The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-02-06
default of payment, with Imprisonment for

tcndent Of the Penitentiary to employ q
portion of the convicts in mining for coal
and other minerals.
The Senate bill to repeal the act of
March 5, 1866, in relation to appeals and
writs of error, etc., was postponed until
Tuesday next.
The bill for the relief Henry Exall was
postponed till Friday next.
REPORTS AGREED TO.
The report Of the Committee Of Rules
against changing the hour of meeting for
the House was concurred in.
The report Of the Committee Of Courts
of. Justice against the expediency of re-
curing annual settlements Of the sheriff,
with the county courts, was read and con
Cured in.
The report Of same committee on the pc
tition and resolution relative to pilotage or
the Potomac river, was read and c%oncurred
in.
ARTIFICIAL LIMBS.
The CHAIR laid before the House the fol
lowing communication
"The Board of Commissioners for exc
cutting the act of the General Assembly
making an application to provide for artih
cial limbs for INDECENT disabled soldiers, ma
been organized. The commissioners De
sire to be put into communication with par
ties who NAV be entitled to the benefits o.
tbef fund. and will thank each senator ano
delegate to furnish the name IN fuil O
such parties, the pcst-office ADDRESS, vi.
county, and limb desired, to lay
Tor, secretary of the Board, in Richmond
"Srch parties should receive a circular
from The Board before coming to Richmond
or ordering the limb" =.
Leave of absence was granted 10 UT
Sneaker BALDWIN for the remainder OF the
week. uu
MORGAN, of Smyth, for two days.
AMENDED BILLS.
The House bill authorizing the Judge OF
the fourteenth Judicial circuit to hold the
terms of the Circuit Court of Bland county,
returned from the Senate with amend
ments, came up in order, and the amend
ments were c%oncurred In.
The Senate bill TO amend and reenact
an act entitled an act for the incorporation
of Martha Washington College, reported
from the Committee Of Schools ana Coi-
leges with amendments, came up IN order,
The amendments were not material, ana
were ~concurred in by the House, and the
bill passed.
BILLS PASSED.
The following Senate bills were read j
third time and passed:
A bill declaratory of the true meaning
aud intent of acts of incorporation OF in
surance and other companies;
A bill TO incorporate the Harvey Manu-
featuring Company;
A bill to incorporate the Granite Falls
Manufacturing Company
A bill to incorporate the Water Works
Manufacturing Company;
Abill declaring the Rapid Ann river a law
full fence from Raccoon ford, the line be-
tween Culpeper and Orange, to its juno
ton with the R~appahannock river;
A bill to incorporate the Pittsylvania
Salt and Coal Mining Company.
The following House bills were also read
a third time and passed
A bill to incorporate the Alexandra
Dock Company
A bill to authorize foreigners to pur-
chase, or inherit and hold real estate.
MECHANICS LIENS.
The Senate bill in relation to mechanics
liens came up in order, and was passed as
amended yesterday.
GThe statement in the report of yester-
proceedings that the bill had passed
was erroneous. 1t was passed to-day,
however, precisely as amended yesterday
r-., ~ ~ , - rl~nrrs N CERTAIN
CASES.
The bill to authorize a lawyer to sit as
Judge in certain cases came up in order.
1t had been committed to the COMMITTEE
for Courts, and by that committee reported
back with a substitute.
The substitute was adopted; n the
being upon the engroSsliehl Vi
the bill. it was opposed by Messrs. CLARK,
of Campbell, and KELLEY, and sustained
nv Messrs. SEAwELL and BENTLEY. In
onnositiop. it was %contended that the bill
was unconstitutional, and decisions made
nnder il might be contested that a lawyer
nres;dinp as Judge would not have the
hover to punish contempt of court, and
tthat after all, it was a kind of arbitration,
and the present law Of arbitration was quite
sufficient on that point. In reply, 1t was
contended that the constitutionality was
sustained by a majority of the Committee
of Courts of Justice, and that the fact that
arbitrations were authorized with all the
force of law, sustained this bill SO far as
precedent could do so. Yet the present
arbitrating tribunal had no power to sum
mon a Jury, which was given to the lawyer
sitting as Judge in this bill. 1t was con-
tended that many of the judges had large
practice when elected, and that a great
deal of Inconvenience had arisen from their
inability to sit in many cases. This bill
would give great relief by providing for the
trial of such causes.
The bill was ordered to be ergrossed-
ayes, 81 noes, 20.
THE POTOMAC RAILROAD COMPANY.
The House in order considered the bill
incorporating the Potomac Railroad Com.
pany-pending Mr.. D~UNNINGToN's amend,
ment, explained in the report of Saturday!
proceedings.
Mr.. GRAHAM moved a substitute, giving
the Alexandria and Fredericksburg Rail.
road Company until the lst of January
1867, to show by resuming operations thai
they intend to complete the work. Mr.
D~CNNINGT0N's amendment provides that i
the company shall by the LIST of May mex
satisfy the Board Of Public Works that
they have satisfied their creditors and re-
sumed their work, that this charter of the
Potomac railroad shall be null and void.
Mr.. GRAHAM's amendment required no
proof that the company had satisfied all
their creditors. Mr.. GRAHAM assumed that
il was out Of the question for this House to
undertake to legislate creditors into their
claims.
Mr.. GRAHAM's amendment was rejected.
On motion of Mr.. ROBERTSON "June F"
was inserted in lieu of "May" as the