The Legislature.
--In the Senate,
Mr. Christian, of
Augusta, offered a resolution that the
Committee for Courts of Justice inquire what additional legislation may be necessary to prevent the abuse of the privilege of distillation under contracts with the C. S. Government, and, if possible, to limit the consumption of grain under such privilege.
The bill to authorize an increase of the capital stock of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Company gave rise to some discussion, and the bill was finally laid upon the table.
The bill for the reorganization of the penitentiary was passed by a vote of 30 to 7.
House bill for the relief of
Wm. F. Ritchie, Public Printer, was passed.
The bill for the commutation of pay of members of the General Assembly was taken up, but not finally acted upon.
A committee of conference was appointed, consisting of the Military Committee of the Senate, to confer with the
House on the disagreeing votes of the two House on the militia bill.
In the
House, a resolution was submitted by
Mr. Scott, directing the
Committee for Courts of Justice to inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill authorizing Common Councils or other authorities of the cities of this Commonwealth to take immediate measures to ascertain the amount of provisions, usually called necessaries of life, hoarded, stored away, or withheld from sale, in their several cities, also, to provide by bill for the seizure and sale of all such articles so stored away and withheld from sale.
The resolution was agreed to.
Mr. Winston submitted a resolution recommending that the
Committee for Courts of Justice inquire into the expediency of increasing the compensation of Commonwealth attorneys, and the fees of commissioners of the revenue, clerks of corporation and county courts, and county surveyors, and report by bill or otherwise.
A bill was reported to amend and reenact the 17th section of the 61st chapter of the Code, to give priority of transportation for food to consumers.
A resolution was offered by
Mr. Pendleton, that the
Committee on Public Printing inquire what legislation is necessary on the subject of the public printing, and why the journal of the
House is not more promptly furnished by the public printer.
The resolution was agreed to.
The bill to authorize the impressment of slaves for the repair of the Central Railroad was taken up, discussed, and ordered to its engrossment by a vote of 53 to 31.
Mr. Cummings offered a resolution, which was agreed to, for the appointment of a special committee of five to inquire into alleged grievances in
Washington county, complained of by the
County Court of said county.
On motion of
Mr. Anderson the order of the day was postponed and the rules suspended, with a view to take up the bill to reorganize the militia of the
Commonwealth and to consider the amendments of the Senate.
The amendments by the
House, which were disagreed to by the Senate, were again put to the vote, and, with several unimportant exceptions, all were insisted upon by the
House.
The Senate's amendments were similarly disposed of. The
House therefore authorized the appointment of a Committee of Conference, which was appointed.
The report of the
Committee on Elections, in the contested case from
Halifax county, between
David Chalmers, the sitting member, and
Geo. H. West, the contestant, was taken up.
Mr. Chalmers addressed the
House in support of his own claims, and was followed by
Mr. West, who was speaking when the hour for adjournment arrived, and the
House adjourned.
