The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-03-06
Legislative Notes.

continued it's sway The determination
Of the majority to press through it's par
titan measures, has been as pronounced as
ever. and the extension of the session, will
afford the opportunity for still further in
diligence in party extremes. The oppo-
nents of so-called Democracy in Virginia
could desire nothing better than this ex-
tension. The longer the session continues
the longer the score of party blunders and
crimes against the people which the ma
iority will be held responsible for. When
the history Of this legislature shall have
been written it will constitute one of the
most humiliating pages in Virginia annals,
and the effects Of the acts of 1SS3-S4 will
shadow the good name Of the State fol
years to come.
The following is summary of the more
important proceedings of the week.
.Thursday-Se nate.-The committee also
reported Senate bill 'sto amend and re-enact
section s, 8, 10, II, and II of chapter 1874 OF
of the Acts of 1888, relating to the con.
struction of road from Winchester tC
Staunton, Va, ;" without amendment.
OYSTER NAVY.
Mr.. Fletcher called up the House bill
providing for the creation OF an oyster
navy, &c. He explained that it was the
old oyster law with some few changes. The
appropriation asked for is $50, 900, and Mr.
Fletcher thought it ought to be readily
granted, especially as it will be returned il
the revenue received from the various taxes
imposed in the bill.
Mr.. Wickham followed Mr.. Fletcher in
support of the bill He said that with the
$30, 1000 boat could be hired. 1t was moi
enough to purchase one.
Mr.. Koiner said he should vote against
the bill. At the instance of the oyster in
terest the old feet was disbanded, and vel
according to Mr.. Fletcher, since then (1S74
many oyster lands in Accomac have in
creased in value from 81 Oh 50 per acre tx
800 OF 200. If these people are growing
rich, as the law now is, the money ha(
better be applied in some other direction.
Mr.. Heaton thought some Legislation
necessary, and at this late hour of the SEES
sion probably this is the best that can bt
gotten. He would like for Virginia to Of
ficer the fleet with Virginians who at the
call Of Virginia in 1861 resigned from the
United STATES navy, but lie recognized the
fact that to do SO now would imperil the
bill.
The bill was passed.
AYEs.-Messrs. Atkinson, Bdrnhdna
Berry. Bliss, Callehan, Coltrane, Diggs
Edmunds, Fletcher. Games, Glasgow
Grim, Heaton, Hurt, Keezell, Lovenstein
Lybrook, Mccormick, Mcdonald. Mere
dith, Norton, Petit, Rogers, Thurman
TONNES, Trout, Warwick, and Wickham-
%.
NoEs.-Messrs. Christian, Flanary, and
KOiner-3.
Coalitionists in italics.
Friday-Senate.- Mr. Atkinson called
up the joint resolution, for al extension OF
this session of the General Assembly fol-
thirty days from March 8, 1884, and the
question on agreeing to the joint resolution
was put and the resolution was adopted hy
a vote of 25 TOT.
Mr.. Keezle presented d bill to incorpor
ate the town of Timberville, Rockingham
county.
The resolution removing Judge Shumatt
of Loudan, was adopted by a strict party
vote. without opportunity for debate, and
without the granting to Judge Shumate
the privilege of appearing to defend him
self.
The resolution to extend the session was
carried in the House by a party vote.
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.
The bill appropriating $4,000 annually
to the University of Virginia came up.
Messrs. Green of Stafford, Hubbard, and
Anderson of Rockbridge spoke earnestly
in favor of the bill, and Mr.. Opie with
equal energy, spoke against it.
Mr. Stuart MIR. Graves in the chair
said that he was surprised that any one be.
heying in public education should rise, like
the gentlemen from Augusta, to oppose an
appropriation for the maintenance of that
institution as proposed in the bill. *
Mr. Opie, rising, said that he intended
to vote against additional appropriations
to the public institution located at Staun-
ton, in his own district.
Mr.. Peters spoke in favor and Mr.. Ryan
in opposition to the appropriation.
that It Was true 5sf 5a fhe Readu oRr ps r
would always vote to appropriate money
when it is needed to educate the people.
He knew that no colored man would ever
be an dl,tnanus to that institution, but
whether within it halls. Chinese or An
glo-Saxon should acquire knowledge, that
venerable seat Of learning should receive
every help that the State could bestow.
The bill was then ordered to its engrOSs-
ment. Ayes. 20 Noes, 10.
TAX BILL.
The tax bill came up at O'Clock as the
special order, and MI. Kelley moved to
per 800 of value, instead of forty, as pro-
vided in the bill.
The amendment was agreed to by the
following recorded vote
AYEs.-Messrs. Banks, Bishop. Bland,
Brockwell, Burks, Camper, Crockett. bod
son, Dunn, Garnett, Gibson, Gose, Grand
staff, Graves, Duff Green, Armsitead
Green, Griffin, Griggs, Harris, Harrison
Lakewood, Keen, Kelly, Lawson, Leigh.
McCandlish. McLin, Marshall, Mauck,
Mayo, Charles @. Meade, Moffett. Moor
field, Moon, S. p. Mustard, w. G.. Mustard,
Noblin, Opie, Parker, Powell, Pretlow,
Richardson, Robertson, Scott, Stewart, J..
w. Vaughan, Wilkins, Wheeler, White.
Whitehead, and MI. Speaker-51.
NOES. r. J. Anderson, VIM.
Chapman, Dunlop, Echols, Ellis, Thomas
J. Evans, Fitzpatrick, Gordon, Grattan,
Hobson. Jones, Leftwich, Luttrell, David
meade, Munford, OVERLY, Paxton, Peters,
Pollard, Porter, Ryan, Saunders, Seay,
Smith, Soule, Stribling, Tabb, Trigg, r. f.
Vaughan, and Wescott "a.
.5All those voting in the negative were
Democrats.
On a motion to reconsider considerable
discussion ensued. The Wing reports MI.
Optics remarks as follows:
Mr.. Opie (Bourbon) said that when two
years ago the Bourbon party was in the
minority, in order to make party cap
ital they nearly unanimously voted in
favoref reducing taxes but now, being in
the majority, it was apparent that the
devil of low taxes would they have.'' For
himself he wanted low taxes in the inter-
est of his party. He knew that every Re-
adjuster member favored low taxes and
was afraid of the results which would &C.
crue to the Bourbons if this reduction was
not accomplished.
At the night session the Tax bill came
up, the question being on the motion to re-
consider the vote by which the taxes had
been reduced to thirty-five cents. A vote
being taken, resulted-Ayes, AZ noes, 40.
An amendment was offered reducing the
rate of taxation on real estate, and the vote
was recorded as follows
:. AYEs.-Messrs. Bishop, Bland, Brock
we'll. Banks, Camper, Crockett, Dodson.
Garnett, Gibson, Gose, Grandstaff, Graves.
Duff Green, Armistead Green, Griffin,
Griggs, Harrison. Lakewood, Keen, Kelly,
Kilgore, McCandlish, McLin. Mauck, G. G.
Meade, Moffett, S. P. Mustard, w. G.
Mustard, Nance, Opie, Parker, Powell,
Richardson, Robertson, Roster, Ross,
Stewart, j. w. Vaughan, Winn, Wheeler,
White, and Mr.. Speaker-42.
NOES.-MeSSrS, r. !, Anderson. VIM