Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-03-21
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF VIRGINIA.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
"WEDNESDAY. March l6. 1912.


On motion OF Mr. Cox ofC,
"a bill concerning the Penitentiary" wcs take n
up on its second reading-and on his mol<mshe
word April was substituted, wherever N bad
March occurred in the bill.
MIR McRae moved to strike out the snd ..n,cnes
in the fifth section, and to insssin lieu thereof
"And hereafter the General AZ ~ and Store keep.
or Of the Peniteu,iary shall be appointed annually
by the Executive OF this Commonw cath, instead Of
the manner now provided by law"
Mr. McRse said he substituted this motion solely
with view TO economy. IL was calculated that
each day Of the session Of the Legislature cost the
State about $1,000, and this was an election which
always produced debate. IL the amendment was
adopted, he said, he had doubt that il would
leave to the Commonwealth several thousands Of
dollars.
The vote wSs then taken. and the motion failed
Afterwards, on motion of Mr. Scott of F, said %
sentence in the 5th section was stricken ou,-AnC
then
MIR Scott moved TO insert in the bill, Just beor,
the commencing clause, this new section "Bs i
"further enacted, that hereafter the General Agtn
Sand Store-keeper of the Penitentiary shall be np
"pointed TO, and removable from, Office 10y the Ex
"ecu,ive OF this Commonwealth. and shall con,nu,
IN Office for one year. unless sooner removed"
This proposition carried.
Mr. Kinney moved TO strike from the 3rd section
all after the words "felon or felons"-whch III,
House agreed TO do.
MIR Dormsn moved to strike out the whole of the
3rl section.
MIR Cox OF c. moved to insert, after the word.
"guard guards" in the Ord section as amended IN,
words NOV authorized by law-whieh was rg.ced
q.
The question was then put on Mr. Dorman's
motion to strike out the whole 3rd section, and wa.
decided in the negative.
On motion OF MIR Crutchhcij, the vote fixing on
.7yrl in the first section Of the bill was reconsi-
dered and the word .7ugu'i was substituted there
for.
Mr. Scott OFF moved to strike out that portion
1FH ha rh,N ~sn~s 49,
Agent and Store keeper OF the Penitentiafy from
: To per cent. commission on private sales.
This amendmen; was urged by Msssrs Scott,
Daniel and Crutchheld-nnd oppos- j by MeSsrs
Covan, Cox OF c, aud HoiiculIn- Finally,
MIR Mcllhauey moved the previous question.
which WIS ordered. and the vote stood, syes Sc
mos $50 the House refused 10 strike out.
MIR Blown OF p. moved 20 nod to the bill rev
clause reducing the number OF the public guard TO
-. Of whom 10 TO be daily to the Peniienuaty
instead 81 -, rs at present.
MIR Taylor Of L. moved TO amend the amendmen ut
~ substituting twenty eight in the place OF fifty
{ ur.
MIR Scott OF F. said this public guard was Virgin
ia's standing army, which was established under
old Adams during the time OF the Alien md Sed-
ton ia~s-and he had thought that the gentleman
from Preston would have been disposed to hold 1t
sacred, considering It holy relic ofthose times.
Mr. Brown OF p. said the Alien and Sedilion par
" was now much reduced and weakened, and
therefore he thought this nj time 10 diminish the
guard. TIE sun OF Democracy was rising, his par
~ was looking up, and the skies were "brsbt and
hrshtenjng"-there would now be less occasion Tor
guard.
Mr Hunter said the House was. be supposed, in
utter ignorance Of the amount oil duties devOlvng
upon the guard; and If So they ought not TO act at
tins time on the proposition before them, winch he
considered one OF rather unsounG economy.
Mr. Taylor Of n. Borough called for the previous
question.
MIR Daniel begged the gentleman to withdraw
the call, and no force the House TO vote inconside-
Iatey upon this proposition.
