Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-05-08

and he owed that the committee rise but would wth:
draw the motion it any other gen teman wished 10 say
an ything.
Mr.. ANDERSON made an efo,t 10 get the floor, bn.
the motion 10 rise was put and carried, and the Con-
yention adjourned.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
The following are the propositions which Mr.. Lyons
and Mr.. Wise have given notice OF their intention to
submit as amendments to the report the committee on
the Legislative Department.
Mr.. Lyons Proposition.
J. The Legislature shall construct, as soon as prac
tcabe, having regard to the and finances of
the State, a RAILROAD from James River, to the
Ohio River passing practicable to the White
Sulphur Springs, having regard distance and expense
And it shall render such aid may be necessary to
complete the Tennessee and Lyncbburg Railroad from
Lynchbnrg TO the Virginia and Tennessee line.
2. When any county several counties desire to
construct within their limits any work of internal i'm
proyemens, and majority Of the qualified voters shall
so declare at the polls euch work may be undertaken
and constructed by such county counties at their
own expense; and the Legislature shall upon petition of
the majority OF the qualified aforesaid pass such
laws as may be necessary 10 raise by upon
the taxable property of such county Counties the
money necessary to construct such work OF internal
Improvement, and to apply and appropriate, and also
afford such legal facilities may be necessary to ena-
Bile the said county counties contract for tine con-
strncton OF said work, and to construct the same.
g. The Legislature shall never hereafter subscribe to
the two Railroads herenbefore mentioned, more than
two ilhs OF the capital necessary for the construction
OF such work OF internal improvement.
Mr. IVise's Proposition.
/. A II works of internal improvement authorized by
law to be constructed in whole in part on State ac-
count or by State subscription, shall be classified into
four classes.
@ OF the works already commenced, the following,
to wit
Here insert Mem)
hall hoI baz Al
shall cause the same to be completed as fol-
lows, to wit.
(Hcre insert ,phere each shall terminate East and
JVest.)
And until the same shall be completed and finished no
new works Of any class whatever, either wholly or in
part on State account shall be commenced or appro-
prated tor by the Legislature, except the following to
wit:
(Hcre insert them3
And after all these works shall be completed and finish
ed, no appropriation shall be made entirely from the
State treasury to any works pit such sha be
ported to belong 10 the first Glass; by competent civil
engineer, in conformity to law.
3. OF the works already commenced the following,
to wit
Here insert them.)
shall be deemed belonging to the second Glass; and
the Leg islature shall cause the to be completed
and finished as follows, TO wit
(Here insert auhere each shall terminate East and
IVestj
And after these works completed and finished, no
appropriation shall be made 10 works OF the second class
unless individuals shall subscribe and actually pay in
money p0ffths of their cost of construction. And
no appropriation shall be made TO works of the third
class unless individuals shall subscribe and actually pay
money treethS OF their cost OF construction. And
appopr lat ion shall be made to works OF the fourth
class unless individuals shall subscribe and actually pay
in money t0urftthS OF their cost OF construction. And
no appropriation shall be made to any works of
internal improvement, until the works in the same class,
previously appropriated tor shall have been completed
and finished or abandoned. And no appropriation shall
be madeo any new works whatever, of either class in
a
ed and reported to the Legislature by competent civil
engineers in conformity to law.
CALIFORNIA MoRALIrY.--We find in the New York
Express, of the 9Th inst, letter from their correspon
dent in California dated st Of March, San Jose the
seat Of government, giving most lamentabe account
of the debauehed condition OF both morals and politics
in that State:
The scenes of the past two weeks in the Convention
have been infamous. Drunkenness has been The order
OF the day. and murder has not been avoided for want
OF arms, tor more than onefaf the members go armed.
have heard the President Of the Senate, D. C. Broder
lex, tell Senator in his seat that he liar,
to which the Senator reored that the truth not in
the heart OF this Nose" OF the Senate Another Sen
ator, gallant Texan General, who married a widow
with a"p um, at. the City Hotel, year two SINCE
has bought his liquor by the cask, and keeps it in his
room tree to ALL Nay more, he has in open Senate in
vited that body to adjourn to his and drink obl
won to ill feelings caused by the excitement of the SEN
atoria election, and another Senator has risen in his
place, and with drunken tear in his eye and maualin
voice, accepted his Offer Another Senator, a WhigI
ashamed TO say has not beathed sober breath in
months,
DYING Important Dscision!-
We find the following article in the Washington
(Ga.) Gazette The decision mentioned is ofthe
highest importance:
! An important decision was made by Judge Baxter,
at Warren Superior Court, which, fsustained will
| override long established principle of Common
Law, and which has never heretofore, to our know
ledge, been disturbed.
Lovitt, charged with the murder of Bell in the
month of February last, was arraigned for trial,
and the States counsel offered to introduce, as
evidence, the declaration of the deceased made in
his last illness and charging the offence to the
prisoner. The counsel for the prisoner objected
to the reception of suchdecarations as legal evil
support of the exception, the sixth Article of A
mendments to the Constitution ofthe. United States,
which, twas commended, amounted to an entire
abolition of tn eCommon Law upon the point in
question. The Article reads as follows:
Sin all criminal prosecutions the accused shall
enjoy the right to speedy and public trial. by an
impartial jury of the State and district wherein the
crime shall have been committed, which district
shall have been previously ascerained by law, and
to be informed of the nature and cause of the ac-
cusation; to be confronted with the witnesses
against him, &c.
The point was apply argued by Messrs. Toombs,
Cone and Polite for the prisoner, and Messrs.
Weems, SOL Carrell and Dawson for the State
The exception was sustained, and n0lLe proSequi
entered on the BILL the other testimony being,
in the opinion of States counsel, insufficient to
convict.
STEAMERS TO ARRIvE.-A fleet of steamers
may be expected at New York within the next ten
days. There are four on their way from Chagres
the Crescent City, North America the Georgia,
and the Brother jonathan. The Crescent City is
first due, and may be expected every moment. The
Georgia will bring later dates from Havana and
the Island of Cuba. The Merlin, from St. Thorn
as and Bermuda, is also due. The Union from
New Orleans and the Hermann from Southamp-
ton NAV ne exnected this week The rctic Was