Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-01-11

Y
4 IrGn To the EiraiIln nmi I"n"Sse" H"i li""' lie
cnr!Iuitrr asked |" b" dls.hn'Es'' bonn i' f'''"'
consideration OF rrsuuIiun GI"'rl"g int III" "sl'"
iicncy of extending the IinhY md h"i.i"l'i' l"r"
pike Company from the mouth Ut "G"rn" !" i'"vrt2
in Randolph.
Mr. GARRETT from the cnininirc f,uHpc"
presented "a report asking 10 bn di.chnrg"' i,"n tho
further consideration OF resolution "mIutrIns int
the earrdi-ncv I'll amending tho law regulating tho
ninprn-a,iun Of The Clerk of IL. l"isu Of Dr!rntcs
Md bY order of the committee, offered the following
Joint resolution, which was adopted
Rrrniv-.i, with the concurrence nt The senate
Tina, u joint committee b" appointed 10 enquire :iio
tie "xpedIcEcy OF anenlin. The law regulating inc
CONFORMATION of the Clerks of House Ut Delegates
aud SENATE and that such committee IN the part OF
the House shall consist OF five.
Mr.. BuRwkLL of Bedford. from the committee on
the Library, reported back Senate bill making M
propra;iun in aid of the Virginia llrtoi.cai anu "''
!us"phical Society.
Mr. LAS.rIrr, from the Seec; COMMITTEE; appoint
rI To consider that portion %! The Governors Message
relating 10 the purchase of Mount Vernon and the
Ladies, Association now organized hat purposere.
ported bill to incorporate the Mount Vernon Ladies
-sucutun Of the Union, mud Ia authotiI. the pur
chase of n part of Mount Vernon plnce.
Mr.. BuRwELL moved to suspend the rule for III"
uurpose nf taking up the report Ui the Committee on
Courts Of Justice adverse to resolution enquiring
into the e1pedicncy of authorizing the Trustee, oi III"
Methodist Church to sell certain renl estate IN III"
county of Morgan. He made this motion with View
to move that inc report NC TcViised'
The motion not agreed To.
RESOLUTIONS.
Bv Mr.. RoBERTs-Of returning to Mary G.. Cook
the amount of II tax improperly assessed.
By Mr.. CLAIBORHE-Oi reporting bill providing
for mn appropriation ef SlGO,DOO ~ the deepening
,h,. AppOmattox river six miles below Petersburg.
By Mr HoLDEN-Oi amending the lIth sec
ton If Chapter - OF the Code OF Virginia, us 10
authorize trustees to hold real estate conveyed for
school-house purposes to be used by the prblic
N 50 if.,
part of the Commonwealth. for the purpose of com
plotting tho Floyd Court llouae and Cove Springs
Turnpike road
nv Mr. CURlsrtAS-Of so amending the ll.h sec.
ton OF the 56th chapter Of the Code" rs TO gave t"
turnpike companies sufficient right OF way only, in
stead of fee simple in the lands condemned Tor the
use Of the turnpike.
By Mr. ELLYsoS-Of appropriaing SlO0,0Oo for
the Improvement of the navigation OF James r've'
below Richmond on condition thar the Council "t The
city OF Richmond appropriate similar gum ior '''a'
purpose. 49, -
Bv Mr. IIowELL-Of incorporating the Carroll
county Copper Company "t Virginia.
Bv Mr PESplEIoS Of G.les--Of Incorporating an
independent company to construct iurnpik" road
from the Salt Sulphur Springs, in the county ct Mon
roc, by the Salt Pond IN Giles county. 20 some point
on the Virginia and Tcnncss,g Rai!rua in the county
OF Montgomery.
PETITIONS.
Tie following petitions were presented AM appro'
prutrlv REFEREED
Bv Mr. MARrIS-Of VIM. II. Grimes. and Sunfry
other cz ms OF the county OF Preston. praying foI
an appropriation sufficient TO bEild bridge across
Cheat river, on The lin. "t the Cina'ty Creek an!
Wes;rrnan turnpike road. BY Mr.. itOLLIDAY-Ot
John Siraun JOHN Thompson, aud other citizens o!
Marshal! county, for renewal III the charters I" the
North. Western and Merchants and Mechanics Banks
of Wheeling. BY Mr.. NEwLOS-Oi citizens of lay
lnr county asking fot precinct "ci"a nj the town
of Grafton in SAID county. By Mr.. SpADY-OtWm
II. Parker BENJAMIN F. Thona, and VIM. }. Not
tnghum askn. IL release the Commonwealth righ;
and title 10 -and sliprl Or bar, known by the name
of Linen Bar. To said Petitioners by Mr. CLAI-
gokSE-Of the Council Of the city Of Petersburg, ask
ing MI appropriation Of SlOOOUO for the deepening of
the Appomattox river. BY Mr.. BrRwELL, of Bed
lprd-Of John H. Mussrove, and others, praying
that Staunton river bc declared lawful fence, on
both sides thereof from the IIslcord Bridge, in the
line nj the Gap Of Smiths Mountain. BY Mr.. 1Y-
KEx-Of John Ryan, Of Mercer county, praying that
his farm, the portion thereof situated ~ Mercer
county, be attached to Raleigh county
POINT or ORDER.
