Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-02-17
virginia Legislature.

Mr.. Bsale, presented resolutions from the
county Of Northumberland, instructing her
Delegates aud Senators to vote for a bill to re-
lieve the State of free negroes-a bill pre-
hibiting emancipation by will or deed, an
10 oppose any appropriation to colonization.
On motion of Mr.. Funsten, the House bill
Authorizing the county court OF fauquier 70
transfer jurisdiction Of the estate of Ninrod
NJ ssie, 40 insane per . ., to the county court
OF Warren, was taken up and passed.
Toe following executive communication
was presented:
'In my general Message atthe commence
ment of the present session. | called your
attention to the necessity of Legislation To car
~ into effect parts OF the Constitution, for
which as vet no sufficient provision, or no
provision at all, has been made by law -
Without en- umersting the defects OF our or
panic laws 10 detail, | left the subject to the
~re,isal of the General Assembly; but now
toreseelng that one clause of the COustitutiOn
will require a defulte act for its application,
| deem II my duty to call your especial al
teption to 1t.
Under the clause of The Constitution de-
fning the powers aud duties oi the Chief
Executive, il is provided that the Governor
shall convene the General Assembly, on
application Of a m: rity of the mo"'oers
of both Houses thereof, or wnen IN his
opinion the interest OF the Commonwealth
NAV require it" Now, whether the Gene
raj Assembly will adj urn at the eud OF
the period OF ninety days, or declie t. cou-
,iuue in session thirty days longer, are
questions with which 1t Is tot my province
10 interfere, and in respect to which | pre-
sumo to make no recommendation; but In
either event, If he Legislature shall not
haze completed the important subjects be-
fore il, tho case Of cOnVening tue Ueneral
Assembly may arise; but how or when their
application shall Ue made, how 1t shall be
signit, d to the observation-disclosures 1t may be
made during the session Or shall be made
in vacation, or whether the General As
sembly or the Governor, IN case OF appIl-
cation, shall! appoint the time OF convenlng,
are questions wholly unproVided for. re-
commend that an act be passed defining
the mode aud the time Of the application
and the power T. appoint the time OF con-
vening.
Eli the General Assembly shall adjourn
without taking action on this subject, shall
infer that DO knOwa neces ity existing at the
time If the I'D Jurnment is deemed 10y 1t
suficieut TO authUrlzi the cali OF an extra
session, and | shall not exercise the power to
convene, independently vested 10 the Execu.
tive, without some extraordinary and now
unforeseen cause makes the necessity In
pe i"us.'
The DILL Increasing the salaries Of certain
off ;ers of the State was taken up, aud the
question being On o pending amendment,
IT - Al d., 10 on n ~ p X DiDl npr
aunum as salary tor the 81 ,OOs proposed IN
the bill, il va, moved by MIR. Daughtrey u
make the sun So QUO. Tue motion prevailed.
Ayes 2l-nues ~
Mr.. R.ves III ,ught 3 600 too small a sum.
He urged So, 500, but could not vote for 81
900
The question was then taken on substltu-
ting s.. 200 Tor $4,000. Ayes 9-noes "a.
1t was then moved hy Mr.. Beale to bill the
blank b, $500, and by Mr., Catlett to insert
81 500.
But without coming to any conclusion the
subject was laid on the table.
90 motion Of MIR. Warth, the bill to amend
and re-enact the &c h and 9th -~ectioDs OF
charter 81 OF the Code IF Virginia, so as to
DISPOSE of real estate ufered for sale for the
non-payment of taxes, authorizing the re-
denptiUu OF, transferring the title Of the Com
mouwealth to, and providing for the sale Of
such real estate. was taken up; when he OIL
tered "A substitute for the substitute sugges-
led by the Commute which, on his motion,
WAS laid On table aud ordered to he prl"ted.
The Ill! for the consolidation of the Bliu-
more aud Ohio r. 4. Co, aud the North
Western Virginia, was taken up as the order
OF the day, aud the question being on Its
passage,
The ayes and noes being called for. the
bill vas rejected, the vote being a tie, and a
constitutional majority being necessary Tor
its passage.
In the House of ID .iegates, on motion OF
Mr.. Seldom, the Senate bill to provide tor the
enli>tmen, Of young men between the ages OF
eighteen and twenty-five years IN the Public
Guard: to pr0side Tor their Instruction., aud
apprnpriating a sum Of money Tor these pur'
poses, was taken up, and considered.
After the ad ption of several amendments,
Mr.. Powell, Of Luudoun moved the indetne-
ment pustponemeut OF the bill. The merits
vt the scheme were then discussed by M"ssrs.
Kenper, Seddou, Jahuston OF H., Heath,
Fauntleroy, and Preston; ~bereupon the mo
tlon Submitted ty Nj. Powell was agreed to
ayes G2. nays 80.
A resolution OF inquiry was offered prov
ding for the execution Of the provision ot the
Constitution requiring the enslavement OF
all negrors emaucipated who have renamed
in this State over " elve months after such
Emancipation.
The special order of the day was taken up,
being the adverse report of the Committee OF
Finance 10 regard TO the payment Of n certain
per ceptage to the sheriffs who shall fail,
wholly, OF 10 part, t. pay IN the revenue IN
the time prescribed by law. The report de-
ciared that 1t was iGexpedIent to leglSlate on
The subject.
Mr.. Clay brook proposed to reverse the CON
clusiun OF the crmmittee, by substituting
''expedient" for "IneIpedlent." After som
discussion this motion WAS reJected-yeas
SO. nay, so. The report Of the committee
Mas then agreed t.. wbereupon,
On motion OF Mr. Duckwall, the committee
OF fnauce was instructed TO inquire into the
} ex pediencey e allowing to the shsrlfs II c)m
mission OF five per cent on the taxes due from
thea 4s sucu, in all cases in which he amour,
ul taxes paid into the Treasury by them, on
the day 10 wbich they were bound by law to
pay tue 8 me, added 10 the commission on tie