Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-04-06
General Assembly of Virginia.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

MONDAY, April 5, 1852.
After the transaction of some formal business
(which will be noticed hereafter Mr. RoBl SsoN.
OF Richmond city, submitted the following pre-
amble and resolutions, which were, on his motion
laid on the table and ordered to be printed:
Contract wih SeLden, W7tters 6. Co.,
The Committee of Finance having reported tn
the House of Delegates that on the 11th AnriI
1871 the Board of Public Works contracted with
Selden. Wthers q Co., private bankers of the CITY
OF washington, that they might dispose of the
ponds OF the Commonwealth to the amount of one
million OF dollars at par, and also the further sum
OF three mloas of dollars at per cent. above par
ana might have as compensation for negotiating
the sale, such premiums the bonds could COM
mand above these terms; and the committee fi1r-
Their stating they do not perceive that any securi-
ty was exacted of Selden, Withers & Co. for the
faithful execution of their part of the contract in
accounting for the money which NAV be rece;ved
by them agents of the State,
Resolved, 1nasmuch as chapter 81 of the Code
provides that when money is received from the
lender elsewhere than at the public treasury, it
shall be so received only through one of the
Banks incorporated by this State, and ipasmucb ne
this provision is not repealed by the act of March
%, 1851, authorizing the issue of Coupon Bonds
but ON the contrary is preserved in full force. as
TO the certificates issued under said act bv that
able elsewhere than at the Treasury of this State
SUBJECT to such OF the provisions of the said 9th
chapter as relate to the borrowing of money in
Europe, 1t would not have been lawful for the
Board OF Public Works to allow Selden, Withers
~ Co. to act as agents of the State in receiving
money from the lenders, even if they had given
security to account for the said money, and the
course OF the Board Is still less to be justified if
there be no security.
2. The Committee af Einonco lo,;,,,.
mended that all sales hereafter to be effected NOT
embraced In this contract, shall be effected ofter
reasonable notice, and under circumstances of
fair and free competition among bidders and CAPT.
tasts:
Resolved, That this House approves the said
Recommendation.
3. Resolved, That the Committee of Finance
enquire whether it was justifable or properin the
Board of Public Works to deprive the State of
what the bonds embraced in said contract would
have Produced if sold with such notice and after
such competition; that they report as near as
they can how many thousands dollars the COM
pensation allowed to Selden, Withers & Co. will
amount to, and whether the same is not much
more than should have been allowed them. as n
reasonable compensation for the services they
were to perform.
a. The Commute of Finance having suggested
the propriety of enquring into the practicabty of
etfectng some modification of the contract in Ger
tain particulars, to make it more safe and consis-
| tent with the Interest of the commonwealth =
Resolved, That the said committee enquire
and report to this House what modification of
the said contract it is advisable to make, and
what course, under all the circumstances. the
General Assembly should take in regard to it.
ENROLMENT OF THE MILITIA
The bill providing for the enrolment of the
militia, abolition of musters &c., was taken up,
and alter being discussed at considerable length
and amended in several particulars, ordered to be
engrossed.
PROPOSED ADJOURNMENT.
message was received from the Senate in
forming the House that they had passed resolu-
luton III relation to an adjourned session of the
Legislature. The resolution was read as follows
Resolved, That joint Committee of 13, on
the part OF the House and on the part of the
Senate, be appointed to enquire into the expedien-
cy OF an adjourned session, and if expedent to re-
port the reasons therefor their respective bodies
The question was put OH the adoption of this
resolution, and it was rejected-ayes "a, nays
"a.
An engrossed bill concerning lands West of the
Allegheny Mountains vested in the Literary Fund
(under the act of Feb. 8, 1814) on which the
taxes for 1881, or prior thereto, were released,
and which have not been charged with taxes
since 1881, was read third time and passed.
On motion of Mr. Wallace,
Inc House then adjourned till IL O'Clock to-
morrow