House of Delegates.
Saturday, March 16, 1861.
The
House was called to order at 11 o'clock, by the Speaker, and opened with prayer by
Rev. George Pettigrew, of the
Reformed Church.
Senate Bills Passed.--Incorporating the
Oxford Cotton and Woolen Company; incorporating the Insurance Company of the
State of Virginia at
Richmond; authorizing the sale of certain church property in the town of
Moorfield,
Hardy county; incorporating the
Home Mining and Manufacturing Company; amending the act incorporating the
Springfield and Deep Run Coal Mining and Manufacturing Company; Senate bill in relation to the devise made by
Joel Osborne, to the Alexandria, Loudon and Hampshire Railroad Company, were read three times, and on motion of
Mr. Ball, passed — ayes 87, noes 16; Senate bill allowing compensation to P. A. &
J. C. Fowlkes, for the arrest of three convicts,on motion of
Mr. Crump, was taken up and passed — ayes 82, noes 24.
Message from the Senate.--A message was received from the Senate, through
Mr. Paxton, who informed the House of Delegates, that that body had passed a bill to incorporate the Southern Express Company.
On motion of
Mr. Haymond, the bill was laid on the table.
Adverse Report.--
Mr. Kemper, from the Military Committee, reported adversely to the passage of Senate bill, authorizing the
Loch Leven Rangers, of
Lunenburg, to organize with a less number than now required by law.
Calling a New Convention.--On motion of
Mr. Jones, of
Appomattox.
Resolved, That the
Committee on Elections be instructed to inquire into the expediency of taking the sense of the voters of the
Commonwealth, in respect to the propriety of calling another Sovereign Convention, and of abolishing and superseding the present Convention.
The ayes and noes were called for on its adoption and resulted:
Ayes.--
Messrs. Ballard,
Crawford H. Jones,
Kemper,
Ligon,
McCamant,
McDowell,
Tomlin, and
Witten.--8.
Noes.--75.
Indefinitely Postponed.--The
House proceeded to the consideration of Senate bill incorporating the
Queen's Point Division, No. 28, of the Sons of Temperance, in the county of
Hampshire.
Mr. Gibson moved that the bill be read the third time.
Pending the consideration of which
Mr. Duckwall moved the indefinite postponement of the bill, (in order to allow him to speak thereon,) and the question being on agreeing thereto,
Mr. Cowan demanded the previous question, which was sustained by the
House, and being put, was decided in the affirmative.
Petition.--
Mr. Edwards presented the petition of
Alexander Nowlin, of
Franklin county, for remission of a fine.
Resolutions of Inquiry into Expediency.--The following resolutions were offered: By
Mr. Sherwood, of refunding to
Silas Neese, of
Hampshire county, the sum of $40 paid by him as land tax; by
Mr. Morris, of reporting a bill incorporating the Marshall County Oil and Mining Company; by
Mr. Watts, of refunding to
Captain,
Sprague, of the schooner
Wm. H. Rutan, a fine paid by him for an alleged violation of the inspection law; by
Mr. Welch, of reporting a bill to settle the boundary line between the counties of
Clay and
Kanawha, so as to definitely restore the county of
Kanawha to the original line between said county of
Kanawha and
Nicholas county, and establish that as the county line between
Kanawha and
Clay county; by
Mr. D. Gibson, of establishing an inspection of leather at New Creek Station, in the county of
Hampshire, or providing a general law on that subject; by
Mr. Preston, of sending a copy of the Code of
Virginia, and of the Acts of the Assembly, to the Library of each chartered College in the
State, that may make such request through the
Representative of the county in which such college may be located; by
Mr. Nelson, of reporting a bill authorizing the County Court of Fluvanna to appropriate such portion of the funds as they may deem proper, already raised, or hereafter to be raised, by the issue of county bonds under the act ‘"authorizing the county Courts of the
Commonwealth to raise funds for relieving the citizens,"’ to the uniforming and equipping of volunteer companies; by
Mr. Gilmer, of authorizing the raising of a cavalry company of 45 strong, at Pittsylvania Court-House.
Adjourned.
