Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-01-31
NUMBER XIX.
Virginia Legislarure.

SENATE. Monday, Jan. 23rd.-After the
calendar had been called through and few
bills of no special interest introduced, the pub
lie debt question was incidentally brought up,
and discussed by Mr.. Fitzpatrick in favor OF
his proposition to compromise the debt at fifty
cents IN the dollar, contending that it would re-
qulre tax OF one dollar and fifty cents In the
one hundred dollars to pay the interest. unless
| his or some similar plan was adopted. Mr..
| Courtney took issue with Mr.. Fitzpatrick, and
argued In favor of assuming the whole debt
MIR. Smith, OF Henrico, agreed with Mr.. Court
ney. Mr.. Herndon was for postponing action
on the subject until an arbitration can be had
with West Virginia, until which time he was
In favor OF instructing the disbursing officers to
pay four per cent. No action was taken, and
the debate merely indicated the sentiments of
the speakers.
HoUsE.-In the House, bills were reported
to incorporate the Warm, Hot, and Healing
Springs and Covington Railroad Company; to
amend the Code in relation to transferring the
state interest In turnpike and plankroads to
the counties in which they lie; to amend the
act providing for and defining the jurisdiction
OF the courts of the city of Richmond. Ad-
verse reports were made to two bills having
reference to grand juries as to the expediency
OF repeating the law allowing contracts for II
per cent interest, and to a petition of Rich
mond physicians asking that apothecaries be
exempt from juries.
!he Augusta county subscription bill was a.
gain taken up. Mr.. Guy, of Richmond, op-
posed 1t, and was succeeded by Mr. Cochran
VINO closed the argument, In favor of the bill.
Ihe vote being taken on the substitute offered
by MIR. Southall, of Albemarle, which was
general bill for subscriptions by counties, &c,
to the stock OF incorporated companies, and
Wnlcn mad been previously ordered to engross-
ment, 1T was rejected-yeas 35, nays SO. The
vote then recurring on the original bill. it was
passed-yeas, 56, nays 81.
SENATE. Jan. 24th.-In the Sem
ate the principal topic of interest before the
oody was the bill providing for the removal by
Judges OF clerks of Courts and Commonwealth
Attorneys which was, after debate, so amen
ded as to allow such officers removed the right
OF appeal to the Circuit Court and Court of
Appeals; but clerk or attorney to be ap-
pointed pro tenn. to perform the duties of the
office; and thus amended the bill was ordered
to be engrossed A bill amending the charter
OF the city OF Alexandria was reported. The
jury BILL as passed by the House, was laid on
the table and ordered to be printed. The bill
amending the act fixing the times of holding
the Circuit Courts was laid over.
Senate bill authorizing the county of Au-
gusta to subscribe to the stock of the above
mentioned railroad companies, with the amend
ment proposed by the House of Delegates re-
quirlng the companies to pay the expenses of
the special election, if one is had, was taken
up and amendment agreed to, and the House
informed thereof
HoUsE.--The House of Delegates was en-
gagged all day in the consideration of the spe-
claI order-the tax bill. An amendment stri-
king out the section relating to sample mer-
chants was rejected. Notice was given that
when the clause fixing the amount of tax on
the sample merchants came up an amendment
would be offered increasing the tax from sI0O
to $500. A motion to tax the manufacture of
domestic rosin was voted down by decided
vote
Two different bills were reported from the
committee of Schools and Colleges providing
for the establishment of system of public
schools for the cities of the State, and to re-
peal section sixty-six of the act to establish
and maintain public free schools in the State.
both OF which were recommitted.