Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-19
rpr RICHMOND DIsPATCH--FRIDAY FEBRUARY 10. 1886.
dered to be printed, and the House then
took n recess:

dered to be printed, and the House then
took recess
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA,
GovERNoR's OFFICE.
RICHMOND, VA, Feb. IL, 1885. )
To The General Assembly:
On the 18th Of April, 1882, the Com
mon Council Of the city Of Petersburg
adopted the following resolution
"That the sum OF $4,000 bo donated TO
the state for the purchase OF site for tne
Coiored Normal School: Provided sAid site
sIn the city or adjacent thereto and pro,
yided further. that the Legislature OF the
State shall legalze this action
/ have submitted to the Attorney
General the question whether an act
Of the General Assembly legalizing this
resolution of the Council will render
the donation binding upon the city.
The Institute having been located at
Petersburg, and the Attorney-General
being of opinion that the State will be
able to recover the amount from the
city, have the honor to recommend
the passage Of such an act.
submit in this connection the opin-
ion Of the Attorney-General, a copy OF
the resolution Of the Council, letter
from the Hon. James ID. Brady, presi-
dent Of the Board Of Commissioners at
the time, and the report Of the commits
sion appointed under the provisions oil
an act of the General Assembly oil
Virginia, entitled an act to incorporate
the Normal Collegiate and Institute
and provide for the support OF the
sames, approved March 6, 1882.
FITZHUGH LEE.
RICHMOND. VA, Feb. 10. 1886.
Dear Sir,-I have considered the
question submitted to me for an
opinion-yiz., whether an act of the
General Assembly legalizing the fol-
lowing resolution of the Common Coun-
Gil Of the city of Petersburg
| Rcso,red That the sum Of 81. 600 be do
| mated TO the State for the purchase OF n site
| for the cOlored Normal school: Provided
| said site Is In this city or adjacent thereto;
| aud provided further. that the Legislature
of the state shall legalize this action -
will render the donation binding upon
the city, the Institute having been To-
Gated az Petersburg in consideration of
the donation.
lam Of the opinion that upon the au-
thority of the case of Redd rs. the Su-
peryisors of Henry county, 3lst Graft,
zoo, and authorities cited, that such an
act would enable the State to recover
the amount from the city. Very re-
specially, K. A. AYERS,
torney-General.
Governor Ftzhugh Lee.
Afternoon Session.
The House met at 4 P. NJ Speaker
Stuart in the chair.
Mr.. L. d. Fulkerson moved to adj
jouIn. LoSt-ayes, | {; noes, 81.
CONVICT LABOR.
The floor was resumed by Mr.. Car
ter in the discussion of the bill pro-
yidipg for working convict labor on
county roads, &c. Mr.. Carter review
ed the relative positions of mechanics
with the rest of the world, asserting
that but for mechanical arts the world
would relapse into barbarism.
When Mr.. Carter sat down Mr..
Figgat called the pending question
the motion to reconsider the vote by
which Mr.. Fulkerson's amendment was
adopted.
The House agreed to reconsider
ayes, 80; noes, 81.
"a RAID UPON THE TREASURY
Mr.. Fulkerson claimed that he had
stood by the Treasury all through this
matter. lie had no personal interest in
it-no axe to grind, but that the bill
without his amendment was raid upon
the Treasury. "Suppose these counties
or roads come to this Legislature and
ask for $50, 900 to improve their roads.
What will you do? Will you give it to
them? No; not cent Of it. Yet you
will drive around the stump and through
! county bonds give them the same money
out of the Treasury. The peniteu-
tiary," he further said, " is now self
sustaining, and | hope you will keep it
so."
Mr.. Dunlop said the policy proposed
in the bill and the policy Of a plank
embodied in the Democratic platform
are directly antagonistic to the views of
The gentleman from Washington Mr..
\. FulkersOnl. Although the discus
sion purports to be on the amendment
Of MIR. Fulkerson, yet it has drifted into
a consideration of the bill generally.
If there is a matter Of policy that should
be considered by this Legislature it is
the improvement Of its roads, and there
isn't farm within ten miles of any road
whose value would not be enhanced if
a systematic improvement is adopted.
lie was in sympathy with the general
features of the bill, and hoped it would
pass.
Mr.. Bolen clrimed that with the con-
yicts now in the penitentiary, aided by
county subscription, the resources of
the State could be cultivated to a large
degree. lie did not believe that by
hiring the convicts out to railroads
my MOuiu NOiIC lllO Opu pCNlblOh WIN
honest labor, while at the same time
the country will be improved for UNI
less you let these railroad companies
have this cheap labor they won't
build the railroads.
Mr.. Pollard called the pending ques-
tion-Mr. Fulkerson' S amendment. Or
dered.
The amendment was rejected-ayes,
%; noes, 80.
MR.. BUCHANAN's AMENDMENT.
Mr.. Buchanan offered the following
amendment:
After the word PERFORM" in line
! Of section 5, insert the words " And
the said company shall pay in lawful
money of the United States into the
Treasury Of the State, at the end Of
each quarter, sum sufficient to pay
the expenses of finding, clothing, guard
ing, and medical attention paid by the
State, as provided for in this section
and the balance due the State for the
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