Mr. HAYMOND presented a memorial of citizens of the county of Marion, remonstrating against any alteration in the terminus of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and that no other company may be incorporated to construct a railroad from the Potomac, terminating at any point south of Wheeling, which was ordered to be referred to the committee of roads and internal navigation.

No. 28. A bill to provide for the completion of the James river and Kanawha canal, from tidewater at Richmond to the town of Buchanan and for other purposes, was taken up on motion of Mr. DORMAN; thereupon a motion was made by him to amend the same by striking out the second section and substituting another section therefor; and a division of the question being asked by Mr. Bocock, the said section was stricken out; and the question recurring upon inserting the said substitute, on motion of Mr. Bocock, the said bill and amendment were laid upon the table; and the said amendment was ordered to be printed.

On motion of Mr. SHEFFEY, the report of the board of visitors of the institution for the education of the deaf and dumb and of the blind, was taken up and ordered to be referred to the committee of schools and colleges.

On motion of Mr. BROWN of Mathews and Middlesex, Resolved, That the committee of claims be instructed to report bill No. 200 of last session, concerning the sheriff of Middlesex county, with such amendments as they may deem proper.

On motion of Mr. LACY, Resolved, That the committee for courts of justice enquire into the expediency of amending the 45th section of an act passed February 26th, 1819, entitled "an act to reduce into one act the several acts concerning the method of proceeding against free persons charged with certain crimes; declaring the mode of proceeding on indictments, informations and prosecutions on penal statutes, and for preventing vexatious and malicious prosecutions and moderating amercements."

On motion of Mr. JONES of Gloucester, Resolved, That the committee for courts of justice be instructed to enquire into the expediency of providing by law for taking depositions of witnesses when said witnesses reside one hundred miles and upwards from the places to which they are summoned to give evidence.

On motion of Mr. HORNER, Resolved, That that part of the adjutant general's report, in relation to the delinquent generals, in making their reports to the adjutant general, be referred to the committee on the militia laws. On motion of Mr. HARVIE, Resolved, That so much of the governor's message as refers to the payment of a judgment obtained by Lieut. Brown, and a claim preferred by Lieut. Selden, late of the public guard, be referred to the committee of finance.

On motion of Mr. WILLIAMS, Resolved, That the second auditor be requested to furnish this house with a statement shewing the amount of money which has been drawn from the Literary fund, and other sources, on account of the University of Virginia; also a statement shewing the amount which has been expended on account of primary schools.

On motion of Mr. TUNSTALL, Resolved by the general assembly, That the governor of this commonwealth be requested to procure and present to the Virginia regiment of volunteers, now being mustered into the service of the United States, a suitable and appropriate flag.

Ordered, That the clerk communicate the same to the senate and request their concurrence.

Mr. FLOYD, from the committee of roads and internal navigation, presented the following bills:

No. 74. A bill to increase the capital of the Berryville turnpike company, and authorizing a state subscription of two-fifths of such increased capital; and

No. 75. A bill to provide additional capital for the Brandonville, Kingwood and Evansville road.

Mr. HOLLADAY, from the committee of claims, presented the following bill:

No. 76. A bill releasing to William S. Griffith a certain fine imposed by the circuit superior court of law and chancery for Harrison county.

On motion of Mr. HOWARD leave was granted to withdraw the petition of Robert Anderson, presented at the session of the general assembly in 1844-5.

Mr. SMITH presented a petition of citizens of the county of Fauquier, for the formation of a new county out of part thereof.

Mr. BAMBRICK a memorial of citizens of the county of Brooke, remonstrating against a division of said county. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee of propositions and grievances.

Mr. MAYO presented a memorial of E. Chauncey and others, remonstrating against the construction of a railroad from the City of Richmond to Eltham on York river.

Mr. HOWARD a petition of citizens of the county of York, for the incorporation of a company to construct said railroad.

Mr. ROBINSON a similar petition of citizens of the counties of King William and King & Queen.

Mr. DUNCAN a petition of Richard Despard, jr. and others, citizens of the state, praying the passage of a general law regulating corporations for internal improvement.

Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the committee of roads and internal navigation.

Mr. MAYO also presented a petition of George Nicholson, for the release of the right of the commonwealth to him of certain property, which was ordered to be referred to the committee for courts of justice.

