On motion of Mr. DORMAN, Resolved, That the committee of roads and internal navigation be instructed to enquire into the expediency of incorporating a company to construct a M'Adamized road from Staunton to Buchanan. On motion of Mr. STROTHER, the rule of the house was suspended and the vote agreeing with the report of the committee of propositions and grievances rejecting the petition of citizens of the county of Logan for the formation of a new county out of parts of the counties of Logan, Cabell and Kanawha, was reconsidered; thereupon, on motion of Mr. HAYMOND, the same was recommitted to the said committee. Mr. HAYMOND presented a memorial of citizens of the county of Marion, remonstrating against granting authority to the Baltimore and Ohio railroad company to change the terminus of their road on the Ohio river as heretofore fixed by law. Mr. BROWN of Monongalia a similar memorial of citizens of the county of Monongalia. Mr. DUNCAN a petition of citizens of the county of Harrison for the incorporation of a company to construct a railroad from the Potomac to a point on the Ohio river, not further south than the mouth of the Little Kanawha river. Ordered, That the said memorials and petition be referred to the committee of roads and internal navigation. Mr. DILLARD presented a petition of citizens of the county of Henry, for the establishment of a separate election at the storehouse of Elkanah B. Turner in said county, which was ordered to be referred to the committee of propositions and grievances. Mr. MOSBY presented a petition of citizens of the town of Lynchburg, praying the passage of an act to incorporate the Eclectic medical institute of the state, which was ordered to be referred to the committee of schools and colleges. The following engrossed bills were read a third time and passed, viz: No. 21. A bill to amend an act, entitled "an act authorizing the transfer of money or property held in trust within this commonwealth to such trustees as shall be appointed by the courts of other states to receive the same." No. 33. A bill concerning Daniel C. Burns, sheriff of Berkeley county; and No. 34. A bill refunding to James Cook, deputy for Charles Rector, sheriff of Wood county, a certain sum of money. Ordered, That the clerk communicate the same to the senate and request their concurrence. No. 26. An engrossed bill authorizing a loan by the Winchester and Potomac railroad company and for other purposes, was also read a third time and passed, and it was ordered that the clerk communicate the same to the senate and request their concurrence. The following bills were read a second time and ordered to be engrossed, viz: No. 36. A bill authorizing a separate election at Scottsville in the county of Albemarle. No. 38. A bill directing a survey of a M'Adamized road from Howardsville in the county of Albemarle, to Staunton in the county of Augusta. No. 40. A bill concerning Stephen Coleman, sheriff of Pittsylvania county; and No. 41. A bill to change the place of holding a separate election in the county of New Kent. On motion of Mr. LANIER, the house adjourned until Monday next 12 o'clock. MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1846. On motion of Mr. PATRICK, Resolved, That the committee for courts of justice enquire into the expediency of so amending the present statutes concerning free negroes and mulattoes, as to make them effective for the promotion of the emigration of free negroes and mulattoes from the state of Ohio and elsewhere, into the county of Kanawha. On motion of Mr. MORISON, Resolved, That the committee of roads and internal navigation be instructed to enquire into the expediency of passing an act to revive the act, entitled "an act providing for the construction of a road from Guest's Station to the Tennessee line," passed on the 8th day of April 1839. On motion of Mr. HIETT, Resolved, That the committee of finance be instructed to enquire into the expediency of providing by law for a more liberal compensation to be allowed the commissioners of the revenue in the county of Hampshire. On motion of Mr. MORISON, Resolved, That the committee for courts of justice be instructed to enquire into the expediency of allowing the grand jurors of this commonwealth a reasonable compensation for their services. On motion of Mr. STEPHENSON, Resolved, That the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of incorporating a company to improve the navigation of the Little Kanawha river. Mr. Bocock, from the committee for courts of justice, presented the following bills, which were subsequently read the first, and ordered to be read a second time, viz: No. 47. A bill changing the time of holding the circuit superior courts of Cumberland and Appomattox counties and the town of Lynchburg; and No. 48. A bill authorizing the county and circuit superior courts for the county of Campbell to be held for a