The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-01-03
the oatt, Of Office. he thought that as { g
matter Of courtesy the message Shouts pc

the oath OF Office. He thought that as !, g 9
matter Of courtesy the mes g sho'',a 0s
printed. !, J.,
on fi,e otIar aide for printing the message,
aud read from, the Constitution the occa-
sions upon which 1t was customary Iof the
Governor to communicate TO The Generai
Assembly. II was a nnatter5 Oh principle
with him, despite the cries OF plcay une
raised by some gentlemen. he wou,o De
willing, had the message been properly De-
fore the Senate, to have 1t printed.
Mr.. PAUI. demanded the ayes and noes,
and, being taken, the resolution was agreed
to by the following vote:
AYEs-Messrs. Belts, Bland, Bliss, Broose, Chids,
Elliott. Goodc, Griffin, Grimsiey INT, Q, hata Mn,
ray, Nash, Num-, Powell, sherrard, smith, Tanner
Walston. and Ward-23. -, ph,o,,r c,;,,or
NoEs.-Mcssrs Fulkerson, fau "''s'1'' siiN's'
Tyler, and Wood-6.
Mr.. sp1rLEn explained his vote by SAYING
that not az matter of courtesy, put as
matter OF principle, he voted "No." He had
as high regard for Governor Holiday as
any man in the State, but was constrained
to vote "No.''
On motion OF Mr. CHuEs the Senate adj
journed.
:, The House was called to order at ~
O'Clock by Speaker ALLEN. Prayer oy inc
Rev. DR.. J. William Jones Oh the baptiSt
church..
communication was received from the
BOARD of immigration giving an account
OF expenditures and an ABSTRACT OF thelr
proceedings during the year, which was Or
lpred to be printed as Il document.
PRESENTED AND REFERRED.
By Mr.. GRAVES: Resolution as to dimin-
ishing the Number OF judicial circuits. :,
By Mr.. STARKE: A resolution as TO
amending iury-law.
mittee for Courts inquire into the eHpeui-
ency of reporting q bill which shall provide
| that all bargains or contracts between lndl-
viduals that are not reduced to writing shall
not be recoverable in any OF the courts OF
this Commonwealth, and that all bargains
OF contracts when reduced to writing shall
have the force OF an execution, without any
action in any OF the courts OF this Com
monwealth.
By Mr.. SHANNON: That the Committee on
Schools report bill TO authorize the Marion
Female College to borrow money.
By same: Resolution as to amending the
fourth section OF the charter OF the Bank OF
Marion.
By Mr.. FINNEY: \ resolution as to mark
ing the notwithstanding line between
Maryland and Virginia.
By Mr.. GooDE: Bill to amend the sheer
law in Clarke, Frederick, and Charlotte.
By Mr.. KYLE: Bill to incorporate the
town Of Hillsville, in the county OF Carroll
Bv the same: Resolution rs to the pro-
| H.
ents.
| THE RAILROAD COMMISSIONER.
Dir. STEVENS offered the following, which
was adopted under suspension OF tae
| rules:
ResoLrcd, That the Auditor Of Public
| Accounts be and he is hereby instructed to
inform this House what amount has been
paid to the Railroad Commissioner and his
clerk on account OF salaries, and what
amount has been paid on account OF the
EXPENSES OF his Office, and what portion oil
said amount has been paid by the several
railroad companies OF the State, as required
by law, and whether such portion was paid
in currency or coupons.
| THE DEBT OF VIRGINIA.
General EcHoLs offered the following:
Whereas different statements OF the out
standing Indebtedness OF the Common,
| wealth OF Virginia have been made, and
some uncertainty as to the true amount
| thereof seems to exist in this body, as well
as in the public mind,
Resolued, That committee OF five be ap-
pointed to make a thorough investigation oil
| said debt, showing its true and full amount
on the 1st instant, the different classes into
which it is divided, the amount thereon
which is principal, and what amount is in
terest accrued before that date, and that the
said committee report such statement OF
said debt-principal and interest--as may
hereafter, when approved by this House,
be regarded as authoritative upon the sub
ject. o; 49, -,
mediate Judgment of the House, as the
debt question could only be approached in
| telligibly when the amount OF the debt Is
known. Great confusion on that subject
now prevails. There were in the ordinary
sources OF information great difference OF
opinion and Of statement. On one hand
the debt was stated at enormous figures; on
the other at much lower figures. All Gen
eral ECHoLs wanted was a fair investigation
and report, in order that the House might
be fully informed. He could imagine no
objection to the resolution from any quar-
ter.
Mr. BARBOUR did not entirely conlpre-
bend the concluding portion OF the resotu-
ton-that aboutthe authoritative statement.
The Finance Committee had already under
taken the work OF ascertaining the debt,
and had made good progress. Still, be
would have no objection to receiving help
from speciIl committee, but would hrst
like to know what was meant by the Mate
rial thus reported to be authoritative.
General ECHoLs said that the purpose was
only to get information; to give the House
start in the consideration OF the debt.
The statement would only be authoritative
when adopted by the House.
Mr. HARyIE was opposed to creating g
special committee for the purpose. The
project looked to him like a shortcut to
bring the debt subject before the House
prematurely. He announced himself in
favor OF economy and retrenchment, and
wanted the debt settled decisivelg, but de-
sired the proceedings in relation thereto to
be regular and careful. He preferred to
await the report of the Finance Committee,
knowing that it was thoroughly invcsti-
eating this subject. He thought it would be
wrong now to attempt to take from Mr..
| BARBOUR 1.-THE chairman Of the Finance Com
mittee1 the very work he was chosen for
| his fitness to do.
Mr.. WALKER OF Chesterfield moved to
amend General ECuoLs'S resolution by add
ing the following:
"That the special committee ascertain the
precise gross amount received by the State OF
Virginia by loan from her public creditors,
and further to ascertain the precise gross
amount paid by the State OF Virginia as IN
terest upon the same to the end OF the pre-