Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1877-01-26
LETTER FROM RICHMOND.
RIoHMoND, VA, Jan. 22nd, III.
The Virginia House Of Delegates- The "Codt

RICHMOND, VA, jan 22nd, ~
The Virginia House Of Delegqtes- The "Code
Of Honor"-A Working assembly, etc.
The lower house of the Virginia Assembly
is, in the variety of material of which it is
composed, a remarkable one. Every grade Of
society and every avocaiion and profession is
represented there. In it is to be found the
silent, uhoblrusive granger, the well-fed, gen
ial old Virginia gentleman, "the illilerate,
tonguey "cullud gemman," and the advocate,
profund in legal lore. The civil officers range
from the justice of the peace to the ex- gov
ernor, Of which there are two-Smth and
Letcher The military is well represented,
from the corporal to the brigader-general the
latter being represented by Messrs. Taliferro
and Armstrong. In a body composed Of
about one hundred and ten members, there is,
Of course, TO be found much talent and more
stupidity. majority of delegates probably
sought place in the legislature because they
saw no easier way Of making six dollars a
day some for the honor; one is in favor Of
hard work. and another, old DR.. Terrell, OF
Loudoun, over eighty years old and equiva-
lent to one half of member, is a firm, or
infrm, advocate of reform. The colored mem
bers, Of which there are about dozen, ana
known elsewhere as " dam niggers, seem to
have come TO the legislature to practice that
little game of "draw, and TO close up the
discussion on any important question, as white
members never reply to them. They are quite
useful in that respect, as tiresome discussions
would sometimes be kept up for weeks, did they
not interpose to cut short the useless wrang-
ling.
bill having recently been offered in the
house to remove the political disabilities of
participants in dueling incurred under con-
sltutional enactment, wordy contest was
started, which is without precedent in the
present session of the legislature. Although
there were many heated passes over this ex-
citing question, there was no murder com
mtted. except that of English grammar, and
no violence offered, except that upon poetical
quotations.
Among those who spoke on the bill were
Mr.. Garter, Of Loudoun, in the negative and
ex-Gov Smith, in the affirmative. Governor
Smiths speech was substantially a review of
the character of Gen jackson, in which be
related several incidents in the life of "Old
Hickory" intended to prove that though the
old general WAS looked upon with horror by
many on account of his dueling propensiles
he was nevertheless gentleman Of chivalrous
representative of Gen. Jackson, being of the
same indomitabe courage and, from his dia-
lect, probably descended from the same Srotch-
Irish stock. His speech was full of jollity and
good-humOr and brought down The house in
repeated rounds of applause and laughter
After the discussion had been closed by
speech from the negro Potter, the bill was put
upon its passage for third reading and passed
by a vote of IS for and 40 against, which vir-
lually defeats it in the house as a two-thirds
vote is required for its final passage. Thus, it
will be seen that the house is almost evenly
divided on the question, not only in numbers,
but in the age of the members, most Of the old
men opposing the bill, and The Dung ones
lavoring it.
The Virginia legislature is a hard working
body, and 10 recruit their strength and keep
off of the sick list members are obliged to
take a great deal of holiday. The legislature
has been in session month. and nine bills
are ready for the printer. This may seem like
great deal of printing for the public to pay
for, but it only costs from $40, 600 10 S25 600
wear