limited time in the clerk's office of said county. Mr. BARE, from the committee of propositions and grievances, presented a report upon a resolution of enquiry into the propriety of defining more particularly the divisional lines between the counties of Giles and Tazewell and the county of Mercer; which, on motion of Mr. WHITE, was ordered to be laid upon the table. On motion of Mr. BARE, the committee of propositions and grievances were discharged from the consideration of the resolution for allowing purchasers of delinquent lands further time to obtain deeds, and the same was ordered to be referred to the committee for courts of justice. On motion of Mr. BENNETT, Resolved, That the committee of finance be instructed to enquire into the expediency of passing an act authorizing persons having licenses in any of the counties of this commonwealth to peddle clocks or merchandize, the privilege of transferring said license. On motion of Mr. TUNSTALL, Resolved, That the use of the hall of the house of delegates be granted to Dr. Banning for the purpose of delivering a lecture upon the human voice, on Wednesday evening next. On motion of Mr. BURDETT, Resolved, That the committee of propositions and grievances be instructed to enquire into the expediency of more definitely defining the boundary line of Taylor county, beginning at the late residence of Andrew Corbin on the right hand branch of Booth's creek, running thence to the point on Simpson's creek in same boundary. On motion of Mr. MOSBY, Resolved, That the committee for courts of justice enquire into the expediency of authorizing a limited number of copies of the Virginia reports, already and hereafter to be published, to be furnished annually to the librarian of the University of Virginia and to the colleges of the state, to be placed in the libraries of those institutions. On motion of Mr. BAMBRICK, leave was granted to withdraw the petition of citizens of the county of Brooke, for the formation of a new county out of parts of said county, presented at the session of the legislature in 1840 and 1841; thereupon he again presented the same, and it was ordered to be referred to the committee of propositions and grievances. Mr. BYRD presented a petition of citizens of the counties of Bath and Pendleton, for the formation of a new county out of parts of said counties. Mr. THOMPSON of Botetourt a petition of citizens of the county of Botetourt, for the formation of a new county out of parts of the counties of Botetourt, Giles, Monroe and Roanoke. And a memorial of other citizens of Botetourt, remonstrating against the same. Mr. PATRICK presented four petitions of citizens of the county of Cabell, and one of citizens of the county of Kanawha, each for the creation of a new county out of parts of the counties of Kanawha, Mason and Cabell. Mr. BENNETT a memorial of citizens of the county of Lewis, remonstrating against the formation of a new county out of parts of the counties of Lewis, Randolph and Barbour. Mr. STURM a memorial of citizens of the county of Barbour, remonstrating against the formation of a new county out of said county and of the adjoining counties, with the seat of justice at Buchanantown. Mr. BAMBRICK a petition of citizens of the county of Brooke, for the formation of a new county out of said county of Brooke. Ordered, That the said petitions and memorials be referred to the committee of propositions and grievances. Mr. THOMPSON of Botetourt presented a memorial of citizens of the counties of Botetourt, Giles and Monroe, remonstrating against the petition of Jacob Price, asking for an extension of the charter of his turnpike. Mr. EDGINGTON two memorials of citizens of the county of Ohio, and one of the county of Harrison, remonstrating against changing the route or terminus of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad within the state, and praying that no charter may be granted to construct a railroad so as to defeat the policy declared by the laws of the state, relating to the said road. Mr. OLDHAM a similar memorial of citizens of the county of Marshall; and Mr. HAYMOND a similar memorial of citizens of the county of Marion. Mr. BENNETT two petitions of citizens of the county of Lewis, for the incorporation of a company to construct a railroad from some point on the Potomac to some point on the Ohio, not further south than the mouth of the Little Kanawha river. Mr. STURM a similar petition of citizens of the county of Barbour. Mr. DUNCAN a similar petition of citizens of the county of Harrison. Mr. BENNETT a petition of citizens of the county of Lewis, asking for an appropriation for the construction of bridges on the Staunton and Parkersburg turnpike. Mr. STURM a petition of citizens of the county of Barbour for the incorporation of a company to construct a turnpike road from Beverley, in the county of Randolph, by Phillippi to Clarksburg. Mr. OLDHAM