Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-02-03
LEGISLATURE OF VIRGINIA.
SATURDAY, JAN. 81, 1876.
HOUSE OF

nale. informing the House that The Senate had
passed the bills entitled AN act authorizing Inc
county OF Norfolk 10 borrow money lor certain
nurposes." and "An act establishing Registers
Warehouse in In town of Clarksyille IN Inc
county of Mecklcnburs," with amendments.
The Honse concurred in The amendments
On moliun oil Mr.. SOUTHALL, +,
R.soirea, That Inc Committee on Schools ana
Colleges enquire into The expediency OF empower
inc by law The President and Directors 81 he Ii
lerary Fend TO compromise with debtors 10 said
fund, when, in the opinion OF the Board, The pup
lie Interests shall seem 10 require II.
BILLS PREsFNrED.
To prevent lie spread OF smallpox and other
contagious diseases in the town OF Lynchbuf2.
Providing for the collection Of delinqucn, mill
liza fine tickets.
The following petitions, &c, were presented
and referred
By Mr.. TOLER, OF the Common Council Of
Lynchburg, asking Tor the passage of an act ex-
tending The corporate limits OF said town.
By Mir. BALDWIN, a communication from
{ II Lewis. demonstrating against The petition
ri The citizens of the counties OF Clarke and Jel
lersnn for the construction OF a railroad from Lit
lie Falls on the Shenandoah Rivcrto lnlcrsecI lie
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
A bill 10 provide for the revision oil Inc criini-
nal code was taken up and read a second M
Mr.. BOCOcK moved that u 500 b; allowed
10 Chapman Johnson, Esq, the revisor OF the cri-
minal code. as Il compensation !oT his services.
Mr.. JOHN IL GUSTS moved 10 substitute
81, GOO in lieu oil Sl,50O.
Mr.. MCPHERSON proposed 10 compromise
bv selecting l,250 dollars as the anne M.
MIR. HARVlE preferred The seieclion oil NE
largest sum. The amour, originally proposed
was but moderate, and lie hoped he House would
-, =. IL. ,racnnf onpaciDn with fairness anu IL
beIaliiy.
Nj. BROWN Of II. said he had xamined IN
TO this subject, and thought that $50 would be a
nrorer compensation. In 1884, a resolution had
passed appointing MIR. Johnson and seyeral Other,
as The ~revisors, with an appropriation oil 2,ooo
dollars for The purpose. In 1886, the other gen
tlemen were dispensed with and Mr.. Johnson
alone appointed with an assistant clerk. was II
RIGHT 10 allow him full compensation, when only
three toul,hs OF the work had been completed!
His successor would have TO undergo equal labor
with himself, many avs having recently been
enacted. and The supervision OF the publication
being attended with much trouble and response
billy.
MIR. SCOTT said, that lie regretted the diff
Guilty which had been raised on this subject. The
sum originally appropriated was 2,O0O Go'Iafs'
ANY one acquainted with The nature OF The Work
would be satisfied OF the inadequacy OF inc com
pensation. No one who was competent 10 me
task could have been induced 10 accept II Tor lhe
pecuniary consideration alone. MT. Johnson uu
rot REGARD This amount as sufficient, bui was m
duced 10 ACCEPT the appointment by a commendG-
bic desire IN discharge a duty 10 the Common
Ucaltb. He was prevented by i'll health from
completins his undertaking, and had suggested TO
The Legislature The appointment OF a successor
This the Legislature declined, in consideration OF
lis high appreciation OF his eminent qualihca-
lions. His continued i'll health, unfortunately
for himself and Tor the Commonw wealth, al lengih
compelled him 10 abandon LIE work. me coin-
mittee have examined The drafts OF The laws iur-
ni,hcd BY MIR. Johnson, and have formed an c:-
innate of the progress OF The work. Mr.. John
son, while he claims nothing from the Legisla.
,ure. has with his characteristic l~iberality placed
the result of his labors al its disposal. The re-
yised criminal code of MIR. J. was arranged in 81
enactmenls. The necessary materials were col
Icctcd and arranged, and only nine enactincnis
were still unfinished. All OF The most important
subjects we're completed in a II manner highly cfed-
liable 10 he industry and talents oil the revisor
He has completed more than three fourlhs OF The
work. and The en'ire amount originally desigrcc
would be less than a fair compensation. The
subject has been carefully considered BY the Gem
miliee, and without a dissenting voice they have
proposed 500 dollars as the proper amount. IL
is proposed as an act OF justice merely; no de-
mand having been made for payment. Other
gentlemen have suggested different sums. He
did not question their right; yet il was impossible,
from the nature oftheir pursuits, that they could
form a correct Judgment OF the amount OF labor.
