Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-01-06

Bill dvorcing Joel Ferguson from ms WIG I''~A
beth.
Bill to amend the act entitled an act au,horiz'ns
Jesse Hurm 10 erect n dam across the West iotk oil
Monongalia river in the county Of HARRISON
Bill providing for temporary loan 70 meet 'ne
deficiency in the Treasury. .e,
beeca.
The Speaker laid before the house communica-
ton from the Auditor Of Public Accounts mace W
compliance with resolution OF the house OF inc
2sth ulI, transmitting statement o. the n
number Of lunatics in the jas of this common,
wealth; which on motion of MIR. MAY was oruefed
to he laid upon the table and be printed.
On motion OF Mr.. TArLoE, OF X. and L., i was
Rescirsd, That the committee o. Courts oil JUS
tice inquire into the expediency oil making All pro-
cess issnirg from the county Courts returnabc TO
the rules in each month, as they are in the Circuit
Superior Courts.
A Bill concerning the carrying Of arms and ammu-
milton by free negroes, was read the time; mere
upon motion was made by MIR. RATcLiFfE that
the further consideration thereof he indefinitely post
poned, and the question being put thereupon, was
determined in the acknowledges 81, noes 10.
On motion OF Mr.. Maj, the 5Ih rule OF the house
was suspended and the vote rejecting an enerosseo
bill concerning Cu,hbert Powell was reconsidcred,
| and on motion of MIR. MAY was laid upon the table.
farther report of the same Committee rejecting
the petition of Alfred Wood, was on motion oil Mr.
WILEY, ordered TO be laid upon the table.
On motion of Mr. FuLros, twas,
RescIred, That the Committee of Courts of Jus
| tice enquire into the expediency OF amending the
law concerning prosecuting Attornies in the supe-
ror and inferior courts OF this commonwealth, III
relation to their Of service and the fees taxed
! in the bill of costs in cases of convioton-and that
said Committee report by bill or otherwise.
Merchants and Mechanics Bank Of Whse!ing and
the North Western Bank Of Virginia.
Mr. LEE moved to take up and consider the re-
solutions offered by him yesterday.
MIR STEPHENSON OF Tyler proposed an amend
ment to the second resolution, which reads thus {:
| "Whether said Banks either Of them have bee n
in the hss-0f paying The proceeds OF notes. bills,
or other securities discounted by them. respective
ly, in ssch of their post notes, without making
any allowance for the time they might have to rum"
After the word "run" he proposed the following:
sand whether said Banks received such post notes,
in payment of tie debts due them, at par"
MIR LEE accepted this amendment as part OF
the resouuiion.
Mr. McCoxNElL moved to further amend the
| solutions, by adding thereto, and that they have
power 10 send for persons and JpcTs, should they
think that course necessary.
Mr.. MAY objected to this resolution, not only
because he did not think there was any neceSs ~
for bringing witnesses TO this place Tor The mere pur.
pose OF testyng as TO any such fact as that alluded
to in the part Of the resolution referring TO the
issuel of notes not made payable until certain
time. II the practice prevailed, II was doubtless
general ore, and there could be no necessity for the
House to have legal evidence OF the TACT. He had.
n
Rod after their date; and this of after pay
ment was in very smah letters-so small. indeed,
that a casual holder would scarcely observe IL.
Now, for the purpose OF legislative action on this
subject, the fact whether those no'cs had been
used in that form without the power or with the pow
er, that their charter might give might be readily as
eertaned he WIS, therefore, not willing TO 90 TO the
expense of sending for parties from Wheeling 10 en-
brace a course, which would require the personal
attendance of witnesses, with all their endless ex-
l..F.. a.
miitee, when no adequate benefit could result there
from. With these views, therefore, he should vote
10 reject the proposed amendment.
