Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-02-14
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

of Senator Below, the senate ADJOURNED.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
The House met at the usual hour, the Speaker in
the Chair.
Prayer by the Rev. Dr.. Edwards.
TAXES on LICENSES.
The House bill assessing taxes on licenses, re-
turned by the Senate with an amendment, was re-
ported from the Finance Committee, with a recon-
mendation that the House concur in said Senate
amendment. Agreed TO.
The amendment provides that no tobacco inspec-
tor shall sell tobacco at auction.
THE COMMISSION To WASHINGTON.
The Speaker laid before the House the report Of
the Joint committee of the two houses of the Legis
lature, which recently visited Washington city To
Law before President johnson the resolutions endOrs'
ing his reconstruction policy, &c.
Two thousand copies Of said report We're ordered,
on motion of Mr.. WATKINS, to be printed for the use
of the House.
CLAIMS CONTRACTED DURING THE WAR.
The report of the Committee Of Courts of Justice,
favorable to the payment of certain claims contract
ed during the war, which had been previously re-
pdtSd upon adversely by the ommitte on Claims,
was taken up and considered.
4 minority report was also presented-when,
On motion of Mr.. PENDLEToN, the minority re-
port, OF which the following resolution is u part,
was adopted;
Resolred. That We are Of the opinion that the
Committee on Claims decided rightly in regarding
these six claims as embraced in the clause ofthe
Constitution which prohibits the General Assembly
from providing for the payment OF any debt or obli-
CATION created in the name OF the State by the
usurped and pretended State authority at Rich
mOnd.
MI. GARNET moved to reconsider the vote by
which the minority report was adopted, which mo-
ton was supported by Mr.. BAYLOR, upon the ground
that to pay the claims in question was in violation
of the Constitution.
Nh. JoYNEs, of Petersburg, Chairman Of the
Committee on Courts Of Justice, said he thought il
his duty to the House to explain the grounds of the
Committees report, especially rs some gentlemen
seem not TO have read il. He submitted that 1t was
clear that the obligation to support the inmates oil
the Penitentiary rested upon the people of the State,
arose out of the social relation, and was recognized
by laws never repealed, and that it was such an OBJ
legation, as by the established law and usage OF ma
tons, survives all changes Of Government. There
could be no doubt OfthiS constitutional provision
that provision ought to be construed with reference to
this acknowledged law and usage, which were found
ed in consideration, justice and necessity, 1t ought
not to be presumed that the people, i'll this provision OF
the Constitution, intended TO repudiate Obligations
which restored Governments had been in the habit
of recognizing through an time. The language OF
the Constitution might be satisfied by cOnhnlng tito
debts and obligations that would have had no cN-
istence but for the usurped Government.
The laws in reference to the PenitentiaTy had
never been repealed by the restored Government
from which it must be supposed That II was intended
that the Penitentiary should be sustained. The pro-
vision as TO the debts of counties sustained the con-
.struction insisted on.
He proceeded at some length to enforce the views
of the Committee as set forth in the minority report.
The ommitte were Of opinion that il supplies were
furnished at such Il time that payment might have
been obtained from the " rebel" Government, but for
the neglect of the party, they ought not to be now
paid.
