The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-02-21
evening State sa,.rna1
CAPITOL NOTES.

of Delegates. 1t was the consideration b
that committee of the joint resolutions il
troduced by Mr.. Richmond in the Hous
on the 9th instant. directing the presiden
and directors Of the Atlantic, Mississippi
and Ohio railroad company to commenc,
the work on the road to Cumberland Gap
or suffer certain pains and penalties NOR
particularly described in the legislative as
sent to the consolidation Of the Southsid,
and other railroads. Punctually at {
o'clock Mr.. Richmond delivered a scatter
ing, but well-intentioned, fire in support o.
his bantling, and was about to retire be
hind his breastworks, when sudden salye
of artillery announced the approach OF q
shostile force. A glance sufficed to show
that it was Mahone's Division, advancing
brigade front, headed by the indomitable
General himself, flanked by colored citi.
zen bearing some halfdozen huge topograph.
ical exhibits of the country through which he
proposed to campaign. With that impetu-
GUS CELEBRITY characteristic Of the great sol
der, he commenced fire on Richmond Of
facts, figures, railroad bombs, and other
destructive missiles, which he was only
able to Withstand for two hours, when
some hasty strides were heard in the aisle,
and Richmond lifted out, the terminal
points of his swallow-tailed coat standing
forth in such bold relief that a game Of
mumble-peg could easily have been played
thereon. The committee, who were acting
as arbitrator Of the sanguinary contest,
hastily evaporated as the victorious chief.
tain, with a quiet smile, gathered his maps
and exhibits and left in the direction Of the
Virginia consolidated line. i,,.
Parties skilled in disining portents,
whether appearing in the sky or on the
outside of the hall Of the House Of Dele
gates, profess to be able to discern an i'm.
pending contest between The railroads and
the Legislature, and the waste of much
valuable time, and, still more precious,
state funds. The issue will be joined be-
cause of the proposition to tax railroads
and other common carriers on their gross
receipts, as well as certain other efforts
consequent thereon, designed to restrict
their powers and more clearly define their
duties. Railroad men WELD vast lnflu-
ence in this state, not only on the destines
Of the people, but in shaping public policy
and law and if they feel disposed to make
a fight on the above issue they will be
found hard parties to get away with. A.
man that can sling hundred. dollar green
back with the same felicitous ease that the
average citizen handles five-cent nickle,
is not to be sneezed at with IMMUNITY.
A close observer Of legislative matters
says it is evident to every observer Of
work in the legislative halls that the old
politicians who came here this session
believing that they would be able to re-
sumo their sway and take the desti-
MES Of the state in their hands, have been
utterly disappointed. They exercise but
little influence and find themselves no
matches for the younger men who have
sprung into public life Of late years. This
is the legitimate answer to the stirring war
cry uttered in the Theatre during the late
gabernatorial convention by the talented
and venerable though elastic and agile
EARLY, "Glve the boys a chanee.n So
say we.
IL. u - ~
1t is now explicitly stated that The Legis-
lature has no intention of restoring the
county court system as it formerly existed,
no matter howsoever much clatter may be
gotten up by rural denizens on the subject.
Determined legislators assert that the peo-
pie kept on roofing around till they got the
present system, and it must be tried
through several deals before it is cast aside
as ineffective and void. just SO.
Senator Graham, Of Nottoway, offered
bill to-day entitled AN act to amend
and resnact section 81, chapter rs, of the
Code Of Virginia, 1878, in relation to funds
Of public free-schools," The bill is o
good one, and if it should become law
it will raise nearly double the amount of
money for the support Of free-schools that
is now raised; and as these are the schools
of the people, and there has been steady
falling off of the appropriations by taxes,
&C., for the support Of that class Of
schools during the past two years, we
sincerely hope the bill will pass. nai haI
Assembly joint committee on constitu-
tional amendments have come to the con
clusion to report that it is expedient for
the people to vote next November, on the
question Of clothing the present General
Assembly with power to frame new con-
stitution for submission to the people. ~
. When the subject of pecuniary resources
and how to raise the same were being dis
cussed the other day before House
finance committee member accidentally
on purpose let slip the remark that said
committee s''meant to put every man,
woman and child in the commonwealth on
double duty to raise means to pay the
public obligations He bore the sugges.
tive name of Koiner, and it may be re.
marked that on the occasion referred to he
InakaI atlu he