Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-02-11
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

"Concerning Custavus g. Rogers, adm illustrator Of
~ Rollins, deceased'--" Concerning BENJAMIN vii
son" and Changing the name Of David Shephe ard 10
David Patteson-and also that they had passed with
amendments the bill :" Allowing Dy free OF
colour, to remain in this Commonwealth" ;rhese a.
mendments were agreed to-
On motion Of Mr.. SMITH of Kanawha, the resoiu-
ton from the Militia Committee taken up. This
Committee reported upon the resolution from the
ins,ructing them to inquire into the expediency Of
ducng the number Of annual musters Of each compa-
ny, and aboshng the regimentai and battalion mus
ers The Committee reported that IL was inxpeJient
At this time to alter the law in relation TO these subjects
Mr.. Smith moved to reverse the decis ion of the
Committee-and then Mr.. Atkinson of Isle of Wight,
moved its indefinite posponement-which was carried.
The bill " Forming county out OF part, of tn.
counties of Harrison and Monongalia," was read the
LIST time, when Mr. Crockett moved its nde6 post
Ponement-Mr. Williams OF Harrison, was opposing
the motion; when Mr.. c. withdrew it, The House
however refused TO send the bill its I'd readng that
10, rejected II.
On motion of Mr.. ATKINSON of H. the Reper, from
the Penitentiary Committee was taken up-Tbe lat
resolution is founded the petition of sundry nha
tants OF Lewis county, addressed TO the Executive in
behalf oil John Suder convict in the Penitentiary-
no committee taking into consider atisn the age OF
this convict, the length Of time he has already suffer-
cd Tor his offence no years out Of 1871 the orde rIy
manner in which he has conducted himself and IN
interest manifested in his behalf by large number of
his Of the county OF lie wis.,
him to be pardoned and dscharg ad-The I'd resolution
oil the committee Is founded on much Of the Cover
nors Communication, as recommends to mercy the
only tchife female convict confined in the Pen
Tertiary. Ii appears Gays the Commitee) that this
nofor'unAt: female was convicted the county Of
Brooke, in April, 1924 OF the murder OF her lle
climate of.pring, and sentenced to term OF I5
years confinement in the Peniten,iary, six wears Of
which term will have been completed in the month Of
April next. According 10 the statement of the Super
intendan, the department OF this convict during her
confinement gives her no peculiar claims to the favor
oil the Legislature The committee, however, have
been informed that in addition the punishme n, she
has received her health has been SUCH ever since her
entrance into the prison, as 10 add greatly her suf
ieriDgs. Solitary aud isolated a. she s,-sinking I'm
der disease uerly incapable Of doing any thing which
prove useful to the Institution or afford relief
TO the agony OF her own mind, the commit es cannot
but regard her as an object of mercy. The condition
Of the male convic,s, who have the melancholy salts
faction OF being surrounded by companions in suffering
aud in crme-whose minds and bodies are engaged in
useful occupations, which to allay the tedium
OF confinement, Is envlable compared with the lot of
this miserable ou,cast. Ii appears to the committee
that the suffering which this .male has already en-
dured in aonement for her crime ought TO be cons-
dered. under the peculiar circumstances Of her case
IS equivalent to much longer period OF confinement
hicted convcts in general IL can scarcely be ex
pected, that unless relieved from she can
survive the period Tor which she has been sentenced
On the contrary, expiring she is by degrees. il is not
unlikely that death must long put an end 10 her
sufierings The committee, therefore, concur in the
Recommendation OF the Governor this subject and
believing that m rcy, and mercy alone, pleads power
fully in her behalf accordingly TO the solution
that Sarah Taylor. the only white female coayic,
now confined IN the Penen,ary, i, uld be parloned
and set at liberty They pre- se mt also Sd resolution
that the public sales at auction of all articles manuac
ur ed in the Penien'iary would be inerpsdient
The House concurred in these resolutions and di-
rected bills to be brought in
The House according TO the order of the day. re
solved Itself into Committee of the Whole. upon the
bill To extend the charter of the B nix of the ,IIsv
and for oher purposes"-Mr. II rvie in the Chair
but without acting upon its provisions Mr. Ma.on's
motion, the Committee rose and reported the bill to
the House-when Mr. Rives of Prince George moved
10 lay the bill on the table to ait the t and amend
mens OF the bill for re-charterng the Bank of Virgin
h|Mr; Ma,on assented cheerfuliy to this course
when the bill was laid upon the table.
MIR. RUTHERFooRD then called up the bill for ex
tending the charter OF the Northwes Bank, SC.
when the bin was read the LIST and 81 times and re com
mitted to the Committee which brought il in.
on hr RUrHERFooRDs motion, the bill for
sharterng the Back OF Virginia Sc TAX up, and
the House proceeded to act the amendment. propos-
ed by the Committee of the Whole.
Tha ameni'nent for extending to the Branches the
privilege oil discouning paper at months being all
Mr.. Mason moved to disagree to the amendmen pro-
posing to strike out The whole section under an impress
sion hat the Bank already possessed the power ques
tiop.-Ihe moon prevailed, the votes being ayes So
noes 6S-l,he Chair voting in the affirmative
The amendments touching the deposes Of public
money in The Bank bring then read Mr.. Williams oil
enrico proposed the following amendment, by way OF
substitute:
Be at enacted, That il shall be the duty of the Trea.
from the lst day of May, in the year 1885, to
deposit moety Of the public monies in the Bank
virginia, in such manner now or NAV hereafie,
be prescribed by law; but If at any time the Treasurer
shall have good cause to suspect that any injury will
be sustained by the Commonwe aIth in making such de
posites. he is hereby authorized and by and
win the advice OF the Executive 10 withhold the same
until alter the next meeting OF the General Assembly
to whom he shall communicate the fact"
Ihis proposition was supported by Messrs. Williams
Miller Mason OF + Wood and KeIcheval,-and op-
posed by Messrs Goode and Eppes.
The debate turned much upon the question: how far
II was safe to leave the public monies in he hands OF
the Treasurer, instead of deposng them in the Bank
and references were made in the of the
ment TO the experience which had been furnish
ed by the defalcatons of the two last Trcasurers
Mr.. Goode denied that a single dollar had ever
been lostb the Commonwealth from any want of Sc
curity given by the Treasurer or that single dollar
had been lost by the Treasurer except in connection
with the operations of the Banks.
The amendment of Mr.. Williams was carried and
the amendment thus amended was agreed TO.
when the am0nlmen was read for reporting perio1i-
ca y to the Board OF ID rectors the bills of Exchange
which should be negotiated by the President and CASH
ier-Mr. MASON of F. proposed to amend il by adding
the following proviso:
Pr0u'ded such report be required by the Board OF
Directors. This amendment prevailed, ayes o. noes
5I-and the amendment, as thus amended wasagreedto
Mr.. RIyEs of p G.. moved to amend the I'd section
by striking out the words 'the Common and in.
sorting substitute. The Sd section ran as follows BE
IL further enacted, That in consideration of the extern
sion Of the said charter there shall be paid to the Com
monwealth each share OF the stock of the said Bank
held by other Stockholders than the Commonwealth -
per centum, payable by semi-annua reservations of
cents, out OF - semi-annua dividends ZACH share
belonging to other Stockholders, than the Common.
wealth. commencing in January, 1884, and continuing
hii ihs said = per centum, the sum Of s., shall be
pad. Mr., X proposed to strike out the words "the
commonwealth" where il first occurs, and substitute
the WORDS president and Directors Of the Literary Fund