There is one fupreme court, called the court of appeals, compofed of the judges of the three fuperior courts, alTembling twice a year at ftated times at Richmond.
This court receives appeals in all civil cafes from each of the fuperior courts, and determines them finally. But it has no original jurifdidlion.
If a controverfy arife between two foreigners of a nation in alliance with the United States, it is decided by the Conful for their ftate, or, if both parties chufe it, by the ordinary courts of juftice. If one of the parties only be fuch a foreigner;
it is triable before the courts of juftice of the country. But if it fhall have been inftituted in a county court, the foreigner may remove it into the general court, or court of chancery, who are to determine it at their firft feffions, as they muft alfo do if it be originally commenced before them. In cafes of life and death, fuch [ 254 1 foreigners have a right to be tried by a jury, the one-half foreigners, the other natives.
All public accounts are fettled with a board of auditors, confifting of three members, appointed by the general affem- bly, any tw^o of whom may aft. But an individual, diflatisfied with the deter- mination of that board, may carry his cafe into the proper fuperior court.
A defcription of the laws.
The general aflembly was conftituted, as has been already Ihewn, by letters- patent of March the ninth, 1607, in the fourth year of the reign of James the firfl. The laws of England feem to have been adopted by confent of the fettlers, which might eafily enough be done whilft they were few and living all together. Of fuch adoption, however, we have no other proof than their praftice till the year 1661, when they were exprefsly adopted by an aft of the aflembly, except fo far as ^ a difference of condition' ren- dered them inapplicable. Under this adoption, the