House of Delegates.
Speaker Kemper called the
House to order at 12 o'clock M. Prayer by
Rev. W. W.
Bennett.
A message was received from the Senate, announcing the passage of a bill ‘"making
New River a lawful fence,"’ and asking the concurrence of the
House.
On motion the bill was committed.
The following resolutions were presented by one of the members from
Petersburg:
At a special meeting of the Common Council of the city of
Petersburg, held on Tuesday, the 10th day of December. 1861,
Mr. D'
Arcy Paul offered the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted:
Resolved, by the Common Council of the City of Petersburg. That the city of
Petersburg is opposed to any measure being passed by the Legislature which will authorize a permanent connection to be made through this city, or otherwise between the
Richmond and
Petersburg and Petersburg Railroads.
Resolved, That our representatives in the General Assembly be requested to use their utmost endeavors to defeat such connection.
Resolved. That one of the members of this Council be appointed by the
Mayor to convey these resolutions to our
Senator and Representative.
On motion, these resolutions were laid on the table and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Baskerville moved that the bill to authorize a connection between the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad, in
Richmond, and the
Richmond and
Petersburg, and Petersburg Railroad, in
Petersburg, be considered; but, on motion, it was subsequently laid on the table.
Mr. Hunter, of
Jefferson, offered the following resolution, which was adopted:
"
Resolved, That the
Speaker be directed to issue writs of election to the counties of
Berkeley and
Morgan, to supply vacancies existing in the representation from each of said counties in this house, and that, by publication of proper notices, he fix Thursday, the 26th day of this month, Dec., 1861, as the day for holding said elections
The following bill was reported:
A bill to suspend sales and legal proceedings in certain cases, and to repeal an ordinance, entitled ‘"an ordinance to provide against the sacrifice of property, and to suspend proceedings in certain cases,"’ passed on the 30th day of April, 1861, by the Convention of Virginia.
A bill ‘"to prevent extortion in salt,"’ was called up, but after a long discussion, was recommitted to the special committee, and the following additional members added to that committee:
Messrs Fleming,
Robertson,
Bass,
Baskerville and
Walker.
On motion of
Mr. Taylor, the courtesies of the
House were extended to
Ex-Governor E. Louis Lowe, of
Maryland.
The bill to improve the navigation of
New River, was read a second time, and ordered to engrossed.
The following resolutions were adopted by the
House:
- 1. Resolved, That a joint committee be appointed to call upon the President of the Confederate States and to represent to him the distressed condition of the country for want of salt, and ask him to release so much of the salt now held for the use of the army as can be done without injury to the public service, to be disposed of at Government cost to meet the wants of the people.
- 2. Resolved. That a joint committee be appointed to correspond with the lessees of the Washington and Smyth salt works on the subject of their making immediate arrangements to increase the product of salt to the utmost capacity of the property, and that they be instructed and authorized to enter into negotiations with the lessees for that purpose, subject to the approval of the General Assembly.
Resolutions of inquiry.
The following resolutions of inquiry were referred to the appropriate committees:
By
Mr. Edmunds--Of conferring upon the
Presidents of the Railroad companies the authority and power to protect the bridges, buildings and other property of their roads
By
Mr. McKinney--Of so amending the existing law as to require the
Auditor of Public Accounts to publish in one or more newspapers in the city of
Richmond the names of all officers charged with the collection and payment of any part of the revenue who are delinquent, and the amount for which each one is delinquent.
By
Mr. Steger--Of providing by law for the compensation of the
Clerk of the Court of Hustings for the city of
Richmond for services rendered by him in Commonwealth cases in that court
By
Mr. Ewing--Of remitting the fine imposed upon
Job B. Crabtree by the Circuit Court of
Lee county.
By
Mr. Blue--Of declaring the seat of T. A.
Williamson vacant, from the election district composed of the counties of
Gilmer,
Calhoun,
Wirt.
and a part of
Roane.
By
Mr. Rylr--Of authorizing the
County Court of
Carroll to subscribe a sum of money for the completion of the
Wytheville and Grayson turnpike road as a military necessity.
By
Mr. Prime--Of amending an ordinance entitled, ‘"an ordinance to provide for the enrollment and employment of free negroes in the public service, "’ so as to make it obligatory upon the
County and Corporation Courts which have not been enrolled to enroll all able-bodied male free negroes between the ages of 18 and 50.
The
House then adjourned.
