Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-01-27
vIRnTNIA LEGISLATURE.
TMnrsdau. i'm. %. lS41.

HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
/ The SFEAKk. lad Before the House cnmnunica
ton from ihe Governor, transmitting setn,-annual
stat mcnt Of tn co-ht On of the Merchants and NJ.
chanics Bank Of Wheeling. Laid OH the table,
ordered 10 be printed
On motion Of Mr. ARMSTRONG, of Harrison,
! Resoired, That the Committee OF Schools aud Col
eges inquire into the expediency Of authorizing the
Schoo! Commissioners of the counties of HARRISON
Marion, and barbour, 20 sxrend their School Gioins for
l51i, as u tie county Of Taylor had not been formed
i Ga motion nf Nj. iliue
Resotred That the Committee for Courts of Justice
inquire mo Tue expectancy of passing law, by which
the Clerks OF the different Courts in the Common
wealth be required 10 open their Offices fixed hour
III the afternoon at each day.
Committees made reports
On motion OF Mr. BYRD, OF Frederick, the Commit
lee oil CLAIMS was discharged from The Iteration OF
the resolution, Tor allowing the Sheriff of hlathe
CON Pensauoh Tor the employment OF additional
guard to convey a convict to the Pententiary
Teuuons were presented and referred, VIZ BY NJ r.
MAKrz OF the Stockholders Of the Sttun,on and James
River Turnpike Company, and citizens of Rocking
ham, Tor an increase OF the capital stock Of said Com
pany:-By Mr.. THOMPSON, of Dnwidde, of Martha
L. IA Lan,ef ana Others, for The passage oil an act,
giving authority 10 invest certain monies they are
titled 10 IN real estate BY Mr. MINOR of citizens OF
The town OF fredericksburg for the incorporation OF
The Cemetary Company Of Spottsylyan county.
Mr. SourHALL suggest ID that his constituents desired
- know where the land money, much talked of,
banks Of this city and he wished to send search war
rant after IT, lie therefore would offer the following
resolutions
Resoietd That the Presidents or Cashiers Of the Sc
vefal oahRs OF the city OF Richmond, be requested to
ecquan THIS House whe Their all or either of them hold
the whole or any part, and if any, how much Of the
quota oil this State OF The dstribuable portion of
proceeds OF the sales of the public ands-whether the
same has been used for banking purposes and whether
the dividends declared since July 1912 {, this time in
. C N h5sn ,
land fund es subject Of discount
Nr. LEAKE moved TO lay the resolution the table
Mr. MARSHALL Of T. called for the ayes and noes
ordered
Nh. STANTON moved 10 make the resolution the order
Of The day for the Iib of Jnly next
\ Mr.. Lacy called The ayes and noes on that m ,on =
ordered
Mr. SoUTnALL was astonshed at the obi ctions 10
his SIMPLE proposition for informaiion which Tie PEG
pie had right TO have spread before them
l Mr.. DANIEL OF Prince George hoped that DO Ii mo
TONS would be withdrawn in order TO enable him 10
move an indefinite pos!ponement of the subject NJ.
ID was surprised a. The proposition of The gentleman
from hlbanIa,le This matter Of the Land Fund had
already been decided twice by the House. aud nom
formal resolution made 10 inquire lrherc this fund
was Gentlemen had forgotten that during the last
i Spring canvass, 1t was commended by them the Wing
party, that 1t 9as IN the vaults of our Banks and that
the Banks were dscountng upon H. Mr. ID said he
himself was under that erroneous impression, gotten
up by the receptIonsts. Mr. D. commended that this
Legislature had nothing 10 do with The question lfa
future Legislature should decide receive this fund
they could easily ascertain through the Treasurer where
this fund 1t enough to know, that the Trea-
surer OF the u. States responsible for it-and this
the whole community knew. He had heard, from nigh
authority that it was in the Treasury of the States
and he satisfied il was SO Did gentlemen think
If 1t were 10 The Banks OF this Common wealth, that
IT'S approximation would coniamlnate the people O..
