Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-08-19
General Assembly,in ExtraIsession.

| AASoOuhUly IN LAt1 loCooAVns
Inc General Assembly of Virginia met
a. noon last Wednesday in extra session.
MORE IMAM three-fourths of the members of
eaca mouse answered to the roll-calls. A
Driei message from the Governor was read,
III "nicn ne says that although there were
some errors OF law which called for correc-
tion' ana some matters upon which new
legislation would be desirable. he did NOT
then nor does he now recognize such neces-
sity as would have justified him in The
| absence of a constitutional demand in con-
vening a special session.
In the Senate two resolutions we're intro
duced looking to the question of whether
the members shall take any pay or part nav
for the extra session. Both were laid on
the table.
Senator Wickham introduced resolution
requesting the Governor to inform the Sem
ate whether or not any facts have come to
his knowledge that will make any legisla-
ton necessary at this time to enforce the
provisions of the various acts to protect the
credit Of the State.
Gen. Wickham said that he had state
ment which shows that the decision render
ed in the United States Circuit Court in
Richmond on last Tuesday, touching consol
coupons, will increase the debt of the State
to the amount Of 81, 4S7, 900 per annum for
the next twenty one years.
At O'Clock, after eulogistic remarks,
the Senate adjourned in respect to the
memory of the late. Senator G. B. Crumpler,
OF Isle of Weight county, who had died
since the last session.
In the House, Speaker Stuart introduced
bill for the reapportionment of the State
districts for presidential electors.
On Thursday, an interesting incident in
the proceedings of the General Assembly
was the presentation to the State of the
sword worn during the late war by Count
Heros Won BOrcke, who came from Germany,
joined the Confederate army and fought
CALAMITY Throughout the struggle. The
presentation speech was made by Gen. VIM.
G. Wickham.
A bill was passed in the Senate to amend
the law establishing electoral districts and
providing tor the choice of presidential cleo
tors.
Bills were introduced amending the Rid
dleberger debt bill so as to allow no fund
ing OF interest after July 1, 1884, and for
letting all coupons and interest that mature
between July 1, 1884, and the date of ex-
change, and allowing the commissioners of
the sinking fund to purchase per cent.
bonds with unmatured coupons attached.
On Friday, the General Assembly passed
resolution providing for a special joint
committee to examine into the status of the
election laws of the State and ascertain If
any legislation is necessary to perfect or
change the election machinery, and to re-
port by bill or otherwise.
In the House a bill was passed by unani-
nous vote amending and declaring the true
intent of the Riddleberger debt bill, so as
to counterfeit the recent decision of Judge
Hughes authorizing the funding of the cou-
pons maturing since July 1, 1882. The
present bill provides that no bonds of the
State shall be given for any coupons or in
terest maturing after the LIST of July, 1882.
1t fixed that time as the date of exchange of
the several classes of bonds mentioned ia
the Riddleberger bill. Since the decision
of Judge Hughes was rendered coupons at
the rate of over 100000 daily have been
presented to the second auditor for funding,
and that officer has only decided upon do
ing SO for the reason that mandamus has
not been served upon him. There are now
in existence nearly SO, soc, 900 of these cou-
pons which. but for this act, would no
doubt be speedily funded, dollar for dollar,
and thus be made part of the principal of
ed to produce with their old bonds all the
coupons maturing since July 1, 1882, or
their equivalent, and they receive in ex-
change Riddleberger bonds bearing interest
from the LIST of July, 1889.
This action alone seems to Justify the OPP
perfume presence of the General Assembly
in extra session, preventing, as it does,
such large increase of the principal of the
debt.
On Saturday, in the House, the commit
tee on privileges and elections reported
substitute for the Senate bill providing for
electoral districts and for choosing presiden-
tial electors. The bill is so framed as to
adjust itself to present and future congress.
sional apportionment bills, making the
electoral districts correspond with the con-
gressional districts, and provides for that
number of electors to which the State is at
the time entitled under the laws of Con-
gress and the constitution of the United
States. The substitute was adopted.