Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-10-20
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grosanan.. II;
" Nr. WARN raeu oSered o ryssr to the blu. pro-
vidiup, .'shst nothing herein contained shall oe
construed to exclude the Judge OF tho lSth Judi
sial Circuit from resolving the salary directed by
this sot to b paid to the judges OF ali other cir
cults"
grossment.
House bill for the relief Of VIM. +: Ri;chle'
for public printing. WAS advanced on the caien-
dsr.
On motion ofMr. McCUE. the bill for the pro.
lection of sheep and the increase OF the growth
of wool. was taken up. The bill prohibits the
killing for the general markets. but does not
prevent their butchering for private use. 1t inn
poses a tax, otherwise death, upon all dogs, except
shepherd dogs. aud one dog for each houses
keeper.
By way of argument, a substitute, by Mr.
BsRKESDALE, was read. placing the whole mat.
ter in the hands Of the county and corporation
Courts.
The original bill was discussed and amended
until adjournment.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER l6, 1868.
After prayer by the Rev. Mr.. Pettigrew, the
Of the Central Lunatic Asylum, was read 4 Sc
cond time and committed.
The Senate bill TO enlarge the powers Of the
Common Council of Peteisburg-giving authors
ty to suppress gaming and disorder-was ordered
to its third reading and passed. .
The Sena.e's amendments TO the amendments
of the Houue to the Senate bill 70 suppress gamb-
ing. were taken up.
In the House amendment making it mandate.
~ upon the Court ~ iifict on the bare back n
the convicted gambler. thirty-nine lashes, we'll
81 - A. co~,t, ,rIr,.aj 10 e.rIla py,t mad
insert may, at the discretion of the Court be
subjected to stripes, not exceeding thirty.ninc.'
Sir. ANDERSON opposed the S-nates amends
ment. To make such a provision would take
away from the bill the greatest virtue Ii possessed.
Gamblers would go OH in defiance o: the law,
knowing that the responsibility Of i%nilictinC this
punishment would be 50 great that their chances
of escape would be almost certain. The evil OF
gambling was too great to be lightly dealt with.
It was running many Of the gallan. youth OF cur
army every day, and if not peremptoriiy stopped
its demoralizlng effect no one could calculate
He cited the example of North Carolina III i'm
posing the same penalty on gamblers, and its
immediate effect Of clearing the State Of chem
altogether.
Mr.. HALL said that, although he would 20
as far as any one in suppresslng this evil, and
had favored the House amendnent, be thought
that the Senatc's amendment wonld prove
equally efficient. The bill would take away
all of the negroes employed by these gamblers,
or no man would hire his slave to them know
ing he would have tn forfeit him, and no free
negro would hire himself 10 them, knowing
that he would be sold into. slavery 50 those
highly dressed gentlemen would have to do
their W work, if it was done 1T all. lie had
no doubt whatever that tie authorities here
would enforce the law, and that the Courts
would intlict the penalties. lie was willing
to give to the Courts the discretionary power
tespecially, because there should be some dis
elimination, for there were s"me gamblers
worse than others. Public opinion, all over
the State, was too unanimous in rhc matter 70
permit any tn escape withouidue punishment.
Mr.. PESDLEToS hoped that the Senate
amendment would not prevail. The evil
should be put down efectually, leaving no
means of escape to the offender. If the C men
don't want to be punished, let them not VIC
late the law. The responsibility should not
be thrown upon the Judge. All concurrod
that the crime should he suppressed, and the
responsibility should rest no where else than
here.
Mr.. ANDERSON SAID he had learned that re-
Gently most beautifully prepared tickets had
heen sent To the officers of Gen. Lees army
from one of these large gambling houses, IN
yiting them 10 a fine dinner. Was there ever
so much effrontery ? These were the devices
for iuveigling our unsus"ecting youth, and
dragging them to ruin and Generalization in
these heils. Why weaken the bill Ivy such All
amendment as that now offered! The offence
was 50 great that the punishment could not
be too great, and he could not respect that
sicklv humanity which seemed u influence
SOM in their notions Of this bill.
Mr.. ToMLIN said he would correct tlE gen
tleman. Tho invitations-he alluded to We're
sent to the officers at Camp Lee, not to Gen.
Lees army, inviting them, whenever they can
come, to partake Of their inequalities, which,
in his opinion, made the device far more VII
famous.
Mr.. PENDLEroS said he had heard that since
the House had engrafted its amendment TO the
Scnate's bill, one Of these gambling houses
had closed, and another had given notice that
it would close. Pass the bill, and it would not
be long before none remained.
Mr.. SHACKELroRD was in favor Of the Sen
ate's amendment. He had voted for the origi-
nal amendment, but thought it possible, If the
Senate's amendment were rejected, the whole
bill might he defeated if not, then the object
of it might be. BY its pt ssagc. All that was
desired by the bill was conviction. Il wa not
the desire Of the Legislature u punish, but to
prevent crime by the terror Of punishment:
and if the chances for conviction were lessen
ed, that terror would also be lesscncd. Con-
~viction, in this case, brought forfeiture OF
fine and imprisonment. II hat don't
break up gambling. he didn't know what
would. The appealing influences brought to
bear against a Jury, in the face OF a grave re-
sponsibility, was too well known not TO sug-
eest the extreme difficulty of securing convic-
ton in this matter of inficting stri pes, tn"
most degrading of all punishmchts, upon a
white man.
Mr.. MATHEWS called the previous question.
which being sustained, the vote was taken on
the Senate's amendment, and it was adopted
yeas Sc, nays 45. -.
= The Senate's second amendment, providing
that % per cent. of the value of all forfeited
property be allowed to the Commemorative
Attorney who p~rosecutes the case, was passed
discussion.
Mr.. WoRsmAM, who was absent during the
action on the bill, stated that he wished it to
he known that he was in favor of it, and
that he would have voted for it had he been
:,
On motion of Mr.. PEHDIEToS, the bill to
commute the pay per diem Of the members of
the General Assembly was taken W. The
bill is based upon the fact Of the great depre-
of the currency in which the members
are paid (Confederatc).' and the precedent
by the Legislature in Isl, under
circumstances. The amount of COM
in currency was in blank, the filling
Of which now occupied the attention ct the
House, the bill being on It's third reading
After a tedious discussion, involving the con-
stitutionality. propriety and necessity Of the
the blank was filed With $50 per
diem.
The bill was then PIT upon its passage, and the
Chair decided that the constitutional Cwo,thir1s
the whole iIouse) vote WIS necessary. The
roll being called, the result was-yeas, 81. nays.
81 The Chair tliercupon declared the bill r.