Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-02-26
RlcAMONp. FEDNiIANv 20.
Virginia Aegisiature.
unnsr- OF nMIlrGATES.

,;o,e we con,put ourselves with throwih. inio
ibis No. the details of snch Interesting mat
tiers as are uow before u,. the i'nhhc Square
aud Capitol, is the great centre attraction.
We therefore give all the proccediaes in the
House of Delegates which are subsequent 10
the celebrated Rercri.J
On TUESDAY, the II. of p. received ii
communications from The Senate, stating
that they had passed HE (mnci contested
"Act, aulhorisiug certain trustees TO G.
rect free bridge across James river,
(ncar Lymchbmrs3 --wilh an amendment,
which obtained the concurrence OF the
House.
On motion of MIR. R'ves, tie report and
resolution of the committee, appointed
I'm euouire into the Justice Of the COM
plaiuts against the James Ri,cr Cnmps-
nv, for noncompliance with Ike terms OF
their charter, was taken up, aud read The
"a time: wllereupun the report OF the
said committee beng approved, the saic
resolution was agreed 10 by the HeliSe IN
the following terms :' Res0fced, rs the
opinion OF this com,aliice, tllatt'ie James
River Company have not complied with
the terms and CONDITIONS of their char
ter: and Thai the Attorney General be
directed to institute the proper proceed
ing against them, for such non-compli-
ancc, in some court authorized to take
c0gnizancc OF The subject" Mr.. Rives
was requested TO carry the s3ii resolu-
ton to the Senate.
MIR. Blackburil, from the committee 10
which the governors communication
concerning the sums expended on the
improvements of the public square and
repairs OF the capitol was re committed
togeilier with the former report and reSo,
Iutions Of the said committee onihe same
,,raen,to1 rancrt .,nJ ,oc,,Iufi
ons, by way Of substitute for the said
formerrepor and resolutions also seve-
raj accompanying documents: which
were read as follow -
The committee to whom was referred
4 the governors communication in compii-
ance will, "a resolution of The horse OF
delegates on the subject OF executive con
tracts and expenditures in repairing the
capitol, and improving and enclosing the
public square III the city oi Richmond,
have had that subject under consislera-
ton, and beg leave to submit the follow
\ ing report aud resolutions ihereupon:
Your committee perceive that by an
4 act, entitled An act concerning The pub
lie property in the city OF Richmond"
a passed on the 9sth day of Feb. 1916, tie
executive were authorised To contract
with some person or persons, for regulat-
4 ing the surface oil the public square in the
city of Richmond, and for enclosing,
planting and improving the same the
4 enclosures TO be permanent; and also for
a painting, siuccolng and otherwise repair
+ ing aud improving the capitol, and con-
y siructing stable on the lot upon which
p The governors house Is erected.
The 2i section OF The said act provides,
y that il shall and may be lawful for the ex-
4 ecutive 10 cause to be sold to the highest
n bidder, for ready money or on such credit
n as the executive may think fit, the follow
lug public property, 10 wit: the lot ap-
prop iatrd as d garden for The governor,
3 Il lot which has been marked out as site
upon which TO establish a hemp house,
y aud lot on which there has heret ofore
been public warehouse.
q The Sd section further provides, " that
q the proceeds of the sale aforesaid shall be
q and the same are hereby constituted a
& fund for defraying the expenses authoris-
ed by the first section Of this act, as far
h as the same may be necessary, anG that
whatever surplus may remain of such
q fund, aficrcompletBg the work aforesaid,
q the executive shall have power to expend
g III purchasing, Gf 10 be obtained) so much
OF tie ground adjacent TO the public
square, as lies in the east angle of the said
"a rear OF the governors house from the top
u OF Shockoe Hill to the main street OF
n Richmond.
"a II appears to your committee from the
81 preceding sections Of the law, that II was
a the intention OF Tie legislature al The time
81 OF IFS passage, 10 appropriate only the
81 nett proceeds arising from the sale of the
q public property therein designated (Which
sale they believe was made with much
JudGment,) TO the repairs of the CAPITOL.
and The enclosing, lcveIlingan improv.
q ing the public square, and constructing a
& stable FOR the governor. Indeed it would
Q seem that the Legislature believed, that
81 after executing the work mentioned in The
law, there would be an unexpendcd ba-
8 lance and accordingly the same law pro-
b Vides for the application of such surplus.
B Your committee cannot but express their
regret, that with this plain evidence of the
n Intention and wish of the legislature be-
3 fore them, the executive should have en-
a tered into contracts, or made arrange
d ments which in their execution Gas would
seem from the report from that hcrart-
ment, dat The 18th of Feb. 1879 will
cali for a large appropriation, no less u
sum than 2I,664 81 cents, beyond the
aotote fund originally destined tor the con-
{ temp ated Improvements.
1t IS certainly not The intention Of your
{ committee 10 lmpeach tie motives of the
executive department BIZ they cannot
withhold the expression OF their surprise,
f That any moneys should have been dis
burs q and appropriated, without direc-
ton by the executive, or without the con
tracts under which those disbursements
we're made, being known TO-, or sanctioned
" them as would appear TO have been
done by the report from that department