The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-12-28
LEGISLATURE Of North Carolina.

| In the Senate on Wednesday the 22d, the bill
to leave the establishment of Jury Trials in County
Courts discretionary with the Magistrates, ma
jority being present, but prohibiting change I'M
der four years, was debated hy Messrs L homas,
| Turner and Carmichael in favor, and Edney and
Miller against it. The bill was rejected by q to III.
| The following gentlemen were elected Council
lors of State: Josiah T. Cranberry of Perquimons;
John A. Averitt, Sr, of Onslow; John l.. Bridgers
of Edgecombe; J. A. Waugh of FOrsythe; Column
! bus Mills of Polk; William j. Yates of Mecklen-
burg; Pleasant NJ. Powell of Richmond.
The bill to abolish the Office of State GeoloGist
came up on its Sd reading and was postponed till
18th of January.
The Danyille and Greensboro railroad bill was
under consideration in the House. Mr. Morehead
spoke at length in favor of the measure. 1t was
postponed till the 10th of Jan'y.
The bill to open the Yadkin and Pee Dee Rivers
to the passage of fish, passed its third reading.
| The bill to open the Catawba river to the pas
sage of fish, passed its I'd reading.
| The fine of $1,000 against the sheriff Of Chero-
kee county for failing to settle his taxes, was re-
United, as he was prevented by sickness
| The bill to amend the charter of the Bank Of
Cape Fear passed its Sd reading in the Senate on
Tuesday.
| A bill to authorize majority of the magistrates
of Cabarrus to elect Sheriff passed its Sd reading
| in the Senate on the 18th.
MIR Houston moved that the committee on the
judiciary be instructed to inquire into the necessity
of adopting some plan of publishing the laws en-
acted by the General Assembly, for the informa-
ton of the people. Adopted.
| The bill to incorporate the Salisbury Gaslight
Company passed its Sd reading. Also, the en-
crossed bill to amend an act entitled an act to IN
corporate the town of Newton.
The resolution for the relief of Jackson Stuart,
former sheriff of Yancey led to a rather warm dis
| cusson.
The case is somewhat peculiar and may be sum-
med up as follows, according to the facts disclosed
in the discussion: Jackson Stuart gave up the Of
flee of sheriff and surrendered to the county court
| the tax lists The court received the lists. Solo
mon Nj. Ray subsequently became sheriff and re-
fused, under advice of COUNSEL to receive the tax
lists for collection. Stuart applied to the court for
the lists to collect the taxes but the court refused to
surrender them to any one but the sheriff Ray,
whose counsel forbid him to receive them. The
consequence was no abstract returned to the comp
troer and no tax was collected in the county.
At the last term of the Superior court of Wake
both the late Sheriff and the incumbent were
amerced in the penalty of $1,000 each.
| The resolution before the Senate proposed to
remit the penalty on Stuart Ga similar resolution is
pending to relieve Ray,) in the event of the full
amount of taxes being collected and returned, and
| all cost incurred in the matter being paid
The committee to whom the resolution had been
referred reported in favor of its passage under a
misunderstanding.
motion to recOmmit the resolution prevailed.
The resolution for the relief of Ray was also
committed.
In the House, Mr. Mckay introduced bill to
amend the Revised Code, chap. 36, to allow
banks chartered at this session to issue notes of a
less denomination that So.
A bill to prevent horse stealing, introduced by
Mr. Shaw, passed it's Sd reading. 1t makes the
first offence whipping; the I'd branding the
forehead with the shape of horseshoe; the Sd,
death.
The bill to make husbands liable for the debts of
their deceased wives, passed its Bird reading.
In the Senate, on the Goth, Mr. Mcdowell intro
duced bill to prohibit the emancipation of slaves
by will and testament. Also, Mr. Edney, bill
to provide homestead for the poor.
The Coalfelds Railroad bill was taken up on its
second reading and made the special order for the
4th of january. Also the bill to amend the char
ter of the Wilmington, Charlotte and Rutherford
Railroad Company was taken up, and made the
special order for the 9Th of January.
The bill to repeal the 3rd section, 102 chap.
Rev. Code, and for other purposes, fixing the COM
pensation of Judge of the Superior Court was
taken up its second reading. The bill proposed
to make the judges salary $3.50 per annum-
$l25 for each special term (each week to consti-
tute a term and to pay them 500 for each court
held over and above circuit of eight weeks The
committee proposed to amend the bill by giving
them 500 for each court held over and above a
term of t,cclre weeks-the other items to stand as
in the bill The amendment of the committee
was adopted. The question recurring on the pass
age of the bill amended, the vote stood ayes 7,
noes 20
The bill to amend the charter of the Western
N. c. Railroad Company made the special Or
der for the 9th of January.
The bill to amend the 10th sec 31st chap Rev.
Code, with view to prohibit judges from exchang-
ing circuits, was rejected.
In the House, resolution was adopted or mo-
ton of Mr. Walser, to instruct the judiciary COM
mittee to enquire into the expediency of so amend
ing the 4th, 18th and SD sections of the State
Constitution will give to the people the election
of Supreme and Superior Court j ges, Attorney
General and Justices of the Peace and if expedient
the best manner of doing so.
The bill to open the Pee Dee and Yadkin Riv-
ers to the passage of fish was taken up Mr.
Reeves, of Surry, said there were no more honora-
bic or high-minded people than those of his coun-
ty who wanted this bill passed 1t was not par
ty measure, but was asked for by the unanimous
voice of his people. They had never received an
appropriation from the Public Treasury, while
their representatives had cheerfully responded to
every call from any section of the State, and even
now they asked nothing from the General Assem-
hly Mr. then cd yarv WARMLY ond en-