Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-10-27

lie Senate was Calico 10 OTuof a. coSol
o'clock, A. NJ, by the Vice President, Mr..
JOHNSON.
Prayer by the Rev. Or. sprigg, Of the Epis'
sopal Church.
ELLIS REPORTED.
The following bills, heretofore referred to
committees, were reported to the Senate:
House bill for the relief Of Vim. I. Richie.
Allows. him additional compensation Tor
printing!
House bill TO reorganiAe the Board Of Trus-
tees for Bethany College. This College is
situated in Brooke county, ana some OF the
trustees arc Black Republicans, and the OBJ
icct of the bill is to authorize n change in re-
lation to the trustees. 4 meeting of the legal
trustees is to be held in Richmond next week.
The rules of the Senate were suspended and
the bill was passed.
The hill providing for the purchase of'tuel
and lights for the Governors House.
VIRGINIA n TENNESSEE RAILROAD.
The bill to increase the capitul stock Of the
Virginia and Tennessee rnilroad was taken
up on its third reading. The bill was ex'
| piaincd by Mr.. JOHNSON.
On motion of Mr.. ARMSTRONG, the bill was
laid upon the table.
STATE ENITESrIARf
The bill to 'reorsanize the State pcnitcn.
tiary was taken up ON its passage.
Mr.. CHRISTIAN, of Middlesex, explained the
merits of the bill, and urged the advantages
that wouldssnccrue,,from the chanSesaroposed
to be made. The bill abolishes the board ii
Of directors, and vests their powers in the
Governor. and IN agent 70 he by him appoint
cd. 1t also aholishcs the Office of storekcepcr,
Mr.. NEWTON opposed the bill. He did not
he could see no advantages tn be derived by
the appointment of q commissioner in rla-
OF the present storckceper Of the penitcntia'
ry.
Mr.. Hart said the radical changes proposed
by the bill were important and necessary
lie had the evidence Of q gentleman well
| qualified on this subject, who stated it a. his
belief, that if the penitentiary had been pros
pcr!v managed, instead Of bringing the State
in Debt, there would be e profit to the State OF
| FROM five 10 seven thousand dollars per an
NAM. lie hopcd the Senate would pass the
bill.
Mr.. QvE>EXrEERY moved Il reconsideration
of the vote cngrossing the tlil. He was OPP
posed to that feature of the bill which provides
Lfor the appointment Of 4 commissioner. lie
believed such an officer would be useless.
The motion to reconsider the vote engross-
ing the bill was decided in the negative.
The bili was then passed.
Personal EXPLANATION.
Mr.. p.c4,ySoS stated that, after nh absence
ola week, he had returned to his scat, against
| the wishes Of his physician, and had FUND
! that the bill to regulate prices had heen voted
on. lie asked leave 10 record his vote in Ia
vor of The molten to strike out the first section
Of the bill. Leave was granted.
Mr.. Q%uEsENEERRY said that he was absent
from tie city when the vote was taken L
strike cut the first section of the bill TO reduce
prices. Had he been present he should have
voted in favor of striking out said section.
THE MILITIA BILL.
\ message was received from the House o
! Delegates announcing that they had agreed | Il
some of the amendments adapted by the sen
| ate to the Militia bill, and disagreed to others
| And they asked that IL committee VI confer
cncc be appointed on the part Of the Senate It
meet i similar committee appointed By t!!'
House. 10 consider the amendments disagreed
to.
The Senate agreed To the committee of con
ference, and the VICE PRESIDENT appointed
Mcssrs. Douglas, Randolph, Carson, Newman
Armstrong, Quescnberry, Splitter, Taylor o
Norfolk city, Peters, Dufaey, Taylor Of Mont
romcry, and Keen as the Senate committee
ABUSES or DIsTrLLERs-
On motion of Mr.. CHRISTIAN, Of Augusta
Resolved, That the Committee for Courts o
Justice inquire what additional Legislation
may be necessary to prevent the abuse ct tn
nrivilere of distiIlation under contracts will
the Confederate States Government, and, !
possible, to limit the great consumption o
grain under such privilege.
RAILROAD TOLLS.
The bill to regulate tolls on railroads dur.
ing the war was taken up-thc question bein!
on recummittins the bill to the committee
with ins,ructions-and it was decided in TIT
Affirmative.
FREE NEGRO SOSvICTs.
On motion of Mr.. CHRIaTlAS, Of Augusta
Resolved, That u special committee of three
be appointed To inquire into the cxpediencI
Of further legislation, if any may be necessa
ry, to having = portion Of the negroes trGn
counties along the lines Of the several rail
reads who may be drafted IL work on FORTH
cations. assigned to work instead upon SAT:
railroads.
The SPEAKER appointed Mcssrs. CnRIsTIA:
IF Augusta. RAynnLru and LyScu, rs SAFE
committee.
BILLS PASSED.
Tho following bills were passed:
The House bill for the relief Of William i
Ritchic. :,
House bill! providing for employing in the pub
lie service, or For the pubic service, free negroe
convicted Of misdemeanor.
PAY OF MEMBERS.
House bill to commute thu per diem ALLOWANCE
of members Of the Legislature was taken up,o
its passage. rThe bill provides that the mem
hers of tho Legislature, shall, from The begin
ming Of the present session receive twelve dollar
,ior every four authorized by law.
Mr. TAYLOR, of Montgomery. said he under
stood that members. were entitled to a SPECIE
comnensation-the question. then, WAS what wcr'
they willing to take. lie believed the bili oe'
fore the Senate provided for nothing more thai
q lust compensation. lo hoped it would be agree
TO.
Mr.. COLLIE. said lie wished to make one re
mark on the bill. He would move to amcnt
the bill in one particular. if he did mob fear tia
tho amendment wonld leopard the passage of i
at this late period of the session. lie did no
find in the Constitution that wc were 10 DC par
in seeie, as the preamble recites. but he eh
! understand the Constitution rs meaning that W
/ should be paid An amount equal 10 cilr Recessa
~ expenses here.
Mr. KEEN said that OIL 10 bill o: the session
had he felt more delicacy in speaking. than o.
tho one under consideration. So far AZ the com
psnsation was concerned, 1t was a sma
matter. When lie lurxed nj the larg
number of bills that had been passed by th
Senate and the lower House, he was solneTta
astunished at the preamble 10 this bill. II
had come here with q simple proposition t
pay the expenses of members, perhaps
might have met with little ofleetlon' blu
when We SEQ the labored report of the 11ous
committee on the subject Of relieving tn
country from the evils Of over-issue and tn
Necessity of. sustaining the currency, he wa
! surprised to see this bill with a proposition
,,,,,r o cborl5 have fur dollars for one.-