With near hysteria following the escape from jail of a man named Boxley, accused of "instigating an unlawfull assembly among the slaves," a group of Spotsylvania County residents petitioned the General Assembly to have the Superior Court (where Boxley was to be tried) moved from the town of Spotsylvania to Fredericksburg. They succeeded. Now, another group of men, including some of the original petitioners, argue against the move, noting that Spotsylvania is in the middle of the county and Fredericksburg far to the northeast, a great distance for jurors and witnesses to travel. While they applaud the new superior court system--placing a higher court in every county--Spotsylvania is the only county in the state where this court is not located at the county seat. As for the escape, the jail was not the problem, but rather a jailer, who allowed prisoners too many liberties.
Or you may view all people.
Repository: Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
