General Assembly of Virginia.
Thursday, March 5, 1863.
Senate--The Senate assembled at noon, the President, Lieut-Governor Montagus, in the chair.
Prayer by Rev. Mr. Socley.
The Senate resolutions of Mr. Collier, touching the arrest and imprisonment in Saulsbury, N. C., of one A. J. Collina, a civilian citizen of the Commonwealth of Virginia, were reported back from the House of Delegates, with amendments thereto, which were concurred in.
A communication from the House of Delegates transmitted certain Senate bills passed by the House, in which they asked the concurrence of the Senate.
One of them (the Tax bill) was laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
Bills Reported from Committees.--An act providing for and regulating the salary of the third clerk of the Treasurer's Department.
An act to amend the charter of the Bank of Rockingham was reported from the Committee on Banks, with amendments.
The Committee on the Penitentiary reported a bill increasing the fees of the interior guard during the war.
Disposition of Bills.--House bill making an appropriation of sixty-nine thousand dollars to the Central Lunstle Asylum, [with the amendments of the Senate, was taken up and passed.
The joint committee on amendments to the fiduciaries' bill submitted a report, and the bill was laid on the table with it. The substitute for the tobacco bill, prohibiting its cultivation entirely during the war, and imposing pains and penalties for its violation, offered yesterday by Mr. Christian, of Middlesex, was taken up.
Mr. Christian supported his substitute in some remarks of much force, and was responded to by Mr. Whittle; when, on motion of Mr. Quesenbury, the Senate went into secret session on the bill.
House of Delegates.--The House met at 11 o'clock. Prayer by Rev. Mr. Baker, of the Episodic Church.
Senate bill increasing the charges for storage in tobacco warehouses, was taken up and passed.
Mr. Barbour, from Committee on Finance, reported back Senate bill for the relief of Jomah Wyan, with recommendation that it is not pass.
Mr. McCamant, from Committee on Propositions and Grievances, reported a bill incorporating the Southwestern Insurance Company.
A communication was read from the Governor relative to the forcible taking from the jail of Franklin county one Robert Goodson by a party of armed Confederate soldiers.
The Governor says that he had some time since addressed the Secretary of War in reference to this scandalous and outrageous act, but that no reply had as yet been received.
The message was accompanied by letters from the Sheriff of Franklin county and Judge Wingfield, all of which were referred to the Committee on Confederate Relations and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Bouldin, from the committee on conference on the subject of disagreement between the two Houses of the Legislature on the bill authorizing fiduciaries to invest funds in their hands, submitted a report adjusting the difficulty, which was agreed to.
On motion of Mr. Hopkins, Senate resolutions expressing the gratitude of Virginia to the women of the Commonwealth, and proposing, at the close of the war, to exact a monument commemorative of their virtues, were taken up, the reading of which created no little merriment among members generally, growing out of the high flown diction in which they were coached.
Mr. Hunter moved their reference to the Committee on Schools and Colleges, with a view of having their phraseology improved and rendering them worthy of the Legislature and the sex which they are designed to compliment; which was, after a few fractious remarks by Messrs. Hopkins, Hunter, and Baskerville, agreed to.
Mr. Buford submitted a resolution asking a select committee of five to consider the expediency of a flour inspection in the town of Danville.
Mr. Newton submitted a resolution authorizing the Committee on Courts to inquire into the expediency of allowing executors, guardians, and other fiduciaries, in counties where Courts are not held because of the presence of the public enemy, to settle their accounts in other counties.
Agreed to.
On motion of Mr. Mallory, Senate bill increasing the salaries of certain officers of the Government was taken up, read a third time, and rejected — eyes 3d, noes $7--it requiring a two-thirds vote to make it a law.
On motion of Mr. Newton, the House went into court session. 