Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-01-17
NUMBER XVII.
Virginia Legislature.


d SENATE.-Friday, Jan. 6th-The Senate
/; concurred in the House amendments to their
i bll supplemental to the act providing for the
collection OF the State revenue and county
levies, and Immediately thereafter it was enroll
ed and signed by the Governor, and is now a
law. 1t provides that the sheriffs and other
officers heretofore charged with this duty pro-
ceed with the collection of the same in like
manner as they have been heretofore collected.
The county or corporation judge shall exam
Inc the bond of such sheriff or other officer,
and, If he deem it necessary, require a new
bond to be executed in such penalty as may be
deemed sufficient provided that it shall not
be less than double the amount which may go
into the hands of such officers.
4 Mr.. Waddell introduced a joint resolution,
which lies over under the rules, authorizing
the Superintendent of Public Buildings to con-
tract with Mr.. E. V. Valentine, or some other
competent person, for the repair of Cay's stat
ue, in the Capitol Square, and for the erection
OF wire-work to cover it, to prevent its fur
ther injury from vandal hands
HOUsE.-In the House, the breeze which
sprung up last Thursday, over a resolution
offered by Mr.. RagSdale (colored) to appoint a
committee of three to confer with the presi-
dents of the railroads in the State as to the
policy and justice of providing a special car
Tor the accommodation of colored Travellers
again created stir. Mr. Kelley of Spottsyl-
vania, spoke in favor of Ragsdale's resolution.
Stevens, Morgan and Norton (all coloredl
spoke 10 opposition to the resolution The
bill supplemental to an act providing for the
collection OF taxes, &C., for 1870, was passed
with an amendment, which was afterwards con-
Cured IN by the Senate. 1t was at once taken
to the Governor, and by him approved.
The remainder of the days session was ia
ken up in the discussion of the motion of Mr..
Wood to reconsider the vote by which "Augus-
ia county" was stricken out of the bill author
lzng certain counties to subscribe to railroads.
Speeches were made by Messrs Wood and
McCaull in favor of reconsideration, and by
| Mr.. Cochran in opposition.
SENATE. Saturday. JAM 7th.-The Senate
swept its calendar clean, luckily having no
bills upon it over which there was contention.
House bills were passed authorizing the Gov
ernor to cede to the United States jurisdiction
over bridge in Elizabeth City. used for mill
tary purposes in connection with Fortress Mon
roe and to amend the Code in relation to pro-
cedure IN certain court matters. Senate bills
were passed amending the charter of the town
of West Point so as to allow lands to be sold
Tor delinquent taxes, and repeating the laws
now in existence for the inspection of guano
and plaster. A bill was also passed to prevent
and punish unlawful hunting, making it punish
able by fine and confinement at hard labor to
hunt or pursue game upon the lands of citi-
zens OF the Commonwealth, without consent,
authorizing any person to make arrest Of the
offender without procuring warrant Among
the bills introduced was one by Dr. Harris, Of
Halifax, providing for the establishment of
| board of medical examiners to examine appli-
cants for license to practice medicine.
HOUsE.-A communication was received
from the Governor regarding the boundary
line between Virginia and Maryland. The pa
pers were ordered to be printed and referred to
the Committee on Finance. Sundry bills were
reported and appropriately referred. Mr.. B.
Il. Jones offered a resolution requiring the
clerk to call the roll on the assembling of the
House each day, which was referred. The
civil rights question was again brought up by
a resolution offered by John B. Miller, colored,
for the Imprisonment and fine Of any coaduc-
tor. of any public carrier who may make any
distinction on account of color. Mr.. Miller
desired the immediate attention of the House,
| but the resolution was referred A motion to
| reconsider the vote striking Augusta county
! from the bill authorizing certain counties to
subscribe to railroads, was defeated.
SENATE. E.-Monday, Jan. 9th-The Senate
met at II o'clock, Mr.. Waddell, President pro
| tenn. in the chair.
Senate bill appropriatng 5000 for the
completion of the repairs to the State court
house was passed.
| HOUsE.-A number of bills and resolutions
were presented and referred The Committee
| for Courts Of Justice having had under consid-
Grafton resolution enquiring into the expedi-
| ency of submitting to the vote of the people
| the question 'Shall there be Convention to
| revise the Constitution and amend the same?"
reported that it was deemed inexpedent to
submit such question at present.
| A resolution OF enquiry as to repeating sec
tlon 4. article 3, of the Constitution. requiring
a registration OF voters, was returned from the
Committee for Courts of Justice with report
| adverse to legislation on the subject.
After a spirited debate on the jury bill, the
House adjourned.
SENATE. Tuesday, Jan. lOth--The public
debt question was again taken up by Mr.. Hern-
don, 10 proceed to the consideration of the
jolnt resolution for the appointment of arbitra-
tors to adjust the debt with West Virginia,
and the whole subject was discussed by Messrs.
Waddel, Pendleton and Herndon, with some
lnterocutOry remarks by Messrs French,
Courtney, Anderson and Moss. The ground
taken by Messrs. Herndon and Pendleton was
that West Virginia should assume portion of
| the debt to be paid to the creditors, while Mr..
Waddel and those who conceded with him
took the ground that West Virginia should
bear portion of the debt to be paid to Vir-
glnia. The debate was quite animated, and
the remarks of Messrs. Waddell, Herndon and
PendletOn attracted the attention of ALL being
well and ably conceived and eloquently deliver
ed.
Among the bills reported was one amending
the Code, in relation to rule days, SO as to con-
form to the present state of things, and exclu-
ding the rule days of quarterly courts, and one
compelling the attendance of witnesses.
MIR. Latham introduced bill conferring up-
on judges the power to remove clerks of courts
for incompetency, in addition to the other
causes provided by law.
HoUsE.-Among others, bills were reported
from committees amending the charter of
Lynchburg, and appropriation of 81 200 for
heating the building OF the Eastern Lunatic
Asylum by steam A number of bills were
presented aud referred. The Committee on
courts of Justice and Committee on Asylums
and Prisons were discharged from the consider
alton Of several questions referred to them.
House bill to amend the law 10 regard to juries
generally came up as unfinished business.
and the House refused to strike out the 3Sth
section, after which Mr. Daniel offered an ad-
dition to that section, which was adopted by
the House. The law was afterwards amended
in several particulars.
Cfoxisfios orE Ed,oo<Iovo