General Assembly of Virginia.
[extra session.]
Senate.
Tuesday. Jan. 22, 1861.
Called to order at 12 o'clock.
Prayer by Rev. C. H. Read, of the Presbyterian Church.
Reports of Committees.--The Committee on General Laws asked to be discharged from the further consideration of the resolution for incorporating the Bedford Paint Bank, and the resolution for incorporating the Virginia and Ohio Telegraph Company, and authorizing a subscription on the part of the State.
The following bills were reported: A bill to amend the act, passed April 1st, 1858, entitled ‘"an act to amend the charter of the Wytheville Savings Bank;"’ House bill to defray expenses of statue of Jefferson: a bill for the relief of Rowland Fletcher; a bill for the relief of P. D. Lipscomb, Clerk of Prince William county; a bill to refund to Jas. S. Connell and Daniel Paisley a sum of money, improperly paid; a bill for the relief of J. R. Hathaway: a bill for the relief of Thos. L. Jordan, of Wayne county: a petition of John Goode and others, securities of Henry Gordon, late Sheriff of Powhatan county.
Resolutions.--The following resolutions of inquiry were adopted and appropriately referred: By Mr. Neal, of reporting Senate bill No. 423 of last, session, for incorporating the Parkersburg Bridge Company; by Mr. Paxton, referring so much of the Governor's Message as relates to sale of the works, property and franchises of the James River and Kanawha Company to M. Beloit de Minteres & Co., to the Committee of Roads and Internal Navigation; by Mr. Quesenberry, of reporting a bill for the relief of the infant children of H. H. Samuel, of the State of Alabama, so as to compensate them for a slave condemned for felony in the County Court of Amherst; by Mr. French petition of J. O. Cox, to be refunded a certain amount of fees paid to the Register of the Land Office, and by him into the treasury: by Mr. Carraway, of reporting a special act authorizing the Governor to commission the ‘"Home Guard"’ of the city of Portsmouth, as an independent company, and to furnish the same with efficient arms; by Mr. Johnson, of reducing the minimum number of Directors of the independent Banks of this Commonwealth.
Bills Reported.--A bill changing the time of holding the terms of the Circuit Courts of the counties of Hardy and Page; a bill for the relief of Benjamin and Isaac Deford, of Morgan county; a bill to amend the act passed March 14th, 1860, for the relief of Hugh Crolly and Patrick McCune: a bill allowing the Northwestern Bank of Virginia and any of its branches to establish an agency in the city of Richmond for the redemption of its circulating notes; a bill amending and re-enacting the act entitled "an act to incorporate the Jackson Orphan Asylum of Norfolk, passed Feb. 26, 1856; a bill to amend an act passed Jan. 3d, 1860, entitled ‘"an act to incorporate the Virginia Life Insurance Company;"’ a bill to incorporate the Merchants' Savings Bank of Richmond; a bill for the relief of Robert Y. Overby, of Mecklenburg county on account of erroneous taxes paid; a bill to incorporate the Virginia Boot and Shoe Manufacturing Company; a bill authorizing the Board of Public Works to confirm the sale of the Marysville Plank-Road to the county of Charlotte: a bill for the relief of Patrick H. Scott, of Halifax county.
A message was received from Gov. Letcher, transmitting a copy of the joint resolutions adopted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, relative to the condition of the country, and pledging the power and resources of Ohio for the maintenance of the Constitution and Laws of the General Government, by whomsoever administered.
[See House proceedings.]
Laid on the table, and the message of the Executive ordered to be printed.
The Ordnance Bureau.--The House bill establishing an Ordnance Bureau, which was re-committed to the Committee on Military Affairs yesterday, and which had been again reported without amendment, was taken up and passed unanimously.
A Million for Defence.--The bill appropriating one million dollars for the defence of the State was next taken up, when
Mr. Newlon proposed to amend by providing that at least three-fourths of the amount appropriated should be expended for arms.--Rejected.
Mr. Newlon then offered an independent section, providing that the arms so purchased should be distributed among the militia in the exposed border counties, and along the borders of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, equally with the other portions of the State.
Adopted.
Mr. Paxton offered an amendment giving the Colonel of Ordnance authority to contract with parties in the State for altering arms, and thus obviate the necessity of the purchase of machinery for such purpose.
Pending the consideration of the amendment,
On motion, the Senate adjourned. 