Mr.. WILSON contended that the pretended and
- n,-.-rv,ant Of Rirbp,nnH had nothing IN
do with creating the claims under consideration,
and therefore, that their payment was not barred by
the clause of the Constitution upon which TIE advo-
Gates of the minority report relied. 1t was intended
10 prevent the Governor aud the Legislature at
Richmond from creating debts, binding the State by
the issue of State bonds, &c. In his opinion, the re-
port of the committee was not in violation OF the
Constitution, while there was an apparent, though
not q real inconsistency Between the article referred
to and the following, which Is iOund IN the ScheuulG
of the Constitution, the latter was clearly intended
to guard against the Reputation OF claims OF the
character
IAN ordinances and laws in force when this Con-
s|titution is adopted, and not inconsistent Herewith,
shall remain and continue as if this Constitution was
not adopted, and So of all rights prosecutions, ac-
tions, claims aud contracts"
MI. PENDLETON could not see how the gentleman
from Petersburg. while acknowledging that the
Government ut Richmond was a usurped ana rebel
hOus Government, could advocate the payment oil
any debt contracted by it. If these claims are mel
Their debts nor obligations, where then is the obi
CATION or authority 10 pay them. The Superlntend-
ant and Store-keeper ofthe Penitentiarya are undouDt'
edly officers and agents of the State, and debts ere
ated by them were the debts of the Richmond Gov
eminent, and as such were expressly repudiated 10y
the Constitution adopted at Alexandria.
The vote was then taken on the motion to recon-
slider, when it was adopted-ayes ~, noes.$.
Mr.. ATKINSON then moved TO pass the report by.
Agreed tO-ayes 43 noes 80.
THE SALARIES OF STATE OFFICERS.
The Finance Committee reported a substitute to
the bill fixing the salaries of State officers. The
substitute gives the Governor 5000, First Auditor
5000 and no fees, Treasurer $4,000, Secretary
of the Commonwealth $500, and Register of the
Land Office 1000. The salaries of the clerks OF
these officers, of which there are four CLASSES, range
from 81, 800 10 5000, according to grade-with the
exception of the Clerk of Public Accounts, which
is fixed at Sl,6OO.
Mr.. WATKINS moved to increase the salary OF
First Auditor 10 $500.
Mr.. GRArTAS opposed it, and said these officers
will have 10 retrench expenses as well as the people.
Mr.. PESDLETON agreed with the gentleman from
Richmond.
Mr.. EVANS advocated the proposition to increase
the salary because the labOrs Of the Office have been
increased. The Legislature has Increased its pay
fifty per cent.
Mr.. SrRAuGHAN thought that all OF the basement
officers knew the salaries they were 10 he paid when
they were elected.
MI. W HITE Was III ldNbF u HitItd9ih- ANt pay
of the Auditor, because of the increase Of his duties
but he likewise favored the increase of tie pay Of
his faithful clerks.
Mr.. kILBY-The State is only about two-thirds as
large as formerly, hence the business oil the state Is
decreased in that proportion.
Mr.. ATKINSON moved the pending question,
when the amendment was lost.
Mr.. WHITE moved 10 increase the salary Of fourth
clerk in the First Auditors Office to seven hundred
and fifty dollars. He had filed the office himself
and had as onerous duties there TO perform as any
clerk in the Office. Lost.
The substitute of the Committee on Finance was
then ordered to its engrossment and third reading
An act for the relief of the
WINCHESTER AND POTOMAC RAILROAD
was taken up and passed.
Mr.. GARNET moved to reconsider the joint reso
luton by which the joint resolution authorizing th'
sale of the
ENGLISH PAPER IN THE LIBRARY
belonging TO the State, was adopted. Agreed to.
On motion of Mr.. GARNET, it was then passed
by.
BILL TO ENCOURAGE IMMIGRATION
into the State was lost.
SPECIAL POLICE.
bill to authorize the appointment of a specia
police to search for stolen property was passed, wit
an amendment.
BILLS PASSED.
Bill to amend and re-enact second section, chspte
50, of the Code.
A bill to incorporate the Alexandra Sun Fir
Company.
A bill TO incorporate the Valley Mining, Explorin
and Manufacturing Company.
A bill to incorporate the Hampton m Com
pany.
Abill to incorporate the North Carolina Transpol
A bill to incorporate the Great Southern IAlan
Navigation Company.
Bill TO include the value of stamps in the costs
legal proceedings.
A bill to amend sections four and five of chaptt
ITO, OF the Code, concerning dover. ltcomPeis u
- L. la=n- and nnnant IL