On motion being made by Mr.. LEE Of Orange 70
reconsider the vote by which The bill for the re.
let of Watson Is. Cobbs was r. iec'cd on "Wednesday,
the Chair decided that it was incompetent for HIM I"
make that MOTION not havin. cIprcs,c! an Intention
y change his vote.
Tn. SPEAKER stated the ground, upon which he
mad, thar decision, showing that II was fully mum.
tanned bv parliamentary usage.
Mr.. BUSpuRtST ihrreupon submitted the follow
ing motion, III writing
II appeal from the decision of the Chair, in d.cI-
ding that n member voting III me 'n"l''.'E mac NJ
RICH, to move reconsideration, uni"s. .t t!c time Of
making the -,iDr, he Informed TIE sloGac tLat Nc
desired 70 ,hangc his vote
,f,n. SOL. ,...,.s the subject, u Wa laid
o, lin. table. On motion OF Mr. TonLlS. I" enable the
members - .Xaiain. the Question more fully.
COMMENTATORS FROM rHE SECRETARY or THE
BOARD or II BIC WORKS.
The SpElk-R submitted tll- iHi.CTils cOtnmin.ca.
ZION from the secretary the DoIrd + Pubic Works,
which Oh motion Of NJ. WHY, VIE IsId Oh the ts-
bic ard ordered 10 BE- I'riri"I
OFFICE OF TIE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS,
RICHMOND, 10Th January, 1855. :
To 0. VI. CkurcHiiELD, Esq,
Speaker of the House of Delegates of Virginia:
Sr:--The Board Of Public Works have directed
Tie 70 submit the following resp onse TO the Resolutions
adopted by the House of Delegate. on the Eth ui,.
|. The indie be,!uo>- ti'o l., - .iu Board tor
s7-uratc- of works done, roma ming unpaid, amounts
10 SSiD.9J' ~
.. The acknowledgements given by the Board TO
persons entitled to payment consist Of drafts drawn
upon the Board OF Public Work. by :he Engineers
and Superintendent in charge Of works conducted
III S,ntr account and by the Presidents Of joint stock
for the amounts due by the State nC
count of subscriptions 10 their respective capital
stocks. These drafts bear two endorsements, one by
the Board of Public Works, authorizing their pay
;nenr, aud H." other by the Second Auditor, stating
that they will be- paid with interest, whea in funds.
al order declaring that they would pay interest upon
MI drafts the fund OF internal Improvement.
from the time said drafts are ordered by said Board
10 DO pal.
l. IL answer tn the last enquiry, "to state by what
authority il ha- been undertaken 10 bind the Com
for the payment ui Interest. tie Board
have, 10 say, that in regard I" that portion oi the
above stated Indebtedness, which had been incurred
in the construction "t works solely on State account
in the unsrlce of any statutory inhibition the Board.
IL the representative OF tn" State III this Instance
...btor unable 10 pay debts due by contract, and
with view the safety of The credit and good init
Of the State did not feel AT liberty TO refuse TO give
the assurance 50 cornnou, and not more common
than lust between debtor and creditor. that when pay
meut WAS made, not only the principal would be IL
uua.rd but the interest that had accrued from the
maturity OF the debt, should also be paid.
In regard 10 the claims Of joint stock companies,
there was Il difference, which contested simply in the
fact, that the payment vi interest them WINS pro-
hibltrd by statute. Whether that statute ever con-
such extraordinary state o Affairs rs has
been in existence for the last twelve months or merely
looked TO the protection Of the fund of internal i'm.
uruycnrnt against unnecessary demands i. qil.s.
ton which may be regarded relevant 10 this com.
muni,v. However, the Board of Public Works md
the companies having charge OF the important i'm
urOy einriItr in the State were involved i'm serious
embarra.slnenrs; the Board We're unable 10 sell III.
bonds OF the State NJ their par value; the companies
had made contracts for the vigorous prosecution "f
their respective works, AMI The contractors had in
their employ lnrS" nnd expensive i"rc"1; besides,
the Leg stature WIS not IN session and would not be
for sevtrnl months the alternatives therefore. pre-
sencd to the irnrd, they SUPPOSED, 10 ugrcc
To pav interest OH theft drafts, and thus make them
negotiable, and en"bic the companies to rcHA: cash
for them and continue their works or unable 10 pay
the ,rcipul 20 refuse also, 10 pay interest, ard thus
deprive the companies OF the power To borrow money
upon thcm and force them 10 suspend their work. DIS
band their forces, bankrupt stockholders aud c"n'rac-
tors and bring into dsrepu:e the good nam" aud cred
f.lt..-nn IlfNgr ira
happy to believe however tmry E {" the ":-
ter Of the law, has resulted III great HdvrrtF" to the
various improvements Interested without the loss 81
dollar in money 10 the S'ate--tor II proper here II"
remark that under existn. circumstances, the State
is required To pay than ii the Board ind sod
bond. 10 the amount o. the pre>"n; Outstanding