Mr. BAMBRICK a memorial of citizens of the county of Brooke, remonstrating against allowing the Baltimore and Ohio railroad company the right to fix their terminus at any point south of the City of Wheeling, which was ordered to be referred to the committee of roads and internal navigation.

Mr. MAYO presented a petition of the Richmond male orphan asylum society, asking for a charter to provide for the maintenance and instruction of destitute white orphan boys, 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. 61. A bill concerning Robert Lucas, deputy for David Sniveley, sheriff of Jefferson county.

No. 62. A bill concerning Daniel G. Henkle, deputy for David Sniveley, sheriff of Jefferson county; and

No. 37. A bill making a further appropriation to the Southwestern turnpike road.

Ordered, That the clerk communicate the said bills to the senate and request their concurrence.

No. 57. A bill establishing district courts, was read a second time, and on motion of Mr. Fox, ordered to be laid upon the table.

No. 59. A bill incorporating the Richmond and Danville railroad company, was read a second time and ordered to be engrossed and read a third time.

No. 63. A bill to incorporate the Potomac and Ohio railroad company, was read a second time, and a motion was made by Mr. STEPHENSON that the same be laid upon the table, and be made the order of the day for Tuesday next; and pending the same,

On motion of Mr. DORMAN, the house adjourned until to-morrow 12 o'clock.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1847.

On motion of Mr. HUNTER, Resolved, That the committee for courts of justice be directed to enquire into the expediency of so amending the law on the subject of proceedings against non-resident debtors as to provide for a direct levy by the sheriff upon the property of such non-resident debtor, whether found in the hands of a home defendant, or otherwise. And that they further enquire into the expediency of defining by law more distinctly the period at which the proceeding by foreign attachment shall become a lien upon the property of or the debts due to the absent debtor.

Mr. FLOYD, from the committee of roads and internal navigation, presented the following bill:

No. 77. A bill incorporating the Richmond and Pamunkey railroad company.

Mr. WATTS, from the committee on the militia laws, presented the following bill:

No. 78. A bill concerning Lieut. Elijah Brown of the public guard in the City of Richmond.

Which several bills were read the first and ordered to be read a second time.

Mr. LEAKE, from the committee on banks, presented a report upon the resolution for prohibiting any director of any of the banks of the commonwealth from voting for himself as president, or any other office of the same. A message was received from the senate by Mr. GALLAHER, who informed the house that the senate concurred in the resolution providing for the disbursement of the appropriation for the expenses incurred by the Virginia regiment of volunteers; and in the resolution for procuring a flag for the Virginia regiment of volunteers. Mr. TYLER, from the select committee, presented the following bill:

No. 79. A bill to extend the jurisdiction of the commonwealth of Virginia over the county of Alexandria; which was subsequently read the first and ordered to be read a second time.

No. 63. The bill to incorporate the Potomac and Ohio railroad company, which was under consideration when the house adjourned on yesterday, was taken up and made the order of the day for Tuesday next.

No. 53. A bill providing for the construction of the Sistersville and Salem turnpike road, was read a second time, amended on motions severally made, and as amended, ordered to be engrossed and read a third time.

No. 28. A bill to provide for the completion of the James river and Kanawha canal from tidewater at Richmond to the town of Buchanan and for other purposes, was taken up on motion of Mr. DORMAN; thereupon Mr. STROTHER Submitted a substitute for the whole bill, intended to be offered when the same shall be in order, which on motion of Mr. DORMAN was ordered to be printed, and the bill was again laid upon the table.

No. 59. An engrossed bill incorporating the Richmond and Danville railroad company, was on motion of Mr. TUNSTALL, ordered to be laid upon the table.

Mr. PATRICK presented a petition of citizens of the county of Kanawha, for the incorporation of the town of Terra Salis in said county.

Mr. MORRIS a petition of citizens of the county of Wayne, for the establishment of a town at the courthouse of said county, with the name of Waynesville.

Mr. THOMPSON of Jefferson a petition of citizens of the town of Charlestown, for the passage of an act to incorporate the Wildey lodge No. 11, of the Independent order of Odd Fellows.

Mr. CUSTIS a petition of citizens of the county of Accomack for amendments to the act of the last session relative to the catching of oysters.

Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the committee of propositions and grievances.

Mr. THOMPSON of Jefferson presented a petition of citizens of Alexandria and its vicinity and of the Valley of Virginia, for the passage of an act to incorporate the Alexandria and Potomac railroad company to construct a railroad from Harper's Ferry to Alexandria, and that the common wealth may subscribe for two fifths of the capital stock of the same; which was ordered to be referred to the committee of roads and internal navigation.

On motion of Mr. THOMPSON of Jefferson, Ordered, That the said petition be printed. [Doc. No. 21.] Mr. BEIRNE presented a petition of the officers of the 166th regiment of militia in the county of Monroe, asking to be allowed to train within the bounds of said regiment.

Mr. M'INTYRE a petition of Robert L. Wright of the county of Loudoun, praying that a certain sum of money paid by him for transporting arms from Richmond to Loudoun be refunded.

Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the committee on the militia laws.

Mr. MAYO presented a petition of Robert A. Mayo and others, complaining of an alleged violation of the charters of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad, and of the Richmond and Petersburg railroad companies, by said companies in running a line of steamboats from Port Walthall on James river to Norfolk on opposition to the steamboat line owned by the petitioners, which on motion of Mr. SYME, was ordered to be printed. [Doc. No. 22.]

On motion of Mr. MAYO, Resolved, That the petition of Robert A. Mayo and others be referred to a select committee of nine members; that the said committee have power to send for persons and papers, and have leave to report by bill or otherwise.

The SPEAKER deferred announcing said committee until to-morrow.

Mr. ANDERSON presented a petition of the trustees of Hampden Sidney college, asking for an annuity from the state to promote the objects of the college, which was ordered to be referred to the committee of schools and colleges.

On motion of Mr. ANDERSON, Resolved, That the committee of propositions and grievances enquire into the expediency of repealing the law passed 21st of February 1845, establishing a separate election to be held at the house of Prudence Perkinson in the county of Prince Edward.

On motion of Mr. M'INTYRE, Resolved, That the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of reporting a bill authorizing an increase of the capital of the Leesburg and Snicker's gap turnpike company on the joint stock principle, with the view of completing said road.

Mr. M'INTYRE presented a petition of George Head, jailor of the county of Loudoun, asking an increase of his compensation for keeping and maintaining prisoners in said jail, which was ordered to be referred to the committee of claims.

Mr. HARVIE, from the committee of finance, presented the following bill:

No. 80. A bill authorizing the county court of Amelia to re-assess the lands of Francis A. Wilson.

Mr. BURWELL, from the committee of schools and colleges, presented the following bills:

No. 81. A bill granting aid to the Northwestern Virginia academy; and

No. 82. A bill to amend, for the county of Loudoun, the act for the establishment of district free schools, passed February 25, 1846.

The following bills were read the second time and ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, viz: No. 60. A bill providing for the punishment of certain offences within the cities, towns and boroughs of this commonwealth.

No. 64. A bill to amend an act, entitled "an act incorporating a company to construct a turnpike road from Howardsville in the county of Albemarle to the bridge across Rockfish river in the county of Nelson."

No. 65. A bill to amend the act passed 5th March 1846, incorporating the Hardy and Winchester turnpike company.

No. 66. A bill authorizing Albright, Sherrard & Co. to construct a railroad in the county of Botetourt; and No. 67. A bill to incorporate the Huguenot academy.

The following bills were read the first, and ordered to be read a second time, viz:

No. 68. A bill concerning free negroes and mulattoes.

No. 69. A bill authorizing the county courts of counties bordering on the Ohio river to establish ferries across said river.

No. 70. A bill to incorporate the Male and female academy of Buchanan in the county of Lewis.

No. 71. A bill divorcing William R. Myers from his wife Virginia.

No. 72. A bill authorizing a separate election at the house of Cornelius M. Shannon in the county of Tazewell.

No. 73. A bill to authorize the auditor to issue a warrant upon the treasury in favour of Peter Moore's admi

nistrator.

No. 74. A bill to increase the capital of the Berryville turnpike company and authorizing a state subscription of two fifths of such increased capital.

