The Daily Dispatch: January 27, 1865., [Electronic resource]

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Virginia Legislature.

[Extra Session.]

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Senate.

A resolution, introduced by Mr. Quesenberry, providing for night sessions, to be held at the hour of 7 1-2 o'clock P. M., was negatived by a vote of yeas, 16; nays, 20.

A preamble and resolutions, from the House of Delegates, in relation to the exchange of political prisoners, was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

Mr. Keen, of Pittsylvania, by leave, offered a joint resolution, providing that, in the opinion of the General Assembly of Virginia, the interest of the Army of Northern Virginia imperatively demands that the track on the Piedmont railroad (forty miles between Danville and Greensboro') shall be laid with a track so that the engines on the Virginia and North Carolina railroads shall be able to run over the entire line; and, to the end, a committee of two on the part of the Senate and three of the House of Delegates shall wait upon the President of the Confederate States and confer with him as to the importance of the subject.

The President appointed Messrs. Keen and Logan as said committee on the part of the Senate.

The following resolutions of inquiry were agreed to and referred to the appropriate committees:

By Mr. Lewis: Providing by law that, whenever a vacancy occurs in the office of Commonwealth's attorney, by death, resignation, or the failure of the people of the county to elect, the judges of the circuit courts, and the county and corporation courts, may appoint a Commonwealth's attorney ad interim, until the vacancy be filled by regular election, and shall make reasonable compensation to the attorney thus appointed for this service.

By Mr. Christian, of Augusta: That General Robert E. Lee be respectfully requested to issue to his engineer corps in Virginia such orders as to him may seem expedient for the purpose of enabling the State to secure the use of copies of the military maps of her territory that may serve to perfect the map of Virginia.

By Mr. Collier: That the Committee on Confederate Relations make inquiry to ascertain whether the funds have been furnished to the proper disbursing officers for paying the soldiers in the ranks of our army; and that they apply to the Quartermaster-General of the Confederate States to ascertain how long it was since any, and what portion, of the army, as large as a brigade, east of the Mississippi, were paid off prior to the 1st of January, 1865; and, if need be, to extend the inquiry why the payment of this needed debt has been so long delayed; and that they report and recommend what measures, if any, can be adopted by the General Assembly to prompter disbursement of the appropriations by Congress for that purpose.

One o'clock having arrived, the Senate went into secret session.

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House of Delegates.

House met at 12 M. Prayer by Rev. Dr. Tennent, of the Episcopal Church.

A communication was received from the Board of Public Works in response to a resolution of inquiry into certain statistics in their control; and, pending the reading of the document, it was, on motion, referred to the Joint Committee on Salt.

An act to authorize the Planters' Insurance Trust and Loan Companies of Georgia to establish branches in the State, and confer certain powers and privileges.

A bill to authorize the settlement of the claims of James E. Smith, and his company, for services rendered as partizan rangers.

The Committee on Military Affairs reported adversely to the resolution of inquiry as to whether the law abolishing the office of paymaster wants amendment.

Mr. Smith, of Russell, sent to the Clerk's desk, and caused to be read, a series of resolutions deploring the war and looking to the attainment of peace by the arbitrament of diplomacy and negotiation, the sword having failed.

The resolutions, after much discussion, were indefinitely postponed.

Rather antagonistic to peace and the peace resolutions, then under discussion, was the appearance at the right hand of the Speaker's chair of Captain Raphael Semmes, commander of the lost Alabama, the "Terror of the Seas."

On motion of Mr. Magruder, the Chair was vacated for ten minutes, and the members, officers of the House, and visitors present, were personally introduced to Captain Semmes by the Speaker of the House.

Business was then resumed, and Captain Semmes remained a witness of the proceedings for a few minutes and retired.

Mr. Staples, of Patrick, submitted the following resolution, and was heard in its advocacy:

"Resolved, That the Committee of Courts of Justice inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill to provide for the calling of a convention of the people of Virginia."

Mr. Haymond, of Marion, opposed the reference of the resolution, and the House refused to refer.

The preamble and resolutions adopted by the Fourteenth Virginia infantry, Stewart's brigade, Pickett's division, adopted at a meeting of the command, and having reference to the war and peace, were received in the House and read.

Pending some remarks by Mr. Worsham, of Dinwiddie, upon the spirit of the resolutions, the hour (1 o'clock) for the consideration of the secret calendar arrived, and the doors were closed for the day.