Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-03-25
The Legislature.

On Monday night of last week, the Free Rail
road bill was postponed to the I'd of April by a
vote of II to 50 in the House Of Delegates
This is the end of it for this session.
On Tuesday, nothing of importance was done
On Wednesday, after being amended, the
bill for the lease and removal of the penitentiary
vas ordered to its third reading and engross-
ment 10 the House by a vote OF Sc to Al.
% "Wednesday night, the committee on con-
| ference OF the two houses Of the General Assem-
bly,, on the subject of interest on money or
other thing had meeting but only two
members CO the part of the Senate were pre-
| sent. 1t was agreed, however, tif majority of
| favor OF bill that will establish six per cent.
as the legal rate of interest when no agreement
| is made, but permitting contracts to be entered
into for rates not exceeding eight per cent
| the penalty for usury to be forfeiture of the
whole amount of interest charged.
On Thursday, the bill for the lease of the
penitentiary came up in the House on its pas
sage. The vote stood. ayes IS, noes 40. 1t
| failed to pass as it required constitutional
majority.
By joint vote Of the two Houses, the follow
ing county judges we're elected:
John n Hendren for Augusta; F. R. Farrsr
| for Amelia; Jno. L. Cochran for Albemarle !;
Andrew Damron for Allegheny H. T. Parrish
| for Appomattox; Jno A. Wharton for Bed
ford r. NJ. Mallory for Brunswick; Samuel
G. Graham for Buchanan and Wise Jno. Hill
for Buckingham, and John G. Haythe for
Campbell.
| On motion the further execution Of the Joint
order was postponed to the next day.
| The House passed by a vote OF 55 to AZ, House
bill to prohihiT the resolving Of coupons for all
| portions Of the public revenue set apart By the
Constitution for public free school purposes, and
for The permanent literary fund.
On Friday, il the House, Mr.. Ramsdell IRE
pubican) presented the following protest against
the election Of county judges, signed by the Re.
publican members, and asked that it be enter
ed on the journal of the House -
s',The undersigned, members Of the House Of
| Delegates, believing that this General Assem-
| big has no constitutional right TO elect county
| court judges. respectfully protest against the
proposition TO proceed ncW to said election and
assume duties that properly belong to the next
General Assembly. Regarding the whole pro-
ceeding as subversive OF the ciearest ccnstitu-
tional provisions, ne decline to assume the re-
sponsibility to be incurred by participating In
| each action. The Constitution should be re-
| garded as more sacred than the interests Of any
| political party. To voluntarily seek to violate
! its provisions is revolutionary. We cannot be-
come parties to any such proceeding and re-
specially decline any participation therein end
| ask that this our protest. be entered on the
journal of this House.
Mr. Smith moved to lay on the table. Re-
| jected by % ayes to 50 noes.
| Mr. Daniel opposed allowing the protest to
| L. he -.
| document as offensive ia attEhuting to the ma
icrity of the House political motive for their
action, when it was obvious that a political de.
| sign had inspired the protest itself. He hoped
that somebody would move to dismiss it,
| Mr.. w. L. Jones said that he was opposed
| to admitting the protest to the journal 10 it's
present form, but if It's movers would SO amend
it as to strike out the offensive portions and con-
| Gne themselves simply to their reasons for their
own course, he would not object to admit the
protest, The hour IL NJ. for the execution
Of the joint order, the election of county judges
| having arrived, the matter went over.
| In further execution of the Joint order, the
following twenty additional county junges were
then elected:
| For Caroline county Walter d. Hudgin, for
Chesterfield William L Clopton for Dinwiddie
Joseph L. Budd, for FIuvanna William r.
Cooke for Franklin Thomas Ell. Bernard, for
Frederick Joseph e. Sherrard, for Goocbland
Isaac w. Peasants. for Hanover Samuel G.
Redd, for Heprico Edmund G. Minor, for Am
herst Samuel e. Henry. for Botetourt William
B. Simmons, for Essex Muscoe Garnett, for
Greensville and Sussex ". s. Goodwyn, for
Henry Samuel j. Muln. for Isle of Wight
George r. Atkinson, for King and Queen and
King William j. Fl. Jones, for King George
aud Stafford J. B. Jet. for Louisa Edmund
Il. Lane, for Norfolk L. Z. Watts, for North
cumberland and Lancaster Sam'l l.. Straughan.
La two days thirty OF the seVenty-niue judges
have been elected. Forty nine are yet to be
chosen.
On motion, concurrent resolution was then
adopted postponing the further execution of the
joint order till u o'clock, the next day.