Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1865-12-09

| Assembling OF tie Ilefstslature--1neO fiI
GERS Chosen and Their AntecedenIs--
The Governors Message-InGernaI HIM
prOvemenfs----The Freedmen----They
should be Allowed TO Testify--Gen
Butler TO Take Command i'm January
RICHMOND, Dec. !, 1865.
The Legislature of Virginia assembled to.
day. In the absence of the Lieutenant Gov
ernor Mr. Robinson of Norfolk presided
| over the Senate; Shelton Davis, Secretary
| for the last eight years, was reelected; Writ
| Harrison, Sergeant-at-Arms. The House
organized by the election of John b. Bald
win, who formerly represented the Augusta
district in the Confederate Congress, Speak
er, and John Bell Bigger, Clerk.
Bigger was Assistant Clerk for several
years. r. w. Burke was reelected Ser
geant-at-Arms.
After the organization Of the Legislature,
the Governors Message was received and
read.
The Governor first calls attention TO the
public debt, showing an aggregate Of S4l,-
100000 against So, 100000 available assets.
the State has several millions in unproduc-
tive internal improvements. The interest
due on the first Of January exceeds S6,000,
009. The question Of taxation is considered
at some length. The Governor says a levy
o. 90 per cent. on the real estate will be re-
CURED, and recommends a tax or license for
taking oysters in the waters Of Virginia.
He suggests the sale Of the State invest
ment in railroad stocks land bonds. which
would relieve the State of Sl5,000,000 Of
debt, and promote the efficiency Of the rail
road.
The educational interests of Virginia are
specially commended to the attention of the
Legislature, and the establishment Of a
Polytechnic School is urged.
The Governor recommends the passage Of
laws holding Judiciaries responsible for in
vestments in Confederate bonds He thinks,
after mature consideration, very little legis-
lation is needed in regard to the freedmen;
but they should be allowed to testify as wit
nesses, and should be tried and punished the
same as white persons. lie advises that the
S3,000,000 heretofore invested in the Gov
ington and Ohio Railroad, be given as boun-
ty to any company that will complete the
road.
The repeal of the usury laws is recon-
mended. The Governor devotes the con-
Guiding part of the Message to reconstruc-
ton, and says it is of the utmost importance
that the people Of Virginia give cheerful
support to the Federal Government in the
payment of all taxes assessed for paying the
National Debt.
1t is positively asserted here to-day that
Gen. Butler will take command of the De
partment of Virginia on the Sth of January
next
The Richmond Republic refers as follows
to the new Mayor of that city:
At the last meeting of the City Council |
David j. Saunders, Esq, President of that |
body, was elected Mayor Of Richmond. Mr.. |
Saunders has been member of the Council |
for fifteen years, large proportion of which |
time he has been President, and is therefore |
familiar with the city ordinances. He is not |
a lawyer by profession, but is a man of good |
business sense, marked industry, and of great |
If legal question comes be- |
fore him, land that is not at all probable, as
his court is not Of record, but subject to the |
revision of the Hastings Court he has an
able adviser in the city attorney, who is al
ways ready to give him counsel. Some
months after the surrender of Richmond,
Mr.. Saunders was appointed provisional
of the city by General Turner, and
performed the duties of that position in a
manner entirely acceptable to the military
authorities and our citizens generally. 1t
would be impossible to say, in advance, how
ne will fill the Office Of Mayor, but we are
quite sure he will do the best he can, and
hat the people will aid him TO the extent of
heir ability. No more could be asked or
expected of any man.
The Republic says:
There is a general overhauling of the
roops in the Department of Virginia. The
It'll Provisional cavalry have been mustered
,ut Of the service, and will embark at City
Point to-day for New York. The I'd New
the 4lst and 103 Niw York the
18th Illinois, the 9th Vermont, the l8Sth
the 9th Ohio, and the Sth
md llth Connecticut regiments, and COM
lany A, 1st Loyal Virginia volunteers, will
&c mustered out forthwith and sent to their
homes. When they are gone we
hail have in the State of Virginia some six
thousand effective men. OF these about four
thousand will be stationed at Richmond, and
he balance will be placed at such points in
he State as the military authorities shall
ecide.
Matrimony is quite popular in Richmond
he Republic says;
Twenty-nine adventurous young men, not
aving the fear of the consequences before |
heir eyes, procured licenses to marry, at the
Jerks office of the Hastings Court, last
Month. The marrying propensity has been
cry decidedly manifested in Virginia since
he war came TO a close. Hymen has sue
ecdcd Mars. Long may he reign!