Mr. Hunter said he hoped the call would be with
drawn. He thought 1t probable there was some
member on the door prepared TO give information
10 he Honsc on the subject before .hem. Perhaps
TIE gentleman from Richmond could set the matter
IN proper light before the House.
Mr Taylor said he would be infinitely more de-
lighted to obige the gentleman from Richmond
City than any other man in the universe, but really
he could not DO so now-the matter remained with
The House.
The House refused to order the previous ques-
ton.
Mr. Daniel then made few remarks, in which he
showed the House that the services enacted OF the
guard fully great as the present force could
porf1rm-and therefore the number could not pro.
petly be lessened.
Mr. Bowden called for the previous question,
which was ordered-and the House rejected MIR
Taylor's amendment to the amendment, by vote
OF l02 to 9.
MIR Doman then moved to amend Mr. Browns
amendment by fixing the number Of the guard at
S. in lieu Of 81.
Mr. Daniel said fire had occurred at the Peni.en-
tiagy-and the thing might occur again-and he re d.
membered well the difficulty, them OF securing the
prisoners who were marched TO the Capitol and
made TO lie down in the porlico; where they were
watched continually 10y detachment of the guard
for week or Whereabouts, until finally it was found
necessary TO relieve them by substituting detaeh-
ments of Militia.
L., ,I,o
lessen the guard, If they considered the matter ma
turey. In case Of an epidemic prevailing here, two
thirds Of the guard might be confined 10 their eds
m the hospital. II any gentleman would 20 to the
Peni,entiary, he said, they would be speedily con-
WINGED that the present number Of the Guard was
certainly not too great. The walls around the hui
ing were crumbling under their own weight-and
the gates in such dilapidated condition that he
could, he was sure force them with crowbar.-
With 20 men he could batter down the wall in IS
minutes. And mob could, at any time, force the
prison but for the protection afforded by this guard
Indeed said MIR E., suppose the allies OF the gentle
man from Isle Of Wight should invade this Hall in
order TO force us TO make the Banks resume the
House would need these mercenaries for their pro-
lection; for it was well known the citizens could not
be induced 10 FIRE upon their fellow citizens. He
hoped the amendment would not he adopted
MIR Brown OF r. said the Public Guard had been
increased 10 their present force Immediately after
the FIRE, and he did not think many were now
needed. He thought no fears need be entertained
Of an attack on the House by mob II mob
should come into the Hall, they would think they
had stumbled on a part of their own body, and
would not attack members As a sort Of compro-
mise, he slj, he was willing to accep, the modh-
cation Of his amendment proposed by the gentleman
from RockbriJge.
The amendment as modified was then adopted
ayes 81, noes 81.
The Bill was then ordered 10 be engrossed as
amended.
.7djonTnmsnl Of the Lsgiilaiurs.
On motion Of Mr. Brawner,
RssoIvsd That this House will, with the consent
OF the Senate, adjourn on Wednesday the 23d inst,
SINE die.
The vote on this resolution was 40 to s.
MIR BraNnet presented petition Of sundry citi.
zers Of Prince William, praying the passage Of
Dog law.
MrLgon pre,enled petition Of sundry citizens
Of Nelson county, oskug the passage Of stay
law-which was, on his motion, leld on the table,
and orde,ed TO be printed.
Several reports Of Committees were presented
and then
rhe House passed 10 the further consideration OF
the Bank Bill, the question being upon striking out
the fourth section.
Some debate occurred between Messrs Keen.
Wallace ofP., and Irving, advocating, and Mr. Hol.
lCman opposing, the proposition.
FinRtY, the section was ordered 10 be stricken out
by vote Of G4 10 50.
Mr. Wallace Of p. offered the following, as a new
section 10 the bill
BE It further enacted. That the several Banks OF
this Commonwealth shall not declare any dividends
from their profits 10 the stockholders Of said Banks
until they Shall have in good faith resumed specie
payments on demand 10 note-hOidcrs and deposi-
tcrs-and maintained such resumption for the space
ftl .hrre rnoufhe flefrNltfru