Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-02-19
From Richmond.

From Richmond.
Correspondence Of the Alexandria Gazette
RICHMOND, Feb. lin the Senate, to-day,
the Debt question was further discussed, but
no conclusion arrived at, nor is 1t likely that
any will be for some days yet, as it is infatuated
that many more speeches are to be made before
vote is taken The debate to-day was princi-
pally conducted by Mcssrs. kirkpatrick and
Thomas, the former of whom advocated a
strict adherence TO The provisions of the Fund
Ing BILL
The bill authorizing the Supervisors Of Page,
Frederick, Shenandoah aud Clarke counties to
| impose a tax on dogs, was warmly discussed III
the House of Delegates, and after being amend-
| ed SO as to include, among others, the counties
of Alexandria, Spotsylvauia, Stafford, Orange,
Louisa, Fauquier, Prince William, Culpeper,
Fairfax aud Rockingham, was ordered to be
epgrossed. Whether dogs are to be taxed,
| however, remains debatable question, as that
faithful animal has host OF friends, who
arc opposed to burdenins him with taxation
The witness, jenkins, was again brought to
the bar of the House to day, aud after IA loug
time consumed in discussing the question of
jurisdiction, Nc. resolution to discourage the
| WltutSS, Was duuptcu, aye To, h'e' ooi anu ~
the investigation falls to the ground and the
suspicion Of guilt alone REMAINS Tor 1t is lntl-
mated that tile committee We're ust on the eve
of making some startling developments. -
What pity?
Bills were reported, i'll the Senate, to amend
the genera election laws; TO provide additional
facilities for the education Of the blind, and To
amend the pilot laws. Z
4 bill was introduced to incorporate the
Pirlmunt Improvement company.
Resolutions were adopted luqurnG into the
expedieucy of providing more stringent law to
compel the payment Of the capltatlOn school.
tax in all cases, and to ascertain If any lr9lsla-
ZION is needed to facilitate the collection OF un-
contested demands against decedeuts estates,
and what proof shall be sufficient TO authorize
the payment of such demands by iduclarlcs.
\ resolution was introduced in the House
requesting Congress to lmp'se uniform tx
on tobacco. which was placed on the calendar,
aud bi |, to regulate the sale of boots and shoes
in the Commonwealth, and To amend the code
in relation to fees OF wcighuas crS,
Bills We're reported: Tor the relief of Nathan
lei Prince, of Loudoun county; to Incorporate
the bank of Bcrryvillc; to Incorporate the New
market b;,uk; to provide for the payment OF
the debt due by Washington College to the
Literary fund: to amend the act continuing
the payment Of interest, Nc: TO Incorporated
colleges, &c; to impose taxes for the support OF
government and free schools. and to pay inter
est on the public d"bt. -.
The Senate passed bill toan;hrIzc the Cir
cult Court of Cnlpeper county to hear and de-
termine the petition of james W. Barry, o1
said county. for divorce, Il vinculo maIrlmon'l.
The very slim attendance Of members III both
| M
less than forty one 'lcaves were granted IN
the House to-day, while the Senate Is so ire
uuently without quorum that it Is the excep-
ton when majority is present. This absentee
ism isattributcd in great part to the granting
of free passes 70 the members, who. to the
neglect of their trust. avail themselves OF the
privilege, to run about on the most tllvl;ous
pretcXts. Until the free pass system j. abpl-
ished it is feared, the evil will continue.
TIE ENFoRc EMENT ACr.-A case Of the Ut
most Importance, and likely to attract more
! than ordinary attention. has been decided Ia
the United States Circuit Court for the East
ern district of Virginia, held at Alexandria,
Washington Fauntleroy, a colored citizen.
resident of Tappahannock, Va, made con-
plant before [. S. Circuit Court Cumms-
soner in November last, against Thomas Crox-
ton, for violation of the filth section of the
enforcement act OF 1871.
On the examination before the Commission
er he testified that the accused threatened to
remove him from rented premises if he voted
the Radical ticket at the then approaching cleo
ton Croxton was put under bond to await
IN indictment in the L. 5. Circuit Court. Sub
sequently. on the testimony of CroXton, falnt-
leroy was indicted in Essex county, Virginia,
for perjury alleged to have been committed IN
falsely swearing that the threat referred to was
made 10 the presence OF two witnesses whose
names were mentioned.
Although the trial before the Commissioner
took place in Caroline county, the accused was
indicted, tried. aud convicted in Essex county,
and his special pleas, avcrl'ng that the case
was exclusively III the Federal jurisdiction, and
the offense, if any, was committed IN another
county. were both overruled.
Application for writ Of error and supersedeas
was denied in the Supreme Court Of Appeals
of the State, owing to an omission IN the stat
utes authorizing the granting of appeals by
reason of which the prisoner, no matter how
defective the judgment. is required 10 any
event to remain in confinement until the next
session Of the Circuit Court of Essex county,
in May next.
Under these circumstances, the Attorney
General Of the U. s. directed the I. S States
District Attorney to apply to the Circuit Court
for habeas corpus to bring Faunt!eroy before
that court to determine the legality Of his con-
| .hncment.
The return of the Sheriff brought up the
whole record, aud by the indictment it APP
peared that the prisoner was convicted under
the circumstances stated above. The precise
question presented was this: Can person be
tried in State court for perjury ALLEGED to
have been committed in court OF the l. 5. :?
Governor H. H. Wells appeared for the pcti
tiuner, and the State Of Virginia was represen-
ted by its attorney general, Hon. James G.
Taylor, The following points We're decided by
the Court:
|. That every citizen restrained of his liberty
ia violation OF the Constitution, laws, or treat
les of the u S., is entitled to sue out the writ
of habeas corpu, from the courts of the Z. s.
to inquire iuto the cause of his imprisonment.
3. That this ofeuce is an offence uuder the
! 1ou. &c rho II - snlaly- that th,, n, ri