previous next


General Assembly of Virginia.


Senate.

Monday, December 11, 1865.

The Senate met at the usual hour, Lieutenant-Governor Gowper in the chair. Prayer by Rev. O. S. Barten, of Christ Church, Norfolk.

A message was received from the House of Delegates, announcing that they concurred in the Senate amendment fixing the time for election of State officers, and in the joint resolution to consider that part of the Governor's message relating to oysters and the oyster trade.

A joint resolution was received from the House, asking the appointment of a select committee to consider contracts between express and transportation companies and railroad companies for purposes of transportation Passed.

A message from the House, asking concurrence in an act to amend and re-enact an act to incorporate the Southern Express Company, passed March 22, 1861, and to incorporate the National Express Company. Read twice and referred to Committee on Roads and Internal Navigation.

A message from the House of Delegates, asking concurrence in relation to the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad Company. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Roads and Internal Navigation.

Mr. Davis, of Washington, offered a bill to amend the road law so as to tax real estate for the purpose of keeping roads in repair. Referred.

A resolution was offered by Mr. Bolling, of Petersburg, to appoint a committee of three to wait on the Governor, to ask if in his opinion, the office of Second Auditor could be dispensed with at the present time.

Mr. Boyd, of Botetourt, offered a resolution ordering the Committee on Courts of Justice to inquire into the expediency of establishing, by law, such rules in regard to the scaling of debts contracted when Confederate States Treasury notes constituted the currency of the country as will secure uniformity of decision.

On motion, the Senate adjourned.


House of Delegates.

The House met at 12 o'clock M.

The Chair announced the following as the select joint committees on oysters, freedmen and emigration, in pursuance of Senate joint resolution:

Committee on Oysters.--Messrs. Seawell, Garnett, Braxton, Straughan, Purdy, Smith, Bekem, Thompson, J. S. Davison, Towns, Wyatt and Lee.

Committee on Emigration.--Messrs. Herndon, Cabell, Waddell, Owen and Stearns.

Committee to Confer with the Superintendent of the Freedmen's Bureau. --Messrs. Atkinson, English, Brown, Mosby, Rixey, Holmes, Harris, Graves, J. McD. Taylor and Hardy.

Mr. Wall, from the Committee on Privileges and Elections, reported as follows:

Resolved. That J. H. C. Jones is entitled to a seat on the floor of the House of Delegates as the member elect from the district composed of the counties of King and Queen and King William, in the place of T. J. Christian, the sitting member.

After debate, in which both contestants were heard, the report of the committee was received and the resolution agreed to.

The House bill to amend and re-enact "an act to incorporate the Southern Express Company, passed March 22, 1861, and to incorporate the National Express and Transportation Company," was considered and passed.

House resolution relative to providing for having the public printing done by contract was referred to the Committee on Printing.

The House resolution relative to the payment of claims against the Eastern Lunatic Asylum was referred to the Committee on Lunatic Asylums.

By Mr. Waddell, of Augusta.--A resolution that the Committee of Roads and Internal Navigation inquire into the expediency of providing by law--

  1. 1. For withdrawing all State proxies and directors from the control and management of the public improvements in which the State is interested, and leaving the interests of the State to be managed in common with those of the private stockholders.
  2. 2. For appointing inspectors and accountants to make annual examinations of the management and condition of such improvements.
  3. 3. For exchanging the stock of the State in any such improvement for stocks or bonds at par, whenever and by whomsoever presented for such exchange. Agreed to.
House bill to authorize the County Court of Fauquier to borrow money for county purposes was considered and passed.

By Mr. Riggs, of Wise.--A resolution that the Committee on Roads and Internal Navigation inquire what legislation, if any, is necessary to secure the completion of the Virginia and Kentucky railroad, and report by bill or otherwise. Agreed to.

Mr. English, of Alexandria, introduced a bill to amend the charter of "The Fire Insurance Company of Alexandria." Referred to the Committee on Propositions and Grievances.

Mr. Robertson, of Alexandria, offered the following resolution, prefaced with a long preamble, which space does not permit us to give:

Resolved by the General Assembly of Virginia, That the General Government, unlike the absolute systems of the earth, that recognize obedience only, having given allowance to conflicting theories of sovereignty and allegiance that have existed from its formation, inviting opposing debates by the people, as shown in some degree by the preamble above, will, we earnestly hope, induce his Excellency the President of the United States to extend a general pardon to those persons now confined by the authority of the Government.

Resolved, That it is not the desire of the people of Virginia to obstruct or retard the restoration of the States to their constitutional position and functions in the General Government, but that, in common with all good men, North and South, it is their sincere and earnest wish, by all honorable means, to promote the same; that a firm re-union, with peace, prosperity and happiness, may everywhere prevail.