No. 75. A bill to provide additional capital for the Brandonville, Kingwood and Evansville road; and

No. 76. A bill releasing to William S. Griffith a certain fine imposed by the circuit superior court of law and chancery for Harrison county.

On motion of Mr. JONES of Gloucester, Ordered, That a bill incorporating the Richmond and Pamunkey railroad company be printed. (No. 78.)

A report of the committee for courts of justice was read and agreed to as follows:

The committee for courts of justice have, according to order, had under consideration the resolution instructing them to "enquire into the expediency of changing the name of James Albert Burnly, of the county of Charlotte, to that of Charles Fox Burnly," to them referred, and ask to be discharged from the further consideration thereof; the law as it now exists authorizing the courts to do that which is asked for.

The following report of the committee on finance was read and agreed to:

The committee of finance have, according to order, had under consideration the following resolution: "Resolved, That the committee of finance enquire into the expediency of dispensing with the tax on writs and other law process," and have come to the following resolution thereupon:

Resolved, That it is inexpedient to dispense with the said tax.

The following report of the same committee was read, and on motion of Mr. GOODSON, ordered to be laid upon the table:

The committee of finance have, according to order, had under consideration a resolution instructing them to enquire into the expediency of reporting a bill imposing taxes for the support of government, and as far as practicable upon the ad valorem principle, and have come to the following resolution thereupon:

Resolved, That this committee be discharged from the further consideration of the said resolution.

The following report of the same committee was read, and on motion of Mr. HIETT, ordered to be laid upon the table:

The committee of finance have, according to order, had under consideration a resolution instructing them 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, and have come to the following resolution thereupon:

Resolved, That it is inexpedient to increase the compensation now allowed the commissioners of the revenue in the county of Hampshire.

The following report of the committee on banks was read, and on motion of Mr. LANIER, ordered to be laid upon the table:

The committee on banks have, according to order, had under consideration a resolution to them referred, "enquiring into the propriety of prohibiting by law any director of any of the banks of this commonwealth from voting for himself as president, or for any other office or appointment in the same," and adopted the following resolution thereupon:

Resolved, That in the opinion of this committee it is inexpedient to legislate on this matter at this time. On motion of Mr. BEIRNE, the house adjourned until to-morrow 12 o'clock.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1847.

The SPEAKER announced the following to constitute the committee to whom the petition of Robert A. Mayo and others was referred on yesterday, viz: Messrs. Mayo, Syme, Watts, Holladay, Fitzhugh, Sheffey, Haymond, Custis and Walker.

On motion of Mr. MAYO he was excused from serving on said committee.

Mr. LANCASTER was then placed upon said committee, and on his motion he was also excused, and Mr. LACY was substituted in his place.

On motion of Mr. TYLER, Resolved, That the committee for courts of justice enquire into the expediency of so amending the law regulating the fees of clerks, as to prohibit said clerks from demanding or receiving any fee for a search for any record or other matter in their offices, of more than a year's standing, if a copy or extract of the same be taken.

Mr. Bocock, from the committee for courts of justice, presented the following bills:

No. 83. A bill releasing the commonwealth's right to certain lots of land therein mentioned to Daniel D. Jones; and

No. 84. A bill changing the place of holding the sessions of the court of appeals west of the Blue Ridge. Mr. FLOYD, from the committee of roads and internal navigation, presented the following bills:

No. 85. A bill to declare M'Kimm's creek, in the county of Tyler, a public highway, and for other purposes. No. 86. A bill incorporating the Harrisville turnpike company.

No. 87. A bill to provide for the construction of a road from Bath, in Morgan county, to the mouth of St. John's run on the Potomac.

No. 88. A bill to incorporate the Little Kanawha navigation company.

No. 89. A bill to provide for the construction of a turnpike road from the Richlands, in Tazewell, to the Kentucky line; and

No. 90. A bill to amend the charter of the Meherrin navigation company.

Mr. STEPHENSON presented a petition of Franklin Tavenner, late commissioner of the revenue of Wood county, asking to be allowed additional compensation as commissioner of said county, which was ordered to be referred to the committee of finance.

Mr. BENNETT presented a petition of citizens of the county of Gilmer, for a change in the time of holding the circuit superior court of said county.