THIS Common wealth. and induce them In change ;her
opinions, based both upon The unconstitut ona!ty and
xPedency of It's reception. Mr. -. argued that we
had nothing 10 do with the subject-- was out of time
and place, and we should, to time, once drop
tho subject.
i Mr.. TALnrERRo asked what would he the eject Of
this call upon Presidents Cashiers, &c, for information
as TO the exs,ence OF this fund aud VIII 1t had bee
done with II? Suppose It he ascertained that THIS
sure De found either in pure ncots good bank paper
what shall we then do' Shall we II, after hav
ing twice rejected IL or shall pass joint resolu
ton, ordering this money 10 BIZ trundled out Of
the Banks and sent back 10 Washington If gen.
tiemen wished information, he would assist them
psrs"aay, but he thought it very inappropriate, this
late period Of the session, bring forward and discuss
questions, which will have no practical good Mr. T.
had this morning been informed that the Treasurer had
investigated this matter, and had satisfied that
this money was in OF The banks Of Richmond =
Moreover, the present situation Of the u S Treasu-
~, scattered It is all The country, il is tx
tremely difficult to fad where the u. s. money is
IL il be proposed II institute examination into The
fact whether the Banks their DO we rs and
violating the declared wishes Of the General Assem-
bly, have received this land money from the Treasurer
of,he u. S and have improperly placed il the credit
Of the Treasurer of hs Commnnw ealth in that case
| he would cleeriully 90 tor such a proposilinn But
The present resolut embraced matter which was en-
ely irrelevant and useless and he should not 60 for
Mr.. BYRD Of + euquired of the gentleman from
Albemate, whether he intended TO use the desired in
formation for practical legislation.
Mr.. SoUTHaLL SAID, tina, though he did not ackn
ledge the right to be cateched, lie should in fune
of time, explain this whole matter.
Mr.. SouruALL said, that the great ec1namis.s of
the House. instead # voting his m 1dest
humble resolution, had employed much time unneces.
sary in motions of delay and in general discussion
Mr.. S went to show that the people had right TO
know whare this money, which belonged 10 Virginia
was, and whether special general deposi,e If il
should be hereafter decided to TAX this money the in
formation would he ready at hand How will we, sen
tncls of the people here, be ready TO answer tails
we'll TO constituents when we have 10 / II tn m,
TINT this House. because they had already rejected the
money, now refused, the pretext of waste of time
here 10 Investigate where this money was, which, Mr..
S. asserted belonged 10 Virginia.
/ Mr. LEAKE said that lie had made the motion 10 lay
on the table, in order 10 prevent discussion OF sub
ect which had been twice slsmnly voted down the
House having unanimously, GncIudng the gentleman
from bsmaflc himself) voted that the Distribution
law was unconsiitut onal, &c. We have soemny de-
cided shat this money did not bt long 20 The State of Viz
gina and the adoption Of this resolution would directly
! contradict our previous action NJ. l. was willing
that thc people should decide the question ,cdch party
i had wasted The public time, especially the gentleman
had, after a Solemn reject of this matter by the
House. brought forward this resolution, which would
lead t. ffusive debate
Mr. SrAsros replied to the argument of The gentle
man from A!benale, who bad charged waste of time
on The Democratic partg. Mr.. S. commended that the
Whie party here had wasted much time in again bring
ing ~ this question which had been lberairy dcci-
ded by this Iousr. Mr.. S only regretted that when
he moved 10 make it the order Of the day, hc had moi
moved TO fix it or the 27h April, the dth November
next, when the people would decide it properly.
MIR. Enauxps of Halifax remarked, tia, he could
no practical results arise from the information re
quest-d under tn resonton. There are three propo
/ stons stated in the resolutions 1t. TIE Presidents Of
the Banks are requested TO inform TINS House, whether
vrrnas quota Of the land money or any part there
of IS deposited in their respective Banks Pad Wheiher
this fund is loaned out, 3D. Whether any portion Of the
four Inst scni.annua dividends were declared from The
use of this money He presumed it vas not intended
TO base any legislation upon the information when nb
tanned The appointment of an agent TO receive THIS
money had been twice refused the present session II
was certain that The money The Treasury OF the