Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-02-22
LEGISLATIVE.

LEGISLATIVE.
In the Senate yesterday the bill In relation
to infants engaging in trades was reported
adversely.
The Superintendent of Printing sent to
the Senate a communication explaining why
the report of the Railroad Commissioner has
not been distributed to this members OF the
General Assembly.
The following was adopted That the
treasurers of the counties and cities OF the
Commonwealth are directed not to sell be
fore the next session OF the General Assem-
bly, any lands heretofore sold for delinquent
taxes due the Commonwealth purchased by
the Commonwealth and still unred eemed.
That the clerks BIZ directed not to furnish
to said treasurers for the purpose of sale
the lists of land 30 purchased by the State
and unredeemsd until the next session OF
the General Assembly.
The Senate spent several hours perfecting
the bill revising the oyster laws with view
to moro fully developing that industry and
making it source of revenue to the State.
The bill was gotten in such shape that it
will be engrossed to-day, and the chances
are that it will pass both houses, though some
of the provisions are obj eotionable to the oys-
termen. The features of the bill are these
Natural beds, rocks and shoals are to be
open to common use, but shall be more
clearly described by metes and bounds than
now, Other grounds will be assigned for
period Of fifteen years at the rental OF 20
cents per acre for the frat year, and so for
subsequent years. Assignment contracts
shall Do recorded in County Court clerks
Office and notices posted so that within 60
days protests against the assignment may
| be presented. The sd vaorem tax on
oysters Ia abolished. Small oyster boats, in
addition to regular State and county taxes,
shall pay license fee of 81 so, and large
boats OF 81. so per annum. For each pair Of
patent tongs used 81 tax shall be levied.
J Non residents are excluded from the oyster
grounds.
At a night session of the Senate, the mill.
| tary code was discussed and an amendment
from one half to one quarter of one per cent.
of the gross revenues of the State.
10 the House among the bills placed Oh
the calendar were those to amend and re-
enact the sections of the Code In regard to
mechanics liens, to amend the act to in
corporate the town of HerndoD, In Fairfax
county to amend the section of the Code
in regard to pay of jurors to authorize the
State Board of Agriculture to establish
State weather service to cooperate with
the United States Signal Service by fur
nshing information aud forecsstiug the
weather throughout the State, etc.. and
to authorize the Board of Supervisors of
Alexandria county to increase the levy Of
said county.
Among the bills presented were those to
authorize the town of Wsrrenton to erect
water works and to borrow money therefor !;
to amend the act to incorporate the town OF
Brentsville, in Prince William county; to
authoriz, the United States Government 10
acquire title to and jurisdiction over lands
at the mouth of Chesapeake bay and to
permit the citizens OF a portion of King
George to vote for levy for the Use free of
a toll bridge to be erected across the Rap
pahannock river at Fredericksburg, and to
authorizs the Board of Supervisors to levy
a tax for the use free of toll of said bridge.
Speaker CardweIl introduced bill max.
ing January 10, General Robert E. Lees
birthday, legal holiday.
The House then took up and considered
till the hour of adjournment the bill propos.
ing to increase the pensions to disabled Con
federate soldiers, sailors, marines and the
widows of such. Mr.. Byrd, from Allegheny
county, opposed the measure, and the force
of his argument was that Confederate sol.
ders are not in line for Virginia as they
were thirty years ago, N Gaming that the re
pub icen beneGciaries are not friends of the
State. Mr.. Byrd said while be respected the
republicans personally and socially, ne would
get up at midnight to hate any man belong
Ing to that party. He respected q colored
man while the latter remained in his right
place, but declared the legislature OF Vir
GINA was not the place for a man of that
race. He said number of Confederate
soldiers are fighting in the ranks Of the re-
publican party, whose ohls is to snuff Vir
ginia out of the Uoion. This class of Con-
fe6erates he hated, and he prayed for grace
to hate them still more and more.
Colonel Gibson called Mr.. Byrd to account
for Juggling politics into the discussion. The
colonel then said he fought for Virginia dur
ing the war because his State had been invad
ed by bordes from all quarters Of the globe.
He bad been Union man, and nevsr took
tho oath of allegiance to The confederacy,
but he would fight England, Russia, France,
the United States or any other nation who
invaded his State. He asked, "Who ever
heard of pensions being distributed on &C.
count of party lines ?" and said 1.-The pen
sion is given to the needy soldier, not to
the poiticisn," and he did not bsieve the
proposed pensions would increase State ex
penses $4,000 year.
Letter from Richmond.