presented documents to support the memorial of John Thompson, of the county of Marshall, against the grant of a ferry to H. J. M'Clean. Mr. Cook a petition of the directors of the Salem and New Castle turnpike, praying that Jacob Price be compelled to change the location of one of his tollgates on his turnpike. Mr. CASTLEMAN a petition of the president and directors of the Berryville turnpike company, asking for an increase of their capital stock. Ordered, That the said memorials, petitions and documents be referred to the committee of roads and internal navigation. On motion of Mr. DORMAN, leave was granted to withdraw the petition of the corporation of the town of Lexington, asking for authority to extend the limits of the corporation; thereupon, he again presented the same, and it was ordered to be referred to the committee of propositions and grievances. Mr. CASTLEMAN presented a petition of the judge, members of the bar and officers of the circuit superior courts for the counties of Clarke and Hampshire, asking the passage of an act to change the time of holding the circuit courts of said counties, which was ordered to be referred to the committee for courts of justice. Mr. Cook presented a petition of the officers of the 157th regiment, praying that a stand of colours may be furnished that regiment, which was ordered to be referred to the committee on the militia laws. Mr. MOSBY presented a petition of Samuel Pannill, praying that the tax heretofore assessed upon his tollbridge, and paid to the state, may be refunded; and that his bridge may be put upon the same footing with other tollbridges in the state, which was ordered to be referred to the committee of finance. No. 37. A bill making a further appropriation to the Southwestern turnpike road, was read a second time, and on motion of Mr. Cook, ordered to be laid upon the table. No. 42. A bill providing for the extension of the Louisa railroad to the eastern base of the Blue Ridge, was on motion of Mr. DORMAN, ordered to be laid upon the table. The following bills were read a second time and ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, viz: No. 35. A bill to facilitate the transfer of stock in joint stock companies of the state. No. 39. A bill subscribing on the part of the state, for two-fifths of the capital stock of the Giles, Fayette and Kanawha turnpike company. No. 43. A bill authorizing the Hamilton lodge No. 30, of the Independent order of Odd Fellows, in the City of Williamsburg, to hold a limited amount of property and regulating their tenure; and No. 44. A bill to authorize the Lynchburg and Salem turnpike company to M'Adamize their road, and for other purposes. The following engrossed bills were read a third time and passed, viz: No. 36. A bill authorizing a separate election at Scottsville, in the county of Albemarle. No. 40. A bill concerning Stephen Coleman, sheriff of Pittsylvania county; and No. 41. A bill to change the place of holding a separate election in the county of New Kent. No. 38. An engrossed bill directing a survey of a M'Adamized road from Howardsville, in the county of Albemarle, to Staunton, in the county of Augusta, was read a third time; thereupon, a clause by way of ryder thereto, was submitted by Mr. JoHNSON, which was twice read, and forthwith engrossed and read a third time, and the bill and ryder was passed. Ordered, That the clerk communicate the same to the senate and request their concurrence. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1846. The SPEAKER laid before the house a communication from the governor, enclosing the proceedings of a public meeting of citizens of Marshall county, in favour of the call of a convention to amend the constitution of the state; which, on motion of Mr. CARSON, was laid upon the table, and ordered to be printed. No. 15.] [Doc. No. 39. An engrossed bill subscribing on the part of the state for two-fifths of the capital stock of the Giles, Fayette and Kanawha turnpike company, was, on motion of Mr. STROTHER, ordered to be laid upon the table. The following engrossed bills were read a third time and passed, viz: No. 35. A bill to facilitate the transfer of stock in joint stock companies of the state. No. 43. A bill authorizing the Hamilton lodge No. 30, of the Independent order of Odd Fellows, in the City of Williamsburg, to hold a limited amount of property, and regulating their tenure; and No. 44. A bill to authorize the Lynchburg and Salem turnpike company to M'Adamize their road, and for other purposes. Ordered, That the clerk communicate the said bills to the senate and request their concurrence. No. 45. A bill providing for the construction of a turnpike road from the Northwestern road to New Martinsville, in the county of Wetzel, was read a second time and ordered to be committed to the committee which brought it in. No. 46. A bill making an annual appropriation