Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-02-10
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.
HOIJSE or DELECaTE,S

4
ceived from the Senate, that they Rad passed with
amendments, the bill to amend an act emitted an
| act to incorporate the Chesterfield Rail- Road
| Company'-and that they had rejected the bill
changing the times OF holding the Greenbrier
| Chancery Court The former bill, with the a.
mendments proposed by the Senate, was laid upon
| the table, on Mr.. Harve's motion. AnoDgs,
other amendments. the Senate had rejected the
ryder, which provided, that nothing in that act
contained, should exempt the stock of the said
Rail Road Company from taxation; and il was sug
gested by Mr. Doddridge, that il would he advisa-
BILE to postpone The consideration of that amend
| ment. until the House should have decided upon
the general principle which would be involved
IN the bill about TO be reported from the Select
Committee.
| MIR. Mennis, from The Select Committee, to
whom the subject had been referred, then report
e. bill to repeal that portion OF the general turn
pike law, which exempts turnpike stock from
taxation
An engrossed bill regulating the distribution OF
cannon, and providing for the ation of the
pubic arms, was taken up, on motion of Mr.. Wal
lace
Mr.. Craig opposed the BILL advertng to the diff
ierent objects intended 10 be effected by il, viz:
the leasing OF the public Armory, aud the erection
OF an additional Arsenal in the Western part of the
State. AS TO leasing the Armory, he thought il
would be highly injudicious, the State might
thereafter have occasion to use il for the purposes
| for which it originally erected The time
| might come, he said, when a dissolution of this
| great confcderacy would take place, and when
| Virginia would be obliged TO rely upon her own
strength and resources for protection and defence
Though such catastrophe would be much to be
regrettt d. yet, from the great extent of our repub-
Tic, 1t was reasonable TO suppose, hat il would al
some future period, crumbe into pieces. He
thought 1t the duty of wise statesmen 10 lepisatc
WIN reference TO such a possible coniinge
AZ TO the erection OF another Arsenal, he thought
the two existing arsenals, viz: at Richmond and
Lexington, sufficient for the purpose, and that
| their situation was as good any which could be
selected. IL another Arsenal should be erected
in remote part OF the State, an additional guard
would also become necessary, and of course an ad
ditiona expense would be incurred, sc.
MIR. Wallace earnestly, and at considerable
length, advocated the passage OF the bill. He was
| in favor of renting the Armory, for cotton or
other mandatory, by which he supposed the
State might obtain an annual income of four or
hve thousand dOars-whereas, the State at pre-
| sent pays yearly rent of $1,000, for the water
privileges connected with the Armory at least one
fourth OF the sum which would be sufficient for
| the erection of the additional Arsenal. He re-
| piled with great force, to the suggestion of Mr.
iC.-(relative to the propriety Of retaining the
Armory in possession Of the State, in conseuuence
OF the possible dissolution Of the Union, &c.) de-
claring, that such an event should never happen
with his coucurrence-ihat he thought il i'm
proper even to talk Of 1t, much more So to prepare
for il in advance. or to act upon the idea Of its pos
| siblc occurrence Mr.. w. took a very coinpre-
hensive view Of the situation of the State, relative
| to those parts which would he most exposed in
time Of war, to the attacks OF an enemy, and stated
his reasons for believing, that an Arsenal ought 10
be established somewhere North OF the Rappahan-
mock river, Sc
| Mr.. Smith OF Kanawh5 spoke as foIlows:-Mr.
| Speaker, am opposed to this bill, and was at the
last session to a similar one. The benefits to he
derived from il will not be equal 10 the expense 10
be incurred. There must be guard to protect
the arms, which would cost several thousand dol
Isrs per year. 7 have no sort OF objection to the
first section Of The BILL which provides the volun-
teer Artillery Companies in The State with one sis
FOUNDER each for they will be highly useful on eve
ry 4th Of July, & such other celeb atoms (Mr W.
SAID that Mr.. S. had mistaken the provisions Of the
ist sec. & would explain it.) Mrs. continued will
save the gentleman the trouble; for I will quit
dissection and 60 to the next-As to this arse
nal SIR, VIII give my eastern friends-ior can
assure them, am very much attached TO them
a piece OF advice: In the late debate upon the
lConveniion Bill, gentlemen threatened, bul said