Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1863-02-03
Legislature.
SENATE, Jan. "a .


SENATE, Jan. "a
EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATION.
A communication was received from the Gov |
srnor transmitting 1T of pardons and reprieves
granted by him since he last session. Laid on
the table and ordered to be printed.
RESOLUTION OF INQUIRY. grr-rr4
BY Mr.. Christian, of Augusta,-ot INCREASING
the salaries of Judges and other State officers
during the war.
HoUsE.-The Speaker presented message
from the Governor. communicating the pardons
and reprieves, with reasons, &C., granted by him
during the past year, which was appropriately
referred. sa go
PAY OF THE ARMY.
Mr.. Walden offeredna resolution requesting
most efforts to procure the passage OF bill in
creasing the pay Of the rank and file of the army
after the 1st of March next.
The Senate bill regulating the returns of the.
Commissioners of the Revenue, was taken up on
It's third reading, and passed.
SENATE, Monday, Jan. &c.,
THE STATE LINE.
MIR. Douglas offered the following resol Lillian:
Resolved, That the Governor be rogue
inform the Senate whether the compaDleS&Dn-
stitEzing the State Line have been organized,
and regulations relating to that servlce-the
present strength and condition Of said companies
respectively, and the members names, ana rank
of al officers who have been actually commls-
stoned, or whose election entities them to COM
mission in the same.
EAlso, whether said troops have been paid IN
whole or in partly whom, and When paid, and
whether proper and accurate pay rolls have been
made out and returned showing the actual con-
ditlon of the companies SO paid. "A
Also, whether, aSsd many, what orders nave
been issued in regard to mastering and inspect
ing the troops of the State Line. and making re-
turns thereof, the dates of snch orders AMI the
extent to which they have been complied with,
together with the names and rank of all officers
who have failed TO do so. Agreed to-. 1850
BILLS PASSED.
A bill authorizing town councils and county
courts to condemn lands for hospital purposes.
An act to incorporate the Southern Female
College of Petersburg. sa@ 4
Resolutions of inquiry were adopted as fol-
lows, viz: @4i-s
!. By Mr.. Ball-As to whether the General As.
sembly possess the power to submit again to the
people for ratification or rejection the Constitu-
ton and Schedule recently voted upon by them,
and if the committee shall decide in favor of the
power, that they further inquire whether in view
of the alarm and excitement existing In the pub
lie mind, and the movements of the armies at
the time the vote was taken, which prevented a
ffuil expression of the popular sentiment, 1t is
expedient now to direct another vote to be taken
at such time as will probably secure full and
fair expression of the judgment of the people.
By Mr.. Armstrong-Resolved, That duting
the present session three saall constitute aquo-
rum of all committees OF nine or more members.
HOUSE,
THE STATE LINE. aeE
MIR. Anderson, of Botetourt, from the Com
mittee on Military Affairs, presented the follow
ing resolution, which was adopted
Resolved. That the Governor be respectfully
requested to furnish this House with a list of
| the names of company, regimental and staff Off
GERS of the State Line, with the date of their re-
spective commissions. 7ss
BILLS ANB RESOLUTIONS.
Mr.. Barbour, from the Committee ON Finance,
reported several bills, which were referred with
out reading. 81
Mr.. Gilmer offered resolutions of inquiry,
which were adopted, into the expediency. OF such
legislation may be necessary to enable county
and corporation courts to establish one CT more
AGENTS or storekeepers to supply articles of
prime necessity and Of authorizing the Govern
| or to az point commissioner to impress articles
of prime necessity for the use of families of in-
digent soldiers in the service of their country.
TIE bill incorporating the Southern Express
Company was passed.
Mr.. Gilmer also offered resolution, which
was adopted instructing the Committee on Mill
tary Affairs to inquire into the expedency OF
providing for the organization of all persons be-
tween the ages of As and go years for home de-
! fence.
Mr.. Staples offered resolution, which was
adopted, requesting the Governor to inform the
iiouse of the number of militia brought into &C
tive service by his proclamation of the Spring oil
1862, how long they served, and whether they
have received pay for their services.
| COL. zARvoNA, ETC.
The Speaker presented a communication from
His Excellency, the Governor, suggesting the
improperly of publishing his recent address to
Abraham Lincoln, until that individual can be
heard from; and also informing the House that
Col Zarvona, now held in close captivity by the
Lincoln Government, was commissioned in the
service of Virginia, on the lst of July, 1861, and
confirmed by the State Convention that he was
placed on detached service, and at the TINA OF
his arrest was on special service; that Captain
Durkey and Lieut.. Vanner were legally consti-
luted officers in the State service, and as SUCH
operated in the Northwest, where they were
captured, carried to Wheeling, tried for robbIBg
the mail, convicted and confined in the District
of Columbia prison. Referred. ie
SENATE, Ian. 27.-
IMPREssMENT SLAVES. %
The following was offered by Mr.. Quesenber-
ry:
Resolved, by the General Assembly, That the
Governor be and he is hereby authorized to sus-
pend the action of the law, passed October Sd,
1862 ssto provide for the public defence,'' so
far as it applies to those counties whose loss of
slaves by the pub ic enemy has been so great as
to interfere with the agricultural products of
such counties. Agreed to.
sPECIALcoMMITTEE ON ExToRTIoN
The following members were appointed as a
special committee to consider the subject of re-
grating and extortion: Messrs. Logan, Arm
strong, Garnett. Neeson and Dickinson, of
Prince Edward
HousE.--Mr. Hunter offered the following res
olution, which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee on Confederate
Re lations take into consideration and report
their opinion upon the subject matter Of each of
the following inquiries, to wit:
1st. Would it be right and proper, in respect
to our general political system. upon the score
of expediency, upon any other ground, for
the Commonwealth of Virginia, to take charge
Of, for the purpose of prosecution under the
State laws, any prisoners, either officers or sol
diers, captured during The present war by the
Confederate Government
ID Is it within the competency of the Gov
ernment of Virginia, in the absence of specific
legislation on the subject, to receive such pris-
oners, and take the necessary measures to have
them prosecuted under the State laws?
Sd. Can the civil magistrates ofthe Common
wealth so receive and deal with such prisoners,
and would it be expedient for them so to do?
4th. Is it within the constitutional competen-
CIV of the Governor of this Commonwealth to en-
ter into any cartel for the exchange of prisoners
with the Government of the United States?