Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-12-23
GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

MA Inc ny way oil Elizabeth town to tho Ohio
MIR. Woop of Albcmarlc presented petition and
resolutions of sundry citizens Of Abemarle on the
subject of delinquent lands-im connection with
winch Mr. Woou offered the following resolution
which was agreed TO:
Resolved, That the Committee of Finance en-
quire INTO the expectancy of providing some more
convenient method of generating lands returned
delinquent by the mistakes of the Commissioners
OF inc Revenue, or the frauds the mistakes of
the Collectors.
On motion of Mr.. Woop of Frederick the
COMMITTEE OF Finance Instructed to enquire
INTO the expectancy of amending the DELINQUENT
land law as TO provide that the taxes may be paid
at the county seat of each county in, the Common
wealth, where such delinquent lands may be
Mr. BRoADUs presented petition from Culpcpcr
asking the repeal Of the delinquent land law of
the last session. Mr.. BRoADUs stated that the
hardships To which that law had ex posed his con-
situcnts were almost Uncomfortable. There were
near 700 cases of delinquency in that county.
winch would bring little nothing into the Trea-
sury. he petitioners, also thought the relief
aiorded by the 2lst and 22I sections, too ex-
ponsive.l
In connection with the petition, Mr.. BRoADUs
olercd resolution proposing that the Gelinuucnt
land law ot last session. be confined in it's opera
Ridge.
MIR. WILLIAMS of Harrison opposed the resoIu
uoh DIS lnVidious. lie could not consent that the
cltizens oil the West should he subjected to law
l'chui, WHlie lnOSe OF the East Z
empted. lie had another objection He was op
posed to local legislaton-to one county having
one code of laws another county another
Mr. bRoApus replied, that the people beyond the
mountains had asked for the law, and if it imposed
some hardships upon them, it was also advantage
GUS as. a means of settling disputed titles To tho
East, 1t was law of hardship without any benefit.
Their titles were not disturbed
Mr.. WooD of Albcmarle farther illustrated the
operation of the law, which as it operated upon the
Trans Alieghaney part of the State, was valuable
as facilitating tie settlement of titles while on the
East 1t operated only by exacting dues, trflng in
amount, and often fictitious. But hc thought a
repeal of the law would be of dangerous tendency,
by leaving in force the laws previously existing
and argued in favor of modification.
MIR. WIToHER supported the resolution, and expa-
tlated at considerable length and with great force
on the hardshps of the law of last session lie re-
minded the House that the Delinquent Land Law
had been claimed and pressed as Il Western mea-
sure, and it could not be pretended that its repeal
so lar as the East was concerned, invidious to
the West. 1t had been urged upon this House, first
and last, as measure necessary for the settlement
OF titles In Western Virginia. So far, he was will
ling to leave the law in full force.
The resolution also supported by Mr.. MAR
SHALL, who enumerated instances of the burthen-
some operation OF the law OF last Session, and
while he was willing to extend its benefits to tho
western part of Virginia, in the quoting of dis
puted titles, could not consent that it should extend
to Eastern Virginia, where it had the effect of
subvcring titles.
Mr.. Preston to rescue the law of the last
session from the imputations cast upon it, which
he did with great success, while he did not oppose
the adoption of the resolution.
Alter some farther debate among Messrs. WITCH
| Err, PRESTON, BRoADUs, GALLAHER, BRoDNAx, Nor
RIs and Miller the resolution was LAID on the ia
BILE, with the understanding that the whole subject
was already referred under Mr.. Gallaher's resolu-
tions, adopted Saturday.
On motion of Mr. KING, the Committee of Roads
&C. was instructed to enquire into the expedicncy
OF authorizing the Board of Public Works, to sub
scribe on behalf of the State, for additional stock
equal to twoffths of the Capital Stock, in the Dis.
mai swamp Canal Company, to be paid out of the
monies due by said Company to the State.
Petitions were presented-By Mr.. Woop of AL
bemarle, from Henry SprouSe of that county, ask
ing to have his name changed Mr.. BRYCE OF
Goochand, presented a petition for a precinct
election in the lower end of that County Mr..
WOOD OF Afbemarie presented petition from
sundry citizens of that County and Nelson,
complaining of the law concerning Delinquent
Lands. Mr.. MoRRIs presented petition from CT
teens OF Jackson County, for appointing Commits
sloners to fix the seat of justice. Mr.. MOORE n
petition from sundry citizens of Rockbridge, for
the incorporation of company TO construct Il
Turnpike Road from the head of the Blue Ridpe
Canal, to McCorce's farm in said County. By Mr.
WILSON OF Cumberland, from Daniel Brown ask
ing to have Randolph's Creek made navigable
from his mill TO Willis's River in Cumberland
~. ALLEN presented the petition of Berry Cav
lTfood for Il pension.
liENKlCO ELECTION.
Mr.. MCILHANEY moved tie take up the Report of
the Committee of Privileges and Elections, decla-
ring Jno G.. Williams ineligible to represent the
County of Hcnrico--to which the House agreed
Mr. BHoDNAX moved to strike out the word Gin
eligible" and insert eligible.
MIR. WILLIAMS rose and addressed the House at
length, in favor of his right to hold his seat.
MIR. POWELL of Spottayilvania, followed in sup
port OF the Report, in a brief and cogent speech.
Mr.. WILLIAMS added few words of ex plantation
! r. MOORE he ipc
port of the report of the Committee, an on the
difference of phraseology between the old and new
Constitutions.
The question then put on striking out sin
eligible" and inserting eligible, and negatyed, as
| follows:
| AYEs-Messrs. Banks (Speaker,) Wood of AL.
bemarlc, Faulkner, Good of Berkeley, Anderson
of Boteteurt, Wilson of do, Campbell of Brooke
Gholson, Shell, Rives, Daniel, Patteson of Ches
terheld, Broadus, Brodnax, Jones, Marshall Hale
of Franklin, Bryce of Goochland Erskine Spen
| Ger, Roane, Jordan, Shield, Harwood, Poindexter
Street. Knox, Byrne, Webb Cabell, Fisher Har
vey, Parriott, Robertson, Miller, Dupuy, Land
Stands Mcdowell, Cobb, and Moncure-42
| NoEs-Messrs. Grinalds, Drummond Persinper
Garland, MCue, Brooke, Cameron, Patteson oil
Buckingham, Boiling, SPurock, Richardson, Will
son Of Cumberland, Ball, Chiffon, Stephenson
Stillman, Helms, Woods of Franklin Wood o
Frederick, Bryce and Smith of do, Snidow
Smith Of Gloucester, Bruce, Sims, Carskadon
Poson, Mullen, johnson, Grayey, Gallaher, Sum
mers, Allen, Hays, Lawson, M'Ihaney, Cordell
Caldwell, Hudgins Smith of Mason and Jackson
Goodo of Mecklenburg, Billingsly, Henry, Kelly
Preston, Davis, Adams, Hiner, Witcher, Swanson
Gilliland, linn, Carter of Prince William, Moore
MMahon, Cline, lessee, Kilgoro, Bare, Carson
Powell, Crump, Hargrave, Gillespie, M'Coy, KEEL
Ter. Morris, Crockett, and Brown-7O.