House of Delegates.
Tuesday, March 18, 1862.
The House was called to order at 11 o'clock, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Converse.
A communication was received from the Senate covering sundry bills, which were disposed of in the usual manner.
Mr. Fleming reported a bill authorizing the sale of certain property at Oak Grove Church, Pocahontas county, which was ordered to be engrossed.
The majority and minority reports from the committee to which was referred the subject of what constitutes a constitutional majority of this House, were taken up and read by the Clerk.
A message was received from the Senate, informing the House that the former body had dissented from the action of the House on the bill relating to the Kanawha and James river canal.
Mr. Robertson submitted a report from the Committee on Banks, returning senate bill exempting certain corporations, &c., from legal penalties and liability to personal actions by reason of their violations of existing laws, provided that in cases where such banks, corporations, or societies, have already been indicted, or against which personal actions have been instituted, such banks, &c., shall pay all the costs of such indictments or actions before being entitled to the benefits of this bill.
Mr. Woodson opposed the exemption of shinplaster institutions from the well-merited penalties they have incurred by palming upon suffering communities the worthless nostrums with which the country is flooded.
He exhibited a curious specimen, ragged, torn, and shapeless, the remnant apparently of an original parallelogram of brown paper, with ‘"10 cents"’ branded on its corner, to show the kind of currency in circulation at Harrisonburg.
Mr. W. said he could not get for this note half a pint of peanuts in Richmond.
Mr. Fleming exhibited a good conditioned 50 cent note of the Metropolitan Savings Bank of the City of Richmond, which he said no one would touch in the very city where it was issued, and he hoped, therefore, such corporations would be held to their strict legal accountability.
The bill as reported from the committee was put upon its passage, and was passed — ayes 48; noes 33.
On motion of Mr. Rives, it was resolved that the white male youths of the rural districts under 18 years of age be required to perform patrol duty.
The Senate returned the bill under the title of Kanawha river and James river canal, with a message announcing that body had dissented from the action of the House thereon.
The House receded from its disagreement to the Senate amendments, and the bill was passed — ayes 67, noes 18.
On motion of Mr. Edmonds, Senate bill making an appropriation of $10,000 to the Civil Contingent Fund, was taken up, put on its third reading, and passed — ayes 78, noes 0.
On motion of Mr. Lockridge, a joint resolution exempting from the operations of the Governor's proclamation of the 10th March, 1862, a master machinist, a mas or spinner and a master carder in cotton manufactories — amended, on motion of Mr. James, so as to include woolen manufactories — was adopted.
On motion of Mr. Hunter, the law protecting persons from executions, safes, &c., for a limited period, was taken up, and Mr. Hunter moved to amend so as to provide for the pay-
ment of interest scorning and becoming due before the time when the principal shall become due.
Mr. Bradford moved that the bill and amendment be indefinitely postponed; and the yeas and have being ordered the motion was rejected.
[This motion, had it prevailed, would have left the Stay Law, as adopted by the Convention, in full force]
Mr. Harrison proposed some other amendments, and the bill was further discussed and amended, when.
On motion of Mr. Evans, the House adjourned. 