The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-01-26

original bill as reported by the Committee on
Courts of Justice. The original bill provides
that negro testimony shall be admitted in all
cases where negroes are interested, but where
white men only are interested their evidence
will not be admitted until January LIST, 1868. |
Mr.. Keen opposed the bill in shortspeech,
to which Mr.. Gilmer replied. The question
was further discussed by Messrs. Gray, Boil
ing, 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 policy of President
johnson, and not in opposition to it. Mr.,
johnson stands facing the Radical party of
the equality. The President opposes negro
suffrage, and says that it will take generations
to efface the line of demarcation between the
negro and the white man, and that he Mr..
Keen) intended, so far as lies in his power, to
sustain the President SO that he could rest
secure id the support of Virginia. He was in
favor of giving negroes the right to testify in
cases where they are concerned, but that he
would never consent to give them the ability
| to outweigh the evidence 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
in the admission of evidence of negroes in
cases where they are interested, then why not
I in cases where white men are interested He
said that he could not express his own views
in stronger terms than those employed in the
bill.
Mr. Meade moved to amend the bill by
declaring that it shall be in force from the
time of the removal of the Freedmen's Bu-
reau.
The amendment was negatived by vote of
four to twenty-five.
The bill was ordered to engrossment.
CONTRACTS WITH NEGROES.
A bill to regulate contracts for labor or
service between colored and white persons
and to define what shall be a days or
months LABOR" was taken up.
Mr.. Crutchfeld offered substitute.
Mr., MERCER offered an amendment to the
substitute.
Mr.. McRae moved to lay the bill, substitute
and amendments on the table to be printed
and referred to committee of seven. Agreed
to.
WITNESSES.
{" A bill to repeal an act entitled an act re-
lating to witnesses, passed by the General As
sembly of the restored Government of Virginia
and ordered to engrossment.
MASTERS AND APPRENTICES.
A bill to amend and re-enact the fifth
section of chapter one hundred and twenty
six of the Code of Virginia for 1860, in rea-
ton to masters and apprentices was ordered
to engrossment.
The Senate then adjourned.
TJN A
The House met at II o'clock, M. No pray
Journal of yesterday was read by the Clerk.
MORNING HOUR.
The Committee of Propositions and Griev-
ances asked to be relieved from the considera-
tlo,. =. -hH subject of incorporating the Plan
ters Loan AsSoclaLioL.
RESOLUTIONS
. The following resolution, requiring the
Judgment of the House, was offered by Mr.
, Garnett
"Resolved, That the Committee on Finance
be instructed to report bill providing for the
sale Of all the interest held by the State in any
of the works of impr ovement JOINT stock
companies !" Agreed to.
ORANGE AND ALEXANDRIA RAILROAD.
The business of the morning hour having
been transacted, the joint resolution in regard
to the presidency of the Orange and Alexan-
dria railroad was put upon its third reading
Mr.. Garnett moved that the subject be dis
missed
Mr.. Cabell opposed this motion
Mr. Garnett argued in favor of the dismiss
sal of the subject. He viewed it as railroad
brawl, and did not think that it was proper.
if lawful, for the State to mingle in such
brawls
The question was called, and the House re-
fused to take the vote.
Mr.. Joynes offered the following substitute
to the whole:
"Resolved, That the General Assembly is of
opinion that the Orange and Alexandra rail-
road was not, when taken possession of by the
Board OF Public Works, liable to be SO taken
possession of, according to the provisions of
section thlrty-nine, chapter sixty-one, of the
Code of 1860, and hereby disclaims, on be-
half of the State, the act of the said Board in
taking possession thereof under the provisions
of said section"
After lengthy discussion, the question of
MIR. English's amendment was put, and the
amendment lost
Mr.. Joynes withdraw his substitute
Mr.. Lee offered the following substitute for
the whole
"Resolved That as the sense of the General
Assembly, no officers were elected for the
Orange and Alexandria railroad on the 18th
and 10th of November, 1866, and that the
Board of Public Works be requested to call
meeting Of the stockholders, for the election of
a president and directors at an early day
This was agreed to-
Mr.. Garnett's motion to dismiss was put,
and decided in the negative by a vote. of ayes,
"a noes, So. The joint resolution. as amen
ded, was then passed after third reading.