General Assembly of Virginia.
Senate
Monday, March 17, 1862.
The Senate was called to order at 13 o'clk M., the
President in the chair.
Prayer by
the Rev. Mr. Brows, of the Presbyterian Church.
A communication was received from the
Governor, transmitting a report from the
Adjutant General of the
State, showing what has been done in carrying out the act of the Legislature of the 8th February last; where-upon,
On motion of
Mr. Issell, the Senate went into Executive session.
The doors being again opened, at 1 o'clock,
Mr. Collike submitted the following resolution, which was adopted, and on his motion was communicated to the House of Delegates:
Resolved by the General Assembly, That the clerks of District Courts of
Virginia be, and they are hereby declared to be, severally exempt from military duty, under the proclamation of the
Governor of the 10th March, 1862; and in case the said clerks are drafted under any law to supply the quota of the
State to the Confederate Government, or either of them, authority and directions are hereby given that such clerk, in such case, shall deposit the papers and records of his office for safe-keeping with the clerk of seme other Court of Records where such District Courts are required by law to be held.
Bills passed
A bill authorizing the
Auditor of Public Accounts to suspend the institution of legal proceedings against the
Sheriff of certain counties; (those counties occupied by the
Federal forces;) a bill to redress loyal citizens injured by the exercise of usurped power.
On motion of
Mr. Coghill, a bill providing for the trial of persons charged with offences committed in counties now in possession of the enemy, or threatened with immediate invasion, was taken up and ordered to a third reading.
The tax bill,
The bill ‘"imposing taxes for the support of Government"’ being the order of the day, it was, on motion of
Mr. Brannon, taken up.
Mr. Beanson moved to amend the 11th section, imposing a tax of two per centum upon ‘"the estate of a decent which passes under his will or by descent to any other person, or for any other use than to or for the use of the father, mother, husband, wife, nephew, niece, or lineal descendant of such decedent,"’ by striking out the words ‘"nephew, niece"’
Mr. Robertson opposed the striking out at some length.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr. Brannon moved to further amend the bill by inserting the following as an independent section:
On all estates which, under the effect or by the provisions of the
Sequestration Act of the Confederate Congress, or any act amendatory thereof, may pare otherwise than by purchase to any person, there shall be a tax of two per centurn on the value thereof.
The amendment was adopted.
Mr. Lynch moved to amend that part of the 12th section concerning railroads, impaling ‘"a tax of 1 ½ mills on each passenger for every ten miles,"’ by striking out ‘"one and a half,"’ and inserting ‘"one"’ in lien thereof.
The motion was advocated by
Messrs. Fragter,
Coghill, and
Quesenberry, and opposed by
Messrs. Brannon,
Newton, and
Isbell.
Mr. Lynch subsequently withdrew the motion, which was renewed by
Mr. Quesenberry.
The amendment was lost.
Mr. Whittle offered the following as an independent section:
‘"On every person who, by the exemption law of the
State, has been exempted from military city by reason of being engaged in the particular pursuits in the said law mentioned, there shall be a tax of--."’
The amendment was opposed by
Messrs. Brannon,
Wilet, and Quesenberry, and finally withdrawn.
On motion of
Mr. Brannon, the 32d and 38d sections, in relation to distilleries, were stricken out; in lien of the first of which he then moved to insert the following:
‘
"On every license to distill ardent spirits from fruit, vegetables, molasses, sugars, or syrups, the tax shall be $35."
’
Opposed by
Messrs. Nask and Bkanch.
Mr. Thomas moved to amend by adding: ‘"Where the distillery shall be in operation more than three months in any calendar year."’
The amendment was lost; when,
On motion of
Mr. Newton, the Senate adjourned.
