The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-02-14
GpenimN State SoitrnaL.
CAPITOL NOTES.

The bill introduced in the General As.
sembly by Mr.. Cochran, of Augusta, fol
the establishment of an asylum at Staun.
ton for the treatment of inebriates, does
not meet with favor among the public
there. They do not wish their locality to
be made the objective point to which will
tend all the besotted and depraved, and
they are about half right. Their argu-
ment is after the following fashion: We
have our hands full in Virginia to take
care of the insane and educate the deaf
mutes and the blind, whose misfortunes
are not the result of their own vicious
habits, without going out into the highways
and by.ways to gather up drunkards from
cutters, furnish them with comfortable
residences and supply them with food, and
perhaps raiment, at an immense cost to
the state.
The fearful foolishness of the General
Assembly is not to be endorsed. AS we
said at the time, the books comprising the
state library will not be moved from the
Capitol. In fact, there is no place to carry
them to.
Somebody has written an essay on
smelling as a Fine Art" and legislative
committees are in fever of excitement to
know what it means. M
The belief begins to obtain that the MEM
bers of the Virginia Senate are lazy set.
Thursday they seized the 1imsiest sort of
an excuse for recessing, and now it is
stated that most of them have availed
themselves Of the recess to make excur-
sions to Washington and Baltimore. If
peck of plaster falling in the state library
causes recess, what would cart load do z?
This is question which we would like TO
see answered.
Under the resolution passed by the two
houses of the General Assembly, special
joint committee will be appointed to make
thorough examination of the affairs of
the sinking fund, and the committee will
have authority, should they deem it
necessary, to send for persons and papers
and employ the services of an expert.
Mr.. Senator Wynne is actively at work
to remove the penitentiary. He presented
bill Thursday in the Senate, having for
its object the removal, without expense to
the state, and it will meet with little or no
objection. The Richmond council will
oppose locating the mammoth nuisance at
Belona, tor fear Of poisoning our drinking
water. AS the assembled wisdom''
never indulge in James river straight, with
them the objection will not "hold water"
% VIM. s. Gilman, esq, member of the
House of Delegates from Richmond city,
made a speech of some length in the
House to-day in opposition to the clause
embracing cities in the bill to prohibit the
sale of intoxicating liquors on the Sabbath.
James II. Dooley, esq, likewise Rich
mond delegate, opposed it on yesterday.
Messrs. Henry Exall, architect, William
h. Cutshaw, engineer, John Gibson, bull.
der, A. Y. Lee, architect and engineer,
and George Gibson, builder, looked over
the Capitol to-day, and reported the whole
structure Tectus IN cUia. In the library
a new ceiling and wooden cornice is
recommended. 'These estimable gentlemen
have very happily indicated their posses
sion of knowledge by following the sugges-
tons made in this paper. They were
unanimous in the opinion that the Capitol
was one Of the strongest buildings in the
commonwealth. ... D..
General William Malone and Colonel
Richard F. Walker had an important con-
ference at the Capitol to-day. The General
appeared in a new hat of fine quality and
liberal dimensions. 1t only needed the
addition of a daffodil to usher in the
joyous associations of spring.
Bring flowers to the captive's lonely cell,
They have tales of the joyous woods to tell