House of delegates.
saturday, Jan. 26, 1861.
The House was called to order at 12 o'clock M., by Mr. Hopkins, of Washington county.
Prayer by Rev. J. B. Jeter, of the 3d Baptist Church.
A communication was received from the Senate informing the House of the passage of House bill entitled an ‘--"act authorizing the payment of forfeited commissions and damages to the executor of Charles Holden, Dec'd, late Sheriff of the county of Harrison;--’ and Senate bills ‘--for the relief of Charity Casey,--’ and ‘--authorizing the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad Company to construct a branch of their road to some point on the North Carolina line, and to increase its capital stock.--’
The bill for the relief of Charity Casey was taken up, and being explained, was passed.
The bill concerning the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad was taken up and read, when a motion was submitted by Mr. Watts to lay the bill on the table.
Opposed by Messrs. Bisbie, Segar, Riddick, Collier, and others.
The House refused to lay the bill on the table.
Mr. Watts then offered the following amendment.
--Be it further enacted, That the said contemplated branch shall in no point be located west of the meridian of the town of Suffolk, and that no connection shall be made with the Wilmington and Weldon Road, or any branch or extension of it. --
The amendment was voted down, and the bill being put on its passage was carried in the affirmative.
Bills Reported.--The following bills were reported from Committees, viz: By Mr. Bisbie, from the Committee on Agriculture and Manufactures, ‘"a bill to amend the charter of the Virginia Car-Spring Company;"’ by Mr. Montague, from the Committee on Courts of Justice, ‘"a bill authorizing the Board of Public Works to appoint Commissioners to estimate and report losses sustained by Wm. W. King, in the construction of the fourteenth section of the Ohio River and Maryland Turnpike Road;"’ also, ‘"a bill authorizing the Board of Public Works to appoint Commissioners to estimate and report upon losses sustained by John Conaway, in the construction of the Fairmont and Wheeling Turnpike Road."’
Adverse Report.--Mr. Jones, of Gloucester, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported that the committee had under consideration a resolution referred to them to inquire into the expediency of authorizing such volunteer companies as have not already been provided with arms by the State, to purchase arms, the quantity and quality to be defined by law, &c., and had passed a resolution to the effect that it is inexpedient to legislate on the subject.
Petitions.--The following petitions were presented: By Mr. Leftwitch.
the petition of the securities of Robert O. Doss, late Sheriff of the county of Campbell; by Mr. Chapman, the petition of sundry citizens of the counties of Monroe, Giles and Craig, praying the passage of an act incorporating a company to construct a turnpike road from Newport, in the county of Giles, to the Gap Mills, in the county of Monroe.
Resolutions.--The following resolutions of inquiry into expediency were presented and referred, viz: By Mr. Evans, of reporting a bill for the relief of Wm. H. Winder, of Mathews county; by Mr. McKenzie, of instructing a special committee to inquire into the expediency of painting the Capital.
Bank Relief Bill.--The House proceeded to the consideration of the unfinished business of yesterday, being the ryder offered by Mr. McKenzie to the bill for the temporary relief of the banks of this Commonwealth, which had been returned passed by the Senate with certain amendments.
The pending question was, shall the bill and ryder be laid on the table.
After debate, the House refused to lay it on the table.
The ryder offered by Mr. McKenzie, reading as follows: ‘
Provided, That the Banks shall not, during the suspension of specie payment, charge and receive damages on drafts for non-payment, nor charge or receive between Baltimore and Virginia, during the suspension of Maryland, a greater rate of exchange than one per cent. ’
Was discussed by Messrs. McKenzie, Robertson and Keen
Mr. Keen said he was opposed to the ryder.
He concurred fully in the objects proposed to be obtained in a part of it, and would most cheerfully vote for the repeal of that section of the Code which provides 3 per cent damages on drafts.
They should not be discounted unless in good faith, and when thus made, and the parties failed to pay, for commercial, political, or other reasons, it is a misfortune which the drawer should not be compelled to suffer for. It was enough that the drawer should be compelled to pay principal and interest.
As to the object sought to be obtained, he was opposed to it. This House could not regulate the exchanges of the country.
The result of adopting the ryder would be to lessen the competition in the sale of exchanges.
Deprive the Banks of its sale, and you throw it all in the hands of the brokers, thus benefiting them and damaging corporations in which the State is interested.
Nor would the people derive any benefit.
At another time, and in another bill, he should seek to obtain the objects sought in the first part of the ryder.
Mr. Sibert submitted a motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on Banks.
The question being stated, Mr. Rutherford said he favored the motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on Banks.
As originally reported, it was simply a bill to legalize the suspension of specie payment.
But one amendment had been adopted which embraced the repeal of the redemption law; another had been adopted which, in advance, authorized the suspension of specie payments by any Bank hereafter to be incorporated; and an amendment was now pending relating to the subject of exchange.
Upon none of these subjects had the Committee on Banks reported, and it was peculiarly desirable that on subjects of such difficulty and importance, the House should be aided by the judgment of its standing committee, having these subjects peculiarly in charge.
At a proper time, Mr. R. would propose a change in the existing law, with the view of putting an end to the practice of the Banks in discounting time paper payable at the North, in preference to paper payable in Virginia.
Mr. Smith, of Amherst, called the previous question, which was sustained.
Mr. Boreman demanded the yeas and nays, and the same being ordered, the motion to recommit was lost — yeas 44, nays 65.
The question recurring, shall the ryder be engrossed and read a third time, the House refused, on a call of the yeas and nays, 27 to 73.
The bill was then put on its passage, and carried in the affirmative.
On motion of Mr. Haymond, the title was amended by striking out the word ‘--temporary.--’
State Defence.--Mr. Smith, of Kanawha, moved to take up bill appropriating one million of dollars for the defence of the State.
A discussion ensued, pending which
The House adjourned. 