Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-07
THE sENATE'S FIRST DAY.
short session Devoted Mainly to the
work of Organization.

Lieutenant-G Governor Echois's gayel fell
mt 12:O5. and the senators and visitors
who had been crowding the aisles were
seated, or went out at once. and Rev.
Herbert VI. Hope made a brief opening
prayer.
~ the conclusion OF the Invocation the
Iieutenant-GoyerDo announced commit
nications from the secretary Of the CohA
monwealth which were simply the for
NAL certifcaflon 81 the election Of new
members of the e"nats. Then the Clerk
called the roll. every senator answering
to his name save Messrs Mcllwaine.
Sands. and Whitehead The last two
came in in few minutes but Mr.. Nell
waine is i'll at his home, In Petersburg.
The nineteen new senators then came
forward 10 the Clerk desk and took the
oath of office These preliminary formal
tiles having been performed. Lieutenant
Governor Ech0ls announced that the SEM
ate was ready for the election OF officers.
OFFICERS ARE ELECTED.
MI Morris presented the name Of Mr..
Wickham for the Position OF president
rro tom: NJ Foster placed IN nomina-
ton the name OF Mr. Joseph Button FOR
the position Of Clerk; Captain Frank x.
Watkins was named for the place Of Ser
eeant-at-Arms by Mr. Eggleston; Mr..
Onie nominated Mr.. Samuel NJ Donald
for the position of Doorkeeper They were
all elected without opposition.
senator Morris moved that Willie An
drovs Burwell SeaX. Joseph w. Parkin-
SON and George Jordan be declared elect
ed naeee. which was agreed 20, and then
Mr. Wickham was directed by the ChaIr
10 inform the House that the orSanlZa-
ton ~ the Senate was completed, and
mar IL was ready for business. 1t was
some time before Mr.. Wickham returned,
and then Mr.. W Z. Dupuy OF the House
appeared and notified the Senate or the
adoption Of q resolution by the lower
branch providine for the appointment OF
n Joint committee Of five from tho Senate
and seven from the House 10 wait upon
the Governor and inform MN that me
TeoisIature was ready 10 receive any
decentralization his Excellency might wish
10 make. ..,e.. ~
House ~ the Senate's agreement 10 the
ioint resolution. and the Chair announced
that the following members would serve
or tho io,nt committee: Messrs. Mann,
walker Flood. Clayton, and Walker.
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE
Tho committee at once retired, and
,oirinp The House members In the lobby.
y,ent nm TO the Governors office, wnere
,hav were cordially received. ana spent
eome time in pleasant conversation. the
covernor being acquainted with al Oh
,ho,o ave one or two The Governor
said ha would send a communication AZ
- and the committee had scarcely
,ot,,rred when Mr. Ben. =. owen appear
"a .rd announced that he had a message
So, the Governor. A motion was at
- ,oade that the message be laid on
r. ,obIe and 80 copies ordered 10 DE
printed. ,,,,e,r prrr
,rben Senator Flood arose and oUerea
~ e,st bill of the sessiOn-a bill prov u
~ ~ e., the submission OF the people in
,n5, Tho question as 10 whether there
should he a convention Tor me reVis'oii
of the Constitution.
Mr. Glass offered bill for tho suspen'
81, ~ the delinquent land law. known
as the 'Iand-grabbers' law Tor perioe
of sixty days.
Mr. Claytor offered bill providing fol
,bn reimbursement OF the Fourth anc
Fourteenth Judicial circuits. ana the apoi
ishment of the Eighteenth Circuit.
Mfr. Clayton also offered a bill 10 amend
ond re-enact section 3le5 Of the Code, In
relation TO trial BY jury. The Dill pro
vides that In any case In which neither
az the parties demands trial Dy jury
the whole matter Of law and iac' may