Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-03-06
LEGISLATURES OF VIRGINIA
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 1886.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

nassed bill entitled ian Act TO prevent The spread
II small.pox and other contagious diseases III inc
town of Lynchburs," with amendments. :,
The amendments were concu'ieu ~ y "e
House. o,,nr1,Yr ~ s.;,v -
On motion of Mr.. SOO 11fAIA' 'ne oa'is -
cess was dispensed with.
bill changing The times of holding certain
.,nris in The fourth Judicial Circuit, was, on mo-
non OF Air. BOWDEN, ordered 10 be laid on The
table.
mode OF proceeding in cases OF colored persons
charged with or convicted OF crime as Tree persons,
when they are claimed as slaves, which, on his
motion was read the flrsl and second time, and
ordered 10 be engrossei.
BILLS PASSED.
A bill concerning The Lunatic Asylums OF this
Commonwealth;
bill 10 provide for the construction OF
bridge across The Valley River on The Slaunton
and Parkersburg road;
bill authorizing The establishment OF
Branch Bank al Mdrlinsburg, in the county OF
Berkeley;
A bill providing for the collection OF delin-
qucnl militia fine tickets;
\ bill 10 amend an act entitled ian act TO Pre-
ven. fraud in branding Of tobacco;"
A bill conee ming debtors 10 the Literary
Fund;
A bill 10 reduce The capital stock OF the Bank
Of Virginia, and Tor other purposes;
bill for the transfer and exchange OF certain
obligations between the Commonwealth and the
Board Of Public Works.
A bill concerning The Western Lunaic Asy-
lum at Siannton;
A bill to amend an act, entitled IAN act con-
corning the oversecrS OF The poor.
A bill concerning fines due the Literary Fund;
A bill amending the act entitled can act TO
prevent The citizens OF New York from carrying
slaves from this Commonwealth. and 10 prevent
The escape of persons charged with the commits
sion OF any offence" passed March 18th, 1871,
and all acts amendatory thereof, was, on motion
OF Mr.. GOODWIN, ordered 10 be LAID upon the
table.
On motion OF MIR BOWDEN, the bill was
again taken up and considered
MIR. BOWDEN said, that The people whom he
represen.ed were unanimously in favor OF The
repeal of the law. The law was originally de-
signed for the benefit OF the Shareholders yet the
repeal was now called for by the Shareholders
themselves The delay and the expense OF The
enforcement Of the inspection laws were eventu-
ally paid by the people OF Virginia An IN
mense loss was also incurred to the commerce
which was driven from The waters of Virginia
in consequence ofthe great repugnance OF North
ern merchants TO submit 10 the odium OF the search
REQUIRED bv the inspection laws. Ii this law be
so beneficial in its operation why has it not been
applied 10 the citizens OF all the Northern States,
as well as 10 those OF New York; The expert
ence of Inc country shows, tina, The slaves have
not been better protected since the passage OF this
law. After the inspection laws had been com
piled with there was no means by which the
vessels from New York could be forced TO leave
inc waters OF the State, before they received on
hoard The slaves they might design carrying on.
This law was passed at period OF high excite
men,, and 1t had been proved by experience TO Be
entirely inc ieclua. Its continuance upon the
statute book could not add TO the dignity OF me
State.
Mr.. JONES was NOT informed as TO the wish
?, OF his constituents on the subject. No CON-
plant having been made as 10 the injurious ope-
ration OF the law, he was forced 10 adopt The pre-
sumption tina, the people he represented were OPP
posed to- the repeal.
Mr.. LACY referred 10 the history Of The law.
There were two objects in view when the law
was originally passed, the prevention OF the reno
val Of slaves and the repeal OF the Jury law 81
New York. The jury law had been virtually re.
peaed nv the decision OF the Supreme Court OF
the United States, and the surrender OF fueilives
from Justice had been since made by Virginia
and New York There was no principle involv.
ed requiring the adoption of The law atthis time,
and il had been shown that it was highly inexpe-
dent and injurious in lis effect upon the people OF
Virginia
Mir HARVIE commended, that the honor OF The
State required the preservation OF the law upon
The Statute Book, until the original objects OF lis
enactment had been attained. The principal OF
lect OF The enactment Of The law, had been the re-
peal Of The jury law OF New York, which had
never been repealed, although pronounced TO be
unconstitutional by the Federal Court There
we're great principles involved in the preservation
OF this law, which should never be surrendered
MIR. LYONS stated that the operation OF the
law was most injurious 10 the people Of Virginia
and especially to the citizens OF Richmond. The
Inspection lees were not imposiliops upon The peo-
pie of New York. but in reality they were paid by
the people OF Virginia. He was member OF
the Senate when the law was adopted, and he
had then united in written protest against It, on
the ground of its being unconstitutional he old
moi design entering upon the discussion OF The
question, yet he would say, that his views were
unchanged as 10 the unconstitntlonality and mex
pediencv ofthe law.
MIR McRAE considered the law oppressive
and burdensome TO his constituents The dele
gate from King William was absent from The
House, and he had been informed by gentle
man from that comfy that the repeal OF the law
was generally desired. He believed that the i'm
preston throughout the Eastern counties was in
favor ofthe repeal OF the law.
Mr.. GOODWIN said that he represented con-
.tituepcy as deeply interested in this law as any
against the repeal Of the law. II had efeetualy
protected the slave property from depreciation
The repeal of this law would be hailed by the
aboli,ioniss of The North as license to them 10
carry away the slaves from Virginia. The
adoption of the law was the result of full dis
cussion of the merits Of this measure, IN winch
The distinguished representative in Congress from
the Accomac district, and the gentleman from
Fauouier took part as the representatives OF the
IN thpT DaSSaP6
the law was triumph Of principle.
Mr.. BOWDEN. The gentleman from Isle OF
Wight has RECALLED us with speech nlied with
sound and fury, signifying nothing. The gen
ileman has been so overwhelmed by the array
OF facts and arguments on this subject maj ne
has been compelled to resort to the cry OF aooi-
,ionism and an appeal TO party preludices. The
mos, strenuous opponents uf the repeal OF the
law and those who made the most noise on the
subjec, Of The interference of the aboitionist with
the slaves in Virginia were those who'were inter-
es,ed in the receipt of the inspection fees. Re
move The fees and there would be no further cla-
NOR on The subject.
MIR. B. spoke at considerable length in support
OF the repeal Of the law.
Mr. HARVIE moved that the bill be laid upon
the table.
The motion was lost-ayes 80, noes AZ.
The bill was then ordered 10 be enRrossed.
bill authorizing Justices OF the Peace, for the
county of Ohio, TO act as Mayor, Aldermen, or
Councilmen, Of The City of Wheeling, in said
county, was read second time; and, on motion OF
Mr.. PARRIOTT, ordered TO be laid upon The
table;
A bill 10 authorize survey for a road from
lhe Town Of Jackson on the James river, 10
point on the McAdamized road, East of Wythe-
VILE was, on motion Of MIR. VERIFY, ordered 10
be laid upon the table;
"A bill 10 INCORPORATE the StauntOn and PattODs-
burg Turnpike Company, was, on motion Of MIR.
BALDWIN, ordered To be laid upon the table.
On motion OF MIR. BROADUS
Resolrsd, 6u The General Assembly, That here
after, during the actual sessions OF either House,
The flag of the State of Virginia shall be kept
suspended over the Capitol.
On motion of Mr.. McRAE,
The House adjourned