The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-12-12
Legislative Notes.

the proclamation of the Governor, calling it
! together, and the assembling of the body in
pursuance OF the resolution of adjournment.
is a subject that has puzzled the average leg
islative mind. A joint committee was an
pointed to ascertain the law of the
case, Mr.. Koiner, as chairman. On the
7th, in the Senate, the following report was
made:
| The joint committee appointed to inquire
what's the true status of the present General
| Assembly OF Virginia as to the authority un-
der which it has assembled and organized
| for the transaction of business, have dis
charged the duty assigned them, and beg
leave to report, for the adoption by the GEN
eral Assembly, the following:
ReSolued, That the present session of the
General Assembly is legal and constitutional,
and that it is ineXpedient to legislate further
on the subject.
| Mr.. Daniel did not like this, and made a
minority report, declaring that the present
session is legal in every aspect of the case,
and that the only question is as to compen-
satioI-whether the members shall have $500
or $50 for their services during the session.
Mr.. Daniel assumes that the session is legal
as an extra session. After various substi-
tutes and discussion, the matter was post
poned until Monday the 9th.
In the House, Mr.. Hanger offered reso-
luton inquring into the expediency of
amending the law for the recordation Of
deeds and contracts.
| Mr., Moffett offered a resolution looking to
| the collection of all taxes derived from the
sale of alcoholic and malt liquors in lawful
money, and appropriated to the public
| schools.
Mr.. Henkel offered resolution to the eff
feet that no increase of taxation can be borne
by the people Of Virginia.
Mn. Keyser proposed that the Finance Com
mittee devise a plan by which the moneys
provided by the Constitution for the public
cifools shall be dedicated to that purpose,
am ID inquiring in what manner the areas due
hem could be gotten.
4 Mr.. Popham offered the following resolu-
ton:
ResoIsed 6ythe General assembly Of Vir.
Ji1a0, That the Governor is hereby requested
TO invite Messrs. S. G.. G. G.. G. Ward attor-
neys of Messrs. Barring Brothers &c Co. Au-
gust Belmont, Esq, representative Of Messrs.
DE Rothschild Messrs. Brown Brothers q
Co., Richard Irvine & Co., Hugh McCuloch,
Esq, and Charles NJ. Fry, Esq, to visit
Richmond at their earliest convenience and
confer with the General Assembly of this
Commonwealth upon the subject OF the pub
lie debt of Virginia.
The resolution of Bradley L. johnson, Of
fered in the Senate several days previous,
iuquiring into what he is pleased to term the
''usurpation'' of Judge Rives in his habeas
corpus order in the Patrick county case, was
taken up, and after debate, was referred to
the committee on Federal Relations. AS
Mr. Harrison remarked, we think this a
"tempest in a tea pot" The case was taken
before Judge Rives by two Democratic law
yers, and all he had to do was to construe
the Civil Rights Bill,' under which the &C.
ton was taken. This he did. and as there is no
sensible man who will question the legitma-
cy OF his construction of that law. the less
that is said about it the better, until the
"Civil Rights Bill'' is repealed.
In the Senate, on the 9th, Bradley r. John.
son offered resolution appointing special
committee Of nine to consider the matter IL
volyed in the recent decision OF Judge Rives
under the Civil Rights Bill, and iffound that
the ruling Of the U. S. Court was unwar-
ranted by the Constitution Of the United
States, &c., to report Il mode and measure
OF redress. The resolution was adopted.
In the House, Mr.. Lowell offered res lu.
ton dispensing with registration of voters,
except in cities OF 1000 inhabitants and up
wards.
Mr.. W. 3. Talferro wants to amend che
Constitution so as to abolish the ballot sys.
tenn of voting, and fall back upon the uic0
roce, end offered resolution to that effect
A memorial and bill was laid before the
House, embracing the contract for the trans.
fer Of the James River Canal. for the action
OF the Legislature.
On the 10th, in tie Senate, the chair an
nounced the following on the part of the
Senate as members of the joint committee
on Constitutional Amendments Messrs.
Gayle. Koiner. Massie, Taylor and Splitter
Also the following as members of special
committee under the resolution of Bradley
7. johnson to inquire into the alleged usur
patton Of Judge Rives, Of the U. S. Court -
johnson. Daniel, G1imsley, Watson, Belts,
Hurt, of Pttsylvania Bland, Sinclair, and
Phlegar.
Negotiations by the Superintendent for
machinery to rebuild the workshops of the
Penitentiary, were instructed to be suspend
ed, by resolution of Mr.. Fulkerson, until il
was determined whether they would be re-
built, or not.
A joint resolution offered by Mr.. Phlegar,
and adopted, provides that when the Legis.
lature adiourns on the Goth of December, it
be until the 3rd OF January, 1879.
The Governor communicated to the I4egis-
lature the fact thatthe Treasurer of the State
not having qualified within the time specified
by law, he had appointed Mr.. Hunter to act
in that capacity, and that the election Of a
Treasurer devolved upon the Legislature. In
joint session, Mr.. Hunter was elected.
In the House, on the 10th, Judge Allen
offered a resolution requesting the Governor
to call conference Of the creditors of the
Cldtt W iuccG III tllc SapIlUl III plCuuOuu,
on the StA of January, and that the Govern
or, Treasurer, First Auditor, and five men,
bers of the Senate and seven of the House,
to be selected by their respective bodies, he
and they are hereby appointed confrcres en-
the part of the Stale.
-
RoBBINa A CHURcH.-One night last
week a thief got into the basement OF the
Lutheran Church through window, and
robbed the contribution boxes. of their con-
tents, some $l2 or SIS. Each class of the
! Sunday School had box for its contribu-
tions which were allowed to accumulate sor
three months, when they were taken out and
a new score commenced. The amount stolen
was the accumulation of about two months.
We trust the thief may be caught and Sc
verely punished, for if churches are not safe
from yandal hands no class of property is Sc
!