The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-01-29

HOUSE or DELEGATES.
MoXDAY, Jan. 2Sth, 1861


The House was called TO order at Il o'clock
NJ by Mr.. HOPKINS, OF Washington county.
Prayer by Rev. NJ. ID. HoGE, of the Second
Presbyterian Church.
a communication was received from the
Senate, announcing the passage of Il number
of bills.
The House referred TO the Committee on
Proposition and Grievances Senate bill for
the relief Of Ro. Y. OVERLY. of Mecklenburg
county, from an erroneous assessment OF Land.
Senate BtNS PdsStd.-To amend an act en-
titled an act Incorporating the Princess Anne
Savings Bank, passed Feb. 9th, 1860 10 III
corporate the Virginia Steam Sugar refinery
Company.
BiUs Referred.-The Senate bill ''to incor-
porate the Richmond City Insurance Company
OF Richmond was referred to the Co mmlttee
on Propositions and Grievances on motion OF
Mr.. KEEN. He said that some days since the
gentleman from Petersburg had submitted Il
bill OF Il similar character to the Committee
on Banks, and the committee had determined
10 report general bill as TO the guarantee OF
paper by those Insurance Companies, and he
requested that this bill be referred. The
company proposed to he incorporated would
be nothing more than legaiized shaving
shop. The motion was carried
OpeHiRg the House iCih PfGyer. Mr.. Ro-
BERrsoN, of Richmond offered the following
Reso!re9, That the Speaker be requested to invite
the Clergy OF all the religious denomina1i ns ef
this city To open the sessions OF tins House daily
with prayer.
Mr.. ROBERTSON said, if he were called on to
designate that act of Virginia which conters
on her her highest honor, and an honor all her
own, he would designate her act OF Religious
Freedom 1t proclaimed the great principle
that every mans religion was between him
and his God, free from Government interfpr-
ence, and denied to her Legislature the right
TO confer peculiar privileges upon any sect or
denomination of religion. 1t marked Il distinct
step forward in the mighty march of ciyiliZa-
ton OF all the nations OF the world she was
The first TO take it. Madison dt Gated the first
Il III
to the support of it, and Jefferson desired il
should stand for his epitaph that he was
Founder OF the University OF Virginia, author
of the Declara ton OF Independence, and OF the
act of Religious Freedom. The resolution in
which he asked the concurrence OF the House
is in the spirit of that great act 1t is
the same that the House has heretofore
sanctioned, but he presumed, by inadyertence,
was substituted by the one under which
you are acting, which confines your invitation
TO the clergy OF particular sects OF religion
j offer it at the Instance of the Pastor of the
Israelites III this city. He earnestly and
humbly begs to be permitted TO invoke before
u.s. and upon us, the blessings OF God in our
lahors l. there one here who woulddeny him?
] understand his walk OF lite is humble, pious
and benevolent. The Jew as well as the Gen.
tile is equally part OF our political system,
and affected by our legislation. He comes 10
ask equality Of religious privileges, and it is
fit at time when we are standing on our
rights of equality in other respects, we should
be careful not 10 refuse lightly the benefit OF
that principle to others. Nor perhaps is il
inappropriate TO remember here Il late power
ful and eloq uent voice that has been raised by
n learned IsraeIite in New York in vindcation
of that social institution in which our peace
and welfare are vitality involved, and i'll de-
fence of which we are now engaged in strug-
gle before II might almost say against). the
world
He might add, what he hoped would be felt
a persuasive argument by every gentleman in
the House--zif any other were necessary-the
fact that we have now our equal In all re-
spects, on this floor, IN the person OF his re
spected colleague, MIR. Myers,) a member of
the Jewish denomination, and the House, he
was sure, would not reject the petition, and
rey,el from our desk the pastor OF his choice
The motion was carried III the tihrmattyr.
Indebtedness a.f Railroads TO the Ssdte.-The
Second Auditor returned a statement show
ing the amount Of dividends paid by the seye-
raj railroad companies in which the State is a
stockholder, during the last year, and also tho
amount of interest paid upon the debts due
the Common wealth by each Of these railroad
companies. the amount unpaid, and Tor what
years
For the fiscal year ending Sept. 30. 1870, the
Richmond and Petersburg Il. 4. TO. paid the
Stats go 402 - interest on a vhisnd scrip; but
no dfvidends or interest ON loans The Yh-
ginia Central Railroad paid 80 .2Se % divi-
dends, bur no interest on loans, also, ss 95D 30
interest Oh dividend scrip. The Richmond