Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-12-13
From Richmond.

m,luication from the officers or the James
River and kauawha Canal, asking an extension
OF the charter of the company, aud that ample
power be conferred upon commission to be
selected to transfer tho rights, property aud
franchises of the company, either to the United
States government or private parties, IN such
maIncr and on such conditions As Will secure
the early completion Of the canal, which plan,
properly conditioned, aud with suitable safe-
Guards, the Governor cordially comments
The adverse report Of the Judiciary Coln-
mittec IN the proposition to grant to single
magistrate the power to take the acknowlcdg
ucut of Il married woman to deed of convey
ance, after some discussion, was re- rctcd, aud
an amendment allowing the acknowledgement to
be taken by single Justice, adopted by vote
Of 81 to 81.
The Judiciary Committee was instructed to
inquire into the expcdiency of passing law al
lowing debtors, claiming the benefit OF the
Homestead law, the right to appeal from the
decision of any lower court deciding the said
law to be unconstitutional, to the Court of Ap-
pcas, without bond and security. as now re
1uired by law, and suspending all DEGREES for
sale of such homestead, till the constiutionality
of said law be decided by said court
The House reccded from its amend eut to
Senate joint resolution extending the time tor
the collection of taxes till May by vote Of
So to So.
The Committee on Finance We're Instructed
to Inquire luto the expedieucy of amending the
act providing for the re-assessment of lands so
as to allow any person feeling himself aggrieved
to apply to the court Of his county or town to
have the assessment of his lands or lots cor
rected
The Committee on Elections were requested
to inuuire into the eXpedrncy OF so Amending
section of article I of the constitution, as
to provide for an election once in every two
years instead Of eeery year, in townships
The Committee on Claims were instructed to
inquire into the cxpclicncy OF allowing /; GER
tain claim Of T. Griffith, cricr of WcSymorp-
land County Court. for the sum of $40 30 with
interest from March st: ISL, until paid.
The Committee on Immigration were request
ed to confer with the different railroad COM
pancS in reference to reduction OF lair 70 par
ties wishing to purchase lands and actual
settlers.
The following resolutions Of Inquiry were
adopted Into the expcdiency Of eXempting
the agricultural societies of the State from tax
alton: of 50 amending the acts OF iSG9-Io, as
to prohibit submitting to voters Of counties and
townships the question Of school tax, and to
provide for payment Of expenses now met by
! fund Of amending acts Of lSG9-70 so as to
define with more certainty the mode of fixing
the county levy in the different counties Of the
State OF so changing the law as that there
shall not be more than one judge to every sena-
tora district Of this Commonwealth; OF pass
ing u general railroad law: what legislation is
necessary more fully TO carry out the provisions
| of the Homestead exemption: Tor the appoint
mcnt OF a Joint committee TO report amend
mcnts to the Constitution; substituting CAPT
tatiun tax for the two days labor Oh the roads
as now provided for, and requiring Township
| Collectors to collect said tax and the property
tax under orders of the Township Board Of
so amending the statutes as to provide that all
sales Of land to be made under DEGREES of courts
be made on ten years time in equal annual in.
stalments, bearing interest trcu day Of sale,
unless defendant should prefer sale on shorter
time: of amending the act to provide for dlvid-
Ing the counties Of the State into townships.
Bills were introduced continuing the pay
ment Of interest and dividends to the incorpo-
rated colleges or other sennarieS of learning
in this State; and for the rcaSscssrncnt of the
lands throughout the Commonwealth.
In the Senate, to day, MesSrs. Patterson,
| QueScnbury and Mccm appeared at the clerk :
desk and qualified.
The joint resolution extending the time for
the collection of State taxes for the year 1871
with amendments proposed by the House of
Delegates, was taken up, and after brief dis
cuSslon the amendments were disagreed to.
The Committee on Courts of Justice report.
ell without amendment the Joint resolution pro-
posing an amendment t. the Constitution of
Virginia in relation to the clause in respect to
and entitled ''l:>ury, and directing submis-
sion of said proposed amendment to the people
for their approval and ratification.
The same committee reported bills, amend
ing the code concerning crimes and punishment,
aud in relation to the removal Of causes pend
ing in one court to another
\ memorial from the citizens of King George
county, praying for certain constitutional
amendments Was referred.
Resolutions of inquiry were passed as to the
cxpcdicucy Of extending the time of paying the
State taxes to the county treasurer to the LIST
Of December instead of the Ist Of September
of each year. and as to repeating the Funding
Bill and ascertainng what proportion of the
interest hereafter to become due on State bonds
can be discharged under the present system OF
taxation: also as to providing by law tor pay
ment, in full, Of all interest due, or to become
due upon bonds Of the State, which were on
the 30th day Of March, 1871. bona fde held by,
or in trust for, schools, colleges and other pub
lie institutions, also upon bonds held by, or in
trust for, widows and infant children, who are
citizens Of this State.
The JOINT resolution fixing day for the cleo
ton of State officers was amended so rs to en-
brace Superintendent Of Penitentary, General
Agent and Storekceper of the Penitentiary,
Register of the Land Office and Superlnten-
dent of Public Printing, and then laid on the
table. The resolution fixes the 10th inst. for
the election.
The House of Delegates having withdrawn
its amendment to the Senate joint resolution,
extending the time for the making of final re-
turns Of taxes and county and township evies
to the 18th of March, the resolution now goes
to the Governor for his approval 1t was con-
coded that this action was demanded by the
scarcity of money in the country, and there
was no opposition to it.
At the meeting of the Grand Lodge of Ma.
sons held tonight, the following officers were
elected for the ensuing year: Robert f. With
ers. NJ W. Grand Master: W. II. Lambert.