Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-12-08

tho plain and simple qucs.ion-wlat important bust
nrss was before tiicpi h. prevent their getting through
with the work IL - dag: If members had business
which 'iiry would ia bring forward; if they had petit
tons and resolutions IN t&elT pockets, why were they
not :"r;hcoaiias: II thc House woald determine 10 Il.
mt the scssian 10 the tine proposed, The business Of the
S'a's would hr ii once Trough, forward, many useless
and frivolous resolutions and petitions which now con.
samed the Tine Of The House, would never be brought
forward at al, and 4 great saving would result 10 the
Commonwealth. Many ofihcm introduce matters to that
House which probably the State would be the better for
mt being introduced at nj, but the members found it ne
crssary TO have something 10 do or say in order 10 satisfy
the people. If TIE business Of The House could lie got
through by the time proposed, great benefit would re-
sui from the adoption If his resolution; and il moi, if
on the :lst December, thty found that the business Of
tie Commonwealth was rot finished, The House could,
with the consent Of the Senate, rescind the order and
I'VE further time. The passing Of his resolution would
nave the happy effect Of turning the eye Of the whole
State upon their course immediately petitions would
he immediately placed in the bands of members, and
they should be compelled 10 20 10 work-they would
not come there at II o'clock, and before the clock struck
9 hear a motion carried for their adjournment, without
having done business enough to keep the Clerk ofthe
House occupied for . hours. This fact would prove
that the business Of the Session need not occupy the
length of time now given TO it. With Il view of as
certaining who were really the friends of retrenchment
and reform, lie would ask Tor the ayes and noes upon
This question.
Mr.. CRorrrR deprecated the motion Of the gentle
man from Norfolk county.
Mr.. GREGORY said that n resolution similar TO The
one proposed, had been brought forward every year,
without any other effect than that of wasting tho tine
of the House. Ills rule was and ever would be, TO ad-
lonrn when there was no business TO bring before the
House. If he understood the member over the way, he
complained that there was little or no business before
them To- day-why then wait until the 3lst December
why not ad iourn To- day lie deprecated the adoption
OF the resolution just proposed, which only added to the
evil Of which the gentleman proposing it complained,
by wasting the time of the House. According To the
gen,!eman's statement, they had not yet transacted any
business; yet here n discussion was springIng up upon
this motion;-on the 3lst Dccenber-W When 1t per-
haps was found that the table was loaded with bust
acss, another discussion must arise postPoning their
final adjournment TO another day when that day ar
rived, another, and So, ua,il such n state of confusion
existed, that the delay and Inconvenience would be OF
4 serious nature. The Legislature might, he thought,
simplify the business Of the House materially, by IN
Producing n rule that no petition should be received
after the Goth December they would TINS ascertain the
exact amount Of business 10 be brought before them
another amendment which would simplify the business
and shorten the time Of the session, would be to adopt 4
rule that no resolution which had been cone 10 by this
House, should be rcscinded, unless by a vote of two
thirds ofthc members for instance, thcy frequently had
a resolution introduced for discussion; such discussion
was had, confusion and inGttention was the order OF the
House. \ vote was taken, and the members decide
without knowing the real merits OF the question upon
which they vote; the consequence was, tina, shortly al
ter yards n resolution was made 10 reconsider tho q"cs-
ton, and another discussion took place: IN this way
two or three days were frequently spent IN DONG no.
thing, and undoing II afterwards. II members krcw
that their vote was final, they wonid not suffer item.
selves to be confused, and vote without giving that
proper attention, which the snbiect required. No good,
wha,c yer, could result from the adoption Ct the rcsolu-
ton before the House, for they could not iorsake their
duties until the business Of the State had been disposed
of. MIR. Gregory sat down, after giving many reasons
against the adoption Of the resolution.
Mr.. DoRMAS, in order 10 dispose Of the mntter, would
move That the question be laid on the table. Carried
by 4 large majority.
The bill to incorporate the Chesterfield Coal and Iron
Mining Company, WAS read a third time.
Mr. Coles said tina. some OF the provisions III Inc
bill were Of 50 unusual and extraordinary 4 nature, that
he should move Tor the ayes and noes upon the third
reading.
Mr. Cox would move the following ryder 10 the bill,
to come in after the first clause: .'Providcd that, from
and after the expiration Of fifteen years, the charter
NAV be altered, modified, or repealed, at the pleasure al
the legislature Read a first and second time, and
ordered to be cngrcsscd.
On motion that the bill do pass
MI. Coz said that, from the indications given yester-
dav, that some opposition might be made To the bill on
lis passage, he felt it due 10 himself us well as 10 the
House, 10 make 4 brief explanation OF lis provisions, and
he trusted that he could make such an explanation, as
would satisfy the doubts, and remove tile objections o.
gentlemen opposed 10 il. Captain Hcth, one OF thea
most cn,erprising citizens, had negotiated the sale ofccr
tain coal aud ron property il Chesterfield county to
company ri sanilarnan ~ Fnr"r" Ti''" r-"r".,y "a'
already embraced under two charters granted ~ t'
General Assembly Incorporating the Black Heath an
IIucueuot Companies. The bill before the Ilomie va
intended 10 cover the property owned BY both of thes'
companies, and although II differed in some few parti
culars from both. and also from the general law passe'
in 1887, il was believed 10 be less liberal in IFS prori
sions than these charters, and the points Of dihiTenc'
with the act Of lcS7 were looked upon as entirely IN
essential and unimporlant. The principal points 0
difference were in regard 10 the value Of the shires L
be held, and the place where the Board OF Director
should hold their meetings. 1t appeared I" HIM 10 De
matter of but little moment whether the shares shouh
be one hundred or FIVE thousand dollars. or whether III
place Of meeting of the Directors should be III or out o
Virginia. The capital would be employed IN sTgn ma
the men who had the control ot the works would rcsiG'
in Virginia, and the books II the Company would b
subjected, it required, 10 the scrutiny oi 4 Commute
Of the General Assembly of Virginia, lie CMr. Cox
believed that the passage of this bill would Introduce
an accession of capital and skill into the coal and Irol
operations in the State, that would form a new era u
that important branch Of their industry. Seeing In
important consequences TO flow from this bill, and ap
pretending that no evil could possibly result rom "'h
hoped il would pass without further opposition.
After some discussion, in which Messrs. TrSsTAIt
RonrRrsoS, CRurcnrIELD and MAY spoke in favor G
the bill, it was agreed, with the consent of all Parties
to lay il upon the table until Monday, that member
miuht have time In examine lis provisions.
THE FREDERICK ELECTION CASE.
MIR. DoRMAS moved ihat the Report OF the Selcc
Committee on the Frederick case be now taken up
This case occupied the attention Of the House abon
four hours; but as the whole debate hinged upon tn
construction and legal meaning Of various clauses II
certain acts passed by the Legislature, 1t IS needless !
state that except to Legislators and lawyers, a rrpor
would be any thing but interesting. We Will, how
ever, as briefly as possible, give our readers as clear Al
idea of the subject as we possibly can.
The Report having been read,
Mr.. BYRD uhe gentleman against the validity 0
whose return the Select Committee had decided pro
cecded at great length TO argue The question, with III
view of showing that the Select Committee had com
10 "A wrong conclusion, and that he was entitled to tax
his seat as member for the county ofFfederick. ATE
several preliminary remarks, he proceeded TO SNOW III
cases. In the former case, the High Sheriff, as ~
should contend, in the exercise Of his undoa0ied righ 1t
and in discharge of the high functions WIN wh'cn u
county, and on the day and time appointed by law pro