General Assembly of Virginia.
Wednesday, March 18, 1863.
Senate.--The Senate met at 9 o'clock, the new hour fixed upon, with the President, Lieut. Gov. Montague, in the chair, and, on motion went into secret session on a communication from the Governor.
The doors being opened, the "bill for the relief of the banks of the Commonwealth" was received from the House of Delegates, and pasted.
The bill suspends all enactments in relation to the forfeiture of the rights and charter of said banks upon their refusal to redeem or pay its notes or debts in species; the act to continue in force from the first day of March, 1863 and until otherwise provided.
The preamble and resolutions reported by the Committee on Military Affairs, and adopted on the House, in regard to the care of Cadet W. A. Daniel, and the Virginia Military Institute were taken up in the Senate, and concurred in without amendment.
Mr. Quesenbury thereupon introduced a resolution looking to the amendment of the laws organizing the Institute, so as to bring the Superintendent and Professors more immediately under the control of the General Assembly; which was agreed to.
Mr. Biannan moving a reconsideration of the vote by which his resolution extending the session of the Senates from Thursday, the 19th, to Tuesday, the 24th inst., the vote was reconsidered, and the resolution adopted and reported to the House for its concurrence.
The resignation of Mr. Robertson, of Richmond, was called up and it being stated that the Senator, for public and private reasons, positively refused to withdraw it.
Mr. Johnson moved that the Senate authorize the President to issue his writ for an election to fill the vacancy.
Messrs. Johnson and Douglas spoke on the withdrawal of the venerable Senator, and paid deserved compliments to his usefulness and ability.
The Senate by a majority vote, authorized the issuing of the writ of election.
Committee Bills Reported.--From Mr. Mass, chairman of the Public Warehouse Investigating Committees; A bill appropriating money for the rebuilding of a portion of the Public Warehouse, destroyed by fire, and to pay for the tobacco burned by the fire at the said warehouse.
From the Committee for Courts of Justice: A bill increasing the compensation of Commissioners of the Revenue.
At noon the unfinished business, the consideration of the Salt question, was resumed, and brought no nearer conclusion.
Mr. Pate, of Boone, offered a joint resolution in relation to the usual bounty money to be paid the non-commissioned officers and privates of the State Line by the Confederate Government in which service they are now employed.
At 3 o'clock the Senate took a recess till evening.
Evening Session.--The Tax bill war under discussion.
The bill is being taken up section by section, of which there are over one hundred in the bill, with amendments.
The bill will be gotten through with to morrow (Thursday)
House of Delegates.--The House met at 11 o'clock. Prayer by Rev. Dr. Moore.
Mr. Barbour, from the Committee on Violence, asked leave for the appointment of a joint committee, whose duty it shall be to investigate the subject of the recent burning of the public warehouse in this city; and, if the facts shall warrant it, assess and assert the claim of the State against the Confederate Government for damage sustained thereby.
Mr. Cazenove, from the Special Committee appointed for the purpose, reported a bill for the transfer and issue of new certificates of stock in chartered companies.
Mr. Hopkins, of Petersburg, submitted a series of resolutions, authorizing the County Courts of the several counties of the State to have prepared an appropriate book, in which shall be recorded the name of every man of their respective counties who shall have served honorably in the present war, and especial notice taken of those who have been conspicuous for their gallantry.
The resolutions were adopted unanimously.
On motion of Mr. Buford, the bill amending and re-enacting the first section of the 7th chapter of the Code, changing the time for holding elections for members of the General Assembly, members of Congress, Board of Public Works, President and Vice President of the Confederate States, &c., was taken up, and, after being discussed, was.
On motion of Mr. Rives, indefinitely postponed — ayes 48, nose 41.
The joint resolution received from the Senate this morning further extending the present session of the General Assembly from Thursday, the 19th inst., until Tuesday, the 24th, was.
On motion of Mr. Barbour, taken up and considered.
The question being put, the House refused to concur in the Senate resolution — ayes 71, noes 24.
