The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-01-25
cEYTRAI ASSEMBLY or VIRGINIA.
"WEDNESDAY, January "a, 1866.

"WEDNESDAY, January "A, 1866
SENATE.
Lieutenant Governor CowPER in the chair.
Prayer by DIR. HCpson.
EXTRA SESSION.
A Joint resolution from the House
g ResoIred. That the Senate concurring, the
session of the General Assembly be extended
beyond the term of sixty days for further
period not exceeding thirty days
was taken up, on suspension OF the rules,
and passed.
CONVICTION AND OHIO RAILROAD.
BY Mr.. PECK:
"Resolred, That the Committee on Roads ana
Internal Navigation be instructed 10 inquire
into and report to this House what action or
legislation If any is necessary to complete the
Virginia Central railroad to CoyinSton, and to
complete the Covington and Ohio railroad.
DISMAL SWAMP CANAL.
BY Mr. ROBINSON
.sWhereas the State of Virginia owns n
large interest in the Dismal Swamp canal and
! whereas it becomes the duty of the Legislature
/ to inquire into and look after all the interests
/ of the State in her internal improvements,
"ReSOLued, That the Committee on Roads and
Internal Navigation be, and they are hereby,
instructed to inquire into the present status
of the Dismal Swamp Canal Company, with
power to send for persons and papers, if neces-
sary." Agreed TO.
NEGRO EVIDENCE.
GA bill to amend and re-enact the ninth Sec
ton of chapter one hundred and three of the
! Code of Virginia, defining mulatto, proVld,
! ing for the punishment OF offences by coloreu
persons, and for the admission OF their evil
dence in legal inves LEGATIONS and to repeal all
laws in relation 10 slaves and slavery, ana Tor
other purposes" came up as unfinished buSl-
nesS-the question being on the amendment,
proposed by Mr.. COLEMAN, to strike out the
! amendment and
nal bill as reported by the Committee on
Courts of Justice. The original Dill provides
that negro testimony shall be admitted III all
cases where negroes are interested, out Wherc
white men only are interested their evidence
will not be admitted until January LIST, 1865,
Mr.. KEEN opposed the bill in short speech,
! 10 which Mr. GILMER replied. The question
! was further discussed by MeSSrS. GRAY, Boil
LING, CABELL, CROCKETT and MCRAE.
Mr.. KEEN said, in response to some remarks
of Mr.. CROCKETT, that he was acting In this
matter in support OF the pollcy OF FreSlueht
, Johnson, and not in opposition tot. MI. John-
! son stands facing the Radical party OF the
North, who press on him the ideas of negro
! equality. The President opposes negro suffrage,
and saws that it will take generations TO eilace
the line of demarcation between thenegro and
/ the white man, and that he (Mr. KEEN in
tended, so far as lies in his power to sustal the
I President, so that he could rest secure III the
/ support of Virginia. He was in favor of giving
| negroes the right to testify in cases where they
are concerned, but tina he would never consent
to give them the ability TO outweigh the evil
dence of white men.
Mr.. BOYD advocated the admission OF negro
testimony in all cases. The object of evidence
is to get at truth, and if truth IS attainable in
: the admission Of evidence of negroes in eases
where they are interested, then why not in
cases where white men are interested. He said
that he could not express his own views III
stronger terms Than those employed in the
I bill.
Mr.. MEADE moved TO amend the bill by
declaring that it shall be in force from the time
of the removal of the Frcedmeu's Bureau.
The amendment was negatiycd by a vote of
four TO Twenty-Five
The bill was ordered 10 engroSSment
CONTRACTS WITH NEGROES.
:" 4 bill to regulate contracts for labor or
service between colored and white persons
and TO define what shall be a day or month 5
I labor was taken up.
! MIR. COLEMAN offered substitute.
Mr.. MERCER offered IN amendment to the
substitute.
MIR. McRAE moved TO lay Tho. bill, substitute
and amendments on the table 10 be printed
and referred to a committee OF seven Agreed
/ to-
WITNESSES.
a bill to repeal an act entitled IN act rela-
ting to witnesses, passed by the General Assem-
bly, of the reStOred Government of Virginia OIL
the 29th day OF January, 1854 was taken up
I and ordered TO cngrosSmeut.
MASTERS AND APPRENTICES.
"a bill TO amend and re-cnact the fifth sec
ZION of chapter one hundred and twcntysiX
of the Code of Virginia for 1860, in relation TO
masters and apprenticcs,' was ordered TO
engrossment.
The Senate then adjourned
The above bills will come up for final pas
sage at q future day When they are passed :
being matters of such universal interest, full
abstracts of them will be published i'll the Dis
Vutcb, and if the acts be not TOO long, they VIII
be given in ettenS0.