The Lfgislaturs.
There were several resolutions of inquiry and petitions presented yesterday in the
Senate.
By leave,
Mr. Coller reported a bill to prescribe a rule of evidence in criminal courts.
The bill in regard to the compensation of the members and officers of the General Assembly, and the salaries of certain officers of Government, being the order of the day, was taken up, considered, and passed.
[The bill as passed increases the pay of members to $12 per day, and includes the late extra session.
The pay of the
President of the Senate and the
Speaker of the House of Delegates is fixed at $20 per day; that of the
Governor, $10,000 for the year last past and the incoming year.
It also increases the salaries of the various judges and that of the clerk of the Supreme Court.
Adjourned.
In the
House, Mr. Pendleton offered a resolution inquiring into the expediency of appropriating a sum of money, not exceeding $10,000,000, for the purpose of providing clothing for such of the soldiers of
Virginia in the
Confederate service as are deprived of the aid authorized by law by the presence of the public enemy.
Mr. Walton offered a series of resolutions recommending an amendment of the act for the relief of indigent soldiers and sailors of
Virginia.
Various other resolutions were proposed and adopted.
Mr. McCue, of
Augusta, made an attack upon the reporters for newspapers on account of the meagre reports of proceedings in that body.
He had observed when important resolutions were before the body they were either entirely omitted or else noticed in such a slight manner as to give no idea of their intent.
Mr. Burwell supposed the reporters were instructed as to making their reports as brief as possible.
Printing and reporting were both expensive.
The best course to pursue was to make an appropriation out of which reporters could be indemnified for their time and trouble.
Mr. James, of
Botetourt, thought the
House had no right to complain of short reports, unless members were misrepresented.
Mr. Woolfolk submitted a resolution for the appointment of a special committee to visit the editors of the newspapers of the city, and see what is the best arrangement that can be made for reporting the proceedings of the
House, and report the result of the investigation.
Agreed to; and
Messrs. McCue,
Burwell,
Haymond of
Braxton,
James, and
Stewart, were appointed said committee.
A bill to increase the capital stock of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Company was passed.
Also, a bill to amend the charter of the town of
Ashland.
Adjourned.
