Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-01-27
Letter from Richmond.

Letter from Richmond.
Correspondence Of tic Alexandria Ga=ctcc.]
RICHMOND, Jan. 2G.-The bill empowering
Judges of courts to remove the clerks and attor-
neys for the Commonwealth for gross incom-
petency;' in addition to the other causes proyl-
ded for in the code, with auamcndment requlr-
ing notice and providing for an appeal: passed
the Senate yesterday, the Radicals voting against
it. Mr. Carr movicd to amend the title Of
the bill, so as to make it read. ''an act to re-
move all Republicans from office, but he was
checkmated by Mr.. Taylor, of Loudoun, who
moved to amend by adding they being gen
orally incompetent to hold the same" The
bill authorizes the appointment of a clerk or at
torney pro tenn from the time Of removal until
the appeal is decided.
A bill to prevent the courts in cases upon
pleas of usury, from imposing the forfeiture Of
the principal of the debt, and providing that
the lender may recover his debt without inter
est, was introduced in the Senate to-day and
passed
A bill amending the grand jury law so as to
provide for the drawing of grand jurors in the
presence of the judge Of the court or Il commits
sioner in chancery thereof, in the absence of the
Commonwealth 5 attorney. was ordered to be
engrossed.
The House bill in reference to iurics general
ly was taken up and passed. 1t allows civil cases
to be tried by. the court, without jury, or with
the consent of parties by jury composed OF
seven or three. The jurors are selected,by the
Judge and drawn by the clerk once a year in
presence of the judge or Commonwealth S at
tomey or commissioner in chancery. When 4
Jury of three is selected, two concurrlng, de-
termins the issue.
The bill perpetuatng the tenure Of office OF
the officers OF the Atlantic, Mississippi and
Ohio Railroad Company was taken up and an
attempt made to pass it under the operation Of
the previous question, but that falling the Sen
ate pending consideration adjourned
In the House of Delegates billswere reported
extending the time for the qualification Of pub
lie officers in the State, and incorporating the
Fairfax Manufacturing and Milling Company,
upon the latter Of which there was an adverse
report on the ground that the courts can grant
such charters as that asked for.
The Committee on House Expenses reported
in favor of allowing per diem for Is days OF abb
sence to w. H. Andrews, (colorcd) delegate
from Surry, and presented the certificate Ola
physician Of his inability, by reason of sickness,
to attend. Andrews also stated to the House
tQaJ his lOll-attcnulllCc was cauScu ny SlckllCSH
The report was agreed to.
The Speaker presented the pettiOnof citizens
Of Mecklenburg county protesting that Geo. w.
Young is ineligible as delegate from that county
in the General Assembly, which was referred.
Mr. McCaull offered a resolution inquirng
into the affairs of the Richmond Frcdcricks
burg and Potomac Railroad Company which
was referred.
The tax bill was then taken up, when long
debate arose upon the taxation Of personally,
which was continued until the adjournment.
In the L. S. Circuit Court, now in session
here, case is pending against the Orange and
Alexandria Railroad Company. in which Il col
cred woman, named Kitty Cummins, claims
damages laid ut $ 800, for, as she alleges, hay
ing been elected from first class Car on that
road The trial of the case is still going on;
and several Of the employees Of the company
are here as witnesses.
1t is now proposed to solve the difficulty in
reference to reapportionment by adopting Col.
Penn plan for the Senate and MIR. Turner s
for the House: by which the Senate will retain
its present number OF members while the mem
bership of the House would be reduced.
There is to be a talk tonight between
some Of the leading members Of the LcgisIa-
turc and other parties Interested in the subject
on imnl grafton, and to devise some means by
which to induce foreigners to come into and
settle in Virginia, thus filling up the waste
places now, alas, so frequent
FREDERICKSBURG the Common Council
of Fredericksburg on Tuesday, Mr.. Eve offered
the following:
Resolved by the Mayor and Common Coun-
Gil of the town'of Fredericksburg, That our SEN
ator and Delegate in the Legislature be requested
to use all efforts to procure the charter applied
for, for railroad from Richmond to Alexandria
provided that such charter shall require the road
to pass through Fredericksburg and also pro-
vided that the charge for local freight and travel
shall not be greater than the charges for through
freight and travel
Mr. Conway called for the yeas and nays
which resulted-Yeas Sener, Wallace, Eve,
Gravatt Doggett, Morrison, Myer. McCracken.
Noes-Conway
CASE FOR DIVORCE. the Virginia House
of Delegates on Monday bill was presented
providing for the divorce of Mrs. Leom f.
Jones from her husband. A. C. Jones, all of
Nottaway county, She states that she was
married to Jones in 1867, and from that time
to October 18th, 1868, he treated her cruelty
Then he murdered her father, and was arrested
and indicted for the crime He escaped, how
ever, and has never been recaptured. She asks
the aid of the Legislature because the courts
cannot afford her the relief she desires