from the treasury of fifty thousand dollars to the primary schools, was, on motion of Mr. STEPHENSON, ordered to be laid upon the table. No. 47. A bill changing the time of holding the circuit superior courts of Cumberland and Appomattox counties and the town of Lynchburg, was, on motion of Mr. STREET, ordered to be laid upon the table. No. 48. A bill authorizing the county and circuit superior courts for the county of Campbell to be held for a limited time in the clerk's office of said county, was read a second time and ordered to be engrossed and read a third time. Mr. THOMPSON of Botetourt, from the committee on agriculture and manufactures, presented the following bill, which was read the first, and ordered to be read a second time: No. 49. A bill to incorporate the Big Spring manufacturing company in the county of Botetourt. Mr. Bocock, from the committee for courts of justice, presented reports, which were read and agreed to as follow: The committee for courts of justice have, according to order, had under consideration the petition of Philip Kaufman to them referred, "praying the legislature of Virginia to purchase a work on civil law," and come to the following resolution thereupon: Resolved as the opinion of said committee, That the prayer of said petition be rejected. The committee for courts of justice have, according to order, had under consideration a resolution to them referred, "enquiring into the expediency of so amending the law that one justice of the peace may be sufficient to take the acknowledgment of deeds," and adopted the following resolution: Resolved as the opinion of this committee, That it is inexpedient to make any change in relation to the same. On motion of Mr. STEPHENSON, Resolved, That the secretary of the commonwealth of Virginia be requested to furnish this house with a copy of a correspondence between himself, as the adjutant general, and captain Carrington, in relation to the expenses incurred by said Carrington's company of volunteers; also with a copy of the claims which have been preferred for payment under the act of 9th of December 1846, stating the reasons which have prevented the payment of such as have been rejected. On motion of Mr. NEWMAN, Resolved, That the auditor of public accounts be requested to report to this house, first, the annual expense of the public guard from its organization, shewing the whole amount expended to the end of the last fiscal year; second, the annual expense incurred in building and keeping in repair the armory of Virginia, with the cost of the lot of ground on which it is situated, so as to exhibit the whole amount to the end of the last fiscal year; third, the annual expense of making and repairing arms at said armory, with the whole cost to the end of the last fiscal year; fourth, the annual amount of money paid out by the state for water rent for the use of the armory, and also the amount received by the state annually for water rent, in such way as to exhibit the amount of balance paid out by the state to the end of the last fiscal year; fifth, the nature of the existing leases and the purposes for which any part of the lot on which the armory is erected is let out, and to whom. Mr. DORMAN submitted the following resolution, which upon his motion, was ordered to be laid upon the table: Resolved by the house of delegates, That it be certified to the governor of this commonwealth that this house in passing the law appropriating ten thousand dollars for the relief of the Virginia regiment of volunteers, intended to embrace all proper expenses incurred by the officers in charge of the several companies, and that a liberal construction ought to be given to said law in disbursing the appropriation aforesaid. Mr. HAYMOND presented a petition of citizens of Morgantown in Monongalia, for the passage of an act enlarging the bounds of said corporation. Mr. HARRISON of Loudoun a memorial of citizens of Loudoun and Fauquier counties, remonstrating against the formation of a new county out of parts of said counties with Upperville as its seat of justice, and praying if a new county be formed it may be made with Middleburg as the seat of justice. Mr. SMITH a petition of citizens of Fauquier and Loudoun, for the formation of a new county out of parts of said counties. Mr. NEWMAN a remonstrance of citizens of the county of Pendleton, against the formation of a new county out of parts of the counties of Bath and Pendleton. Mr. CASTLEMAN a petition of citizens of the county of Warren, asking for the passage of an act to change the place of holding a separate election in said county from the house of John M'Kay to the Cedarville schoolhouse in said county. