Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-02-14
VIRGLNLs LEGLSI.aTTJRE.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
Monday, FEB. ia communication from
the Senate, that they had passed the bill q con
corning notaries public in this commonwealth"
with an amendment.-On Mr.. Loyall's mo-
ton it was laid upon the table.
The following resolution from the Commit
tee for Courts Of Justice was taken up
Res0ire9, as the opinion Of This COMMITTEE, That the
petition oi the said Augustine Leitwcli IT, stating that
on the 25Ih day of January ls, lie nern,a,rcd wi;i,
certain Huda fiackworth, the sister OF his former
wife, mot knowing AT that time that such mar, noe.
was inhibited 10y the laws of this :; and pray ing
That the said marriage may he declared legal aud
valid, aud that a prcseniment which has been made
against him. IN consequence thereof in the superior
court Of law for the county Of Bedford may he dis
missed, be rejected"
An uDavailing motion was made by Mr..
MeDnis, to amend this resolution by striking.
out the words 50 be rejected" and inserting
is reasonable. resolution was agreed
to.
A considerable part of to-day's session was
occupied in making three military appoint
mcnts las stated in our Iast.)
Tuesday, Feb. ia communication from
the Senate, that they had passed the bills =
:" concerning Elk and Guyaidotte rivers -
authOris,ng separate elections in the coun-
ties of Monongalia and Tazewell and also
that they had passed with amendments the
bills" providing for the sale of the lands of
which Thomazin ElIzey died seized and pos
sessed )" and concerning Archibald Bate"
The amendments to tile first named bill
were agreed to by the House and those pro-
posed to the last bill were laid upon the table.
Various bills were reported by the Commit
tees.
Engrossed bills >" for paying the officers
| of the General Assembly," incorporating IL
Literary and Library Company in the town
| of Lynchburg"-" Releasing to Ann Purcell,
widow of Charles Purcell, the Common
weath's right TO certain real estate whereof
the said Charles Purcell died spzed'-" fix
ing the allowance to guards and jaiIors for
the security and maintenance of criminals -
changing the times for holding the superior
courts of law for the county of Franklin -
were severally read Sd time and passed
Various other bills had their 1st or cd read
ings.
On motion of Mr. Mallory of Brunswick
the hour of meeting was changed to 10
O'Clock.
Wednesday, Feb. I3.--The engrossed bill TO
amenda an act reducing into the several acts
concerning the election Of members OF the General
Assembly, and for other purposes taken up.
Mr.. SHERRARD called on the patrons Of the bill
Tor the reasons which should induce The house To
pass u. He objected to the power which il confer
red on deputy sherlifs whom he considered not gem
orally entitled to the exercise OF such authority.
Mr.. RIvEs, of Prince George, said his object in
moving the resolution, out of which the bill bad
grown, was To prevent contested elections. The
house had, this winter, number OF cases Of this
KIND and had actually reversed The returns made of
the election of three members. He wished To save
the time and expense Of the legislature in this
respect, by prescribing rule of conduct for the She
rms Which shall he understood and acted upon alike
~ every county. The diversity Of the practice among
sherifts, 10 challenging illegal votes, he tli0ugl Dug Ut
to be remcdied. BY this means, persons were per-
United, IN many instances, exercise tie RIGHT of suf-
frage, to whom valuable provision IN the consij-
| tuition, had denied that right.
Mr. BLACKBURN had no doubt 10 the construc-
ton OF the election law lie had always thought the
slieriiis were satisfied Of the legality Of the voes be-
Tore they signed the return, which was solemn Off
cia act, stating that the electors were faii6ed oc-
coTfiHs 10 Lfo." But he had understood IL was the
practice oil some sherids to permit men to vote who
had no right, when their votes challenged
by the candidates The bill, he said, did not confer
additional powers deputy sheri0s, but only contains
sanctions to existing laws. lie referred To- the con-
tested elections Of the present session show the ne
cessity OF legislative exposition of the sl,icc
Mr.. MINOR advocated the passage of the bill The
| power gwen 10 sherfs TO administer oaihs was mol
more than what was given TO tie candidates--an,
was not IN his opinion excepiionabe. There were
other important provisions ia the bill IL was made
me duty OF the high shciiffs to attend the elections
| heretofore, they were conducted 10y deputies, win,
were generally young men, not of that stability and
responsibility Of character, possessed bv the hul
sherffs, whose standing IN life and long services n
magistrates, qualified them for IT, The other ihoyi
sion explained more clearly than the csi~tiua law
the causes for which tins polls shall hc kept OPEN
tie referred TO IN which, during the last spring
the voters OF certain county could not attend a.
election IN consequence OF snoio storm Tire Ia,
providing Tor rain, rise Of cater &C. eul emitting
mon,ion ',o'1, The sner'h decided he had no pOwe
10 adjourn the election. This circumstances he sal
was provided for in the bill. which lac honed xv,,t