The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-09
TI,e state CapftoI.

THE; PRESENT SESSIpkfoff THE lEulSLAIoRh
PROBABLY NOT tIdMETE coLEAAN. AND
,TH0RBunN--s STRONG PETITION, FOR ExEcr-
"a TIVE MERCY FOR coLEMAS77T7THE REASONS
ligURGED--DR. Il NoYFETT's d tE'HIsKEY-PuNCH
- REAepELLEp AND IMPROVED, &C., &tc.ii,ia
The House Committee for sCourtsioi jus
tiee have decided that this session OF the
General Assembly should be considered the
first9under The constitutional amendment
adopted fast November 3 that the salary, In
stead OF per diem regulation, need not be
put in force now; that this session Is un-
limited as ito length tand consequently that
1t may continue until the members success
sors are elected, and that the next session
|the first OF the biennial sessionsl should
commence the 1st Of January, 1875,
The Senate Committee for Courts OF JUS
tice yesterday submitted Q report on reap
portionment in effect adverse to the posi-
ton of the House; which position is that
the reapportionmenta and reduction OF MEM
bers OF the two houses ought to be put IN
effect at the next ensuing election. The
majority OF the Senate committee declare
that the reSportionment should not be made
effective till 1870. There was a minority
report, signed by Senator'S Herndon, Dan
lei, GrimsIey, and Marshall. Under the
amendments adopted the Senate can have
forty members three less than it now has
and the House rs many as one hundred.
There are some propositions to compromise
differences, so as to allow the long-term
senators to serve out their time, &c., DC.
The reapportionment business Will oc-
cupy several weeks, and the probabilities
are that the present session will be an ex-
traordinarily long one, though the cash in
the Treasury is running low.
CoLEMAN's PARDON ASKED FOR.
A kind friend OF Colonel William D..
Coleman was yesterday earnestly engaged
procuring signatures Of the members OF the
General Assembly to an application for
Colenan's pardon. He was eminently sue
cessful. Nearly all the members applied to
cbeerfully signed it. The petition was
written by Captain George d. Wise, the
Commonwealth's attorney, who prosecuted
the prisoner. It presents strong reasons
for the clemency asked; chief among them
that sshis previous life, through peace and
war, was one OF unblemished honor and OF
the best domestic and social relations las
the Governor said OF Thorburn, which par
don is commended that this was his first
crime, and that If now restored to liberty
the prospects are that he will make useful
citizen. Captain Wise, over his own sigma
ture, urges that pardon be granted.
Colonel Coleman was sentenced to four
years. Imprisonment in the penitentiary for
altering an entry in a public record while
he was secretary Of the sinking fund He
was almost wild from the effects Of liquor
when he did it, and could probably have
escaped had he tried. He has served out
nearly three years of his time, and has been
an exemplary prisoner, and it is promised
that his future life will be such as to com.
mend him to the gracious consideration Of
all good and honorable people.
Many Of the most prominent citizens OF
Richmond have expressed desire to add
their names to the petition.