Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-02-15

felony, punishable by the State prison;
minor offences are made punishable by
stripes instead of Jail, and whipping is
substituted in crimes now punishable by
one year in the penitentiary, provided
there shall not be more than 70 stripes for
one offence, nor more than 80 administered
in one day; the county courts to have jur-
isdiction OF all criminal cases, except those
for which death is tine penalty, in which
case the prisoner may choose the circui
court; sheriff IS to have only one guar,
in carrying two or more convicts u IT,
penitentiary; persons imprisoned for fine
10 be allowed to hire themselves out to pa,
it; jailors' fees to be reduced to 40 cente
each for any number under 5, 80 cents 70;
all under 10 and 25 cents day for all ex
ceeding 10. and the prisoners clothing tt
be bought from the penitentiary; county
grand juries to be held only twice a year,
unless specially ordered by court.
SENATE.
The Senate opened the past week. as
stated by telegraph in our last, by passing
the Brooke bill to pay per cent. on the
debt, with receivable coupons, by the fol-
lowing vote:
AYEs.-Messrs. Belts, Bland, Brooke, Dickinson,
Goode Griffin Hairston, Hurt OF Halifax, johnson,
berry, Sinclair, Smith, Tanner, Tyler, and Worth
ley Hurt OF Pittsylvania, Marshall, Massey, Moul-
ton, Norton, Paul, Powell Sherrard Slemp, Stevens,
ABSENT OR NOT voTING-Messrs Bliss, Elliot, and
Hinton.
A bill providing for the lease Of the
penltenJiary and the hiring out of the con-
vict labor was passed-ayes 80, noes 3. A
an hour earlier, IL O'Clock, was adopted.
On motion of Mr.. Fulkerson the Com
mittee of Finance was instructed to bring
in bill to enforce the law and penalty for
usury. The House bill, repeating the
sheep law of Rockbrldge was passed. Mr..
issuing so year bonds, with per cent,
10 offer to the creditors, and similar in
many respects to the Brooke bill just pass
q. Mr.. Splitter offered resolution for
calling State constitutional convention,
and providing that no member Of the pre-
The Senate resolved to consider the pro-
posed Constitutional amendments at night
sessions. These amendments restore the
old county court system and uiUa c0ce vo-
ting, abolish the Offices of County Treas
urers and County Superintendent of
Schools. and give authority to exempt cap
ital brought into the State for manufac-
lures, from taxation for ten years. The
Barbour tax bill Was discussed, Rev. ]. E.
Massey making long speech in its favor.
A protest was read from citizens of Page
| county against consolidating the 18th and
| 18th judicial ciruits, and referred. A call
was made on the Secretary of the Board of
immigration for statement of its affairs.
| Mr.. Edmunds the mover OF the bill stated
that the Board has between $1,000 and &c.
| 600 which it is proposed to have covered
| into the state treasury. The discussion
| Of the Barbour tax bill was continued.
Gen. Echols made a strong speech against
| it, declaring it to be regulating measure
for repudiating debt which was honest,
| and the money from which, spent in inter
nal improvements. 1t was moral wrong
| and he honored the clergy for laundering
forth their denunciations against it
Did they do less they would be forgetful
of the teachings of their Master. He was
willing, like Mr.. Harvie to strip the state
| to the skin in the way of reducing expen-
SEES, and then after finding out the resour-
ces, appeal, if necessary to the creditors
But if this arbitrary bill, which could not
stand the test of the courts, were passed
our opportunity for compromise was
gone for ever. He named the fact that
Gov. Holiday had "A letter indicating that
the English bondholders would cheerfully
refund at per cent, and he closed with an
eloquent appeal for the preservation Of the
honor of the the state. The debate
was then carried on by Messers Har-
| vie of Amelia, Popham of Kappa
hammock, Hunter of Alexandria, Walk
er of Chesterfield, Harrison of Sussex,
Lee (coD of Elizabeth City, Mcmillan Of
Greene, Farr of Fairfax, Dickerson of
Russell, Fowler of Washington, and Bar
bour of Culpeper in favor of the bill and
Messers Starke of Brunswick, Taliaferro
of Gloucester, Mushback of Alexandria,
Lacy of New Kent, and Bocock of Apo
mattox in opposition to it. The bill was
put upon it's passage Saturday and passed
| by the following vote
| YEAs-Messrs Akers Atkinson, Barbour, Ber-
| nard Bland Burnham, j. K. Carter, Chase Cole
man, Crank. Curlett. Dance, Davidson, A. Dicker-
roy Ficien, Fowler Frazier, Fry Fukerson, Goode,
Grigsby, Hamilton, II. II. Harrison, r. N. Harrison,
Hanv ky d hys eeab
Mcconneil,r Mcdaniel, McMullen, Niche, Motiett,
Norton Parish P9phaM G R S j. Z sm Rob
Southwark Spessard, Stevens Sykes, A. J. Taylor,
v: Taylor van Lear Joseph Walker walsh, s J: R.
NAYs-Anderson, Bocoek Burger P. J. Carter,
jordan GsadE eff Lowell ' Luck MccraW Mus
Sandridge, Shelburn' Shrver, W. B. Taliaferro. W.
T. Taaferr0, Trout, George Walker, Warning Wat
son, Whitaker-40
The bill as passed asserts in the pream-
BILE that the State cannot bear a higher
rate of taxation, fixes the rate at so cents
| in the 800, Csc of which to be paid in
money goes to government expenses, 10c to
be paid in money goes to the schools and
the remaining Is cents to 60 to the pay
| ment of interest on the public debt. 1t is
| simply in effect saying to the creditor that
| after living comfortably and taking care
| of herself the State sets apart about twen-
\ ty cents in the dollar for him which he
may get if he is in time.
A letter from the Railroad Commission
er stated that the railroad companies in
the State had agreed to transport cpnylcts
and lunatics and their guards at cents
| ner head ner mi La and the water lina COM