Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-12-18
Letters from Richmond.
| Correspondcnce Of the Alexandra Gazette.

RICHMOND, December Is, 1877.
The straight conse' vatiVes and $. Z. read
asters of the General Assembly both held eau
cuscs at the CAPT ol, yesterday, the latter i'm
medaely after the former had adjourned.--
Gen. LIE presided at the former. and at it the
following resolutions were adopted:
| That this caucus OF con ervatives Of both
| houses of the General Assembly, elected in &C.
cordauce with the rules of the conservative
party, desires by its organization to perpetuate
the supremacy Of the party, aud to take sue ]
steps as may enable that party to discharge the
trusts which the conservative constituencies OF
the Commonwealth have committed to their
bands.
That we do not desire or design to bind by
caucus action the conscience or tho course OF
any member respecting the proper disposition
| of the public debt, or respecting any other qucs'
| ton of legislative or State policy.
That We agsin cordially invite oil regularly
elected conservatives to participate with US, TO
| the end that our councils may be harmonious
| and our party integrity preserved.
| That We adhere to and abide by this orgaul-
| cation as the tue and only organization OF the
conservative party of both houses of the Gere
] raj Assembly.
That 10 the opinion of this meeting caucus
of either branch of the General Assembly, sit
ling by itself, has jurisdiction only Of questions
| relating to the organization or officers OF that
| branch, while every matter to be determined
by joint vote of the two houses ought to be con.
sidered alone 10 this caucus.
MIR. Brooke, of Fauqucr, said he would not
exclude an independent 10 case where bis run
ming did not endauger the conservative party
and give opportunity to radical lie gave as
an instance the delegates sent here from Lou
| doun, elected by conservatives.
Gen. Hurt asked if these delegates did not
| receive the votes ofthe radicals of Louiouu.
Senator Brooke said that it was probable that
were elected by conservative votes, and he
thought it hard that they should be excluded.
MIR. Brooke desired it to be understood that he
did not favor, as some gentlemen seemed to
| intimate, the conservative organization being
disbauded; on the contrary, he was Of opinion
that 10 some sections Of the State it was neoes
sary and all important.
Senator Sinclair repudiatcd the idea that the
| independents represented the conservatives of
| Loudoun.
Major George Walker, tue secretary, fur
nishcs the following list OF conservative mem
bars who have enrolled themselves 10 this
organization
Senator's: Mcssrs. Belts, Bland, Brooke.
Chiles, Daniel, Gayle Goode, Griffin, Iairsou
H. II. Hurt, j. l.. Hurt, johnson, Koincr,
Lee, Marshall, Murray, Num-, Nash, Smith,
Sioclair Tanner, Walstop, and Workman.
Delegates: hlessrs. Anderson, Ashton,
Bland, Bocock, Bohannon. Burger, Clarke,
Coghill. Cox. Crutcb6eld, Dance, Davis, Echols,
Edmunds. Edwards, Fluney, Farr. Goode,
Graves, Gray, Green, Hanger, HeaIey, Hen
500, Hines Hunter, Hall, Henry Jordan,
Lacy, Lowell. Luck, Moncure. Moormau. Mush.
bach, McGraw, Nelson, Pace, Pitts, PuIliam,
J. II. Robinson, Reese, Sandidgc, Shelburoe,
Shriver. Shuuate, w. B. Talaferro, w. 7.
Taliaferro. Trout, Van Lear, w. NJ. Walker,
George Walker, Wallace. Warng, Watkins,
and Whiteacre.
About sixty members Of the two houses of
the General Assembly were present. Eighty
of the one hundred and forty conservatives in
the Legislature have their names on the roll.
The 5. P.'s were presided over by DR.. Cues,
enberry. About seventy were present, i6cud.
ing the Independents. They adopted the fol-
lowing:
Whereas it is deemed most important to the
interests of Virginia that the organlzl tion of
the conservative party be maintained ard its
integrity preserved and whereas the conserv-
alive members of the House OF Delegates Or
gained conference on Tuesday, the 4h day
of December, 1877. by the election of chair
man and secretary; and whereas said confer
ence has been regularly Convened by the call of
its chairman and the conservative Senators iu-
vted to attend therefore be it
Resolved, That permanent JOINT conference
OF the conservative party OF the General As
scmbiy of Virginia BE- now regularly organized
by the election Of permanent chairman and
secretary.
MIR. Fowler offered resolution inviting all
conservatives to participate in these caucuses.
Ex.Judge Stevens, of Nelson. opposed the
resolution. lie desired no invitations 10 be
sent out. Ii conservatives wanted TO come, let
them if they want to keep out. let them keep
out.
Senator Massie favored the resolution. and
spoke in coDciliatory tone.
After consulting with some gentlemen around
him, MIR. Fowler proposed to withdraw his res
olution. Objection was made.
Senator Fulkerson spoke 10 favor Of Mr..
FoWler's resolution. lie believed that this
caucus represented the sentiment Of nine tenths
of the people Of the State.
Mr.. McCabe said he was here to read iust the
public debt. and by compulsory measures, if
necessary.
Senator Brook, attended both c,ucusses to
hear the opinion Of all his brethren. lie spoke
in a conciliatory spirit.
The resolution Of MIR. Fowler was adopted.
The Board OF Aldermen OF this city adopted
the following resolution last Dight:-
Resolved (the Common Counoil concurriog,)
That so soon as charter can be obtained to
conruct railroad from Richmond to Clifton
Forge the Council of the city should forthwith
appropriate $4,000 to repair the canal to
Lynchburg, as q means Of facilitating the con.
sruction Of said railroad, as proposed
In the State Senate to day joint resolution
was passed asking our representatives 10 Con
gress TO aid 10 securing reduction of tax on
tobacco.
Resolutions were adopted directing the Com
mittee 90 Banks to irqulre what legislation is
necessary for the better protection Of depostors
10 banks, insructipg the Committee for Courts of |
Justice to report what legislation is necessary
for regulating the charges and collecting the
legal constructive fees Of the clerks of courts or
other officers, proposing to require each county,
city. and town in the State to pay costs of