The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-03-20


1 49,, n WAS late. and having gotten wide awake
and ia apirits being up 10 fourth proof, u Wouu
aniv ro 40 far A. 10 recede nth amendment, e.,
| thew agreed TO strike out the back pay extra 10,
| their cierk--pay for the session Of 1855 o4-sha
insisted on the extra pay for the present session.
| This put the House-which was now reduced 70
q mere skeeton--in q still more embarrassing po'
| sition. Il would gladly have acquesceoi ou. 10
body now run down below a quorum Even the
motion to disagree involved TINS consututionai
vote because the failure TO disagree was to agree
| As therefore no vote could be given upon the
Senate's disagreement win An sne ili. Iha'
did not require 1t, the few bold spirits Keeping
watch and ward over the almost dismembered
| House At that s'dreary hour onights black arch,
the kew stone marched right up to the question,
and ON a motion to agree the roll was called; but
instead of a vote of serentyseren, the responses
only showed foytynine for and tscetpc against Not
q quorum present.
Here was dilemma indeed. The los. of the oprro-
Ta,ion biz stared the few but faithful in the face
What was to be donef First then Ii was deter.
mined that the vote should not be announced vet
| awhile. Every sort Of inquiry made of the
chair, and the chair obligngly answered The
bell nds ordered TO be rung. 1t did ring and walked
mp many snoring Citizen" but il could no: call
the aosentees-who were broken down by nocturn-
al and almost eternal sessions-to their duty But
the Honse in its desparati On became mirthfu, and
cheered its own spirit by gaiety and good humor;
ior as there is but one step from the sublime to the
u
misery and mirth. Motions Of all sorts were made;
but of course not entertained; for the speaker,
though patient and pleasant was disposed to pre-
serve as far as he could at least the semblance OF
order
Tomorrow-the last day-there could be no quo
rum every one believed and unless the diff
Guilty be settled tonight the appropriation bill
would probably fail A call of the House was
moved and abandoned, as hopeless. twas moved
| that the Sergeantat-Arms be sent TO tho boarding
houses, to wake up members and bring them to
| the House-and again it was moved that that off.
Ger should visit the depots III the morning, arrest
members and bring them back to the Legislature
These too were given up AS ono step out of
the difficulty, the motion for the ayes and
noes was recensdered-the motion to agree with
the Senate was reeonsdered. So these matters
were gotten out of the Journal Members went
In person and besought Senators to withdraw the
bill; but they were impracticable and intractable
The House was again amused as best it could with
motions, and finally Mr. CRABrREE humorouslv
suggested that MIR. "HIETT's resurrection gun
might wake up the absentees and quicken them to
sense Of their public responsibilities
1t last, Mr.. STAEARD suggested as the only re.
Sort Committee of Conference" This device
was hailed as deverance and Immediately
adopted. The Senate concurrsd. and committee
was appointed. This committee, In q report very
promptly brought ill., frankly stated the straight TO
which the General Assembly had been reduced
and recommended as the only step at all practica-
ble that the Senate should recede from its amend
luent-Luus sltIhiuB OUT cLT0S 70 OuCeTS-wltl
a recommendation of the claims of those patient
and enduring gentlemen upon whom such heavy
burthens have been imposed, to the mercy of the
nert legislature The report of the committee was
concurred in by both Houses, and after l o'clock
they adjourned.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, March 10
The House assemble at 10 o'clock but no bust
ness was done, except the passage of a bill estab.
fishing the Bank of Mercer at the earnest instance
of MIR. FRENCH the very worthy delegate of the
county, and a. a personal favor to him The Sen
ate in the course of the morning returned the bill
amended and it had of course to be coffined and
consigned to the grave, along with an immense
progeny, nursed with paternal fondness for more
than a hundred days.
The Speaker vacated the chair nearly the whole
time, until the final adjournment.
MIR. TohLIN, in the absence of the Speaker, oc-
cupied the Chair and carried on the messages with
regard to enrolled bills and the closing business
On motion of Mr. BoEDURAET
Resolved, unanimously, That the thanks of the
House arc due to the Speaker for the prompt dig
nifed and mpartial manner in which he has pre-.
sided over its deliberations.
Mr.. B. briefly bore testimony to the ability
| faithfulness and impartalty with which Mr Spea-
ker CRUTCHFIELD had presided over the delibera-
tons of the House.
On motion of Mr. EARLY
Resolved, That the thanks of this House be pre-.
scented to the Clerk ST. GEO. TUCKER ESD for
the ability and courtesy with which, under every
he has discharged the duties of his office
Mr.. Speaker CRUTCHFIELD having resumed the
Chair, messages of readiness to adjourn were in
terchanged by the Houses.
Mr.. BoNDURANT moved that the House adjourn
zine die, which motion prevailing, the Speaker ad-
dressed the House as follows:
GENTLEMEN-Before announce your decision
which is TO separate after session of more than
one hundred days, and unless by the interpositiou
of an exigency of an imperous nature, to separate
US forever-I would not do justice to myself nor
to you, gentlemen, if l did not express to YOU nv
deep and grateful sense of the honor You have CON
ferred upon me.
When you elected me az your presiding officer
at the beginning of the session. promised to dis.
charge the duties of the responsible station faith.
fully, and to preserve the order and dignity of
the House az effectually as my abilities would
allow. The resolution which am informed Won
have adopted gives evidence that have not for
teited my promise; while evidences given else
where exhibit on your part personal kindness and
regard which can never forget, but will ever
remember with pride and satisfaction, In dis
charging tho dfhcult and often embarrassing du-
ties OF the chair, could not have merited your
appreciation but with your aid and indulgence
For this kind cooperation, gentlemen, | am deeply
indebted 10 you; and permit me to say without
meaning to dlsparage any body of men, that it has
afforded me more pleasure and given me more
honor to preside this body of legislators than
over any that has gone before it. Never have l
known one so remarkable for high, mindedness,
manly department of the highest order; and
claim to be some Judge of these qualities in men
In saying this. gentlemen. l separate myself from
the body, and simply accord to you the credit for
characteristics which is eminently due TO you.
In concluding the labors of the session, gentle
men, though you have not done all that was to be
done, you have done much. The fault is not at
your doors that all the business has not been CON-
pleted Surely, after such session of devoted
and unfiaggng attention to the subjects of your
deliberations, it must be conceded on all hands
that the fault does not lie with you. The fault is
the fault of the organic law of the land, and will
and must continue as long that remains I'M
changed. To see its bad effects, we have but to
observe and witness the proceedings of tie Gene
raj Assembly for a few days past, especially yes
terday and to-day,-to see the large amount of
business left undone--and the hasty and imperfect
manner in which much has been done To-day in
the examination of the bills that are passed, prepa
ratory to their being signed, serious omissions and
mistakes have been discovered They were of a
grave character, but they have all been corrected
They are the fault of no one but grow out Of the
hurry an confusion which result from the organic
law OF the land, which is imposing the most iniu.
rious restrictions upon the legislative department
with the most serious consequences to the State
1t is said gentlemen, that one of the saddest re.
Hecuons, one of the greatest objections 10 Assem-.