Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-10-13
LE&3saAi';ihE OF T;RHfNl3
extra SESSION.
'MrspAr, OCTOBER II, 1862.
SENATE.


SENATE.
The Senate was called 10 order at IL O'Clock
~ :ho President, Lieutenant Governor Mon,
rACCE.
communication was received from the Coy
ernOr in ~rcla:i"n 10 the Central Lunatic ASYLUM,
whi.h, On motinn of Mr.. CHRISTIAN, of Mid.
ilcsex, WAS referred to the Committee on Pub.
lie Institutions.
Mr.. CoiLIEa, hT lca7e, introduced a bill ia
enlarge the powers of the Common Council
.? the city of Petersburg. .
RESOLUTIONS.
The following resolutions were offered,
adopted and referred to appropriate commit
tees:
By Mr.. ALDERsoN-Of providing by LAW
that the next meeting Of the General Assem-
bly, shall Ls on the let Monday in January
next.
BY Mr.. DILLARD-Of authorizing Courts OF
P;ubat 10 receive proof Of the hand writing
II witnesses to wills when the witness is in
tie army Of Confederate States, and his at
tendance cannot be enforced by s%ummnning,
or whcn tho fe.tator has died or been killed
in the army.
BY Mr.. Guv-On tho expediency uf such
legislation as will turn into productive chan.
nels the labor now employed in the manufac-
trr. If tobacco and in other pursuits which
a,e not necessary f"r tho public welfare.
BILL TO gEGuLATE PRICES.
The bill to regulate prizes was then taken
up. tie question being ON the motion TO strike
gu; tue Fir t section of the bill.
Mr.. ARMSTRONG said, this measure OF
- -., Ill L-- -sl - Al
NV Eng'and States, and IT'S impracticlhility
, had'been shown by tho history Of its opera,
tions at thnt time. So far from remedying the
evils Of cxtortion and speculation. measuresot
tli, kind only Increased them. Mr.. A. read
interesting extracts from letters written by
Gen. " a-hing on, showing tie evil effects Of
fs;ng prices y law that such schemes were
inronsi.ient with the nature Of things and en-
,irely impranii"ablp. The States and Con,
gr,.s. nd tried to regulate prices, but had
failed. You talk about speculation and ava
rec, and you condemn them 3. vile and infa-
nous hut what has supplied the wants Of
the armv and the country but tho love OF
gain? What has induced the running OF
b~!rckales and the bringing in of large supplies
# goods? Patriotism may do much, but the
love nf gain does much more. We are told
that NC have intelligent gentlemen. who take
AL things into consideration, and they have
fixed u ramunerative Government price
Bat tho owner of the produce DIES not
think SO. Lot us sec hrw these prizes
work. 4 man in the country wants cotton
rlcth. lie comes to Richmond and purchases
a, - pcr yard, and when he takes it home
he IS told he must sell it .t n less price
and he j. forced to do AZ. Is this justice
Under thi. law the artful and the migrate
full may make enormous csina while tbs
/ lynorunt ard the helpless will suffer griev
nuI1. Last winter the government could
! not supply'the army with shoes: and how were
the ~sn!!icrs shoi2 Why the patriotism Of
; 'ie ncnrlc indus them TO 90 inth the mar
| kct and purchase shoes wherever they could
ret item, regardless OF the price, and IT
s;is way the soldiers in the army were main
Is supplied. Had this la~ been in icrce Their
these articles could not have heen obtained
We should profit by the experience of nul
revolutionary fathers. They tried the effect
If regulating prices and were fnr'ed to re-
peal all such measures. Such experiments a.
| this ] " are danGerous-we orc not in q
condition to experiment now, aud we should
beware how we DO so.
VT. JDSES f'llt, w L'r lGlltsNiihuSiN Va q
constituency Of farmers. Of whom he wa'
proud, he would raise his voice against thi'
bill. After til. uniform support tie farmers
have. given to the government there shoulc
M. be a question ~ u their patriotism
| The measure now before the Senate woulc
in the farmers great injustice. Is it inst L
Gnrce the owner of lands TO give his produce
for half price? II that the way to stimuli 1T
production? All tho farmer wants ia jus
ticc? Give the farmer u fair price-what h,
can get. say eight or ten dollars for wheat
and in this way you will stimulate production
But by the effort to bring d,wn prices you
limit supplies. and, consequently. increaS'
pric.s. lie believed the Confederate Govern
m"nt now takes from the farmer millions q
| .iol,a,s inr the support Of the army. Tha,
,rc perfectly willing to lear Il far nroporti3r
# the burdens Of this war. The who'll
country il defended by the army, and tn,
whole cnuntry should equally contribut,
70 support the army. The farmer al-o sui
rrrs most in supplying la'or for tn
: rtifirations. But pass this measure, ant
Nr. JONES h"lieyct it would engender crim'
~ allnring munv citizens from the true path
i r~ro'itr, anil in tie end tHrnisl, the fai,
fa,nn nf nur State. Public virtue and genera
m rilitr are the main pillars of our great
no.-: .wcep these away. and the fair fabric u
mr. government will fall. This hill will bn
d, .rrara.e tie evils it is designed to suppress
The experience Of ali gentlemen has settled
he fact. that what public opinion IL unable
~ dr. ynu canro, accomplish by legi-lation.-
| The ronrlc call for bread. hut by this bill w
.iv. Them II scorpion. To his mini IL dnrre
lated currency is the Of all the Difficult
res that now E"sct ns. lie had heard Of
nor+on walking IN the elge Of a dangerous
,,-ecin'ce. IF ever there was a time in tht
history nf this State when it might be sale
wc were walking on the edge Of q fear
rnl rrccipicc. this was the time Ant
", should pause and refert before We adnpt
,urh l.sislation as this. IF we restrict the
orirn Of articles raised by the farmer, vi
.hnnll ala, ~restri"t the prices Of articles which
tive fnrrnrr is bound to purchase. He object
. 10 the whole principla Of this bill, anr
should vote against il. unless instructed to d.
otherwise by his CONFERENCE.-The responsible
itv. then. would r"s. nron them.
o. motion Of Mr.. CHRISTIAN, of Middlese1
.hn bill was laid npnn the table and mado thu
order Of the day for to-mnrr'w.
BILLS PASSED.
The fo'lowing bills were read the third
time and passed
r, authorize the arrest os deserters BY tn.
"ivil authorities.
To arm and eqnip the Militia.
EASTERN LUNATIc ASYLUM.
Tho hill providing for the settlement o.
Claims against the Eastern Lunatic Asylum
vas taken up. with the amendments affixed by
the House OF Delegates.
Mr.. BRANCH explained the bill. and urged
the impolicy of the amendments proposed by
tho Urusc of Delegates.
The amendments were disagreed to. and the
bill was ordered To he engrossed.
xR. GOLFERS REVOLUTIONS.
The committee to whom we're referred
the resolution, presented by Mr.. Coll
TER. some days since. in relation to the status
Of slavery. reported that it was inexpedient t"
I%eyislate further upon the subject ct this
time.