Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-12-02

aace," replied the Senator, .BY the way, yos
had better Dot noe down on the oyster question,
81 haven't though, os three ouest,on.n ye-
piscd Mr.. James 5. Jones, Of King aud Queen.
ons shoald say tho debt first and then rail-
f9at lcgisiation- ] suppose the Improvement
o. conniy roads wcuid come third My people
are very much pleased with the prospect Of fhs
det,s settlement,H concluded the speaEor.
Major danes w. Marshall, OF Craig
county, who has already served in the
Senate, in speaking 70 o DIsPAToH reporter
last nights said be thought the three sub
jects due most reflection during the pres
ent session OF the Legislature were the
State debt, the improvement of tho public
roads. and the reduction of criminal ex-
penses.
what is Being Talked About.
The loaven Of opposition to receiving
free railroad passes is beginning to work
IN the Legislative mass. Already it is stated
that Delegates Williams and Koiner have
returned the passes sent them by the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company,
and their action is said TO be likely to
prove contagious. More than one delegate
said TO D1sPlTcEtreporter yesterday that
he thought hewould vote against receiving
such courtesies from railroad corporations
II is pretty evident that this is not O
railroad Legislature, but the talk regard
ing the railroads is conservative. : Give
the Railroad Commissioners power" said
delegate yesterday afternoon, but be
careful not 10 give them too much. Let
them stand in between the people and the
railroads and do equal justice TO both"
THE NORFOLK COUNTY CONTEST.
The only contested-election case is that
OF Bidgood against Stewart, from Nor
folk county. The State Board of Canvass
ers awarded the certificate to Stewart on
the face OF the returns from the County
Board. but the fight will probably be hot
one, as able counsel has been engaged on
both sides.
There IS a fight within fight involved
in the contest. MIR. Bidgood's side, as
stated TO DISPATCH man by o member of
the Alliance, is this Both Stewart and
Bidgood are Alliance men. The conven-
tion which made denomination was COM
posed of twenty delegRtes. Nine voted
tor Stewart, but the other eleven OBJ
lected to the proceedings as irregular and
renamed mute. Alter the nine retired
then eleven voted for Bidgood, and there
fore it is claimed by his friends he was the
regular nominee of the Democratic party
from the county and was elected by 81
votes. But there is something behind
this. Bidgood's supporters are opposed
TO the reelection Of the entincumbent
of the county judgeship and are making q
fight to defeat him before the Legislature.
III Stewart is seated by the House the pres
ent judge, they claim, Will retain his
place. whereas ii Bidgood is seated new
Judge will be elected. If the contest for
the seat is not decided before the election
of county judges comes up, they will ask
that Norfolk county be passed by until all
the facts in the case can be laid before the
General Assembly.
CLAIMS OF STEWART.
Mr.. Stewart, on the other hand. also claims
to be the regular nominee of the Democratic
party. He says when the convention met
there were two delegations of six each
from Tanners Creek precinct The Bid
good men refused TO serve on the Com
mittee of Credentials or to take part IN
the proceedings of the convention. He
received the most votes, as stated, and
then his delegates, which be claims were
the regularly accredited delegates from
Tanners Creek precinct, were admitted,
giving him q vote of fifteen. He also
claims his election for the reason that
there we're two polls at and two sets OF
election returns from Tanners Creek pre-
cinct and the correct set gave him the
majority.
THE ALLIANCE AND TIE oTFIcEs.
A well-posted Alliance man told the DIS
PATCH reporter last night that the Alliance
men in tiT Legislature would not antago-
nize any 6f the present incumbents OF of
fees within the gift Of the Legislature.
The action of the legislative council IN
reference 10 Mr.. Cardwell. he added, was
an index Of the feeling In regard TO this
matter. The council visited Mr.. Cardwel
after their session Monday night and in
formed him that the Acknowledgements
would offer no opposition to his re-elec-
k..aoLar a alan gfafO6 that fHG
conference with Mr.. Cardwell was most
pleasant and satisfactory.
THREE cAucUsEs LAST NIGHT.
Farmer George Washington locked
down on restless crowd IN the rotunda
of the Capitol last night. The House ana
Senate caucuses werein session and the new
pavement echoed to the tread
of many anxious feet. Not only were the
ofice-seekers there in force, but their
friends rallied manfully to them. There
were also in the crowd not few who came
neither to help themselves nor friends,
but who are always present on such occa-
sions on general principles.
THE SENATE OFFICERS.
The caucuses of the two houses met in
their respective halls at o'clock TO nomi-
nate their officers. Senator Loyenstein
rallied the senatorial caucus to order and
vas made permanent chairman, and Sena-
tor Lawless, of Portsmouth, was chosen
clerk.
for President pro tenn.
DIR. j. ID. Pendleton. the old Clerk, was
He was opposed by l.. ID;
Borum, of Shenandoah, who received
Sir. q. T. Weaver, of Giles, and DR.. r.
K. Taylor, of Lynchburg, were put tor-
ward for Sergeant-at-Arrns, and the former
was renominated, the latter receiving hye
Mr, W. d. Haynes, of Franklin, the old
Doorkeeper. was defeated by Mir. Il. q.
Gunther. of Accomac. Though 1t IS the
custom of the Senate to elect It's own
standing committees IN order 70 ,eXpedlte
mstters, the caucus adopted the following
resolution.
Resoicef. That the Chairman appoint
committed of seven, of whom the Chair
man Of this caucus IS er-o1icto TO be q mem
ber, TO select the standing committees for
he ensuing session to report at the next
meeting OF the caucus
The caucus then adjourned.
TO SERVE TEE HOUSE.
The House caucus was called 10 order
oy Delegate John Il. Ryan, or Ioudoun,
,hairman of the House caucus OF the last
legislature, who remained in the chair.
ia made a brief address, in which he con-
yratulated himself upon presiding over
,he largest Democratic caucus ever known
n tho history of the party.
All the old officers were renominated, as
For speaker. Hon. r. II. Cardwell
Clerk. John Bell Bigger; Seargeant-at~
Arms. J. +. Martin; Doorkeeper, A. y.
sullivan; Assistant Doorkeeper, Il. Il.
Kindred.
The only contest was for the latter posi-
ION. Mr.. Kindred being opposed by Mr..
sdmnnd Lipscomb, OF King and Queen,
ma Nh. u. T. West. of Princess Anne
rhe vote stood Kindred, A3; Llpscomb,
Il; West. 5.
Mr.. q. b. Letcher was clerk Of the eau
,us.
WANTED ONLY sTRATcETo Ut DEMOCRATS.
After the adjournment of the House eau
us Joint conference was held ia the hall
& the House.
Mr.. Shepperson. of Charlotte, offered Q
that members who opposed the
20 MAR Democratic nominee be not al
owed TO SIT in the caucus. Ihls reso,n-
ION gave rise toaspirited discussion. Ar.
of Orange, seconded tho resoln- !
ION aud led OF IN spirited speech. he
,eiieyed that IN order 20 preserve the or |
antzation OF the party II was necessary |
o drew the line very strictlt. o,.
n