Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1858-03-10
Legislature of Virginia.

road from the Pennsylvania line to Wellsburg,
in Brooke county came up. Mr.. Stuart moved
to indefinitely postpone it, saying that it was
merely to legalize road which had already been
built across the Pan Handle in defiance OF the
authority Of Virginia. After some debate the
motion was agreed toy cas- 81, nays IL.
The bill restricting tile issue by The banks ol
notes under the denomination OF $40, was taken
up and passed by vote of % To IL. Tue CHAR
declared the bill to he passed. Mr.. Thomas aP
pealed from the decision on the ground that
constitutional majority was required. With a
view of settling the matter. MIR. Douglass moved
to reconsider the vote. which Was carried III the
affirmative, and the bill was laid OH The table,
House.-Mr. Powell, of Loudoun, offered a
resolution that to complete the necessary leg>-
lation on Important subjects, it is expetlent t"
prolona the session beyond the period ot 80 days.
and the same be prolonged To the 22d OF March
Mr. Seldom opposed It's adoption, and contend
ed that not one satisfactory reason had been as
signed for the extension Df the session.
Mr.. Christian said that, instead of there being
mot one reason" tor extending the session there
are near one Thousand that being about the
number of propositions now pending, and which
were matured by the respective committees oi
the Senate and House and reported Us worthy t"
be acted ON by the representatives OF the inter
ests of the Commonwealth. The House bills
and reports on the calendar number near 5OO,
and those of the Senate about 400. 1t will take
two weeks in voting alone 10 pass the merely
local bills pending. If We adjourn, lie said, al
the end OF 90 days, we luse all this preparation,
and have NO record of acts except OF the most
insignificant local character. True, the consti
tuition allows only 80 days for the session, and
that far it may be the fault of the constitution
that we have done no more but it is equally
true that the same constitution gives US the dis
erection continue it 80 days longer if necessary,
and we will be responsible for the consequences
if we fail to do SO. Thirty days now when our
} minds and the propositions are all ready for nc
ton, is more than equal to 80 days next winter.
The resolution failed to pass for the want OF
ninety.two affirmative votes, as required 10y the
; Constitution. The vote resulted-yeas 80, nays
: 81. The Orange Il Alexandria Railroad bill
5 was further discussed.
n TUESDAY. -Senate.-A bill was reported to a.
4. mend the code so Us to reduce the commissions
vf Sheriffs upon the tee bills of clerks to per
> cent.
, The House bill for the reorganization OF the
, militia was taken up and passed after being
slightly amended, by vote OF 80 to 8.
The bank REORGANIZATION" bill was taken up
and passed by constitutional maiurity-yeas
81, nays 16.
| Hoase-The bill to reorganize the militia was
{ communicated from the Senate with amend
nents, which were concurred in, and the bill
accordingly became law.
The Orange & Alexandria Railroad bill was
s discussed.
+, Observation-Disclosures bill for the relief of
Archibald 2. Stuart, Vt Augusta county, was
passed.
Mr.. Thomas offered resolution for extending
u the session to Monday, the 10Th inst. After
some debate the resolution was adopted ny u
vote of yeas "a, nays Is.
House-Mr. Christian offered ryder to the
Orange & Alexandria Railroad bill restricting
the company from connecting the eastern pur
- ton of their road with the southwestern exten
sion, from Charlottesville to Lynchburg 10y Il
u route separate and distinct from that now used
: by the Va. Central Raj r.ad Company, between
= Gordonsvie and charlottesville, etc. The dis
cuSsion of the bill was continued.
THURSDAY act was passed PIE
scrbug the mode of applying tn the Governor
: to call an extra session of the Legislature. The
o mode is for a majority of the members uf the
# Legislature to apply in writing
4, The bill increasing the salary of The lIt Audi
, tor was taken up. The proposition Ia fill the
u blank with So 900 was voted down and The bill
z laid ON the liable.
Mr.. Food a,ked leave, which was granted, to
introduce bill alnendat'ry of the militia Bill
passed tuesday. The ainendment refers to the
action of the Courts in appointing Officers.
The bill for q resumption ut specie payment
b By the Banks was ordered to its engroSsnlent =
II II requires the Banks to resume on the 1t Of
:. November next --
House. The bill authorizing loan of $780,
900 to The Orange Il Alexandria Railroad was
e taken up and Mr. Barbour concluded his re
q marks The Question on the passage of The bill
was then put and before the result was an
nolnced scene of unusual tumut and cuniu
sion arose. The advocates of the bill had the
u absent members called several lines, but non,
of them answered, and the vote stood yeas rs,
nays 64-tlle friends of the bill lacking one vote
of a constitutional majority. On motion OF Mr..
Keen the vote was RECONSTRUCTED, and the bill
lad on the table.
! On motion of Mr. Chapman, the Senate bill
providing for the completion of the Covington
= and Ohio railroad, was substituted for the House
bill with the same title.
FRIDAY.-Senats-- number of bills We're
r passed.
, Mr.. Flood offered an amendment to the mill
tia bill, authorizing the county aud corporation
courts, at the April or May terms, to appoint
| three persons lot eacu reSituept, W CoiuuSt tHS
election Of officers.
A bill approprialing $4,000 to the Military
Institute ut Lexington Was discussed and defeat
: ed for want of constitutional nHj,rity-yeas
81, nays Is. The vote was reconSdered and
the bill laid on the table,
House-The House proceeded to the conSi-
Iteration of the special order of the day, being "a
bill to prevent the unlawful bridging OF the Ohio
: River, near Steubenville, and for that purpnse
! TO define and punish such Offences" Mr.. Swee
ney advocated the bill.
At Is O'clock Mr.. s. was interrupted by the
Speaker, who intortne, him that the hour had ar.
rived for the consideration of the Covington aud
Ohio Railroad bill-the order of the day having
priority. .,
MIR. Boreman moved that the order ofthe day
} be passed by indefinitely, with the view OF fur,
Their considering the "bridge bill"
Mr. Martin proposed to amend this motion, S"
as to pass by for the purpose of considering The
resolution from the Senate, TOR the eXtellson oil
the session. The amendment was adopted, and
the motion as thus amended agreed To.
, The resolution of the Senale for an extension
of the session to the 18th inst. WAS accordingly
taken up. Mr. Hay mond took the floor, and
addressed the House at length III upPiSlI"l I"
any extension of the session. At | O'Clock liz
was interrupted 10y Nj. McCue, with the reinaik
that the gentleman from Marion, Mr.. Hay mond)
had referred to the time CONSUMED, during the
: session, in useless discussion. Mr. McC. desired
to know ii Mr. Ii. had ever made a calculation
), of the amount vi time CONSUMED by himself u.
useless and Improbable discussion as a ienbe: