Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-06-28

ihem
selves 10 compilation OF The laws, the reform of in
cungruous and obsolete legislation and 10 presenting
the State with code Of all the laws which are now obI-
gaiory the Reris1rs and the Committee have recon
men'ed many radical alterations They have fixed prin
cPles, and prep4red.delails conforming them. Th:
occs rsa discussion upon the poprety Of any pro
posed change. followed, IN some instances by entire
alteration OF The subsequent provisions Amongst the al
:eallus OF this character, which have lately ea under
consideration we nav referdo the appointment Of Over
seers Of the Poor The Revisors ported the law for
mery stood. providing for the election Of Oyerseers Of The
Poor by the people. The Committee Of revision recon
nended The election g. discontinued and the appointment
made by the County Court. This rendered discussion
necessary. in which il shown that the right OF the
people to elect Ulcers, no, TO s1@e extent, regu aet
local taxa ion, should be repealed, was ii exPe
dent to grant to the county court the powell OF lmPOst
upln it the responsibility, arising from such change
pm the other hand, was u-Ied that the county court
in great many counties, practically made the appoint
mems by The failure Of the people exercise the rght u
Election The debate resulted in restoration Of the
former law and The overseers Of The Poor still to be
lfc ed ~ the people The law Of county I ads was
m reover subjected material alterations, intended ia
operate more efficiently. The Revs1rs ays very much
tn. law Of 1891 IS, providing FIR the aPPtnnest Of
Commissioners for laying tax for the repairs ana CON
stuctOn Of roads, which tax may be paid IN laDour OF
money This act prescribes that the County Court may
direct Commissioners 10 receive proposals for making
.
tile public roads, under the Limitation that appropna-
ton under any one contract shall be for than two
hundred dollars usle5s majority Of The acting Justices
If the county shall authorize a larger approprlaton.-
Under this power it Is obvious, that the system OF con-
srucon and repair Of county roads may be materially
changed III connection with the subject, the rule
compensation for the damages Uccasoned by the con-
strncon Of roads, has been somewhat changed to ac-
cord with the decisions of the Court of Appeals The
rule Of DAMAGES now prescribed, is that compensation
shall be made'for the valve ofand actually Condemned;
but if damages be claimed in consequence Of incidental
injury these consequential damages may be offseed by
peculiar advantages, result Ing TO the proprietor 1h,
land be Condemned, compensation is made, but, flt
he alleged that the construction of the proposed work
will occasion other injury, 1t may be replied, that e
construction Of the improvement drains the lands, divides
the fields results otherwise 10 the peculiar advantage
of the proprietor.
The subl-ct Of popular education involves also very
material changes The present system Of primary schools
IS preserved but the Committee have provided, that,
whenever the people Of any county shall desire the eS-
adjustment If a system Of district free. schools, they
s'ia adopt the system, which has been compounded
BY the COMMITTEES of the various free school plans IN
operation throughout the State. They criticised the in
cIgrujus character Of the legislation upon that subject,
without rejecting that uniform system can answer IN
State with .'incongruous interests. This provision
has been modified allow the people TO adopt any
system they may choose leaving the education law very
much as heretofore.
These alterations in the law have rendered another 10
some extent necessary The Revisors have gvea TO
The County Court the power uf taxing all revenue sub
ecS that IN future for county purposes taxes may be
imposed. not merely upon all male persons over sixteen
years Of age, and upon all female slaves sixteen, but
upon andS stocks, and all other subjects OF State taxa
ton After much dscussion the law has been 50 alter
ed as to make lis operation equal, and ii Will be more
Just, if the counties should adopt any system Of public
roads Of free schools, that the charges should be I'M
posed equally upon persons and property. But the
change Of great importance. Ii Increases the pow
ers and the responsibilities Of the County Court, and
must necessarily have been subjected tomuch discussion
Amendments have course required much deliberations
in many instances more than It possible 10 bestow
upon them this time. There have been, moreover,
Important changes recommended on the subject OF works
Of Internal Improvement. The bill, as it from the
Revsor provided for the appointment Of Commissioners
by the Board Of Public Works, upon the application Of
any company. These Commissioners required TO
assess the damages along the whole line Of such improve
ment. The House manifested an unwIngness to vest
the power in the Board Of Public Works and te5amend
ment was, after much discussion, rejected, leasing the
law as it is at present.
The subject Of the Board of Public Works has been
laid over and the Legislature will discuss the policy Of
an entire change In the organization Of that body.
The House was, yesterday and to-day, engaged in
sdering the Inspection laws upon this sutject an i'm
porant discussion has arisen The whole principle and
policy of Inspections have been considered, and it
to be the growing opinion of the House that the nspec
tons of very little value, far they require
Inspection of produce intended for consumption in the
State. The proposition made by the Committee of Re
VISION was to make Inspections voluntary but, after much
considerations it determined to make the inspection
only compulsory upon Tobacco ard Flour. The BILL as
has been reported the House, form The committee of
he WHOLE is, however unequal in lis operations, that
Is hoped in the House. with the advantage of the ayes
and noes that the important article Of flour may be
leved from any compulsory tax, and that any shipper
may send his flour direct 10 market, in another State
without any ohes inspection than that required by the
market TO which it shall be sent The bill provides that
flour shall be inspected wheresoever il may be with
convenience Now it happens that upon all the flour
made in Virginia upon the of the. Ohio, there
will be inspection, because there is place Of in
srecton convenient. 50 upon the Roanoke, from Dan
ton. Therefore, the flour manufactured in this
slve section of the country may be sent to market with
out any preliminary inspection. The valley also may
send lis flour to Baltimore without any inspection, leaving
the James River aud its tributaries as almost the only
section Of Virginia which is subjected to the inspection
laws. This obviously unjust to be the law Of the
State; il oeither effects any policy, is just i'll its
operation.
This letter. thus prolonged perhaps, will show the
character of he'egsatiOn requlred The most import
interests Of the people under consderation and it
incumbent upon the members t. protect the interests Of
their constituents.
COMMON COUNCIL.
At regular meeting of the Common Council Of