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee of propositions and grievances. Mr. MAYO presented a petition of John L. Bacon and others, asking the passage of an act authorizing the sale of Christ church in the City of Richmond, which was ordered to be referred to the committee for courts of justice. Mr. SMITH presented a petition of citizens of the county of Fauquier, for the incorporation of a company to construct a railroad from some point on the South branch of the Potomac river, through the northwestern part of Virginia, to some point not south of the Little Kanawha river. Mr. DUNCAN a similar petition of citizens of the county of Harrison. Mr. EDGINGTON a memorial of citizens of the county of Ohio, remonstrating against incorporating said company or changing the terminus of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. Mr. BAMBRICK a similar memorial of citizens of the county of Brooke. Mr. MORISON a petition of citizens of the counties of Scott and Russell, asking for the passage of an act to revive the act providing for the construction of a road from Guest's Station to the Tennessee line, passed 8th of April 1839. Mr. CASTLEMAN a petition of citizens of the county of Warren and others, residents of the counties upon the Shenandoah river, for the construction of a railroad from Little's falls on said river to intersect the Baltimore and Ohio railroad on the Potomac at or near the Old Furnace, or to intersect the Winchester and Potomac railroad at or near Key's Switch in the county of Jefferson. Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the committee of roads and internal navigation. Mr. BROWN of Rockingham presented a petition of the school commissioners of the county of Rockingham, praying to be exempted from the operation of so much of the act of March 5th, 1846, amending the present primary school system, as requires school commissioners to take a list of all children between the ages of five and seventeen years in their respective districts, which was ordered to be referred to the committee of schools and colleges. Mr. MAYO presented a petition of Charles F. Osborne and others, praying the passage of an act to incorporate a company for rolling and manufacturing iron, and to extend the lease to them of a part of the armory building and the public grounds attached thereto, which was ordered to be referred to the committee on the public armory. On motion of Mr. Cook, the house adjourned until to-morrow 12 o'clock. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1846. Mr. Bocock stated to the house that the SPEAKER, in consequence of indisposition, had exercised the power conferred by the rule, and requested him to take the chair for this day. A motion was made by Mr. DORMAN that the house take a recess until 1 o'clock, there being no quorum present; whereupon, On motion of Mr. TUNSTALL, the house adjourned until to-morrow 12 o'clock. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1846. In consequence of the absence of the SPEAKER from continued indisposition, the clerk called the house to order, and submitted a letter from the SPEAKER, which was read as follows: To the Members of the House of Delegates. GENTLEMEN, When, at the opening of the present session, I accepted the office, you so generously conferred, I was very apprehensive, that from physical debility, I should be unable to discharge its duties. Encouraged, however, by an apparent improvement in the state of my health, which I hoped might be progressive, I concluded to make an effort to do so; but with the determined purpose to retire from the chair whenever my connexion with the office, might prove detrimental to the public interest. That time has come. It is now inconsistent with the public interest that, I, should continue to discharge the duties of your presiding officer; and I tender this my letter of resignation, divesting myself of all power, as speaker of the house of delegates of Virginia. Whilst the construction which I give the rules, makes it my duty to place the whole subject in the power of the house on this day, I am very reluctant, to surprise the members into the necessity of an unexpected and hurried election of my successor, and I therefore venture to suggest my readiness to aid in avoiding such an inconvenience, by allowing my resignation to take effect on any day, not more remote than Monday next. If circumstances would permit, I should not fail to avail myself of the occasion, to express the feeling, inspired by oft repeated evidences of your esteem; but at present, I must be content, to assure each and every member of the body, of a full reciprocation of kindly regards. I dissolve my official connexion with the house, in a state of perfect good will, towards every individual of whom it is composed. I have no resentments, and no cause of resentment. No member has cherished for me a sentiment of kindness, which has not found a deep and full response in my heart; and I fervently pray that the blessings of Heaven, may rest upon all. Most respectfully, your ob't and obliged servant, W. O. GOODE. |