The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-04-15

EXTRA SESSION.
SENATE.

SENATE.
SATURDAY, April Is, 1867.
The Senate met at IL NJ, was called to
order by Lieutenant Governor CowrER'
and opened with prayer by the hev.
George w. Laughlin, Of the Me'hou's'
Church.
REFERRED.
A uumber NJ hills acted upon the pre-
vious day by the House were REFERRED
REJECTED.
orse-bill No. amending the Code
= rcIation to the iunatic asylums, was re-
iected. as it leaked out that the object was
merely to effect the removal Of the present
very worthy Board of Directors.
House bill No. 20, relating to the quail
fications of voters for trustees in the town
of Manchester was, on motion oil MT. NC
RAE. rejected, as the Sherman military
bill had obvated the necessity OF such
law. 1t provided that none but whitc
citizens of the United States and State
should vote for trustees.
LAID OVER.
The House bill to punish mutiation OF
monuments, ornaments, and plants, in the
cemeteries of the Commonwealth was
amended so as to provide also against OBJ
structing ingress and egress to or from the
same, and was then laid over.
sTAUNToN RIvER BRIDGE.
The House bill, as reported from the
Committee on Roads and Internal I'M
proyements, without amendment, autho-
rizing the Pittsylvania and Lynchburg
| Turnpike Company to rebuild their bridge
over Stanton river within six years from
the 10th of April, 1865, was read third
time and adopted.
| FENCE LAW.
The House bill repeating the fence law
in the Piedmont and Tidewater counties,
and constituting the boundary lines of pro-
perty legal fences, was rejected.
AUDITORS OFFICE.
House bill increasing the salary of the
Second Auditor and increasing the clerical
force in his office was taken up.
PASSAGE OF THE CONSOLIDATION BILL.
The bill known as the consolidation
scheme being the order of the day, was
taken up. 1t proposes to form continu-
GUS line of railroad from Norfolk to the
Mississippi river uia Cumberland Gap
by consolidation of the Norfolk and Pc
tersburg, the Southside, the Virginia and
Tennessee, and other railroads.
Mr.. GRAY moved to postpone action I'M
til Wednesday, as a mass meeting had
been called in his district, and after re-
ceiving instructions he would be better
prepared to vote on this important mea-
sure.
The motion was lost, as was also mo-
ton to postpone till Tuesday.
Mr.. MERCER, who had hitherto been a
constant and strenuous opponent of the
bill, made very able and eloquent speech
upon its merits, advocating it with great
zeal and earnestness. He drew glowing
and cheering picture of the benefits which
would accrue to the entire State by con-
solidatioh of the several local interests for
the purpose of building up a great COM
mercial city at Norfolk. 1t would make
the 60 city by the sea" what she ought to
be, the southern metropolis, and would
build up other towns on the line. And if
the people of Norfolk were too much given
to the sin of ennui, as had been urged
against them and against this scheme, why,
others would be found to do the work and
build up the city. His remarks were lis
tened to with great attention by the Senate
and large number of visitors in the gal
lery and lobby.
Several parliamentary lodges were re-
sorted to by the minority to postpone &C
ton.
Mr.. OULD presented memorial from the
James River and Kanawha Canal Company,
signed by the stockholders, asking that the
bill now before the Senate should be SO
amended as to protect the rights OF that
company and perpetuate the contract be-
tween the Kanawha and the Virginia and
Tennessee Companies.
A memorial was also presented from the
stockholders of the Virginia and Tennessee
Company protesting against the proposed
scheme of consolidation as ruinous to their
interests.
Mr.. BOILING objected to all amendments.
He wanted the bill to be acted upon at
once.
A warm discussion ensued, and the re-
suit was, after debate of three hours, the
amendment securing the rights of the ca
nal company incorporated in the bill
which was then passed to its third reading,
ordered to be engrossed, and passed by
vote of Is ayes to noes-a constitutional
vote.
The Senate then adjourned till Monday
at II NJ.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
The Journal of the House and the Sc
nate message were read.
A report of the Committee of Courts of
Justice that it is ineXpedient to legislate
op tho subiect of extending the act passed
March 2, 1866, to extend certain civil
rights, was read and concurred in by the
House.
BILLS, &C.,
were introduced and referred:
By Mr.. WILsoN.-A bill concerning
colored persons as witnesses.
By Mr.. WILsoN.-A bill to amend the
title of an act concerning witnesses, passed
March 2, 1866.
BY Mr.. WILsoN.-A bill authorizing
fduciaries to compound and compromise
liabilities due to or from them.
By Mr.. TowNEs.-A resolution inquiring
into the expediency Of amending the Sth
section of chapter 1873 Of the Code Of 1860.
By Mr.. WoRD.-Inquiring into the ex-
pediency of paying the interest on James
River bonds under act passed 23d March,
1889.
BY Mr.. GARRETT. The petition of
Emanuel Gerst and Charles Ii. Moseley to
have their lands re;issessed; also, the pc
tition Of V. K. Edmundson and Major Hart,
of Halifax county, to be relieved from
their liability as bail.
By Mr.. EvANs.-Of F. V. Sutton, to be
ollo,rod IN withdraw cartain panprs from