Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-01-19
Latter from Richmond.

CORRESPONDENCE of the Alexandria Gazette.
RICHMOND, Jan. lS.-At a meeting of the
House Committee on Roads, this morning,
Messrs Wood, Budd, and Thurman, were APP
pointed subcommittee to draft two charters,
one for the Alexandria and Fredericksburg and
one for the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Po-
tomac r. r. Company, authorizing both to
construct roads from the city of Richmond to
the terminus of the Long Bridge on the Vir-
GINA shore of the Potomac river: opposite
Washington city, with instructions SO to word
the charters that the Two roads can never ANAL
gamate or consolidate, but must always remain
in competition, and it is to be further provided
that should the Richmond, Fredericksburg and
Potomac Railroad Company accept such char
ter, the whole of its line, from Richmond to
Washington, shall be subject to taxation here
after The committee, it is expected, will re-
port the bills to the House Tomorrow.
In the Senate, to-day, the bill incorporating
the Lee Monument Association, was passed.
The Committed on Courts OF Justice was in
structed to enquire into the expediency of so
amending the homestead act, as to require bonds
to be given to prevent waste and misappropria-
ton of the property Of such homestead, when
the benefit of such homestead is taken for the
benefit of the widow and minors.
The same committee was instructed to en-
quire whether there is any law authorizing u
mechanic to sell any article repaired by him
without process of law, and if not, that the
committee be instructed to inquire into the ex-
pediency of reporting bill to authorize me-
chanics to dispose of articles held for payment
of repairs.
The bill authorizing the county of Augusta
to subscribe to the stock of the Valley and the
Shenandoah Valley Railroads, was passed.
A resolution Of enquiry into the expedlency
of repeating as much of the 10th section Of the
school law, as requires five months school i'll
each district, before receiving the State funds
in payment OF teachers, was passed
The bill in relation to the boundaries between
Virginia. Maryland, North Carolina and Ten
nessec, and appropriating 5000 to defray cx-
pcnSes, was passed.
The bill amending the Loudoun Road law
extending the time for laying out the roads,
was passed
The bill to abolish punishment By stripes for
petit offences being taken up, long discussion
ensued, participated in principally by the radi.
Gals, in favor of abolishing the whipping post
and by Messrs Pendleton, Patterson and Terry
in favor OF whipping as punishment, after
which the bill was laid over
In the House of Delegates to-day, bills were
reported incorporating the Gordonsvillc and
Chesters Gap K. R. Co.; repeating certain sec
tons Of the code in relation to the inspection of
guano and plaster of paris; to compel the at
tendance Of witnesses regulating judicial sales
and to prevent the sacrifice of property; incor-
porating the Castcman S Ferry and jefferson
Turnpike Co.; for the protection Of persons at
tending fairs and to prevent gambling at the
same; amending the code i'll reference to the
jurisdiction Of judges to award injunctions:
An adverse report was made upon publish
ing such portions Of the debates of the late con-
vention as are in manuscript. 1t appears that
about $4,000 have been paid to the stenog..
rapher for onc-third of the manuscript, and
that he has the remaining two-thirds IN his
hands. which he holds rs private property.
Bills and resolutions were introduced to or
ganize Il detective department. and enquIring
into the czpediency of amending the code so as
to make certain property exempted from dis.
tress or levy, liable to execution in all cases OF
tort or witul trespass.
The tax bill WAS taken up and further dis
cussed until the hour of adjournment
The Committee Of the House ofDclegates to
whom was referred the resolution making in
appropriation for the purchase Of the portrait
of Gen LEE has made an ndrnYe report upon
the resolution The committee is composed
largely of radicals Notwithstanding the re-
port, it is thought, the resolution will pass and
the picture be purchased.
A caucus Of the Conservative members of
the Senate is to be held tonight, at which the
question of re-apportionmentis to be discussed
A bill was ordered to its engrossmcnt in the
Senate to-day amending the present law 50 as
to allow Commonwealth Attorneys for Buch-
ANN and Wise to reside outside of those coun-
ties, it having been ascertained that there are
no lawyers in either county. and no business to
support them.