General Assembly of Virginia.
Senate.
Monday, December 18, 1865.
The Senate met at the usual hour;
Lieutenant-Governor Cowper in the chair.
Sad to relate, it was not opened with prayer.
On motion of
Mr. Lemosey, the bill incorporating the
Norfolk and
St. Nazaire Steam Navigation Company was taken up.
Mr. Lemosey offered a substitute for the bill, which was adopted, read a third time and passed.
By
Mr. Strother:
‘
"
Resolved. That the
Committee on Courts of Justice inquire into the expediency of altering and amending the sections from one to fourteen, inclusive, of chapter one hundred and ninety-eight of the Code of 1860, and report by bill or otherwise.
Agreed to.
’
Mr. Lemosey, from the
Committee on Finance, reported adversely to the resolution of
Mr. Boyd, referred to them:
‘
"
Resolved, That the
Committee on Finance inquire into the expediency of increasing the fees allowed to clerks, sheriffs, jailors, &c."
’
They deemed the changes inexpedient.
By
Mr. Carter:
‘
"
Resolved, That the
Committee on Courts of Justice be instructed to inquire into the expediency of taking the county of
Bland from the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit, and making it a part of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit." Adopted.
’
The
House bill authorizing the
County Court of
Smyth county to borrow a sum of money was read a third time and passed.
The bill authorizing the
County Court of
Lee county to grant leave to
William R. Graham to build a dam across
Powell's river was read a third time and passed.
The bill to amend the charter of the
Fire Insurance Company of
Alexandria was amended, read a third time and passed.
By
Mr. Galt:
‘
"
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to wait on the
Governor and ascertain whether any arrangement has been made with the
Federal authorities by which a delay has been secured in the collection of taxes under the act of Congress until the Legislature shall dispose of the subject." Agreed to.
’
By
Mr. Gilmer, of
Richmond:
‘
"
Resolved, That, the House of Delegates consenting, a joint committee of conference, composed of five members on the part of the Senate and nine on the part of the
House, be appointed to confer on the subject of the
Public Printing; the Senate having refused to concur in the vote of the
House thereon." Agreed to.
’
The Senate then took an indefinite recess, and met again only to adjourn.
House of Delegates.
The
House met at 12 o'clock, M. Prayer by
Rev. Mr. Burrows, of the Baptist Church.
The Senate returned the
House bill to incorporate the
Catawba Coal Mining Company, with amendments, which was taken up and the amendments agreed to.
Freedmen's Bureau.
The
Chairman of the Committee on Propositions and Grievances reported back the resolution to inquire into the expediency of compensating those persons who have or may hereafter serve on the courts established by the
Freedmen's Bureau, with the following:
‘
"
Resolved, That legislation on this subject is deemed inexpedient, and we ask the discharge of further consideration on the subject." Agreed to.
’
Joint resolution in relation to the land taxes imposed by the United States Congress was taken up and referred to the
Committee on Finance.
Division of the State.
Joint resolution in relation to the division of the
State was referred, with the substitute offered by
Mr. Robertson, of
Alexandria, to a select committee.
Stay law.
The bill providing the staying of the payment of debts until certain dates was read, and after some discussion, on motion of
Mr. Watkins, was made the order of the day for Tuesday at 1 o'clock, and continued as such on each day thereafter until finished, by a vote of forty-five to forty-three.
Bills passed.
The following Senate bills were passed:
The act to incorporate the
Norfolk and
St. Nazaire Navigation Company, with an amendment by the Senate to the
House bill, was passed.
An act establishing the name of the
Western Lunatic Asylum.
An act to repeal certain sections of the Code of
Virginia with reference to the
Western Lunatic Asylum, so as to dispense with the office of treasurer, and place the funds of said Asylum in one of the banks of
Staunton or some other place of safe keeping.
An act incorporating the
Virginia Porcelain and Earthenware Company, in the county of
Augusta.
National Express Company.
An act to amend and re-enact an act to incorporate the Southern Express Company, passed March 2d, 1864, and to incorporate the National Express and Transportation Company, passed December 12th, 1865.
Incorporate companies.
Mr. Graves reported a bill for the incorporation of the
St. James Improvement Company, for the purpose of introducing emigrants for labor.
Referred.
Also an act to incorporate the
Albemarle Insurance Company.
Referred.
Resolutions of inquiry were offered, and agreed to by the
House.
Scaling of debts.
By
Mr. Grattan.--That the
Committee on Courts of Justice inquire into the expediency of providing by law for the scaling of debts contracted with reference to the currency of the
State during the war, and to the scaling of debts during the same period, or where the estate of the testators has been materially diminished by the emancipation of his slaves.
Legislation in regard to blacks.
By
Mr. Hardy.--That in view of the extinction of slavery in this State by a provision of the
Convention that assembled at
Alexandria on the 13th day of February, 1864, and the repeal of all the laws applying to that institution, a select joint committee of three from the Senate and nine from the
House be appointed to consider the legislation necessary in regard to that portion of the population that have been emancipated by such provision.
Winchester and Potomac Railroad.
By
Mr. Wall.--That the
Committee on Roads and Internal Navigation be instructed to inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill authorizing the Winchester and Potomac Railroad Company to extend their road to some point at or near
Strasburg, to connect with the
Manassas road.
Settlement of Claims during the war.
By
Mr. Morgan.--That the
Committee on the
Courts of Justice inquire into the expediency of fixing some standard for establishing some principle for the settlement of debts and claims made and arising during the war, and that they report by bill or otherwise.
By
Mr. Hancock.--That the Committee on Propositions and Grievances inquire into the expediency of incorporating the
Chesterfield Gas and Coal Mining Company, in the county of
Chesterfield, and report by bill or otherwise.
Oysters.
By
Mr. Smith, of
Williamsburg.--That the
Committee on Oysters inquire into the expediency of further protection.
By
Mr. White, of
Hanover.--That the
Committee on the Penitentiary inquire into the expediency of making the pay of the interior guard of the penitentiary equal to that of the exterior guard.
By
Mr. Ellis.--That the
Committee on Propositions be instructed to inquire into the expediency of chartering the
Virginia and
North Carolina Land and Immigration Society, and report by bill or otherwise.
Public Printing.
A message from the Senate announced that body had declined to concur in the resolution of the
House letting the public printing by contract, and that they proposed a joint committee on the subject, of nine from the
House and five from the Senate, was received, and the
House agreed to the committee of conference.
On motion of
Mr. Grattan, the
House adjourned.
