified voters of said district to
vote upon the question of continuing or repealing the present
fence law in said district. The said judge shall, immediately
upon the receipt of said petition, certify the fact to the sheriff
of his county; and it shall be the duty of said officer to post at
the voting precinct of said district notice of said election, and
also to give notice to the officers charged withthe duty of con-
ducting elections in said county and voting precinct, for thirty
days prior to the day of election; said special election shall be
held and conducted as special elections for other purposes are
held and conducted: provided, that the expenses of said elec-
tion shall be borne by the parties petitioning for the same.

2. The manner of receiving and canvassing the ballots at such
election on said question, and making return and abstract
thereof, shall conform in all respects to the requirements of the
general election laws of the state, except that the certificate of
the judges shall be as follows:

We hereby certify, that at the election held , votes
were cast for present fence law, and votes were cast
against present fence law. : |

A.B | E. F.

A. B. \ Clerks, G.H. $ Judges.

i I. J.

3. If it shall appear from the abstracts and returns of said
election that three-fifths of the qualified voters of said district,
voting upon the question, and said three-fifths include a ma-
jority of the registered voters.of said district are against the
present fence law, then it shall be the duty of the judge of said
county to declare all acts or orders creating or defining a fence
law in said district repealed and rescinded: provided, however,
that said repeal shall not take effect until thirty days after the
election provided for in this act: and provided further, after said
repeal takes effect, the boundary line of each lot or tract of land
within said district in said county, shall be and is hereby de-
clared to be a lawful fence; and all rights and remedies in re-
gard to trespass of animals shall be secured to the citizens of
said district, as is provided for in sections sixteen, seventeen
and eighteen of chapter ninety-seven of the Code of eighteen
hundred and seventy-three, or acts amendatory thereof.
4. This act shall be in force from its passage.