MIR. L.EAKE hoped that the House would
adopt the largest amount. The Committee have
reported that threc-fourths OF the work was COM
rleled, and il was well known that his misfortune
and no, his fault prevented its final accom- plish-
men,. He had no doubt that The House would
allow his successor the same Compensation
|, would not be right 10 make any invidious dis
t~inctions.
Mr.. JOHN II. GUSTS said that it was orr
einally intended BY The Legislature 10 appropriate
2C00 dollars for this purpose, and this amount
must have been considered a fair CONFER saiion.
II was thought that The labor of the successor
would be equal 10 thatof MIR. Johnson, and il was
not right to pay the laller more than one-hali OF
the original sum. Mr.. Johnson had no right 10
claim any Thing. His misfortune was not the
fault ofthe Stale. He (Mr. c. felt il his duty 10
he Just before he was generous, and regarded The
Interests Of his constituents as ol paramount I'M
pouance. He would have the satisfaction OF ha-
wing discharged his duty, whatever might be The
| decision Of the House. He called for The ayes
and NOES.
Mr.. SCOTT, without insiitnting any comparl-
son b tween himself and the gentleman, wnni!
saw That those who had devo'ed their attention to
LEGAL pursuits were better prepared 10 judge Of
the value Of snch a work. Should the Legisla-
,ure acrep, the unfinished work Of Mr.. johnson,
he would be entitled, both in justice and in law, 10
a reasonable compensation.
Mr.. BROWN OF Hanover expressed his entire
satisfaction, since he had heard the remarks of
MIR. Scott.
Mr.. MCPHERSON Withdrew his amendment,
and hoped the slenographers would observe that
lie had changed his mind.
The ayes and noes having been called, Inc
House decided in favcr If filling The blank in
The bill with The sum of 81 500, BY The following
vote:
Ams-Mcssrs. Goodc, (speaker,) sou'hali,
Brown Of A., L.ayne, Harvie, Baldwin, MassIe,
Burwell, Boak, Campbell, Thompson of Bot,
Miller, TuInbull. Boeock,' Flood, Toler, Fox,
Dickinson OF Caroline, Lacy, Darlington, Win
free, Broadus, Hobson, Garnett, Moss, Scott,
| Hall of Fauquier, Deskins, S%iillman, Street,
| Saunders, Jr, Wall, Gather, Psndleton, Jones,
Leakc, Parks, Callison, Edmunds, Stovall,
Hie,t, Thompson OF Hampshire, Brown OF
Hanover. Flowers, M'Rae, Wootton, Towner,
Patrick, Wallace, Gaines, Gresham, MIntyre,
Taylor, Ellzey, Parriot, Bagley, Shepard, Alsxan-
der, Wade. Jr., s,fIamilton, Kiby, Newton, Watts,
Happier, Yerby, Middleton, Oliver, Mcpherson,
Syme, Tunstall, Lanier, Fairfax, Dey, Daniel,
Strother, Lyons, Gold, Harper, hlrtiey, Ilrhi,
son, Holiday, Chinn, billiard, Freeman, Hall
Of Taylor, Laird, Funston, Rice and Letiwich-
50.
Nccs-Messrs. John H. Gusts, Powell, Dick
iuson of B., Camden, Adkins, Thompson Of
Dinwiddie, McCluDs, Walker, Duff, Goare,
Banks, CLAYTON, Adams, Michael. Davis, Ia
lum, Hiner, Arbosast, Cooke, McDearmon,
Brawncr, Long, Prilchard, Mariz, Cowan, Flu
gate, Stick,ev, Ta,e, West, and Neal-3I.
Mr.. BOCOCK nominated Robert G.. Scott,
ESQ, as the successorl TO Mr.. Johnson.
MIR. SCOTT was elected without opposition.
Mr.. LYONS suggested The proprie,y Of re-
curing the work 10 be submitted 10 The Judiciary
before lis publication.
MIR. BOCOCK said that the compilation
would be printed, and then submitted 10 he next
Legislature for lis approval, before it would be-
Come lbe law of the land.
Mr.. BOCOCK proposed 81 600 as the compen-
salon of Mr.. Scott. This sum had been sus-
gesied BY the Committee, YET he would not object
80 ~ . l@rcar -,