Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-01-05
vIRafMIA LnGIsLArUan

4A IL ~ LA Ia Ell 4 5 a "A Z y Il "a.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
Tuesday, Jan. 3--A communication was re-
ceived from the Senate that they had agreed to the
resolution Tor proceeding on the 18th inst. 10 the
election OF a Brigadicr General in the place OF
Gen. Foreman, dee.
Nh anderson, of Shenandoah, offered the fol-
lowing resolve, which WAS agreed to:
Hes0fred, That the Committee of Finance be
instructed 10 enquire into the expediency of alter
ing or amending the 62d and esd sections of an
act, reducing into the several acts prescribing
The mode OF ascertaining the taxable property
within the Commonwealth, and of collecting the
public revenue so as to make the public revenue
payable on the 18th of Dec. annually, or some
other time than that prescribed by law and
to authorize and require the Auditor of Public Ac-
counts in all cases OF the default, Immediately to
HE in the Office of the Clerk Of the General Court
the account OF the defauting sheriff other officer
which account, when fled shall have the foi &C
and effect oil Judgment. Sc.
The Speaker laid before the House a commune
cation from the Governor, enclosing certain resolu-
tons OF the Legislature of Vermont disa .prov wing
the amendment TO the Constitution of the u. States
proposed by Georgia, and declaring the readiness
OF that State 10 accord in any measures which NAV
be adopted by the General Gov for the abo-
lition of Slavery in the S. that shall be ent
with the rights OF the people and the general har-
Mr.. Gordon f. ON the Com ofC of ]. made a
report, and presented bill concerning the special
sessions OF the Superior Courts of Law for the trial
OF crminals-and on his motion, the Committee
were discharged from the further consideration of
the memorial of Richard Bland Lee.
Mr.. Segar obtained leave TO bring in bill to
authorize the county court Of Mdiesex direct the
sale OF certain unimproved public lots in the town of
Urbanna and appropriate The proceeds TO the repairs
| nj hat
Mr.. Douthdt moved to suspend the rule of the
House. Tor the purpose of reconsdering the vote
rejecting the bill to incorporate the agricultural So
ciety OF the Valley. He remarked, that the friends
OF that bill had agreed to strike from it the provi-
slons which had been affected TO. He explained
the provisions intended to be incorporated in the
bill.
On the suggestion of The Chair the motion was
so varied to suspend the rule for the purpose of
bringing in bill with the same title
.Hr. Gordon supported the notion. He had re-
ceived from his county petition TO incorporate the
agricultural society Of Albemarle too late to be
presented, and moved SO to amend the proposition
as 10 include that society. This amendment was
accepted by Mr.. ID. and being new proposition.
there was no necessity to suspend the rule.
Mr. Garter, of p. VIM and Mr.. Garland sup
ported the motion for leave, and it was granted
Mr. RtreS presented report from the Committee
OF Privileges and Elections, rejecting the petition
OF WIN. NJ. Moody contesting the election of John
Page the member from Williamsburg The ground
taken by the Committee is, that the notice given by
MIR. Moody was illegal. The House concurred in
thereport. a further report from the commit
tee was taken up, stating that they had examined
the returns OF the members returned TO serve in this
Assembly and found them all either in the form
prescribed by law or to the effect; except that
the return from Tyler laid on the table on the
first day OF the session has been mislaid They
have also examined the certificates Of the oaths
taken by the members, and find nearly all of them
In the form prescribedby law; that the certificates
OF several of the members had been inislaid; but
from the records of the Council Chamber they ap
pear to have taken the oaths. They report that in
The case OF Robert Douihat, of CiIa les u:ty, the
member oil council who administered the oahs to
him, signed certificate in the following ortls:
' i certify that have administered the oaths pre-
scrlbed by law TO be taken by delegate unto Rob.
oou'hat, who at the time OF taking the oath pre-
scribed by tho laws for the suppression of duelling
declared that he so interpreted the laws upon the
subject OF The oath aforesaid, to give them epe-
ration and effect in reference to himself from the
7th day OF January, in the year 1915"
Mr.. .Hoyriss, of g. called up the bill concerning
contempts of courts. The several amendments of
the Committee OF the whole were agreed to- MIR.
Morriss then offered n new section 10 the bill pro-
vding that If any contempt be offered to a court in
Ter rule against the person, and if lie do not appear
information to be filed and jury empowered to I'M
pose fine at their discretion.
This amendment was rejected
Mr.. Jackson offereda substitute for the lst Sec
ton, providing that if any person be guilty of
contempt in the presence of a court, they shall have
power to remove him from the building, and be
otherwise dealt with as for misdemeanor And
1t he be guilty Of second offence the court shall
IA M In i,np IL e
the court that day; and may proceed against him
afterwards as Tor misdemeanor. Mr.. j. explain-
ell the operation OF this amendment, and comment
ed on the injustice and oppression which mig hit
grow out OF the exercise Of the arbitrary power
now in the hands OF the judiciary. He referred to
recent case in this state in " hch Judge received
aleter wlten 10 him in vacation, but it happened
to be delivered 10 him in court, he sent thirty
miles for the individual and confined him six
months in Jail. The proposed change he acknow-
lodged was an experiment, but one he thought
worthy OF being tried II it failed, nothing was
more easy than the restoration of the power TO the
courts He thought it important to the liberty of
the citizen that tn trial for contemp,s should be
conhdedto jury, rather than to the Judge who is
interested IN the case. The trial by jury was
guaranteed by the Constitution; but in cases of
contempts its benefit not enjoyed This
amendment was agreed to, 80 to IS, and the bill
was ordered to be eDgrossed
An engro>sed bill TO amend the act declaring
who shall be deemed citizens, &c. was taken up,
and explained by Mr.. POtreH, and passed. (The
bill rePeals the law exempiig artizans mechanics
and handicrafsmen who may come among us from
foreign countries, from taxation within certain
period. They are by the bill 10 be put on the same
footing with citzens.)
The following engrossed bills were passed: I
authorship the court of Mason TO sell the public
lot on which the old Jail stands, 2. incorporating
the western agricultural society of Virginia: 9,
extending the limits Of the town of Kingwood in