The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-02-16

NOTES FROM THE CAPITOL.

from the Judiciary Committee yesterday
provides for the division of the State, as
Contemplated by the new Constitution, into
|seventy-six districts, in each of which a
county judge is to be elected. This appor-
tionment is made on the basis of popula-
ton, according to the last census, each
county with population of 5000 or more
being allowed separate judge. The bill
was placed on the calendar.
Bills were also introduced in the Senate
providing for the reorganization of the
Court of Appeals, and for the election by
the Legislature of the Lieutenant-Governor
and Attorney General. 1t is thought that
the adoption of the latter bill will result in
the almost unanimous election of Hon. J.
L. Marye to the position which he now oc-
cupies by appointment of the Governor.
For half an hour or so after the joint order
for the election of Superintendent of the
Penitentiary was gone into, the House of
Delegates relaxed its gravity and the stern
gavel of the Speaker was rather moro in
dulgent thun usual. Mr.. Pannill, of
Orange, opened the ball when, in nomina-
ting Mr.. Strother, he said he had known
the strothers for hundred years, which,
as the member from Orange is on the sunny
side of fifty, caused some laughter.
| Norton, the colored member from York,
in speech eulogistic of Mr.. Wardwell,
caught at the lapSuS Hngug, and, misap-
pretending the remark, said that if Mr..
Strother had 80 far exceeded the days al
lotted man on earth he was too old to keep
o penitentiary.
Mr.. Pannill thereupon explained that he
intended to say be knew all about the his
| tory. of the Strothers fer hundred years
past, and desired to show the House tina,
the nominee came of good stock.
| Mr.. McCaull, the spirited and popular
young gentleman who represents the county
of Roanoke, then launched into Mr.. Ward
well. He said he could not but be remind
ed by the eulogy just delivered upon that
gentleman of the prayer which he had Of
tered before the Reconstruction Committee
in Washington some months ago in the pre-
sence of the Speaker (Mr. Turner) anc
other gentlemen now on this floor for th'
inhiction of the " iron-clad." His subjec
was Virginia, the penitentiary, and th'
iron-clad OATH"
Mr.. McCaull then repeated the prayer
as nearly as he could recollect, in the word
of Mr.. Wardwell, and initiating his peeu
liar tones and gestures-a piece of mimicry
which brought down the House and gallerie!
in roars of laughter, upon which the Speak
er's gavel had no effect. The substance o.
the prayer was that Virginia was still
rebellious, and that nothing but the iron.
clad strengthening plaster could put he,
into good, loyal state of health. He told
the committee that out of over 600 convict.
under his care over 400 were "loyal
men; which, he argued, proved that only
"loyal" men were sent to that blest abode
and how large proportion of the "loyal
men were there already.
After giving full account of the repre-
sentations of the superintendent at Wash
ington, and appealing to gentlemen wht
had been eye-witnesses to prove its accura
cy, Mr.. McCaull said that it was presump'
tious to ask Virginians to vote for such
man, who, he thought, could not even com
mand the Radical vote. Besides, he was
tired of hearing of Wardwell's economy
WardTell's cleanliness, and Wardwell's re-
| ligious reforms. The State had become in
volved to the amount of about S5O,OO0 fol
the support of the institution during hi
administration {; it was place of idleness
and too filthy for anybody to live in; and
although there had been q continual camp
meeting out there since Wardwell tool
charge, it was a matter of serious doub
whether any real good had been accom-
plished by it. .."
| Norton, in reply to the last remark, sai(
the "singing and praying was to brinl
souls to God, which we need good deal o
in this legislature" Norton, however, dit
not vote for Wardwell after all.
MIR. Crenshaw, in a few calm words
brought this spicy entertainment to close
He said that if there were any reason il
the world to believe that Wardwell's re
moyal would interfere with the spiritua
| welfare of the convicts he would vote fo
him without hesitation; but such was no
the case, for as minister he had often him
self visited the penitentiary, and knew tina
there we're other and more powerful instru
mentalities for doing good among the poo
| creatures there confined. ay
The vote was then taken, and it was tount
that Wardwen had only two votes, and thes
were cast by D. B. White, and Edwards O
Chesterfield. Mr.. McCaull may fairly claim
to have changed the votes of half dozer
on the Radical side, If their talk before hi
speech may be taken as On indication o
how they then intended to vote.
The Committee on Privileges and Elec
tions presented report, to be presented
yesterday, which, from some cause, wa'
withheld, setting forth that the followln'
members of the House Of Delegates have not
taken the oath prescribed by the Constitu
ton of Virginia !: stith Boiling, Of Lqnea n
burg; J. II. Kelly, Of spotsylvania T. q
Morgan (colored) of Petersburg, and Davlt
Thayer, of Nansemond. The report pre-
pared further states that the following mem
bers have not taken the oath prescribed b.
act of Congress admitting the State to repre-
sentation e.. e., the fourteenth amend
ment oath): Jacob s. Atee, of Henrleo
w. II. Bnsby, New Kent Isaac Edmund
son (colored) Halifax H. B. Harnsbergeer
Rockingham David J. Miller, Frederick
W. II. Ragsdale, Charlotte; G. Y. Thomas
Henry; Ellis Wilson, Dinwiddie; w. "
Wood, Halifax t@L - y sss!s ssEsr
Some of the gentlemen named in the re
bport, and, indeed, nearly all, can take tn
ao.-;,,l -, tbo n M th a;r fo il,1re ia Dcnahl,