Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-01-31
FROM RICHMOND.
LEGISLATIVE.

rcau oil CATION; ana Dllla lntrouuocu III IL
lation to the times of meeting OF the General
Assembly, and iu relation to taking clans IN
certain waters Of this State.
Bills were passed to encourage donations 10
the University of Virginia, and to constitute
tbe State of Virginia the trustee thereof; and
to release charters of incorporation from tax.
The Assessment bill vas further considered.
Ip the House of Delegates bills were report
ed and put on the calendar: 10 declare and
nrescribe what fees justice of the peace may
charge in trials for small claims; to relieve
Edgar Allan, of Farmvle, Prince Edward
county to amend the code in regard to when
acts Of Assembly shall take effect; to amend
the code in relation to lands delinquent Tor
taxes: to amend the act authorizing express
and other transportation companies to sell un-
claimed freights; to amend the code III relation
to offcnses by negroes; TO amend the law IN re-
gard to compensation Of Justices TO repeal the
act of February 7, lSGG to fix the p1lce OF
treasury warrants for lands 10 Virginia; to
amend the act to district the State tor county
Judges; and to regulate the fees OF sherittS.
Adverse reports Were made upon the bills to
amend the code so as to restrict the compensa-
ton of physicians attending coroner :; inquest;
and TO authorize the trustees OF the Lutheran
church at Woodstock, Shenandoah county, to
sell the real estate of said church.
The Committee on Courts Of justice, on .
resolution referred to them as to the conStltu-
tional validity Of the fence law, reported that
it was the province of the judiciary depart
ment to decide on the consttutlona!ty Q; a"S;
which report was adopted.
The Senate bill! to amend section > Of chap
ter l76 of the code in relation to the destrue-
ton of copies of records aud papers III puDilc
offices as evidence, WAS passed.
a bill was introduced to amend the act LOT
the relief of shcriffs aud other officers whose
official papers were lost or destroyed during the
late war; and petition OF citizens OF Loudoun
county presented, asking for such Legislation as
will make persons who sell ardent spirits re-
sponsibIe for their improper use.
The bill to define the jurisdiction Of the
county and circuit courts, Nc: was taken up,
when MIR. Tallaierro moved to reconsider the
vote bv which his amendment, giving the county
court Jurisdiction in civil causes where the
amount insolved is less than 500, was rejected
The motion was agreed to and tie amend
ment adopted-ayes, 81; noes, So.
Mr.. Riddlebarger moved to dismiss the bill.
This motion was opposed By Messrs. Poague,
Brooke, Coghill and Hill, and advocated by
Mr.. Riddclbarger, and pending the debate the
House adjourned.
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.
The Joint COMMITTEE of the two Houses OF
the Legislature, to meet the creditors OF the
State ia conference on the 18th of February,
in reference to an adjustment ct the State
debt, is as follows: On part of the Senate.
Messrs Cochran, kirkpatrick, Qucsenbcr1J
and Taylor, of Norfolk on the part OF the
House of Delegates, McSsrs. Taacrro, Cog
HILL Head, Walker, Gilman, Thomas anu
Douglas
THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM
The bill pending in the House Of Delegates
to define the jurisdiction Of the county aud cir
cult courts, &c, has been SO amended as !c
give the exclusive jurisdiction to the circuit
| courts in cases of misdtmeanor as well as oil
felony, and as it now stands, reduces the county
courts to mere courts of probate and county
ulanagement-the circuit courts eugrosSlus. al
the great mass Of causes, both civil and crlm
nal. The bill also proposes to fix the pay OF
county Judges at ia per diem for each day &C
tualy employed in holding court.
INDEPENDENT BRANCH NJ q. R. R.
In the Senate, yesterday, on motion OF Mr.
Thomas the Committee for Courts Of Justice
were instructed to esquire into and repor,
whether the road bed and land condemned Ion
the extension of the Manassas Gap Railroad
from some point east Of Thoroughtare Gap tc
the city of Alexandria has been forfeited by
non user, either by the Manassas Gap Railroad
COMPANY prior to its consolidation with the
Orange and Alexandria Railroad Company
under the act passed February l4th, 1867, OF
since by the consolidated company or wheth-
err the same has reverted to the original pre-
prietors of the land, and, if So what legislation
is necessary so that said road bed, as it nov
exists, may be appropriated to the uses ano
purposes originally contemplated 10 the &C
passed March 10Th, 1858.
NEW STEAMBOAT LINE.
A bill has been reported i'll the House o.
Dclegates authorizing certain counties to vote
on the question of subscribing to the capita
stock of company to run line of steamboat
from the landings on the Rappahanuock tc
Baltimore or Norfolk, or both. 1t proposes tc
allow the legal voters OF the counties of Caro-
line. Essex, Middlesex, King George, Sspot
sylvania, Wesmorcland, Richmond and Ian
caster to vote on the fourth Thursday Of Ma!
whether they will subscribe to the line OF boat
as aforesaid and to what amount each coun
ty to be authorized to issue bonds to tht
amount Of its subscription. Any one or more
of the counties voting to subscribe may obtill
charter of incorporation for the compan.
from the circuit court of any county subscrlb
ing, &C.
LATERAL RoADs.-Several weeks since We
called attention to the suggestion OF Mr. j. 5
Barbour, president of the o., 4, i NJ. f. II
made in his last annual report to the policy 0
the main lines of Railroads in Virginia interest
ing themselves in building lateral reads as feed
ers. Alll>ion was then made to the Reading
and Philadelphia road, which was few YEAR
ago, in very dcplorablc condition, financially
and that it was now one Of the best paylns
roads in the u. S. by reason of the lateral road
constructed for the purpose of developing TIT
neighboriug coal and iron fields. \ recent re
port of the condition Of that road, shows tina
and its net profits, SS,063. 542 Total toonpg
for the year, Is, 100000 tons.
Suppose the narraw guege road, now beln!
surveyed west from Harrisonburg, We're com