Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-06-22
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.


F.uouER SPRINGS, June IL, lSa9.
The Senate was quite tu when II convened
al -, NJ. ~ -, III,
laid ON the table al The late regular session. LOT
Matchmaking Ger ain portions OF The FISHING
Creek and Ices Ferry Turnpike Road.
Mr.. AMBER objected 10 taking up The bIiL
Th, Senate should do no other business. Out
confine themselves entirely Ia The revision OF me
Civil Code.
Mr.. CARLILE felt himself under obligations
10 make the motion 10 lake up Inc Dill. ldVihs
been absent from The Senate when Inc bl'l came
nm for consideration, Il was lad on Inc taole,
with the UNDERSTANDING that il would be 'aRen up
al the Extra Session.
The motion was decided in The negative.
ON motion 81 Mr.. AMBER, the Senate
,ook up The first part OF tie Revised Code, Which
was carried.
The Senate proceeded 10 read, and passed on
chaplers |, 3 3 and 4, ION the jurisdiction oil me
Common wealth, citizenship and apporlonmth'
of representation. !,
Mr.. WlrCHER moved 10 lesole sections
and OF chaper 9Th, on "Places al when eiec-
lions are held amended by the House, "hlch
authorize County Courts 10 establish new pre-
cincts. ,,,,r
This motion was sustained 10y Messfs. VIII
CHER, AMBLER and ROGERS, opposed by
Messrs. CARLlLE and STRlNGER, ana re-
lecled-ayes 8 noes u | he law on 'h's SUI
iect, therefore, sill leaves il IL The General AS
sembly, on petition and notice, 10 establish sepd
rate elections. 49,.
The above chapters "a they came ifoin Jug
House, were passed on without change
On motion OF Mr., WITCHER, me 'eha's
will meet after tomorrow a, l0 O'CLOCK
On motion Of Mr.. CARLlLE, The Sebh'e al
IouIned. .npS
The House convened al hall past y, a VI
by the sound OF The bugie; and on moioh Vt
Mr.. HIETT, resolved itself mo committee 81
the Whole, TO consider The bill Of me Gode, pai'
81; Mr.. STROLLER IN The Char.
Chapter 53t, "ol county levles, was taken
up.
MIR. PERROW moved 10 amend 4h section,
50 as to require majority u The acting justices
10 conc mr. 10 the levy on lands and other proper
", instead Of one. fourth ., The acting JUSTICES
Mr.. I,AIDLEY sustained lhe motion. The
Code change. The old law, SO as 10 authorize "A
levy on lands and other property, as well a. on
slaves and persons, and ought 10 be moIihed
according 10 the suggestion OF the gentleman irom
Nj. PRICE thought all the expenses should
be- borne by persons and by properly. Hr
opposed The amendment, because y dId not go
far enough, aud, indeed made II more dlhcul' IA
levy on property. He desired 10 make II obligatory
on the court 10 levy on property as well as on
theabes.
OF the 4th section, as he was opposed 10 GIVING
So large discretionary power 10 the County
Courts.
Mr.. PERROW thought il tight in prncip''
thal a majority OF Tie JUSTICES should act lie
favored The suggestion Of Mr.. Price.
Mr.. PRICE could moi then see why MI.
Perrow should throw imprdimenls in llir way u
attaining The end The amendment requires :.
majority 10 coneur, and the section would really
become dead law.
ar. PERROW. A small minority might
burden lhr people with unjust leyies, and Ihe
county should be heard through majority Of
Inc justices.
MIR. LAIDLEY concurred fully in The views
Of M Price that property should be charged
with this levy; but he was opposed 10 placing ;"
immense and important power IN me hands 81
a minority. The county should be iuIly repre-
sentei in all lis paris. For Instance, nve lusti
ces--a majority Of those present -mishl cohI"'
some ID or Is justices II me amenduieh' wa
currencs Of At least one.thtd Of thc acting Jus
tees
Mr.. SMITH was opposed 10 giving this new
and extraordinary power 10 The County Courts.
ON Saturday we had voted 10 reduce their power,
and now these sections propose 10 give an unlim.
lied power TO the County Courts TO levy TAX,
MOI only Tor roads bal Tor education and every
other county purpose which one Jsurtt "l me
lusices NAV, IN their discretion, lhinR III. nc
could not consent 10 any such pfopostion. Inc
ponLlar sentiment was turning loWalas ueiea'
OF The powers Of the County CouTtby means oi
conveution-why lhrn should we be Tor ncfeas'
ing said power nQW}
Mr., SHEPFEY. The gentleman from Alex
andra has misapprehended The sections. The
4,h section is but an Enlargement oil the suolro's
of laxslion--noi any increase oil IT'S discie''oh
an! power. The 3d section linus The tax 70
"sums LAWFULLY chargsable, that is, Tor sums aud
purposes authorized oy The Legislature
MIR. SMITH. | read from the note OF thr
Rcyisors, 10 show thai this power was 10 be ex-
ercised for roads, education, "or anything else
erea, discriminating power IS given 10 The Colln-
~ Courts. an irresponsible tribunal, not elected
by, and entirely independent OF, The people.
Mr.. RIVES saw difficulty 10 this matter. IN
less The language was changed, slaves would be
taxed twice Tor county purposes. The meaning
was explained by Mr.. MONCURE 10 be differ
enl.l The number oi justices 10 levy on tilhea-
bles should be the same as the number required
10 levy on properly 'or county purposes. FIX
the number, The subjects, and the purposes, and
The MATER would be sellled He was opposed 10
less than majority OF the justices exercising The
power.
Mr.. PRICE enforced the justice and policy OF
making il the duiv Of the Court 10 levy on The
property as well as The persons. The man Of
property is doubIy protected, and derives double
benefit, and should pay in proportion for the erec-
lion Of bridges, roads, Sc. He was not ioi IN
creasing the power OF the County Courts, but Tor
requiring them 10 enlarge The subjects on which
10 levy He was opposed 10 throwing new odum
on the County Courts against which there was
already unjust prejudice.
Mr PERROW Withdrew his motion.
MIR HARVEY pressed his objections 10 The
section. l. would give The County Courts a
dangerous discretion.
Mr.. CONWAY. The powers y The County
Courts are clearly defined BY law-and The pre-
sent sections do no, en- arse the power Of The Coun
" Coure Or he objects Tor which the levy g 10
be made. The Reyisnr> themselves disclam any
idea Of enareiEe thp po9er They conlae The
objects u those with which lhe county is lawful
iy cha'esible," thai Is, expressly authorized by
law. He thought the sections best As they Stood.
Mr. {. read and explained them.
Mr.. BuRWELL read an amendment, which
he should move in case the section be not strick-
Ell out. Il is that ''no lax imposed by any Coun
" Court upon any subject than male persons
above he age OF sixteen years aud all female
slaves above the age OF sixteen years, shall be
obligatory, unless confirmed by Acl OF Assembly,
or BY The vote Of majority OF the legal voters Of
such county, as hereinafter provided
These sections, he admitted, do not increase
the power ot the County Courts-b but they en-.
large lhc subjects on which they may levy-au-
Ihorizing Coun,y Court which is responsible 10
no Iribuna 10 impose taxes on real eslate-a &c
neral authority, which they never possessed be.
la'e save on the application OF he people MIR.
b. read section TO show hat the Code enlarged
the power Of the County Court as 10 Comms.
sloners Of Roads. The only compensation Of The
justices is the prospective sherliia y and have
they nola temptation 10 increase the svies which