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General Assembly of Virginia.
Friday, March 29, 1861. The Senate met at the usual hour--Lt. Gov. Montague in the chair. Bills Passed.--On motion of Mr. August, the rules were suspended, and House bill incorporating the Home Savings Bank of the city of Richmond, passed; an act for the better government of the town of Danville; Senate bill to release John W. Murrell from the payment of a judgment rendered by the Circuit Court of Lynchburg against him. The Virginia Canal Bill a Law.--A communication was received from the House of Delegates, announcing that that body had agreed to the amendments of the Senate to the House bill to incorporate the Virginia Canal Company, and to transfer the rights and franchises of the James River and Kanawha Company thereto. The bill is now, therefore, a law. Ordnance Department.--On motion of Mr. Gatewood, the communication from the Governor recommending the appointment of certain officers of the Ordnance Department was taken up, and made the special order for to-night at 8 o'clock. New County.--On motion of Mr. French, the bill to establish the county of Bland out of parts of Giles, Wythe and Tazewell, was taken from the table and put upon its passage — ayes 20, noes 6. Extending the Session.--Mr. Johnson offered a joint resolution postponing the adjournment until the 4th day of April, instead of the 1st. Ayes and noes demanded — ayes 20, noes 18. Movement of Troops and Arms.--Mr. Douglas moved to take up the joint resolution from the House, in relation to the removal of certain guns within the limits of the State, in order that he might offer a substitute. Agreed to. The substitute of Mr. Douglass, among other things, sets forth that. whereas, It has come to the knowledge of the Legislature that a large number of heavy guns, manufactured at Bellona Foundry, near the capital of Virginia, under an order of the Ordnance Department at Washington, D. C., have been ordered to Fortress Monroe, where they can only be needed for the purpose of intimidation and menace to Virginia at present, and of actual hostilities in a certain contingency that may change her future relations to the Federal Government and the non-slaveholding tyranny it represents-- Be it Resolved, by the General Assembly, That the Governor of this Commonwealth be authorized, and he is hereby directed, to order out the Public Guard, and to call for volunteers, if necessary, to arrest the contemplated removal of the guns aforesaid, and that he be further instructed to employ all needful force to resist every and any attempt to remove the same beyond the reach and the control of the Government of the State. The matter was fully discussed by Messrs. Douglass, Avoust, Thompson and Neeson, in favor, and Messrs. Thomas, of Fairfax, Wickham, and Carter against it. Motions were made to lay the resolution and substitute on the table, and refer. Mr. H. W. Thomas moved to lay on the table, and make the order at 7½ o'clock to-night. Mr. Coghill desired to lay on the table, in order to take up the bill providing for the purchase of the arms in question. Agreed to. The Senate then took up Senate bill appropriating a sum of money to purchase certain ordnance and material of J. L. Archer, of Bellona Foundry, in this State. Mr. Douglass stated that the arms are not now for sale, and therefore moved to lay the bill on the table, and again take up the resolution. Mr. Neeson favored the motion, and would follow it up with a motion to refer the resolution to the Committee on Military Affairs, with instructions to report a bill for the seizure and condemnation of the arms. The resolution was then called up, when Mr. Wickham offered a substitute similar to the resolutions of the House. Mr. Neeson modified his motion by merely moving a reference to the Committee, instructing them to report such action as they deem expedient. The motion was agreed to. The Covington and Ohio Railroad bill was made the order for to-morrow, at 11½ o'clock. On motion of Mr. Taliaferro, the Senate adjourned.
The Daily Dispatch: March 30, 1861. Richmond Dispatch. 4 pages. by Cowardin & Hammersley. Richmond. March 30, 1861. microfilm. Ann Arbor, Mi : Proquest. 1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm.
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