Mr. IRVING a petition of Mayo B. Carrington and others, owners of Carter's ferry, asking to be relieved from the effects of the law which forfeits the franchise appertaining to said ferry, on account of the nonuser of the

same.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee for courts of justice.

Mr. BENNETT also presented a petition of citizens of the county of Lewis, for the passage of an act to incorporate 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, which was ordered to be referred to the committee of roads and internal navigation.

Mr. BENNETT also presented 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, Harrison, Barbour and Randolph.

Mr. Love a memorial of citizens of the county of Fairfax, remonstrating against the division of said county, and against annexing any part thereof to the county of Alexandria.

Ordered, That said memorials be referred to the committee of propositions and grievances.

Mr. NEWTON presented a petition of sundry notaries of the City of Norfolk and town of Portsmouth, asking an increase of their compensation for notarial services, which was ordered to be referred to the committee for courts of justice.

On motion of Mr. STONE, leave was granted to withdraw the petition of David Corcoran, presented at the last session of the general assembly.

Mr. THOMPSON of Botetourt, presented a memorial of citizens of the county of Botetourt, remonstrating against the petition of Jacob Price, asking for the extension of the charter for his turnpike from Fincastle to the Middle mountain, which was ordered to be laid upon the table.

Mr. HARRISON of Loudoun presented a petition of Samuel B. T. Caldwell, praying that the sum of one hundred dollars be refunded to him, which sum was paid by him as a tax for a license to keep a tavern for the years 1839, '40, '41, '42 and '43, he being, as the owner of a ferry, exempt by law from such tax, which was ordered to be referred to the committee of claims.

No. 53. An engrossed bill providing for the construction of the Sistersville and Salem turnpike road, was read a third time, and the question being put upon its passage, was determined in the affirmative. Ayes 70, noes 53.

On motion of Mr. YERBY the vote was recorded as follows:

AYES-Messrs. Brown of Albemarle, Hart, Layne, Sheffey, Johnson, Byrd, Boak, Small, Thompson of Botetourt, Bennett, Bambrick, Mosby, Fox, Slaughter, Irving, Love, Scott, Hill of Fayette and Nicholas, Evans, Stillman, Wall, Carson, White, Calwell, Hiett, Thompson of Hampshire, Lee, Duncan, Lancaster, Hunter, Thompson of Jefferson, Patrick, Ballard, Harrison of Loudoun, Schooley, M'Intyre, Haymond, Oldham, Waggoner, Brown of Monongalia, Beirne, Edmundson of Montgomery and Pulaski, Breathed, Perrow, Newton, Edgington, M'Pherson, Lanier, Tunstall, Cackley, Fairfax, Anderson, Sturm, Strother, Mayo, Cook, Harper, Dorman, Bare, Brown of Rockingham, M'Elhenney, Hill of Shenandoah, Stickley, Tate, Burdett, Gillespie, Horner, Castleman, Stephenson and Floyd-70.

NOES-Messrs. Jones, (speaker,) Custis, Finney, Harvie, Powell, Scruggs, Burwell, Harrison of Brunswick, Bocock, Morris, Dickinson, Lacy, Thompson of Dinwiddie, Chisman, Roane, Smith, Carper, Jones of Gloucester, Leake, Carroll, Walker, Major, Stovall, Dillard, Godwin, Howard, Wallace, Gaines, Gresham, Richmond, Edmondson of Lunenburg, Banks, Browne of Mathews and Middlesex, Williams, Kelly, Watts, Happer, Yerby, Nelms, Oliver, Davis, Tatum, Syme, Cocke, Stone, Daniel, Tyler, Morison, Goodwin, Holladay, Fitzhugh, Hargrave and Freeman-53.

Ordered, That the clerk communicate the said bill to the senate and request their concurrence.

No. 30. A bill to provide for cases in which the courts have failed to comply with the act of the 5th of March 1846, amending the present primary school system, and for other purposes, was taken up on motion of Mr. BURWELL; thereupon he submitted a substitute therefor, which, on his motion, was ordered to be printed, and the bill was again laid upon the table.

On motion of Mr. SHEFFEY, Resolved, That the petition of the citizens of the county of Henry, praying for the exemption of said county from the operation of the act of the 25th of February 1846, establishing a district free school system for that and other counties, be printed for the use of the general assembly.