Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-02-07
The General Assembly.

| WEDNEsDAY.--In the House of Dele
gates the committee for courts of Justice
reported adversely on the bill providing
for the ab0lishment of whipping as
punishment for crime and substituting
imprisonment theI efor. An ad vel So re-
! port was made on the bill abolishiDp
the chainagangs. The Senate, aftei
spending two hours in discussing q bill
for preventing the violation of the Sab.
bath by railroad and steamboat compa
MES, disposed of it by a motion to ins
definitely postpone the bill. The ayes
were IS and the noes ID.
THURsDAY.-The special committee
appointed by the Senate to investigate
certain rumors of an attempt of an off
Ger of that body to approach q member
of the General Assembly met this even
ing. The committee is composed as
follows Messrs. Berry, (dem Walker,
of Rockingham, LybrOOk and Stevens,
Mr.. Riddleberger, upon whose motion
characterization was commenced, hand.
ed the chairman the names of the wit
Desses he desired summoned. Among
them is DIR w. w. Wing, OF Nanse
mond, who until a few days ago held a
committee clerkship in the Senate.
Mr.. Lafferty, the stenographer of the
Senate, has been requested to act as
clerk, and the evidence of witnesses will
be taken down in full The investiga-
ton is attracting great deal of atten-
ton. There is general desire to know
the member TO whom the 81 900 is alle-
geo TO have been offered, as referred to
by Mr.. Riddleberger in his speech in
the Senate. Besides the investigation
of the Senate officer, the committee, un
der q resolution passe4 by the Senate,
is charged with the Investigation of ru>
mors connected with the General As
sembiy of 1879 80.
In the Senate, Friday morning, the
following bill, of which Mr.. Eskri6ge
is patron. came up:
l. Be III enacted By the General Assem-
bly of VSayissia. That it snail not be
lawful for the County Court of Mont
gOmery county &c grant TO any person
license or privilege to keep bar for
the sale Of ardent spirits or any mixture
thereof within three miles OF the high
school of the town Of Auburn IN Mont
gomery
2. This act shall be in force from its
passage.
The discussion of the bill was long
aud animated. The Senate chamber
bad = large number of lady visitors who
listened to the proceedings with interest.
Nj. Newberry approved the bill. Mr..
Wilcox opposed it. sa-'';5 :
Mr.. Koiner, of Augusta. favored the
BILL and his speech ELECTED an excited
reply from Mr.. Riddleberger, who said
that the State revenue would be affected
to the extent of two hundred thousand
dollars if all the local option bills be-
10 tn lean col n <xf A
gusta makes more drunkards than any
ten counties and manufactures two mil
lion dollars worth of liquor. He asked
the gentleman if he would vote for a
bill thst will prohibit the people of Aus
gusta from manufacturing that LIQUOR.
He was ready to meet the local option
people and bring IN q tax bill which
will absolutely prohibit the manufac
ture of liquor In Virginia. He challens
ged the Senator from Augusta to come
UP and toe the mark and vote for bill
to stop the manufacture of LIQUOR in
Augusta.
Mr.. Koiner, in reply, observed, the
people of Augusta make, I am told,
very good article of whiskey. I have
no doubt that the Senator from Shenan.
doah can testify to that fact. We need
good whiskey in the country. 1t is a
good thing in its place.
Mr.. Riddieberger offered an amend
meut to the bill providing that this aud
all other local option bills be referred to
the Committee on Finance, and that the
committee bring in a bill to prohibit the
manufacture Importation. or sale of IL
quor, wholesale or retail
Mr, Atkinson opposed this. saying ne
was opposed to prohibition at this time
Mr.. Riddleberger. I am in favor of it
The first part of Mr.. Riddleberger's
resolution to commit all local option
bills to the Finance Committee was
adopted, the prohibition features being
rejected by vote of Is to 6.
On Saturday nothing Of interest was
DONE