The Legislature.
--In the
Senate, yesterday, the bill introduced by
Mr. Randolph, from the Military Committee, was taken up, and, on motion of
Mr. Coghill the Senate went into secret session for its consideration.
The bill to prevent persons from harboring deserters was ordered to be printed.
Mr. Dulaney, of
Fairfax, introduced a preamble and joint resolutions on the war and its present aspect, pledging
Virginia to listen to no terms of peace of compromise short of the recognition of the separate independence of the
Confederate States.
Under the rules of the Senate the resolutions were laid over.
In the
House, Mr. Bouldin, from the
Committee on Finance, reported a bill amending and re-enacting the 109th section, of the act imposing taxes for the support of the
State Government.
Mr. Haymond, of
Marion, presented a resolution, which was agreed to, that the special Committee on Salt be instructed to inquire whether families driven from their homes, and now living in other than their own counties, are excluded from the advantages of the salt distribution.
Mr. Woodley, of
Upshur, with the consent of the
House, moved to take up a resolution offered by him a few days ago, to instruct the
Committee on Confederate Relations to inquire into the expediency of opening a correspondence with the other
Confederate States of America as to the propriety of issuing State bonds to the amount of the outstanding bonds of the Confederate Government, with a view to the absorption of the same; and further with a view of recommending to the Confederate Government a system of taxation for the future according to the estimates to be made by its Executive to the
Congress thereof annually.
Mr. Robertson, from the
Committee on Confederate Relations, submitted a report from that Commitee on the resolution requiring it to inquire into the impediments to the attendance of members of the Legislature who belong to or hold commissions in the army.
The committee report that the impediment has been removed in the case of
Lieut.-Col. K. R. Linkous by application to the
Secretary of War.
There were a large number of resolutions offered, among them the following: By
Mr. Pretlow: Of exempting the county of
Southampton, and other counties on the confines of the enemy's lines, from complying with the call of the
Secretary of War for slaves to work on fortifications.
By
Mr. Barksdale: Of providing for the payment of the value of slaves impressed by the
Confederate States in cases where their deaths have occurred from negligence of the agents of the
Confederate States.
By
Mr. Hunter, of
Berkeley: Of furnishing salt to such counties as have not heretofore been furnished under the acts of the Legislature.
By
Mr. Hutcheson: Of making other and suitable provision for the families of the
State's quota of soldiers by giving them an addition to their present pay. By
Mr. Goode, of providing by law that no judgment shall be given in favor of a creditor unless he endorse his willingness to take Confederate notes in payment of the same.
By
Mr. Fleming: Of ascertaining the cost of the manufacture of salt per bushel by the
State agent,
Jno. N. Clarkson.
By
Mr. Haymond, of
Marion: Of extending the term of the first class militia, when called out, from six to twelve months, and that the militiamen who have furnished substitutes in the Confederate army shall constitute the first class.
By
Mr. Herndon: Of preventing speculation in the necessaries of life.
By
Mr. Shackelford: Of exempting from taxation those counties which have been, or may be, occupied by the public enemy.
By
Mr. Haymond, of
Marion: Of offering bounties to female heads of families for the domestic manufacture of cloths of all kinds.
On motion of
Mr. Hall, the communication of the
Governor in relation to an application of
Lt.- Gen. Ewell, for the admission of certain persons into the
State Penitentiary, was taken up and referred to the
Committee on Confederate Relations.
Mr. Hall also offered a resolution to instruct the
Committee on Confederate Relations to inquire what legislation is necessary to prevent the illegal arrest and imprisonment of citizens of
Virginia by the military authorities.
Mr. Haymond, of
Braxton, offered a resolution that it be referred to the Committee of Courts of Justice to inquire into the expediency of punishing by imprisonment in the Penitentiary parties dealing in Federal money, and of making traffic in Bank notes,
gold, and
silver, a high misdemeanor, and also of the propriety of suppressing brokerage in the
State.
