Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-01-06
Virginia legislature.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
.Sdfuy.li1u lam 2

3
A message received from the Senate statng tbo,
they had passed the Bill to amend the first section of nm
act TO amend The several acts concerning the Auditor
ana te lreasurcrand that they had agreed to the Re-
solution of the House, for the election of Briqadcr
General of the fifteenth Brigade
Mr. Garland of A. presented the petition of citizens Of
Rockbridge, Amherst, Nelson, Buckingham. Cumbcr.
land Powhaan, and Chesterfield for the conservation of
Turnpike Road from the town of Lexington 10 the
City OF Richmond TO connect with the Turnpike from
Lexington to the Kanawha Turnpike.
On motion of Mr.. Wilson of Botctourt leave was oi
ven TO bring in bill to amend To incorporaa the
NlIawpa iron works IN the county of Botetourt.
On motion of MIR. Mcmillan the Committee of Courts
Oh justice was instructed TO inquire into the expcdien-
cy OF amending the law prescribing the duties of
cutors and administrators and defining the mode of
ing the debts of deccdents &c. ~
On motion of Mr.. Garland of A. il was
i'eSoired, That the Executive Council of This Com
monweah be requested to lay before the present House
OF Delegates the Journal of their proceedings for the last
year.
On motion of Mr.. Brooke, the Select Committee %
which was referred much of Tie Governors Mes
sage as relates to the establishment of Deaf and Dnb
Asylum, was discharged from further consideration of
inc same and the subject was referred the Committee
OF Schools and Colleges
An cngrossed Bill divorcng John Copn from his ,vic
hebecca, was read n third time and passed
RICHMOND AND fREDERIcKsBURG EAiI.RoAD
on inouon OF MIR. johnson of Richmond the cncross-
ed bill authorizing the Board of Public Works to
subscribe behalf of the Sate To the s.ocL ot
he i'ichmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Rail
I'oau company, was taken up, read third time
ana inc question being its passage the ILL was oppos
cd by Mr. Watkins on various grounds but chiefly upon
10 pay the interest any further loans than had
already been made authorzed and that II the Iegs
iature were now TO go further in this course the Treas
ny must be resorted to- If such policy were aeopted
he wished to know to what extent il was To be carried
before nc gave his assent to it, and he argued that
the House not sufficiently informed If t,e ,oo,,,,
winch tins Improvement would ultimately cost =
lie further objected to making this subscripon ,,nr
present circumstances, because the work not of the
KIND which should attract the primary attention of Tho
Legislature, being intended for the accommodation of The
aveng community and not to facilitate the transporta-
ton OF mercandize and agricultural products He fear
ee aso mat, IL the subscription made and the into
rest OF the loan charged the fund for internal i'm
mcnt the taithof the State would be forfeited by the in
caPac oil inc fund to pay the interest became due
Mr. w sustained his views by statement of the nrescnt
debts OF the State for similar Objects and reference n
ue pocy winch had hitherto been pursued by the Iegs-
lature. So
MIR Gregory also opposed the passage of the BILL
Among othcr arguments, he urged that this Company
hau ny the terms OF its charter granted last year mo-
nopoy of the Improvement of the section of country
through which this work pass and that this mo-
nopoiy was granted, under the distinct UNDERSTANDING
chat tne Company were not TO apply to the Legislature
Tor state subscription to its stock lie contended thai
the Objects OF this improvement foreign from those
ior Inc encouragement Of which the Fund for Internal
improvement was crcated-that ii was road intended
solely Tor the convenience of travellers and not for the
benefit of the agricultural and commercial interests c
also maintained that subscription its stock by the
state, being founded only the prospect of profitable
Investment OF the public funds would be nothing more
or less Than stock jobbng Transaction beneath the dg-
my OF ue state. 1T the work was to be profitable
had been stated It's stock would be taken up by individual
hiatt Gfafa
should take part of its stock
MIR Brown replied in favor Of the BILL arguing that
the estimates OF the cost of the work would probably
cover the whole expenditure in its construction-that
the WORK was ono which, from its anticipated utility and
profitable return upon the stock deserved the Common.
weaS aid. lie controvertcd the idea that my Dledge
had been given at the last session. that this apnlcaton
would not be made. As TO the nonopoly which had
Dcen charged upon tile company, lie contended that
the privilege granted it, under the circumstances
(wen an impression prevailed that the LEGISLATURE had
adopted the policy OF authorizing rival improycment
winch injured each Other) unnecessary capi-
ssts 10 induce them to take the stock. Ie alluded 10
former Legislation, 70 shew that such exclusive rve0es
were not without precedent in this State Ie culd moi
perceive the distinction which had been set nm be-
tween improvements constructed 10 benefit agricultural
ana commercial interests, and those which contemplated
Tie accommodation of travellers. An improvement
which would be beneficial TO one class could
not but benefit the others The expenditure of t,e
money which the work would cost within the State
would beneht every department Of industry. Mr..
brown commended, that this loan coud i'm all pro.
liability be made, and the interest made claroabe ON
the iund Tor Internal improvement without inconveni-
ence lie presented estimates Of the receipts and dis.
Dnremenis OF that fund Tor the year j and 1896 from
wuch lac expressed the belief that in the former wear
the interest ts loan could be met bv the nron. nj
te fund, and that the fund would in the latter piy all
demands uPon and leave surpues Of about s25 900 If
hereafter should be necessary augment the resources
oil the fund he should be willing that ia should be dome
but he entirely opposed 10 caprcios Of
rst ono fund and then another TO these Obecs Compar
ing th' work now under consideration with the Peters
burg kai Road, which yields 10 per on IT. capital
stock he believed this work would be eqnally pto6ibe
aud therefore considered it, on that and the other grounds
hc had stated entitled to Tho subscription now applied for
Mr.. Watkins briefly replied TO Nr Brown and persist
ed n the doubts which hcenoraincd 20 the accuracy
OF the estimates lie looked upon the subscription nov
proposed as an entering wedgc only aud hc wished L
see the extent Of the ful fcquslion upon tho state be-
Tore hC could give hs snppo He did not bcliovc t,