The Daily Dispatch: January 17, 1861., [Electronic resource]

House of Delegates.

Prayer by Rev. C. H. Read, of the United Presbyterian Church.

Gen. Henry Lee.--The Speaker announced the Special Committee appointed under the motion of Mr. Robertson, of R, to take into consideration the petition of cavalry and other volunteer corps of Virginia asking an appropriation for the removal to this State, from Georgia, of the remains of Gen. Harry Lee, of revolutionary memory, as follows: Messrs. Robertson, McCamant, McGruder, Mallory and Gibson.

Bills Reported.--The following bills were reported, viz: Amending the 1st section of an act to prevent trespasses, depredations, &c., along the borders of the Potomac and other tide-waters in the counties of Fairfax, Stafford and King George; incorporating the Virginia Boot and Shoe Manufacturing Company; granting the Commonwealth's right to the real estate of John Kelly, deceased, to Owen Shee; to defray the expenses of a pedestal, setting up and transporting the statue of Jefferson; increasing the capital stock of Elk River Turnpike Company; for the voluntary enslavement of B. W. Love and Isaac Burnett, without compensation to the Commonwealth; amending the act of 27th March, 1858, incorporating the town of Frankfort, in Greenbrier; incorporating the Sweet Chaly beat Springs Company; to give effect to the 19th clause of the 4th article of the Constitution.

All of the above bills were read twice.

Federal Relations.--Mr. Barbour, from the Joint Committee on Federal Relations, made a report in relation to the resolution submitted by Mr. Smith, of Amherst. He asked permission for the committee to sit during the session of the House, which was granted. He stated that some important information had recently come in possession of the committee, which rendered this necessary. The report of the committee reads as follows:

‘ Resolved, That, in the opinion of the General Assembly, it would be inexpedient for the Federal Government, under existing circumstances, to make any addition to the military forces in any of the forts, arsenals or naval stations in Virginia, inasmuch as any such increase of force would be liable to misconstruction, and tend to create uneasiness in the public mind.

’ Resolved, That the Governor be requested to adopt immediate measures for obtaining information as to the purpose of the Executive of the General Government with respect to strengthening the military force in the arsenals and fortifications within the limits of this Commonwealth.

Resolved, That the foregoing resolutions be communicated by the Governor of this Commonwealth to the President of the United States.

Commissioners of the Revenue.--The bill allowing persons elected Commissioners of the Revenue at the last general election, and who failed to quality within the time prescribed by law, to qualify as such in certain cases, was read three times and passed.

James City Circuit Court, &c.--Senate bill changing the time of holding the terms of the Circuit Courts of James City, the city of Williamsburg, and county of Henrico, was read twice and referred to the Committee of Courts of Justice.

Adverse Reports.--The following were presented: By Mr. Magruder, a report adverse to the petition of W. B. Wooldridge and T. C. Howard, asking a reassessment of certain lands. An adverse report was also returned from the Committee of Propositions and Grievances, on the resolution to change the place of holding election in the Sperryville precinct of Rappahannock county. Agreed to.

Petitions.--The following petitions were presented and referred: By Mr. Thompson, the petition of Geo. C. Bowyer, and others, asking to have refunded to them certain money paid by them as sureties, &c.; by Mr. Watson, the petition of citizens of Pulaski in reference to the Southwestern Turnpike; by Mr. Gilmer, of Pittsylvania, the petition of officers and volunteers composing Company "H," 101st Regiment Virginia Militia, praying to be relieved from attending regimental musters; by Mr. Rives, the petition of citizens of Surry for the formation of a rifle volunteer company; by Mr. Saunders, the petition of Henry R. Jones, for an increase of salary as Clerk of the Virginia Penitentiary.

Resolutions.--The following resolutions of inquiry into expediency were read and referred, viz: By Mr. McGehee, of authorizing the County Court of Charlotte county to levy a tax of six thousand dollars to arm the volunteers and militia of said county; by Mr. Bassell, of suspending for one year the whole unexpended appropriation for internal improvement, and to report the bill of the last session levying a tax of one per cent, on the sales of all merchants in the State, to be collected only upon one sale, and also the special license bill of the last session; by Mr. Collier, of amending the charter of the Planters' Savings Bank of Petersburg; by Mr. Miller, of repealing or modifying the usury laws; by Mr. Lockridge, of reporting a bill refunding to W. L. Heald a sum of money paid by him on an erroneous assessment of taxes; by Mr. Richardson, of reporting a bill to enable the town of South Wheeling to dispose of some of the real estate belonging thereto; by Mr. Hopkins, of reporting a bill relieving Walter Preston and others from an erroneous assessment of land in Wise county; by Mr. Magruder, of incorporating the Augusta and Rockbridge Lumber Company; by Mr. Witten, of amending the act incorporating the Northwestern Bank of Virginia; by Mr. Graham, of reporting a bill amending the charter of the Raleigh and Grayson Turnpike Company; by Mr. Rives, of authorizing the formation of a rifle company, in Surry county, of not less than 35 rank and file; by Mr. Boreman, of authorizing Senate bill 467, for the extension of the Belleville and Williamsport Turnpike to Ravenswood, in Jackson county; by Mr. D. Gibson, of referring to the Committee on Finance so much of the Governor's Message as relates to the appointment of Commissioners, under the act of 23d January last; by Mr. Woolfolk, of remitting a fine imposed on Richard Chapman; by Mr. Montague, of relieving Floyd Smith, late sheriff of Montgomery; by Mr. Baskerville, of repealing so much of the act of April 20th, 1858, as provides that branch banks shall redeem their notes at the parent banks, and that independent banks shall establish agencies at Richmond and Baltimore; by Mr. Christian, of amending the 15th standing rule of the House so as to provide for the more steady printing of bills; by Mr. Hackley, of amending the 3d chap. of the statutes of 1859; by Mr. Lundy, of authorizing such volunteer companies as have not already been provided with arms by the State, to purchase arms, the quality and quantity to be defined and limited by law, and that for such sum so expended said companies shall be reimbursed out of the treasury; by Mr. Jett, of allowing Silla Rich, a free woman of color, to enslave herself; by Mr. Welch, of incorporating a company to construct a railroad from Charleston, in Kanawha, up Elk river, to such point as may be deemed necessary to accommodate the trade; by Mr. Kyle, of reducing the act of limitations in actions of ejectment.

Lunatic Asylums.--On motion of Mr. Christian, it was

Resolved, That the Committee on Lunatic Asylums inquire into the expediency of changing the names of the several Asylums, for their more convenient designation, as follows, respectively, viz: into "The Eastern Lunatic Asylum," "The Central Lunatic Asylum," and "The Northwestern Lunatic Asylum."

Referred to the Committee on Lunatic Asylums.

Depredations on Tide-water.--On motion of Mr. Seddon, a special committee, consisting of Messrs. Seddon, Rutherford and Newton, was appointed to take into consideration the subject of depredations on certain tide-waters of Virginia, and suggest a remedy therefore.

Judge Hopkins' Speech.--On motion of Mr. Seddon, a committee was appointed to solicit from Hon. A. F. Hopkins, Commissioner from Alabama, for publication, a copy of his speech before the General Assembly, on Monday, January 15th.

On motion, adjourned.