Resolved, That they pledge themselves, as far as they may have ability, to uphold and maintain the Executive of the United States in his arduous labor to restore order, stability and justice among the States, and peace and good will among the people. Sedition became hurtful to Roma when it gained, power above the laws.

On motion, by Mr. Hardy, of Norfolk, the preamble and resolutions were laid on the table and ordered to be printed.

By Mr. Mann.--A resolution that the Committee of Finance inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill staying the collection of all debts for two years, excepting fines, taxes, licenses, county levies and debts due the Commonwealth, and all debts due from sheriffs, constables and attorneys at law.

By Mr. Herndon.--A resolution of inquiry relative to limiting the jurisdiction of the Circuit Court of Richmond city in the probate of wills and granting administrations. Agreed to.

By Mr. Gratton.--A resolution of inquiry relative to authorizing fiduciaries having management of real estate during the minority, coverture, or other disability of the owners thereof, to make leases which may continue for a longer period than said disability. Agreed to.

By Mr. Merrett, of Brunswick.--A resolution of inquiry relative to amending second section of chapter one hundred and one of the Code of 1860 so as to provide more effectually against trespasses on the lands of others. Agreed to.

By Mr. Pate, of Bedford.--A resolution that a joint committee of five members on the part of the House and three on the part of the Senate be appointed to inquire into the expediency of fixing an early day to proceed to the election of two Senators to represent the State of Virginia in the Senate of the United States.

Mr. Garnett, of Essex, offered as a substitute, which was accepted by Mr. Pate, a resolution that, the Senate concurring, this House will proceed, on the — day of--,to the election of two Senators to represent the State of Virginia in the Senate of the United States.

Mr. Joynes moved to lay the resolution on the table. We had accepted the Alexandria Constitution, and must accept all its acts.--This Legislature had come here under the Constitution under which Mr. Segar and Judge Underwood were elected.

Mr. Heennon thought the resolution had better go to a committee. It might be found expedient to request the present Senators to resign.

Mr. Wilson, of Lynchburg, concurred with Mr. Joynes,--By every act of his he should recognize the constitutionality and legality of the Alexandria Government.

Mr. Turner, of Rappahannock, inquired of Mr. Joynes whether Judge Underwood's holding of the office of District Judge did not invalidate his office as United States Senator.

Mr. Joynes thought that, until Judge Underwood was admitted by the United States Senate, the question just mentioned could not arise, But he had objected to the resolution, that it seemed to pre-suppose that the offices of Senators from Virginia were vacant.

Mr. Garnett had a distinct recollection that, when Mr. Underwood presented his credentials to the United States Senate, Mr. Sumner said he would as soon think of admitting a Senator from the town council of Alexandria.

Mr. Joynes withdrew his motion to lay on the table, at the request of Mr. Garnett, who submitted the following:

Resolved, That the resolution proposing to go into the election of United States Senators be referred to a joint committee of five on the part of the House and three on the part of the Senate, with

directions to inquire whether the election of Messrs. Underwood and Sugar was in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Virginia, and whether they hold said offices in accordance therewith, and whether said offices are not now vacant.

On motion of Mr. Pendleton, the resolution was laid upon the table.

On motion of Mr. Baylor of Augusta, the House, at three o'clock, P. M., adjourned.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.

An XML version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer Perseus any modifications you make. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system.

hide People (automatically extracted)
Sort people alphabetically, as they appear on the page, by frequency
Click on a person to search for him/her in this document.
Underwood (5)
Joynes (5)
Garnett (4)
Waddell (2)
Pate (2)
Herndon (2)
Hardy (2)
English (2)
Wyatt (1)
Wise (1)
Wilson (1)
Wall (1)
John W. Turner (1)
Towns (1)
Thompson (1)
William F. Taylor (1)
Sumner (1)
Sugar (1)
Straughan (1)
Stearns (1)
Catharine Smith (1)
Segar (1)
Seawell (1)
Robertson (1)
Rixey (1)
Riggs (1)
Purdy (1)
Pendleton (1)
Owen (1)
Mosby (1)
Merrett (1)
J. McD (1)
Mann (1)
Lee (1)
J. H. C. Jones (1)
House (1)
Holmes (1)
Heennon (1)
Tom Harris (1)
Graves (1)
Gratton (1)
Gowper (1)
J. S. Davison (1)
Davis (1)
T. J. Christian (1)
Cabell (1)
Brown (1)
Braxton (1)
Boyd (1)
Botetourt (1)
Bolling (1)
Bekem (1)
Baylor (1)
O. S. Barten (1)
Atkinson (1)
hide Dates (automatically extracted)
Sort dates alphabetically, as they appear on the page, by frequency
Click on a date to search for it in this document.
March 22nd, 1861 AD (2)
December 11th, 1865 AD (1)
1860 AD (1)
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: