Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-09-18


The following, resolutions were offered,
adopted and appropriately referred:
by Mr.. STEPHENSON, of Wood-Of granting
| 10 debtors the privilege of rendering in pay
ment Of all debts now due, or that may be-
come due during the war, Confederate States
! Treasury notes, and in case the creditor re-
| fused 10 receive said notos in payment, then.
i'll that event, the interest of said debts TO cease
from the date OF said tender.
By Mr.. BRASCu-Of authorizing the trans
fer Of certain causes now depending and uude-
ternined in the Circuit Court Of the City Of
Williamsburg and county of James City, to
the Circuit Court of Henrico
.. BY Mr.. CoCuILL-Of authorizing the Coun-
ty Courts to levy a tax in kind. or a money
tax for the support Of soldiers families.
! By Mr.. CoGuILL-Ofa authorizing the Coun-
| y Courts, before conviction of slave for an
offence punishable with transportation, to az
rest proceedings upon the owner entering into
bond for the sale Of said slave in the mode
now prescribed by law for the sale of negro
cOnvicts.
BY Mr.. GrY-Of placing in the pu!oGc SER
vice Al free negroes who are now undergoing
| or may hereafter incur sentence of coninc-
ment in any county or corporation jail, IN
punishment for any msdemcanor committed.
By Mr.. STEPHENSON, of Wood-That the
| Aljutant Generalof the Commonwealth be re-
! questcd to inform the Senate, as early as
practicable the number, quality and descrip-
ton of arms now subject to his disposition.
BY Mr.. SplTLER-Of making it compulsory
on county un1 corporation courts to provide
means for the support of the destitute families
of the soldiers.
By Mr.. CHRISTIAN, Of Middlcscx-That $50
much of the Governors message As relates to
the Virginia Military Institute and to the Pen
| itcntiary, he referred to the Committee Oh
| Public Institutions.
COMMUNICATION FROM HOUSE OF DELEGATES,
4 communication from the House of Dele
gates was received, announcing that ;hc
House had passed the Senate bill imposing
taxes FOR tic support Of the Government
also, House bill relating to the production
aud distribution Of salt, in whick they request
the concurrence Of the Senate.
The last mentioned bill was read the second
time, and referred TO the Committee for Courts
OF Justice.
HARDoR AND RIVER DErENcEs.
\ communication was received from the
Governor, enclosing pamphlet from Capt Il.
J. Sage. in regard 10 private warfare, not
only on the ocean, but on the coasts, sounds,
BAYS and rivers The Governor trusts that
the subject will be found sufficiently impor-
tamt to commend itself to the consideration Of
the General Assembly.
The communication and the pamphlet ac-
comnanying it were referred to the Committee
on Military Affairs.
STATE PESITESTIARY.
4 communication was received from the
Governor enclosing a report from Colin Bass,
Esq, Superintendent OF the State Pen!ten
| tiary.
Mr. Bass states in his repnr: that the num-
her OF convicts now in the Pen!tentiary
amounts to over 800, while the number in
| tended 70 lie provided for is only 800. Tho
Superintendent makes some judicious obscr
v..ti9ns relative to. the future management and
operations OF the institution, and states that,
! owing To the want Of material, oncthird Of
the convic;s have been idle for more than one
third of the time; consequently the Peniten-
Tertiary will fall rs heavy burden upon the
treasury. E.
Tie communication of the Governor, and
the report Of the Superintendent, were re-
icrrcl 10 the Committee on Public Institu-
tons.
CHANGING TIE HOUR.
Mr.. NEWMAN, of Mason. offered resolution
that from and after Thursday next, the Senate
meet at II o'clock A. II.
Tie resolution was laid on the table.
Mr. DICKINSON offered q resolution that
when the Senate adiuurns to-day. it will adj
iourn TO nee; at eight o'clock p. NJ. during the
remainder Of tie session.
The resolution was rejected.
FER NoCTuM COMPENSATION.
Mr.. DILLARD offered the following resolu-
ton:
Resolved, That the Committee on Privi-
lcgcs and Elections enquire into the necessity
Of providing a per nOctum compensation t"
members of the General Assembly, beginning
with the nj sht session.
The resolution was laid on the table
RELIEF or PERSONS ~ TIE MILITARY SERVICE.
/ Mr.. RANDOLPH, by leave, introduced Il bill
for tho relief of persons in the military service
o. the State or Of the Confederate States.
The bill was referred to the Committee for
| Courts Of Justice.
| BILL TO OUTLAW DESERTERS.
The bill to outlaw descrters from the mill:
tary service Of the Confederate States, came
up for consideration as unfinished business
Mr.. DOUGLAS being entitled to the floor, op-
posed the adoption Of the bill lie was not
ono Of those who opposed all Legislation having
the effect to strength hen the hands of the Gov
ornment and increase the efficiency OF the army.
Yet he should be compelled to vote against
this bill, and all legislation Ike it, unless there
was material modification Of its provisions.
The men whom this bill is intended to al
feet, are men who have left their standards
without leave, it was true. or had stayed be-
yond the time Of their Through, yet they had
not done so from cowardice or dsloyalty.-
Descrtion was a great evil, yet lie fear, d it
could not be arrested by any legislation in
tended to have effect beyond the lines of our
army. lie did not believe that this bill would
give Gen. Lee one single man more than he
now has. lie had hoped that deserters would
be reached Ivy the action of the County
Courts; but they had failed in their exertions,
and he was not doctor enough to reach the
source of the disease, or meet it with the
proper remedy. He opposed the section to
restrict marriage there was no such lesisa-
ton on any Christian statute books ; on the
contrary, all Legislation tended to encourage
matrimony. He proposed an amendment, which,
at the proper time. he should urge. His
amendment required the civil and military
officers of the Commonwealth to arrest all
strangers and suspicious persons, bring them
before magistrate have their cases investi
, gated, and hand the deserters over to the
military law: and the military law, he
thought, would be found rigorous enough
lie saw no necessity for the many new pains
and penalties provided in this bill, and unless
notifications were made in the bill he should
vote against it.
Mr.. Seldom urged the Importance and ne
ccssity of adopting the bill. The bill had
been objected to as bein: harsh In his opin-
ion. the harsher a bill for the prevention OF
: crime. the better. \ bill for the prevention
and punishment Of crime cannot be laid too
At Ennn,,- tho ,.-.l Il h.