Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-19

Republican party which became tue
scandal Of the country ": therefore be It
Rssolred, That the Committee for
Courts of Justice be, and II is hereby,
instructed to INQUIRE aud report to the
House Of Delegates s1ch bill or bills as
in. the opinion Of the said committee
may be necessary to carry out the
promise and pledge, to the end that
character and fitness may be made the
test in all appointments to public posi-
tons under the State government.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE.
Leave Of absence was granted Mr..
Darst for four days.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR COM
MONwEALTH.
When the House bill to provide COM
pensation to Messrs. John NJ. Forbes
and NJ. Boswell Seawell for certain pro-
fessional services rendered by them re-
spectively in behalf of the Common
wealth came up. Dir. Payne, the patron
of the bill, spoke in favor Of and ex.
planned the bill.
Mr.. Franklin opposed the bill, but
afterwards withdrew his opposition,
when its objects and aims were fully
explained by Mr.. Payne.
The bill was then ordered to its en-
grossment and third reading.
SENATE BILL PASSED.
To refund to A. r. Green, treasurer
of Halifax county, the amount of costs
paid by him in suit resisting the pay
ment of coupons for State taxes.
HOUSE BILL PASSED.
To authorize the Board of Super
yisors Of Warren county to borrow
SAC, 900 to pay off bonds on account of
subscription to Manassas-Gap Railroad
Company.
EXECUTIVE MANSION REPAIRS.
The House joint resolution to repair
the Executive Mansion and appropria-
ting $4,000 therefor was returned from
the Senate with an amendment increas-
ing the amount from o., 200 to s., 900
which amendment was agreed to. The
resolution now goes to the Governor
for his approval.
NEW REsERvoIR AND SOLDIERS
HOME ROADS.
Mr.. Patton called up on its passage
House bill giving authority to the city
of Richmond to improve and control
the roads to the New reservoir and
Soldiers Home.
Mr.. Waddill rose and strenuously OPP
posed the bill. 1t had been ordered to
its engrossment, he said, during the
time he was recently absent, and he did
not believe it fair to put through bill
in which he was interested during his
absence.
MIR. Ryan said there was no inten-
ton on the part Of the House to put
the bill through during Mr.. Waddills
absence, but if it had been done that
was his misfortune. AS chairman OF
the committee Mr.. Ryan had been re-
quested by the member from Richmond
mir. PattoD) to call the bill up. The
city of Richmond asks in the bill to do
what every town asks not to do-namely,
TO be required to work the county
roads.
Mr.. Dunlop earnestly advocated the
bill as reported from the committee,
claiming that it gave the people of Rich
rnond no more authority over the roads
than the people Of the county.
The bill passed-ayes, so; noes, Fl.
At 1890 o'clock the House con-
tinued the election Of circuit judges.
fSee Senate repOrt.l
BOARD OF VISITORS FOR THE UNI
vERsITY OF VIRGINIA.
The first special order to come up
was House bill to repeal an act entitled
an act providing for new Board Of
Visitors for the University of Vir-
gi0is, approved April II, 1882, and to
amend the Code of 1873, &c. The bill
vas passed.
The Governor is to appoint the new
Board.
DEPARTMENT OF MINING, AGRICUL-
TURE, AND MANUFACTURES.
The next special order was the bill
TO increase the usefulness Of the De-
partment Of Agriculture, Mining, and
Manufactures.
Mr.. Franklin moved to pass the bill
by. Agreed to.
CONVICT LABOR.
The House then proceeded to con-
slider the next special order-the bill
to provide for working conyicts on
county roads and other internal i'm
provements.
The first question was on Mr.. A.
Fulkersons amendment providing that
conyicts hired to railroads in which
counties are interested shall be paid for
in lawful money Of the United States
instead Of county or first-mortgage
bonds, and that the conyicts worked on
county roads shall be wholly main
lained at the expense of the counties.
Mr.. Tillar hoped the amendment
would not be adopted.
Mr.. Van Doran disapproved Of the
amendment, and hoped it would be re-
jected.
Mr.. Saunders said he was opposed to the
bill if the amendment was not adopted.
Mr.. Saunders was opposed to putting con-
victs in the counties. Thepenitentiaryis
the place for them. lie believed by put
ting them out to work on roads that you
are merely furnishing them an easy
means of escape. ave now have the
cOnvicts in the penitentiary where they
cost the State nothing, and where
they are watched and guarded"
He did not believe the peo-
pie generally wanted them. He, for
one, would not employ labor that had
to be constantly watched. As to work
ing them successfully on county roads,
he ridiculed the idea, and said that when
the bad weather came the counties would
return the convicts to the penitentary,
and there they would have to be kept in
idleness all the winter. He repeated
that they were burden upon the State,
and the only question to be considered
was how to best and most cheaply aud
expediently emplov them. He honed