Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-02-18
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
Saturday, Feb. l5
A communication was received from the
Senate by their Clerk, stating That they had pass
ed the acts, directing payment 10 John r.
McCleur from the school quota of TaZewell
county OF 1874, and ITO prevent The destruction
of oysters in the counties Of Elizabeth City and
Warwick and Tor other purposes" also, the act
" To incorporate the Preston Navigation and
| Manufacturing Company" with amendments in
which The House c0ncnrred.
On motion of Mr. BROADUS Of Culpepcr,
the Committee on Finance was discharged from
consideration Of the petitions OF the Administrator
of Peter Moore and Of citizens Of Frederick coun-
~ for an imposition OF tax on dogs.
JAMES RIVER COMPANY.
MIR. TAYLOR OF Norfolk Borough offered
resolution that the proxies representing the inter
est of the Commonwealth in the James River &
Kanawha Company be requested 10 vote 10 defer
the election Of officers Of that company, until
the farther action OF this House in regard 10 the
same.
Mr.. TAYLOR said he should follow il up
with resolution, that on Monday next this House
will enquire into the expectancy OF requesting
the proxies representing the interest of the State
in the James River & kanawha Company 10
vote against The reelection Of The present Pre-
silent of the Company.
Mr.. STEPHENSON moved 10 lay il on The Ia
bic. The Report had just been made and We
could not, at this late day, give sufficient lime
10 its discussion. Moreover, the Board Of Public
! Works had appointed proxies and we should trust
1 10 their discretion.
/ Mr. TAYLOR Of n z. asked TO what pur-
! pose We had appointed committee, who had
devoted so much time to the investigation OF The
affairs of this Company, il we were not 10 look
into said report and take action on il.
Mr.. STEPHENSON thought We had no time
, 10 act knowingly on this question. All action,
now, would be on ca parfc evidence. lie had
confidence in the proxies already appointed
The resolution was laid on the table.
Mr.. GOODWIN presented the petition OF Thos
W. Gale Of Isle OF Wight county, for The refund
ing Of fine.
The following engrossed bills were read a third
/ time and passed:
! Amending the acl entitled, an act TO amend the
act to reduce into one the several acts concerning
the Auditor and Treasurer, passed February the
18th, lS20"-"Incorporatin the White Sulphur
I Springs Company"-"A Authorizing the Indepcnd
ent Order OF Odd Fellows at Harper's Ferry, 10
! hold limited amour, of real estate, and for oher
pnrposesn-"To change the time Of holding the
I County Court OF Barbour (amended, on motion
OF MIR. GAY, BY ryder-the bill was opposed
BY Mr.. kIDWELL, and sustained BY Mr..
II STURM)-"To increase the salary of the third
Clerk in the first AUDITORS olfce"-"Appropria-
ling The public revenue"-(Mr BROADUS Of
Culpeper moved 10 fill the blank, for the appro-
pria,ion to the Williamsburg Lunalic Asylum
with S20, 5OO-Mr. BOWDEN moved 10 Gil with
S25, 00O-Mr. BROADDUS OF Caroline OPP.
posed, and Messrs BOWDEN and LACY sus-
tanned The $4,000, which was agreed to--5S TO
5i(--and "To expedite cases in the Court of Ap-
| peals and 10 prevent unreasonable elayin Chan
cery causes in The Circuit Courts"
The engrossed bill "Prescribing The duties Of
the Superintendent of Public Edifces, and for
I other purposes" being on its passage,
/ Mr.. BOWDEN opposed the BILL which pro-
poses the adjustment of The office OF Doorkeeper
OF the Council, which has existed since 1890
when il was established in the pure days of the
Republic. Who is TO supply the duties !? Is i
| the Superintendent OF Inc Public Guard Next
Winter we shall have call for the amount Of
\ the salary o! the Office now 10 be abolished, IN
compensate the Captain OF The Public Guard for
| these new duties. He will have 10 appoin, de-
putty If We go for reform, lei MS commence with
the high offices, and not commence this small
game.
Mr.. ANDERSON was opposed 10 granting
the power 10 The Captain of the Public Guard 10
appoint the door-keeper ofthe Council who ough,
themselves TO exercise the power. |, was not RICH;
or proper that such power should be given 10 one
who might appoint door-keeper who might be
offensive.
Mr. McRAE OF Henrco was for abolishing
the office and not for turning on, the incumbent
| (Mr. Danforh( the office was unnecessary-lhe
duties of the office Of the Superintendent Of Pub
lie Edihces, (whoi Captain otthe Public Guard
are OF an ambiguous and doubtful character. To
remove the ambiguity Of The law, and for the sake
OF economy he hoped the bill would pass.
4 Mr.. MCPHERSON OF Page protested against
taking from The Governor and Council the APP
pontmen, OF their own or-keeper, and transfer
| ing the duty 10 the Captain Of the Public Guard,
/. a Military officer. We had no complaints from
the Executive Council on this subject.
Mr. WATTS felt bound 10 re,rench this ex-
pense $3.50 salary which was entirely nnneces-
sary The Governor mad asked us 10 define bet
the duties of the Superintendent of The Public
Edifices Mr. w. said that partu bad nothing To
do with this question He should not be surprs-
ed. however, 10 see it made party question.
Mr.. MCPHERSON OF Page, said that party
was the last thing he had thought Of as the ma
iority on this floor was opposed 10 him in politics.
Mr.. Mop was for a separation of civil and mil
i,ary powers. After a while, we shall have our
Sereeants-at-Arms and Door. keepers appointed
by the Captain of the Public Guard
Mr.. LEAKE offered a ryder. that the office Of
the Clerk of the Council be abolished and the
monweaIth. Mr. L. said that as economy was
the order OF the day, and the gentleman from
Norfolk county had said that the Council sat on
ly II hours a week. he thought his ryder should
be adopted.
men, of the bill and RYDER. II Mr. Danforh he
turned on, and the office abolished, Mr.. B. was
satisfied that the office would be restored next
winter and some one else put in his place.
Mr.. WITCHER read The Stale Constitution
to show that it required the Council 10 appoint
Clerk. He was satisfied, that the gentleman
from Goochland could not support the bill, il il
was amended by this ryder, which was a viola
ton of,he Constitution. This office Of door-keep-
or was sinecure, and ought 10 he abolished
II had been established by the Council without
authority of law, and their encroachments on the
contingent fund should be stopped by the Legsla-
ture.
Mr.. Harvie called the ayes and noes on the
indefinite postponenent which was lost-Gl 10
g.
Mr. LEAKE said, tha,,he ryder which he had
offered was Just such ryder as ought, 10 De at
tached TO such bill. Mr.. L. then withdrew his
first ryder, and moved second ryder, providing,
that the salary of the Clerk of the Council be re-
duced to $500.
Mr.. BROADUS, of Culpeper opposed the ry-
der. The Council ought TO have Clerk, and
500 was not compensation enough. The ryder
was evidently intended TO defeat The BILL which
could be done by no other means.
Mr.. LEAKE thought ii strange that gentle
men should look into the motives Of others. II
was upon the information Of the gentleman from
Norfolk county, who had said that the Council
sat only one and half hours in the week, that
the compensation ought 10 be reduced.
Mr. MCPHERSON Of Page referred to the
high salaries Of officers of Railroad Companies.
Mr.. Mop. then moved an indefinite postpone
ment.
Mr.. GOODSON sustained the Indefinite post
ponemenL He was opposed to this small bust
ness.
importance OF the Office of door-keeper Is il
right to trust the secret papers of the Stale to any
man whom the Captain ofthe Public Guard may