General Assembly of Virginia.
Wednesday, March 11, 1863.
Senate.--The Senate met at 10 o'clock. Prayer by Dr. Sprigg.
A communication from the House of Delegates transmitted the disposition of bills before that body.
Bills and Acts Passed--The following bills and acts were taken up and passed; An act to amend and re-enact an act entitled "an act to prevent the unnecessary consumption of grain by distillers and other manufactures of spiritous and malt liquors," passed October 2d, 1862. An act to provide for an inspection of flour in the town of Danville.
An act to provide for the election of county officers in certain cases allowing the Lynchburg Franklin, Citizens', and Washington Building Association Fund to purchase their stock.
A bill to incorporate the Richmond Importing and Exporting Company.
A bill establishing a military school in connection with the Randolph Macon College.
A number of bills were read and variously referred.
A message from the Executive was received concerning one from the President of the Virginia Central Railroad, in relation to the condition of the track of that road, and suggesting the propriety of legalizing the transfer of a force from the negroes working on the fortifications to be employed in repairing the track of the railroad.
Referred to the Committee on Roads and Internal Navigation.
The impressment resolutions and amendments were again called up, and a new committee of conference appointed to confer with a similar committee from the House in relation to the points of disagreement of the last committee.
Mr. Coghill Introduced a resolution for evening sessions at 8 o'clock, and providing for a recess of the body at 3 P. M. daily, which was adopted.
Mr. Frazier submitted a resolution limiting the debate of members on subjects under discussion to ten minutes, except in cases of chairmen of committees and the patrons of bills or measures before
the body.
The resolution long debate and was finally tabled.
On motion of Mr. Christian, of Middlesex, at 12 M. the Senate went into secret session on the unfinished business, the tax bill being passed by.
At 3 o'clock the doors were opened and the Senate adjourned.
Evening Session.--The Senate met at 8 o'clock, and passed the following bills: Bill amending the Code so as to increase the compassion of Clerks of Courts for public services; bill to authorize the sale by the County Court of the public school houses and the lots there to attached in the county of Henry; bill to incorporate the Confederate Honing Company of Scottsville Va.
Mr. Brannon off red a joint resolution in relation to the imaing of coupon bends to C. W. Purcell & Co. and R. H Maury & Co, of Richmond, which was laid over under the rules.
Mr. Armstrong offered a joint resolution looking to the extension of the session of the General Assembly until the — day of this month, unless the public business be sooner dispatched.
Laid over until Thursday.
The tax bill was taken up, and was under discussion when the body adjourned.
House of Delegates--The House met at 11 o'clock. Prayer by the Rev. Dr. Roid, of the Presbyterian church.
A message was received from the Senate insisting upon their amendments to the resolutions of instruction to our Senators relative to impressments, and asking a committee of conference, which was appointed.
Senate bid providing against loss of compensation to fiduciaries was taken up and passed.
A communication was received from the Governor enclosing a letter from the President of the Virginia Central Railroad relative to the condition of said road, and asking that the Legislature take some steps toward securing from the Secretary of War a detail or negroes now employed by the Government Labor cannot be had in any other way, and the President says if he can have a detail of one hundred hands until the first of May it will relieve present necessities; otherwise, he cannot be responsible for the efficient working of the road.
Referred to the Special Committee on Details.
On motion of Mr. Noland, the bill authorizing the payment of interest on bonds given for the Confederate States War Tax after the day of payment, was taken up and passed.
[The House spent a few minutes in secret session on the subject of salt]
On the reopening of the doors, Mr. Barbour submitted a resolution that the General Assembly ratify the contract made by the majority of the joint committee with Mr. John N. Clarkson, for a supply of salt.
Mr. Magruder moved to amend the resolution by substituting the contract made by the minority of the joint committee with Charles Scott & Co.
The majority report provides that the State shall impress certain portions of the salt works, (belonging to Messrs, stuart.
Scott & Co.,) including the houses tenements, wells fixtures, engines, and appurtenances, offices, horses, and mules, wagons, hands, provisions, forage, &c. belonging to the company aforesaid, which she will lease for one year from the 15th day of March, 1863, to John N. Clarkson, for the sum of $100,000--to be paid to Stuart & Co; and in consideration of which the said Clarkson agrees to furnish to Virginia 700,000 bushels of salt — bagged and delivered at the railroad depot — at the rate of $1.50 per bushel.
The minority report proposes to award the contract to Chas Scott & Co., the owners of the property, for a like amount of salt, to be bagged and delivered in like manner, at the rate of $2.33 per bushel.
The majority report was sustained by Messrs. Barbour and Prince.
Mr. Magruder urged the adoption of the minority report.
The discussion on the one side developed some rare facts in reference to these salt contracts, while on the other hand strong objections were advanced against the expediency and justice of the plan proposed by the majority.
At 3 o'clock, however, without arriving at any conclusion, the Chair was vacated until 7 ½ o'clock.
Evening Session.--The House reassembled at 7½ o'clock, Mr. McCamant in the chair.
Mr. Woolfolk, from the Special Committee appointed for the purpose of inquiring into the condition of the negroes employed on the fortifications, reported that prior to the appointment of the committee the treatment to said negroes had been harsh and improper; but since the appointment of the committee their condition had been much improved, and there is now no room for serious complaint.
They believe that the action of the House had much to do with the change of treatment.
After the passage of one or two unimportant bills the unfinished business of the morning — the salt contract — was resumed, Mr. Prince being entitled to the floor.
Further speeches were made upon the subject by Messrs. Baskerside, Green, and Marye in opposition to the majority report.
Mr. Forbes followed in behalf of the report of the majority report
At half past 10 o'clock, on motion of Mr. Barbour, the House adjourned.
[At the evening session on Tuesday the bill authorizing three freeholders in any county where the Court-House is in possession of the public enemy to appoint a conductor and hold elections for county representatives at other places than the Court-House, was taken up and passed.
The bill allowing County Courts to increase at their discretion, the fees of their clerks for public duties, to a sum not exceeding $400 per annum, was read a second and third third time and passed.
Also, the bill increasing the allowance for board and lodgings of jurors in criminal cases, and the bill extending the time within which to institute proceedings to criminal cases in counties held by the public enemy, were taken up and passed.] 