The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-05-18

aya,ai,1e HE Capitol building was Rad aud
referred I'D the gomn1ttsee on Pubic BsssHi.
sngs. The report states that Tie genefal
condition of the building is good, and that
3the HalICf the House OF Delegates con be
put in good order Tor S8, 900, and in four
months time.
ELECTION Law.
Mr.. JACKSON submitted a bill amending
section thirty-second OF the election law,
which, under suspension of the rules, WINS
placed on the calendar. The amendment
strikes out the provision requiring the
judges of election to endorse the NUMBER
on The ballot. The bill was subsequently
called up and ordered to its engrossment.
cULPEPER. .e
Senate bill to change the name Of the town
of Fairfax to Culpeper, and to incorporate
the same, was passed.
SERGEANT FOR ALEXANDRIA.
House bill concerning sergeant ior the
city Of Alexandria was ordered 70 us Gu
grossment.
BILLS, ETC., PRESENTED.
By Mr.. H1LL.-Act to amend the second
section of the act authorizing the Iork
River Railroad Company to eXteno It's man
line or build branches to the chesapeake OF
its tributaries. n.u
By Mr.. J. w. WALKER, Jr.-,.Bili to IN
corporate the Rapidan and Madison Court
By Mr.. WoRp.-Bil to amend the charter
of the Virginia international Land, Loan
and Trust Company.
The SPEAKER laid before the House COM
'munication from Hon. j. W. Johnston,
United States senator, with accompanying
papers in relation to claim of the State Of
Virginia against the General Government
for loans during the war Of 1872. Referred
to Committee on Finance.
GOVERNMENT OF CITIES AND TOWNS.
House bill for the government of cities
and towns of less than 5000 inhabitants was
taken up, and the Senate substitute to the
bill was passed.
The consideration of the tax bill was re-
sumed, and the question of the constitu-
tional power Of the General Assembly to
exempt property from taxation was again
discussed. The Immediate cause of the dis
cussion was an amendment offered by Mr..
MAHooD to strike out the following clauses
eXempting the articles therein named from
taxation:
"All books, not kept for sale, family por-
traits, pictures, and the wearing apparei OF
every person and family, except watches
and jeWelry.
"All agricultural productions of this
State in the hands of the producer.
''AIl mineral productions of this State IN
the hands of the producer or miner.
Cali felled wood or timber in the hands
of the person owning, renting or leasing the
land where the same was grown.
"All farming implements actually used
for farming purposes, except road wagons
or wagons used principally for other than
farming purposes.
"Alf mechanics tools used on farm, and
the tools of all mechanics actually used by
the owner thereofpersonally, as distinguish
ed from those used by his employees"
The discussion in favor of this was based
upon the provisions of the first section Of
the tenth article of the Constitution, which
reads: ..
"Taxation, except as hereinafter pro-
provided, whether imposed by the State,
county, or corporate bodies, shall be equal
and uniform, and all property, both real
and personal, shall be taxed in proportion to
its ualue. to be ascertained as prescribed by
law. No one species of property from
which q tax may be collected" &c.
sin proof that the Legislature vas re-
stricted, the third section was urged, in
which it specifically states that the "Legis-
lature may exempt all property used OK
clusively for State, county, municipal, be-
nevolent, charitable, educational, and reli-
gious purposes.
On the other hand, it was urged that the
word nuy in the third section should be
construed as shall, and that therefore the
third section was an independent one,
making it mandatory upon the Legislature
to exempt the species Of property enume-
rated therein. 1t, therefore, had no refer
ence to the exception mentioned in the first
section. The inherent right Of the Legs
lature to exempt property was also urged,
and it was contended that they could eX-
empt or not, as they chose, provided that
taxed according to ats UdIue. The expires
sion on the part of the members who urged
the adoption Of the amendment was one of
regret that they were forced by their oaths
to support the Constitution, which did not
permit them to exempt the property EMU
merated in the exemption clauses.
The argument was ably conducted by
Messrs. Mahood, Cochrane, Daniel, and $.
V. Sorthall for, and Messrs. Arnett, VIM,
and Woodson against, the amendment.
The vote resulted as follows, the amend
ment being carried:
YrAs-Messrs. Il; M. Bell, Bowden, Bradley,
Crenshaw, Daniel, Davis, Edmnndson, Frayser,
&siod
aid, r. A. Miller, Morgan, Moulton, Murrell, No
Bile, G. Perkins, Popham, Potts, s. v: S0uthall,
Shelton, STUDIOS, Thayer, Thurman, G. Walker,
Wall, Williams, and MIR. Speaker-45.
NAYs-Nlessrs. Arnett, Bagwell, Boiling. Bow
en-, Breckenridge, Brlsby, Bristow, ": A: Bryant,
Bulman, Campbell Chase. Dug ger, G. Graham,
r. G. ". Jones, Massle, Ccacken, j. B. MIL
Ter, Jr., +. S. Norton, Pannill, Peatross, F. n.
smith, L. II. Southa1I, Stewart, Taylor, Terry,
Toy,J. W. Walker, Jr., White, Winn and Young
10.
A motion to reconsider was lost. Ad-
journed.