Mr. Anderson, of Rockbridge, moved a reconsideration of the vote, which was agreed to.
The vote again coming up on the Senate resolution, it was, after some spicy repartee between members, the ringing of the bed, and the calling of absentees, passed — ayes 78 noes 18 --the constitutional majority.
The bill refunding to the Sheriff of Giles county a certain sum of money, was taken up and passed.
On motion of Mr. Barbour, the bill for the relief of M. C. Gordon was taken up and passed.
The bill refunding money received for exemptions from military services, was read a third time and passed.
At 2 o'clock the House resolved itself into secret session, to consider a message from the Governor.
[the following proceedings of Tuesday night were unavoidably deferred in our issue of yesterday: Senate--evening Session.--upon the assembling of the Senate Mr. Brannan moved the extension of the Session of the General Assembly from Thursday next to Thursday, the 26th inst. An amendment, substituting Tuesday next for the day of adjournment was adopted, but the resolution fell, and the amendment with it, no constitutional majority voting. Mr. Lynch submitted a resolution convening the Senate at 9 o'clock A. M., instead of 10 o'clock A. M., until otherwise ordered. The resolution was adopted. Mr. Brannan said it was apparent that important business would have to be neglected. He moved that the consideration of the Salt contract be passed by in order to take up the Tax bill. the Senate refused to pass the Salt question in favor of the Tax bill, and proceeded with the discussion of the bill. Adjourned. House of Delegates.--evening Session.--the House was called to order at 7½ o'clock. the bill amending and re-enacting the 1st section of the act refunding money received for Military exemptions was taken up, read a second time and ordered to its engrossment. the bill amending and re-enacting an act passed March 1, 1862, entitled "an act for the relief of the Banks of the Commonwealth," was read a second and third time and passed. Mr. Magruder, from the Committee on Elections, presented a bill providing for ascertaining and certifying Elections of Delegates and Senators during the existing war, which was read a first time, and laid on the table. on motion of Mr. Dabney, the unfinished business of the morning was taken up, and discussed at considerable length, in which the faculty, cadets and General management of the Virginia Military Institute was freely canvassed. During its progress the fact was developed, upon good authority, that there are now at this seat of learning precocious "boys" of 25 and 30 years, who have taken refuge within its classic walls to avoid conscription. the resolutions of the Committee were finally, after several important amendments, passed, as follows: whereas it appears upon satisfactory evidence adduced before the General Assembly, that cadet Wm. A. Daniel, then a junior cadet of the Virginia Military Institute, was, on the 11th day of November, 1862, subjected to an unprovoked and cruel infliction of personal violence by cadets of the Institute, (and that no adequate protection was afforded him by the officers of the institution against a repetition of such violence,) by which means said cadet Daniel has been driven from the Institute, and practically denied the benefits of its instruction; and whereas it appears, also, that the practice of such wanton violations of good order and humanity has been of long continuance and without proper restraint at said Institute: Therefore.
- 1. Resolved, That this General Assembly hereby expresses its unqualified condemnation of such practice, as violative of good discipline, unjust to the peaceable and orderly cadets, injurious to the efficient administration of the institute, and unworthy the chivalrous character of our Southern youth.
- 2. That the officers of said institution be, and they are hereby, instructed to adopt such regulations and discipline, in reference to said practice of wanton punishment of cadets, as will effectually discontinue and repress it, and that it is the opinion of the General Assembly, upon the facts before them, that the efforts of the officers of said institute to suppress this vicious practice complained of, have not been such as meet with the approbation of this General Assembly.
- 3. That the officers of said institution be, and they are hereby, required, if cadet Wm. A. Daniel shall , to reinstate him as a cadet of said institute, without prejudice to his position therein on account of his withdrawal therefrom in November last, and if the facts stated by him in his letter to Mr. Robert Dabney be substantially established, it is the further duty of said officers to drop from the rolls every cadet who participated in that outrage.