Mr.. McCosHELL had no wish TO embarrass the
subjeet-his object 10 assist the enquiry. II
gentlemen had examined the charters Of these
Banks, they would have found that they gave full
powers TO issue post notes. BE thought that when
the House were about to institute grave enquiry
into the affairs OF these Banks, and when charge
brought against institution of having forfeit
ed its charter, he thought, as matter Of justice and
right, that they should give every facility to having
the fully and fairly enquired into and exam
inc the officers Of the Bank and others upon the
subject. He merely asked, that the Committee
should have the power 10 send for persons and pa
pers;-If the COMMITTEE, on investigating the sub
Ject, should not deem il OF sufficient interest i'm
portance, they would doubtless not exercise the
power with which they were vested; but, if on the
contrary they fet the necessity Of having such evil
dence he was ANXIOUS that power should be grant
House would accede 10 his proposition.
MIR. LEE had no; submitted his resolutions with
out having first examined the char,er Of the Bank.
IL was that there found IN the terms Of the
charter power to issue pos; notes; but he denied
thai IS or $40 notes. as part OF the circulating
dunn, was ever intended 10 he issued ia this way.
he wanted the whole matter 10 be enquired into
he wanted TO know whether the Bank at Wheeling
had been in the habit Of discountng notes, bills and
other securities, and paying the proceeds in their
w dedu for he
time such notes had TO run. On some of these
points it would be necessary to have evidencs-but
he did not suppose it would be necessary to send
for persons as far as Wheeling to ascertain these
fscts He though in all respects it proper, and
could not be Objectionable that the Committee
should have power TO send for persons, should they
deem II necessary to do so.
The motion on being put, was negative1 by a
considerable majority.
Mr.. CEuTcHFIELD moved 10 suspend the rule of
the House, TO allow the case OF John Patton,
which was decided the other day, TO be again en-
tered into, as the member having charge Of the Pc
ttion was now in his place.-Ayes AZ, nays ~.
Mr.. STRoTHER- then advocated the propriety OF
the House agreeing TO the resolution of the Com.
mitee, that John STROLLER should be relieved from
the payment of a fine imposed upon him, aud made
out so strong a case that the House reuaced their
steps and relieved the petitioner.
STATE Proriss Bin.
On motion Of Mr.. GREooRY, this bill with the
amendments from the Senate, was taken up and
considered.
The irst amendment was the giving the APP
pointing power TO the Treasurer instead Of to the
Executive.
MIR. CRUTcHFIELD was sorry that the bill was
called up-t was not important that il should pass
at this time. il at ALI but as the matter had bean
called up he found 1t necessary TO make few re-
marks. The bill had passed that House without
eciting discussion Of any kind, nor had the com
mitteo on Binks discussed the 1uestion-It had been
to another branch Of the Legislature and there
it had received such amendments made II, in his
opinion, the duty Of that house 10 give the subject
their serious consideration, TO reflect whether such
bill ought TO pass at nliIn another place the ques-
ton had been raised. where they would place the
appointing power. He WIS one Of those who doubt
ed the power of the Legislature TO pass this bill at
all, or II they passed the bill, whether IL was bind
ing upon the institutions to which II referred; whe-
Their the individual stockholders would not be iusti-
ned in refusing their recognition Of the proxies thus
appointed-He would call attention TO the acts and
charters Of incorporation. If gentlemen would look
TO the general charter Of the Virginia Bank in 1904
they would find the State was represented by the
Treasurer Of the Commonwealth--It was his duty
n attend H the meetings, TO represent the stock of
the State and 10 guard the interests Of the State in
that stock--In those meetings he could give c rtain
vote, and in certain cases had controlling voie-He
nnd privileges OF a DirectOr:-they would thus per.
the management Of the Banlt-When they passed
the Bill Of 1887, this was desgnedly chang
od;-the whole Of the cOntfOul aud agency Of the
Treasurer ut the meetings and the Board Of Direc-
tors was omitted; ano the only cuntroul,which
the State welds in the manngcmeDt nd difscfon nj