Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1877-02-27
RICHMOND LETTER.
House OF DELEGATES, !
RICHMOND, VA,
Feb oath 1877.

RICHMOND, VA,
Feb. Gath. 1877.
see no particular disposition to de-
spondency on the part Of Democrats
here. Since the first partisan vote on
the Florida case, there has been no
confidence in the fairness which up to
that time had been supposed to he in
separable from the judges Of the Su-
prpme Court. Certainly after the
vote on Louisiana no one here even
honor or consistency left Oregon
was regarded rs gone. It now rc-
mains to be seen whether Hayes will
be allowed to enjoy a victory he did
not win. AS far "a / am concerned,
would rather see Ferry or any other
Radical made President. People in
this city are by no means disposed to
make any terms whatever with the
authors of this outrage, but are pa
tient, and mean to be for four years, it
necessary. and then engage in mis-
SUN "IlH'it " ~ lldNt W. lAS ONlCbt Ai'C
destruction Of the Republican party.
We have gained Florida, and it only
remains to destroy the Returning
Board governments in South Carolina
and Louisiana.
APPORTIONMENT
has for several days monopOlized the
- 81
term Senators are not willing to 90
out of Office in the middle of their
terms by new apportionment. The
debate has been hot and almost an
cry. After perfect sirocco of debate,
it has, by the close vote of II to IS de-
cided that the present is the unlimited
session =, that the next session must
be the first Of the biennial sessions
that We have the right to and should
apportiOn now, but not to 90 into eff
feet before 1879. The House agrees to
all this except that disappointment
should go into effect next fall. So it
may as well be understood that we
will apportion now, and the time at
which II shall take effect will have to
be yet agreed upon.
THE WHIsKEY BELL.RINGER
is now the absorbing topic in the
House. DR.. Motfatt, the Senator
from Rockingham is the author of the
measure, aud has one Of the machines
completed as a sample. A mechanic
of this city, named Dean, is the artifi-
Ger of the new device. 1t consists of a
walnut box about S or 10 inches square.
Inside thereof is a bell, and n glass
three dials, numbered from one to 100.
Within are geared wheels which move
the hands on these dials, and without
is crank which moves the machin-
cry. One turn Of the crank causes the
bell to ring and the hand on the first
dial 10 move one space, thus register
ing one drink, The one hundred ia
revolution of the crank causes the
hand on the second dial to move one
space, and so with the third one, SO
that an inspection of the dials, which
must always front and he visible to
the purchaser, will always reveal the
number Of drinks sold. This, OF
course, exposes to every one the
amount of business done by the house
and is therefore a little inquisitorial
The box is kept under lock aud seal 10y
the Commissioner of the Revenue
who examines it at stated periods, anC
reports to the Treasurer, who COLLECTS
two cents for each drink so registered
unless it be of malt liquor, which
must pay half a cent per drink. The
discussion has been very animated
over X. To day the house amended
the hill so rs to make the tax on eacl
drink one cent, instead of two, an(
struck out the clause giving one. rhirl
of any fine for failure TO "punch il
the presence of the passengairen Il
the informcr, The license tax on
liquor dealers is done away with, anl
each person licensed must pay ter
dollars for one of these whiskey-regi
tcriug machines. That is all eXcccp
that if it gets out of order thu
dealer must stop business unit
he has 1t repaired or purchase
new one at his own expense
The friends Of the bill were mucl
troubled at the reduction of the tax OF
each drink to one cent, az they haC
boosted that it would produce tw,
millions of dollars. They now boas
that it will produce one million, ant
thus pay the whole Of the interest OF
the public debt
They are not willing to reduce tn,
tax on property in consequence Of thi'
tax. If they were, there would bc
good sense in the measure. MI. Coal'
and myself expect to vote against it
because, mainly, the people cauno
lear another million Of dollars with
drawn from circulation. 1t woul,
simply ruin the State,
] care not whit sort of bait be pu
on the hook, if il takes all the fist
from the river, the fish business viii
he ruined all the same. Time anC
again, al ia RntUD', las it been sal,