Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-12-08
LETTER FROM RICHMOND.

Legislative Work-Hfre OF Pen'ten.
tiary Conyicts-JOnes, the New COL
0red SenatOr-The Chairmansh1p Oh
the House Committees on Finance
trenchment and Reform FeVer.NO
More Stationery In the HOuse-Ine
Supreme Court Judgeship-Dehth
of san Old Citizen.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.
RICHMOND, VA, Dec. !, lS76.-The ses.
sion of the General Assembly still continues
very quiet, and there appears to be a disposition
on the pert of the members to work. think
the session will be short one, unless some new
question is sprung.
All the members OF the Legislature have not
yet arrived in the city.
Mr.. Clark has the credit OF offering the first
bill in the Senate this session. The bill au-
thorzes the Governor to hire to William L.
Sutherlin, for the term of one year, with the
right Of Eenewa! from year to year, for the
spaca of five years, at the option Of said Suth-
erliu. such able bodied convicts in the peDl-
Tertiary, not exceeding one hundred in num-
Der, as be may contract for, whose term Oh
service at the time of hiring do not exceed ten
years, and can be spared from the workshops
therein, to be employed by seld Sutherlln IN
the construction Of works OF internal improve
ment authorized by the State of Virginia, and
! in such other manner as may seem to him Ju-
dicious and expedent. The bill further stlpu-
lates that the Governor shall provide tor the
payment Of the hire agreed upon, and the sale
keeping and return to the pepitentiary OF the
convlots so hired, by requiring from Sutherlln
bond, With good security, in such penalty as
he may deem sufficient. What works oil IN
ternal improvement are contemplated am not
at present able to soy.
! Jones, the newly elected colored Senator
from the SOth district, will have but a short
sip of the pleasures OF Senatorial life, am in
| clined to believe. Further conversation with
Senators induce me to believe that they will
Dust him and thereby put the foot of Virginia
down on anything like military interference With
Virginia.
| Hon. A. H. Ii. Stuart will be appointed BY
| Speaker Hanger, chairman of the House Com
| mittee 90 Finance 10 the place Of Judge W
| W. Crump, resigned; Col. w. s. Gilman vii
be made Chairman Of the House Committee ou
| Schools and Colleges vice Gen. E. r. BagWell
deceased. MIR. Gilman will resign bis place al
chairman of the Library Committee, but who
will be appointed to that position | have no
yet learned.
| am sorry for some poor fellows 10 the Gap
| itol. but see that the beads Of a number o
them will be cut of. Retrenchment and Re
| form will be the watchword. The salaries o
many officials will be cut down and several Office
abolished. EyGov. l.etcher heads this re
| trenchment movement, and he made the trs
step in defeating the resolution allowing th'
members of the House stationery. Now ever
member will be compelled to buy his own writ
ing paper, ink, &c.
[ cannot imagine what the colored member!
vii! DO. Last year they spent all their surpu
| time 10 making pot.hooks and hangers. Man
a time have seen Syphax, the colored rep
resentative from Alexandra. hanging over hi
| desk engaged in this feicitous occupation, ant
then seen big drop of African persperatlor
roll down from bis face and fall like the tear 0
the recording angel, and blot ontsthe pot hoo!
and hanger forever.
Judge Coghill, James Alfred Jones, OF Rich
mond, and Senator Kirkpatrick are coming
forward iu connection with the Supreme Cour
Judgeship The Richmond delegation viii
support Mr.. Jones | believe. Judge Coghil
| will make strong run. and from the presen
outlook the contest will be between him ant
MIR. Jones' Judge Coghill's prominence as
politician will be against him, as there are many
members who have az idea that Judge 0
the Supreme Court should be vel! versed il
the Law and know nothing ofpolitics. Mr.J one
| is only lawyer, and this fact will make agalns
| him With the other side, who think the Judg
of the Supreme Court should be mau OF soma
importance. 1t is not improbable that bott
the Judge Of the Supreme Court and Superln
tendeot Of the Penitentiary will be member
Of the Legislature.
Mr.. Daniel H. London, an old merchant o
this city, and the leader of the National E1
chequer scheme" died here this evening.
STRoNGBoW.