Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-02-18
GENERAL ASSEMBLY,.
Proceedings of the Senate
and House.
BLACKBURN NOW
sui Establishing II D.pnr.meut OF Banking
introduced by air. Hicks, OF Roanoke.
joint Resolution as to the
Maine Disaster.
Especial to the Daily prass !,

Especial to the Daily Press,
ltlcfiAlOND, VA. Feb. 1I.-Now that
the 1udseship contest has been steeled Z
oy tne ACTON OF the caucus in choosing
Judge Gunter. the House again setTfad-
down TO work today with will The
spee!a! message of the Governor. sum-
snaH-zed briefly in this correspondence.
aas not been officially read, but was
To-Day ordered printed. The fun text of
t was printed by the morning PAPERS
today. however. and all of the mem
oers OF the Legislature are familiar
with Its recommendations. The Gov
erhof appeal has given q renewed i'm
GStus to the retrenchment mpyement
and resulted today in the introduction
or several additional resolutions and
revenue bills. designed to amend the
constitution in the direction OF an eco
nomical administration of State affairs.
The effect of the executive message
viii undoubtedly be to hasten and make
more certain action on the retrench-
ment bills now pending.
The clerk of the House today read a
communication from Hon Joseph w.
Bailey, Representative in Congress from
the State of Texas. acknowledging the
receipt of an invitation to address the
General Assembly of Virginia on the po-
.!ticai issues of the day on Tuesday
seoruary y, and accepting the same.
The Texan, who is the leader of the
minority i'll the Federal House. is an
orator OF fine reputation.
The House and Senate today balloted
for a successor to Judge Gunter, the
succession having been practically set
tied by the action of last nights eau
Gus. Delegate Mathews. of Accomac
nominated Mr.. Blackstone and Hon.
Ihomas Temple Powell seconded the
nomination in the House. There were
no other nominations in either House.
and Judge Blackstone received all the
votes cast, 112, and was declared duly
elected.
Delegate &c. ]. Campbell of Amherst.
today introduced a joint resolution to
authorize the Governor to appoint an
interim constitutional commission
whose duty it shall be to report to the
next regular session OF the LEGISLATURE
or to specia! session should there be
one, such amendments in bill form to
The constitution, as said commission
may deem necessary and expedent, its
duties, etc. with lpow-or,n employ
stenographer, &c. The resoi1risn., en-
powers the Governor to appoint COM
mission Of ten members who shall re-
ceive the sum OF $3.50 and necessary ex-#
penses, whose duty it shall be to con-
slider and put in bill shape such amend
ments to the present constitution as
said commission deem necessary, expe-
dent and adyiSa BILE.
MIR. Quisenberry, of Caroline, offered
a similar resolution. save that this pro-
vldeS for a non-partisan commission
mot more than tWo-thirdS from one
political party, and does not fix the
number of the commissioners, leaving
that to the Governor, and merely re-
curing that they represent the five
Ssogra phical divisions of the State.
Mr.. Maupin offered a bill to incorpo-
rate the Deep Run Railway and Elec-
triC Company.
MIR. Jennings. OF Lynchburg, offered q
bill today in the House amending the
act creating the State Board OF Agrl.
culture and repeating the annual APP
preparation Of $4,000 made to said
board Ct agriculture. The bill provides
that the fees collected from the regis
;ration and inspection of fertilizers is
hereby dedicated and set apart for the
support, maintenance and carrying on
he work of the Department Of AgricuI-
ture.
Mr.. Hicks. of Roanoke. today intro
duced in the House a bill establishing
Ia department of banking, and to pro-
vide for the election of a superintendent
thereof. The bill is a voluminous one,
covering more than forty typewriter
pages. Ii provides for superintendent
who shall be bonded officer commits
stoned by the Governor and in no way
connected with any bank trust COM
oany. insurance or building and loan
company, and whose salary shall be not
more than $500 4 bonded assistant
with a salary OF $500 is provided fer.
The superintendent is empowered to-
employ such clerks as may be neces-
sary. and an actuary if need be.
The Governor today addressed to the
Legislature a communicat ton in refer
ence TO the Maryland-Virgini Ooun-
dairy line. The letter went to the f.
nance committee. as any action on IL
will carry with it an appropriation.
Mr. Charles T. Bland, OF Portsmouth.
| Today offered joint resolution in the
House. in reference to the disaster to-
ba ITpiyai Steamship Ma Inc
The resolution touched a responsive
chord and was Immediately passed
amid applause by both Houses: 1t is
as follows:
whereas. the General Assembly OF
Virginia has learned with profound re-;
| gret of the disaster to the United States
steamship Maine, in the harbor of Ha-
vana. Cuba; and whereas. among the
victims Of that appalling explosion
| were twenty or more Virginians, and
Iinasmuch as the United States has or
iered the national flag to be placed at
haIf-mast as a mark of grief and re-
spect to the dead. therefore. be 1t
Resolved. by the House of Delegates
Of Virginia. the Senate coacurrlng, that
the national and State flags over the
State capitol be lowered to half-mast
| for twenty four hours as mark of re-
spect to the Americans who persisted at
liheir post of duty, and especially TO
the Virginia victims Of the catastro-
phe"
The House also passed this resolutions:
| BE it resolved % that tine LegisDa-
! ture of Virginia recognizes with pleas
ure the wise courage with which Ftt2
Lee is guarding the interest of Aneri-
can citizens amid the difficulties of the
| revolution in Cuba: CO that it feels 8
just pride in the brave conservatism
| which he has shown in maintaining
the dignity and the rights Of the limited
States amid the perp!e2fties of that
| 49, 81 ny -
sinia they extend TO him, as one Of her
sons. the recognition of a duty we'll
done for the benefit of our whole coun-
try"
! In the House Mr.. Browning intro
duced a bill to authorize the superin-
tendent of the Virginia penitenitAry to
lease OF purchase farm land adjoining
or convenient to the State farm. Ia
the county of Goochland. The meas
ure sets forth that as the penitentlary
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