Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-01-29
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF VIRGINIA.
SENATE. Saturday, JAM 49,

| Virginia. edition OF 1866, relative to the organ
izatlon, government, and discipline of the peni-
tertiary
The bill proposes to abolish the old Board of
Directors, and provides for the appointment of
a commissioner to investigate the affairs of the
institution; also, proposes to hire out convicts
not otherwise employed by contract, and allows
the superintendent, with the consent and ad-
vice OF the Governor to establish system OF
tasking the convicts in the penitentiary where
1t can be done, and allow such as earn overstint
a reasonable compensation therefor
The bill was subsequently called up by Mr.
Robinson and passed.
STATE DEBT-yIRGINIA AND WEST VIRGINIA.
Mr.. McRae offered the following, which was
agreed to:
Whereas, the early adjustment of pending
questions between West Virginia and this State,
referred to in the third section of Joint resolu
ton adopted 28th of February, 1866, entitled
JOINT resolution on the restoration Of the State
and the adjustment of the public debt, is emf
nently desirable to speed and facilitate necessary
legislation Of this State at the present session OF
the General Assembly, therefore
ResoLred by the Senate and House of Dele
gates, That the commissioners appointed under
the joint resolution of the 18th of February.
1866, be required to urge and procure the ear
| hest possible action under the third section of
|
HOUSE OF DELEG ATES.
JURISDICTION OF JUSTICES.
The report of the Committee of Courts of
Justice adverse to the proposition to extend the
jurisdiction of justices of the peace to sums of
| 800 was read. #ts
The report of the committee was opposed by
Messrs. Kellam and Davis and sustained by
Messrs. Seawell and Hansbroush and the
question being taken by ayes and noes, resulted
ayes, ~ noes, II. So the report was adopt
ed
WITNESSES TEsTIFYING IN THEIR OWN BEHALF
The Committee Of Courts Of Justice reported
adversely to a proposition referred to them in
curing into the expediency of amending the
law with regard to witnesses SO as to provide
that no person shall be allowed to testify in his
own behalf
Mr.. Clark, Of Campbell, opposed the report,
and was followed by Mr.. Gray on the same side
Mr. Seaweli explained and defended the report
of the committee.
The House concurred in the report of the
commlttee-ayes, 46 noes, So.
| THE UsURY LAW
The bills modifying the law upon interest and
the motion to recommit, came up as the unfin-
lshed business Of yesterday.
| Every amendment, substitute, &C., relating
/ W d cHdnSe Ol tno uSury laws was voted down
! by the House by considerable majorties, thus
indicating that no bill changing those laws can
| be passed in the House.
! SENATE, Monday, Jan. 2l.-Mr. Robinson,
/ by leave, introduced bill to incorporate the
Great Republic Gold and Silver Mining Com
| pany; which was taken up and passed under a
suspension of the rules, and ordered to be COM
municated to the House s's 81 <ses Eg
House bill entitled an act to punish certain
offences against public property was taken up
| and passed under suspension Of the rules
House bill to amend section first of an act to
authorize the City Council of Alexandria to is
sue its bonds in satisfaction of arrears ofinterest
on its funded debt. Passed
House bill to authorize the Male Charity
School of Fredericksburg to transfer all its prop
| erty to the Female Charity School in said town.
| Passed
House bill to punish injuries to burial grounds,
reported from the Committee for Courts of } u.s.
| tlce, with an amendment, was considered and
laid upon the table for the present
House bill to amend the 29th section Of chap
ter l5s Of the Code of 1860, reported from the
Committee for Courts of Justice, with an a.
mendment, was taken up, the amendment a.
greed to, and the bill passed.
House bill entitled an act to change the time
of holding the terms of the Circuit Court for
the county of Highland Passed.
Senate bill to repeal the act Of March 5, 1866.
in relation to appeals, writs of error and super
| sedeas, and to revive re-enact, and amend the
sections Of chapter 1S2 amended and repealed
| by said act Passed
| Senate bill for the relief Of Jeremiah Porter
Was taken up and passed unanimously. 1t re-
| lieves Mr.. Porter from certain fines imposed in
Alexandria county for solemnizing the rite Of
matrimony without first taking an oath of ale
glance to the restored goyernment.l
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
The following bills were read third time and
passed
A Senate bill to make the James River and
kanawha canal q lawful fence in the county of
| Nelson.
A Senate bill to enable the Union Manufact-
uring Company of Richmond to borrow money.
| A Senate bill to incorporate the Glades Spring
and Laurel Railroad Company in the county OF
| Washington
| This bill was amended in the clause author
ling the company to borrow money by inserting
100000 in the place of 800, 900, on motion of
Mr.. Beckem
A number of bills considered in their early
stages were ordered to engrossment
EASTERN LUNATTC ASYLUM.
The bill to provide for the liabilities of the
Eastern Lunatic Asylum incurred prior to the
lst day of July, 1865, came up in order.
This bill appropriated $40, l05 for the pay
ment of outstanding liabilities for supplies nee
essary for the subsistence Of the patients incur
red prior to 1865.
The question was raised by Mr.. Pendieton as
to whether these liabilities were incurred while
the institution was under the government OF
Virginia at Richmond? Il they were so incur
red, he thought the Constitution forbade the
Legislature from paying them
Mr.. q. Turner took the same view.
! 1t was explained in reply by Messrs Smith,
Seawell and Crump that from 1862 the town Of
Williamsburg and the asylum were completely
in the hands of the Federal troops, and it was
impossible for the State of Virginia to do any
thing in the way of subsisting the inmates OF
the institution. The obligations incurred were,
therefore, unavoidable; the patients had to
starve, or the aid of individuals had to be OBJ
tanned
Mr. Baldwin, speaker, Mr.. Garnett in the
chair, made strong appeal for the passage OF
the BILL He alluded to the able argument
made last year by the chairman Of the Commit
tee of Courts of Justice Judge Joynes) upon
this constitutional point He contended that
there was discrimination between the debts
incurred by the State and those that were in
Cured by the people A debt incurred for the
support of the unfortunate inmates Of this asy-
| lum, an institution established under law long
years ago, was debt incurred for and by the
people of Virginia, and he would consider it not
only misfortune, but calamity, were this Leg
islature to refuse to pay it. The wants ofthose