The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-01-11
GENERAL ASSEMBLY, OF VIRGINIA.
WEDNESDAY, January 10, 1877.
The Senate met at the usual bour-Senatol
in the chair. IL ,.r..,,...! F..

.4 SENATE. ..,.l.t. =,
. The Senate met at the usual bour-Senator
QUHsENDERRY in the chair. ..r..,..! 81
;.s:,. PRESENTED AND REFERRED. =.
By Mr.. GAYLE: Petition of citizens Of
Norfolk against the passage OF a bill in rela-
ton to amending the charter OF the Eastern
Branch Drawbridge Company.
BY Mr.. WORD Bill for the relief OF Obc-
dali Mendenhall, OF Scott county. ',''' 4.
By Mr.. Penn: Bill to authorize the. SUI
pervisors OF Floyd county to levy tax FOR
building school-houses.
GA. CONVICT LABOR.
On motion OF Mr.. CLARK, the Governor
was requested to inform the Senate what de-
mand has been made upon him by internal
improvement or other companies, or by in
dividuals, for the employment of convict
labor, and what steps, If any, have beea
taken by him in reference thereto. -,
~. CENTRAL LUNATIC ASYLUM.
On motion Of Mr.. DANIEL, the Committee
on Public Institutions were instructed to
inquire and report to the Senate when the
lease OF tire State on the premises occupied
by the Central Lunatic Asylum expires; at
what price they can be bought or leased,
and whether or not it is eXpedient to locate
the asylum permanently on the present site
or elsewhere. ..,s. f.
BUCHANAN AND CLIFTON-FORGE RAILROAD.
Senate bill amending the act to incorporate
the Buchanan and Clifton-Forge Railway
Company came up as unfinished business.
Mr.. DANIEI. said senator's had asked for a
postponement of this subject in order to bet
ter inform themselves in regard to it. More
than two weeks had already been given
for this purpose, and it would seem that
these gentlemen had not availed themselves
of it, and did not seem to be any better in
formed now than when the delay was first
asked for. Mr. DANIEL presented letter
from the president of the James River and
Kanawha Canal Company, in which that
gentleman denies the fact, as stated in the
annual official report Of the Attorney-Gen-
eral, that receiver had been appointed for
bis company in the suit CT Spiller and ais
as. The James River and Kanawha Canal
Company. Dir. Darlington further says that
no such motion has ever been made, and
says that the report that no attention has
been paid by his company to this suit, and
it has been permitted to go by in default,
so far from this being the case, he says he
had employed eminent counsel to defend
the company's interest in this cause.
when it came up at the last session OF the
Assembly; but the Senator from Richmond
(Mr. Johnson had, since this subject had
been brought up at this session, admitted
that the James River and Kanawha Canal
Company was utterly insolvent, and for that
reason and from other information he had
received he could not favor it. The James
River and Kanawha Canal Company, he
said, according to the allegation OF the bill
OF the complainants in this cause, had been
grossly mismanaged by its president, and
he had not yet filed any answer. He called
upon the clerk Of the City Circuit Court a
few days ago, and was informed by that Of
fetal that such was the case, and it is but
a natural inference to draw that they cam
not deny these allegations, as they have
failed to file any answer to them up to this
time. Mr.. BLAND said his remarks to-day
were merely as skirmish line. When the
bill came up on its passage he proposed to
commence the battle against it in earnest.
q MIR. MARSHALL said he was glad the
gentleman who had Just taken his seat had
announced his line Of combat. The bill
was up last session and has been postponed
at this for the past three weeks, and he
hoped successfully to combat the gentle
mans eloquence when he commenced his
battle in earnest. }a"s.l9.
Mr.. DANIEL, again rising, said that the
arguments OF the gentleman (Mr. BLAND)
were certainly very novel in insisting that
the company stood convicted because they
had not filed answer to the bill of allega-
lions in this suit. He did not remember, In
his experience at the bar, OF knowing
where defendant answered bill Mt rules.
It was always customary, in the practice OF
this State, to await until the cause came, up
for trial, when leave. was asked Of the court
to file an answer and proceed with the case.
Colonel Darlington was no doubt Whiting
to collect material with which to combat
these allegations, and would be heard from
at the proper time. 80 tetg 15ff ~
i:f Mr. ALLAN called the pending question
uron the postponement Of the bill.lfi
Z MIR. BLAND hoped the gentleman would
Withdraw his motion for a personal explana-
ton. lss!al -
1 Mr.. ALLAN said he would do so 'sif the
gentlemen wanted to settle a personal diff
Guilty." .a3 el tiE..is st,!
Mr.. BLAND disclaimed that he had any
friends TO serYsin this matter; he knew no,
friends i'm the matter. He desired to have
an investigate OF the conduct OF this COM
panY. Heidi not impngn the: conduct OF
its president, but the public had right to
know Il ii6a were the stockholders OF the
know whether or not some OF
them were men OF straw or real bona tide
stockholders.
at the conclusion OF Mr. BLAED's re-
marks MFR. ALLAN renewed his motion for
the pending question, which was the post
ponement Of the bill until Tuesday. !:
The pending question " as called, and the
.zzsfs-tiffft2 IsiER III tiia-s