General Assembly of Virginia.
Monday, January 19, 1863.
Senate--The Senate was called to order at 12 o'clock M., by Lieutenant Governor Montague.--The following resolutions of inquiry into expediency were offered; By Mr. Alderson, of repasting the 81st section of the act imposing, taxes for the support of the Government, passed 27th March, 1862, so that the Sheriffs and Commissioners of the Revenue of Virginia shall receive the same compensation as if said not had never passed; by Mr. Brannon, of reporting a bill making an appropriation of money to provide socks for distribution to the soldiers of this State in the Confederate service, by Mr. Bales, of refunding to Isaiah Wynn, of Lee county, the amount of taxes with which he was illegally assessed; by Mr. Queserbarry, of exempting slaves in those counties contiguous to the enemy from the penalties of the act to provide for the public defence, passed October 3, 1862; by Mr. , of Augusta of postponing the general Virginia from the 4th day in May to the 4th Thursday in October, 1863, by Mr. Messon, of further legislation to promote the Confederate policy of repressing atrocities of the public enemy.
Mr. Brannon presented the petition of F. W. Haymond, asking payment of executes incurred in organizing a company of in the county of the Committee on Military Affairs.
The joint resolution, offered by Mr. Collier on the 17th, to inquire into the expediency and justice of increasing the per diem of the members of the next General Assembly, was taken up and adopted.
The bill to amend and re-enact section 20, chapter 108, of the Code of Virginia, of 1860, relative to the duties of Commissioners of the Revenue, was taken up and passed.
The death of James K. Marshall, Senator from Fauquier and Rappahannock, was announced in a few feeling remarks by his successor, Mr. D. J. Marshall.
He offered resolutions, whose adopt on was moved by Mr. Carson and Mr. Johnson.
The letter paid a glowing tribute to the memory of the deceased, who, he said, was estimable in all the relations of life.
The resolutions, which read as follows were then adopted: ‘
Resolved, unanimously, That the Senate of Virginia deeply the death of James K. Marshall, who at the time of his decease, was a member of this body from the Senatorial district composed of Fauquier, and Rappahannock counties; and that we tender to his widow our sincere sympathies in this most bereavement.
Resolved; That in testimony of respect for the memory of the deceased, the Senate do now adjourn. ’
Adjourned.
House of Delegates.--The House met at 12 M. Prayer by Rev. Mr. Peter
A message was received from the Senate, covering the resolution of Mr. Whittle recruiting, in appropriate terms, the noble conduct and self sacrificing devotion to the cause of the South evinced by the women of Virginia during the present war, in attentions to equipping the soldiers, , and proposing that when the present war shall have ended, a suitable monument he erected to their memory.
Referred to Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Anderson, from the Committee on Military Affairs, presented in for the establishment of State .
Mr. Magrader presented a petition from S. I. terman & Bro., merchants in Charlottesville, complaining of the injustice of impressment in certain cases, alleging that upon one single hogshead of sugar they suffered a loss of $510 upon ; and asking that some legislative enactment be adopted in relation to the system.
Mr. Saunders, of Campbell called up the resolution submitted of Saturday, providing for a committee of five to confer with the Secretary of War, with a view of devising some other arrangement to provide for the wants of the army, than the present arbitrary rule of impressment.
The was sustained by Messrs Saunders, Prince, Brafford, and others--Mr. Prince reading a letter from a gentleman in Southampton, bitterly complaining of the inequality which the impressment system, inflicted upon the producing farms of Virginia, and citing several instances the matter.
Mr. Hunter said the Secretary of War had nothing to do with the subject.
It was wholly with the Quartermaster's Department, and the instructions from that officer relative to impressments are entirely satisfactory to everybody.
These impressments were resorted to as a matter of necessity, and any injustice that might be inflicted was the fault of incompetent officers; and he moved as an amendment to the resolution just proposed, that instead of the Secretary of War, that the committee of five confer with the committee of the Confederate Congress on Impressments, &c.
Mr. Saunders of Franklin, submitted an amendment to the amendment authorizing the committee on the part of the House to confer with the Confederate authorities.
Mr. Hunter withdrew his amendment.
Mr. Robinson, of Richmond offered a resolution proposing a committee of nine, on the part of the House, to inquire into the injury, and grievances suffered by the citizens of this State from arbitrary impressments, and report what legislation is necessary to prevent the same.
Mr. James moved to submit the resolution to the Committee on Confederate Relations.
Mr. Noland, of Londoun advocated the resolution of the gentleman from Campbell.
He thought that a conference with the Secretary of War would satisfy this House that that officer was doing all in his power to properly regulate the impressment system, and caused to be read by the Clerk a edute of instructions recently issued on the subject.
Mr. Buthe was glad that this subject had been brought to the attention of the House.
These impressments were the most arbitrary ever exercised by any Government and legislation.
The resolutions and amendments were finally referred to the Committee on Confederate Relations.
The Speaker announced the following gentleman as composing the Committee on Confederate Relations: Messrs. Newton, Rives, Robertson, of Richmond, , Hunter, Barbous, Gratton, Saunders, of Campbell, Dehusy, Base, Metlement, ston, and
Mr. offered a resolution our Senators, and requesting our Representatives in Congress to use their influence to procure the passage of an act regulating impressments.
He to Committee on Confederate Relations.
Mr. submitted a resolution instructing the Committee on Confederate Relation to inquire what is required to secure con to such persons as have; or may , furnish fact and supplies to the of the Confederacy, without receiving pay for the same.
Agreed to.
Mr. Bourdin moved to take up bill No. 40, for limiting the production of tobacco, and encouraging the cultivation of grain, which was agreed to. The bill the cultivation of tobacco to so each hand between the ages of fourteen and sixty-five, upon a of not less than $10 nor more than $5,000 and imprisonment for twelve months, and the forts of the entire ex raised beyond that in the bill.
Mr. Lynn moved to insert 1,000 hills instead of 5,000 and moved that the further consideration of the bill be postponed until Thursday, the 50 , which was rejected.
A discussion sprung up upon the merits of the bill, which was participated in by Messrs. Edmonds Bourdin, Lynn, Cezenove, Bass, and others, Mr. Cezenove moving to insert 3,000 hills of tobacco.
During the progress of the discussion Mr. Richardson moved that the House do now ajourn, which was curried. 