The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-02-03

Mr., THOMAS cialueu ou''o
ont of order at that time. ..,,. ;.
Mr.. HAwxHURsT said that ne tnousnc ~
Intentionally and unparhamensafy W w
pushing matters in that way.
Mr.. THOMAS: What dld you say, on
Mr.. HAwxnURsT i said, slr, that l alq
NOT like this way Of doing business.
think it is improper to preclude my mo-
Mr.. THOMAS: Well, sir, but did you
saw that my conduct was ungentlemanly
Mr.. HAwxHURsT Well, ali! no l did
not !.sisiEs a 81
Mr.. THOMAS: Very we'll; Lam satisfied.
Mr.. PORTER moved to dispense with the
afternoon session this afternoon. Carried.
Personal EXPLANATIONS. a.
Mr.. JAMES arose to make personal ex-
PLANTATION. It was concerning the follow
ing article from the Southern Opinion:
"The Er- Collector Plays Ne,o Game
It is charged in certain quarters that " u
liam R. James, ex-collector of the Rich
mond customs, proprietor of James's river
and Of James's 'separators,' awaiting him
self of, his position as member OF the
Convention, obtained the names OF the
Radical members thereof to petition to
Congress and Generel Scho1eld praying
the removal of certain State officials. and
that James subsequently clipped off the
names so signed, and attached them to an
other and different petitions petition,
in fact, to the authorities at Washington
praying that he (James) may be restor ed
to his position of collector, from which he
was ousted for malfeasance in Office.
GA committee of investigation, could
one be appointed by the Convention, would
throw sunbeam, may be, on q mysterious
and dishonorable transaction"
He denounced the Southern Opinion,
denying that papers claim to its name,
and stating that he knew many southern
men in this community who would be
ashamed to acknowledge the emanations
from that paper as opponents OF their
opinions. He was first among the advo-
Gates of the freedom of the press but he
could not countenance such an attack on
mans private character, no matter how
bad he was.
He spoke of the deed given him to
James river by the Dispatch and other
papers, and said that his action in that re-
gard was endorsed by subsequent action
of that honorable body the Richmond
| Chamber of Commerce.
He characterized the Southern Opinion
as the Southern Lie.
He was about to speak in defence of his
"separators," when
Mr., CLEMENTS called him to order. He
did not think members had right to ad-
vertise their patents on the floor of this
Convention.
The CHAIR sustained the point, and told
the gentleman to confine himself to the
explanation.
Mr.. JAMES, in conclusion, denied en-
phatically the statements contained in the
article.
The second article, proposed by the Com
mittee on Finance and Taxation, was then
taken up, together with Mr.. SNEADs
amendment. They are as follows:
"Article 2. No tax shall be levied upon
any citizen of this State for taking or
catching any of the natural productions of
the waters thereof, nor shall any tax be i'm
posed on vessels engaged in transporting
said natural productions; but oysters re-
moved from their natural beds and planted
may be taxed as portion of the personal
property of the owner"
"But the General Assembly shall have
the power to direct that survey be made
of the ground lying below loW-water mark
not embraced within the lines Of any pa
tent in this State, mot including the natu-
raj oyster beds, which shall remain free
and common to all the citizens thereby
and provide for the division of the same in
lots of one or more acres, and for the num-
bering and designation of the metes and
bounds of the same by substantial stakes,
. and to direct that the same be leased at
price of not less than IS per acre per
annum by the commissioners of revenue
and further, to provide that map of such
survey be placed, and preserved, in the
1 clerks Office of the courts of the several
counties in which such lots or planting
grounds may lie, giving the preference in
all cases to the persons who may occupy
! at the time any such ground.
IS It shall also have authority to secure
to the proprietors of lands. on the bays,
creeks, and shores of this State, for their
use and occupancy, without charge, so
much of said planting grounds belonging
]. to the State Immediately adjacent to their
i lands as the General Assembly may deem
iexpedient, on condition that said proprie-
Etors allow the lessees of said planting
grounds free egress and regress through
/ their lands to the same, and permit them
to occupy portion of their shores during
the terms of their lease, subject to a for
fixture of such privileges in case Of gross
abuse of the same.
ssNo tax shall be imposed on planted
oysters.
"No bona fde resident of the State shall
be precluded from the full enjoyment of
any of the rights enjoyed by other citizens
of this State in regard to the catching or
planting of oysters nsT shall any citizen
of this State be prohibited from being con-
cerned or interested with citizen of any
of the United States in the catching or
planting of oysters, or in the sale of the
same. 49, S, - 49,
"The General Assembly may impose a
tax on the proceeds of the sales of oysters
taken from the natural beds or rocks by
scoops or dredges, such tax not to exceed
the rate of tax that may be imposed on
any other property" T3If IL
mr.. LUTHER LEE (RadicaN moved that
| this be postponed until Tuesday.
Discussion ensled. During this, Mr..
| CLEMENTS made allusions to the fact that
members did not seem to have any COM
Functions about putting their hands into
the treasury and drawing their per diem,
and at the same time delaying movements
as much as possible. 80 .1,ss2
Mr.. LEE said that if the gentleman In
fandad Tn i!nDupns his cOHduct he would