Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1879-03-18
Our Richmond Letter.
RICHMOND, March 10, 1879

Thus far the extra session has not
done any great thing. The Debt
Bill as it passed the Senate was re-
ported yesterday morning from the
House Finance Committee, without
recommendation, Pre- or con. Of the
X members Of the Committee, the
friends of the bill had majority OF
one. You see it was another case OF
8 to 7. Two Of the s were absent
and the remaining six asked as mat
ter Of courtesy, that we should not
use the accidental absence OF the two
10 amend the bill in committee, but,
as they had on the a5th Of February
accorded us similar courtesy, we
should allow the bill to go to the
House without recommendation, and
they pledged themselves to allow MS
ten days to amend and discuss it in
the House. We took them at their
word. To-day it was taken up at
noon. Mr.. Mofett offered his amend.
ment to allow the bonds to date from
the half yearly period previous to
their being funded, and made a fine
speech in its favor. Mr.. Coghill OPP
posed it, and his leading idea was
that the bill ought to be either adopt
ed or rejected without alteration. -
That it is the offer Of the bondholders
and if changed they would reject it..
He was followed by Mr.. Lacy, who
favored the amendment. On Mon
day expect to address the House in
support of the amendment. The
facts are, that as the bill stands, a
man may hold back his bonds for
several years to draw his interest at
the present 6 per cent rate, and then
fund them for the remainder Of the
ten years at 5 per cent. The amend
ment is intended to insure ten year
term at 3. When this amendment
shall have been voted on, | shall offer
my amendment to submit to vote OF
the people. If this should fail ! shall
propose to exempt one'third Of each
tax ticket from the operation Of the
coupon. shall then propose to lin
il the coupon period to the year 1905,
the time when the present coupons
expire. Mr.. Mofett will also offer
several other valuable amendments.
Very few changes have been made
in the strength Of the two parties
over this bill since the recent recess
\ very few Of the members have not
yet returned, but what their absence
signifies ! do not know.
Col. Fulkerson and have intro.
duced in both houses bills to exempt
Goodson from the operation Of the
Moffett Register. Don't know what
their chances are.
We had a sensation yesterday in
the Circuit Court room between Gen
Bradley T. Johnson and Col. Murray
w, Forbes, of Fauquier. The latter
asked Gen. j. il he meant his remarks
as rejecting on his veracity, and was
told he could take II as he pleased. -
Col. Forbes then said "you are vile
slanderer, and unfit for the associa-
ton Of gentlemen" Gen. Johnson
said he would not notice Col. Forbes
there but would "thrash him as soon
as they len the house" They we're
arrested and bound over. Col. Forbes
Is one Of the lawyers employed by
the State TO prosecute the States
claim Of 100 thousand dollars against
Gen. Johnson and the Poes, and the
case was then under trial.
Another serious and much regret.
ted misunderstanding has occurred
between Gov, Holiday and Atty.
Gen, Field. Judge Keith Of Fauquier,
seemed anxious to compliment Gen.
Johnson CD. ~ and SO asked the
Coy. to appoint Johnson as one Of
the State Counsel In the Judge Riyes
case, destined to be a celebrated one.
Gen. Field did employ him and says
he did so at the request Of the Cover.
nor, but Gov. Holiday says he made
no such request The affair has ere.
ated much talk