The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-02-27
BILLS PASSED.

BILLS PASSED.
Senate bill TO provide for the working
OF roads in The county Of Henrico, and the
keeping IN order Of hT1dges.
Senate joint resolution authorizing the
employment OF counsel in certain coupon
cases, with House amendment, which au-
thorizes the Auditor, with the consent Of
the Attorney-General. TO engage counsel at
reasonable compensation.
DANvmLE AND NEw-RvER RAILROAD.
Senate bill No. 231, providing for the
hiring OF three hundred convicts to the
Danville and New-River Railroad Com
pany, was reached, 1t being the special or
der No. 9.
Mr.. Muuford earnestly advocated the
bill upon the ground OF justice and in the
cause OF material prosperity.
Mr.. Evans said he would vote for the bill
cheerfuily, as 1t was one OF the few OF the
many chartered railroad companies that
had ever put spade into the earth.
Mr.. Gibson was not opposed to the rail-
road nor 10 hiring convicts to the road.
He was opposed simply to the manner in
winch the bill was presented. IL provided
that these convicts should be hired to the
road on the same terms that convicts were
hired in the penitentiary. Guarding con-
victs I'm the penitentiary cost the State but
little, and food was certainly higher on
the New river than In Richmond. 1t was
nonsense, said Mr.. Gibson, to talk about
hiring convicts out Of the penitentiary on
the same terms rs In II. III the bill was
amended so as to make the road pay 30 or
40 cents per day for the conyicts, feed,
clothe, and guard them, then he would
xynfo for n Ho o1ca faunra1 an amend
ment making the road responsible for
escaped conyicts.
MIR. Stuart (Slr. Graves in the chair)
said be could see the en0rmities in the bill
that Mr.. Gibson did, and that as amended by
Mr.. Munford he would vote for it willingly.
The road was free from debt and was ne
cessity in that portion of the State. Like
Mr.. Muniord, he was opposed to the en-
ployment Of convict labor by northern
capitalists in direct competition with hon.
est mechanics.
Mr.. Opie said the gentlemen who had
lobbied the bin had been more industrious,
more active, and more successful than any
he had ever seen. He opposed the bill,
claiming it was unconstitutional for the
State to accept the bonds OF the company
i'm payment for the hire OF convicts. He
declared that the death-rate among con-
victs who work on railroads was greater
than the death-rate in the penitentiary. He
wanted the company to pay cash.
Mr.. Munford's amendment, as follows,
was agreed to: "In line ) after word
courthouse strike out all the balance OF
said section and insert 'and said company
shall have said convicts at the same price
now paid for them by contractors in the
penitentary, less the costs OF feeding,
clothing, and guarding them, which shall
be paid by the company, and which said
cost shall not exceed the sum Of twenty-siX
cents per day for each convict: provided,
however, that should the expense OF feed
ing and clothing and guarding the said
convicts exceed the amount OF the hire the
State shall not be called upon to pay any
portion OF the said excess"
At O'Clock the chair was vacated.
Night Session.
The House met at s o'clock-Mr. Barton
In the chair
The SPECIAL order was House bin No. CT,
with Senate substitute. This is the bill to
limit the time within which an action or
suit may he instituted against the Common
wealth Of Virginia upon its demands pay
able TO bearer, and within which such de-
mands may be rendered in payment OF
taxes or other dues in favor OF the Com
monwealth.
Mr.. Christian spoke twenty minutes in
earnest opposition to the substitute, and
Speaker Stuart the same time strongly In
favor OF it; after which the substitute was
adopted and the bill was ordered to its
third reading.
DANVILLE AND NEW-RIyER RAILROAD.
The next business taken upwas the Dan
VILE and New-Riyer railroad bill.
Mr.. Anderson offered the following
amendment, which was adopted " Said
notes shall be payable in lawful money OF
the United States, and not in any coupons
OF this State, and this shall be expressed in
the body OF the notes" The bill was then
passed to its third reading.
The bill provoked lively discussion and
heated debate. The principal advocates OF
it were Mr.. Munford, OF Pittsylyania; Mr..
Evans. OF Richmond; and Mr.. Stuart, OF
Alexandria.
JUDGE sHUMATE.
On motion OF Mr. Barton, the report OF
the committee which investigated the
charges against Judge Shumate was made
the special order for to-day (W ednesday) at
II O'clock.
THE ROAD LAW.
The House bill providing for general
law for keeping in order the public roads
and bridges was taken up, amended, and
debated, pending which the House adj
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