Resolved by the House of Delegates, That the superintendent of public instruction be and is hereby requested to explain to this house what he means by "diversion of the public school funds." The resolution was agreed to. Mr. HENRY, under a suspension of the rule, offered the following resolution: Be it resolved, That the auditor of public accounts be requested to report to this House the amount of insolvents for the past fiscal year, showing what are the insolvents from capitation taxes, what from taxes on real estate, and what from taxes on personal estate, and also a statement of the probable expenses for the current year, showing what will be ordinary and what extraordinary expenses. The resolution was agreed to. The following were presented and referred under rule 37: By Mr. GRAVES: A bill to amend and re-enact the seventh section of chapter 212 of the acts of 1876 and '77, for the protection of fish in the waters of the commonwealth above tide-water. Referred to the committee on the Chesapeake and its tributaries. By Mr. PULLIAM: Resolved, That the committee on asylums and prisons be instructed to report upon the expediency of authorizing directors of lunatie. asylums to contract for the maintenance and care of incurable and harmless lunatics outside of said asylums. By Mr. STEVENS: A bill to provide for taking the sense of the people as to calling a constitutional convention, and the election of delegates to the same. Referred to the committee for courts of justice. By Mr. DAVIS: A bill to relieve William P. Harvey of a fine. Referred to the committee on finance. By Mr. PULLIAM: A bill to incorporate the Virginia towing company. Referred to committee on propositions and grievances. By Mr. LOVELL: A bill to amend and re-enact the first section of an act approved December 13, 1877, prescribing the times for holding courts in the twelfth and eighteenth judicial circuits. Referred to committee for courts of justice. By Mr. TROUT: A bill authorizing the district school boards of Roanoke county to apply district funds to the payment of teachers' salaries. Referred to the committee on schools and colleges. By Mr FINNEY: Petitions of the school board and citizens of Accomac county in relation to school funds. Referred to the committee on schools and colleges. By Mr. GRAVES: A bill to amend and re-enact section 3, chapter 184, Code of 1873, in relation to the mode of enforcing recoveries of money on executions. Referred to the committee for courts of justice. By Mr. ROBINSON of Portsmouth: A bill to amend and re-enact section 41 of chapter 86, Code of 1873, in relation to inspectors, as amended by act of April 2, 1874. Referred to the committee on propositions and grievances. By Mr. HENRY: A bill to amend and re-enact the 67th section of the charter of the city of Richmond. Referred to the committee on counties, cities and towns. By Mr. FRAZIER: A bill to provide for keeping the paupers in the county of Rockbridge. Referred to the committee on counties, cities and towns. By Mr. TALIAFERRO of Norfolk city: A bill to amend and re-enact the 1st section of an act to incorporate the Norfolk and Berkley railroad company. Referred to the committee on roads and internal navigation. By Mr. JORDAN: Resolved, That the joint committee on constitutional amendments be requested and required to enquire into and report upon the expediency of abolishing the office of superintendent of public instruction. The morning hour having expired, the House proceeded to the business on the calendar. No. 17. Senate bill entitled an act to amend section 2, chapter 171, Code of 1873, and the acts amendatory thereof, in regard to commissioners of courts, came up. Mr. MOFFETT moved to amend the bill by striking out "and Loudoun," and inserting "Loudoun and Rockingham;" which was agreed to. Mr. MOFFETT moved to amend the bill by inserting in 1st section, after "seventy-six," the words "as amended by an act approved December 29, 1877; pending which, Mr. ANDERSON moved to recommit the bill to the committee for courts of justice, with instructions that the provisions of the bill shall be made to apply to the cities and counties of the state. Mr. GRAVES moved the previous question; which was ordered. The motion by Mr. ANDERSON to recommit the bill with instructions was rejected. The amendment pending, offered by Mr. MOFFETT, was agreed to. The bill was ordered to its third reading. Mr. SOUTHWARD moved a reconsideration of the vote by which the bill was ordered to its third reading; which motion was rejected. No. 44. House joint resolution providing for a conference of the creditors of the state with the committees on finance of the House and Senate, and declaring the basis on which a settlement of the publicdebt can be made, was, on motion of Mr. HENKEL, taken up out of its order on the calendar. Mr. ECHOLS offered a substitute. Mr. HENKEL moved that the House joint resolution be made a special and continuing order for Wednesday next at one o'clock P. M.; which was agreed to. On motion of Mr. ECHOLS, the substitute was ordered to be printed. A message was received from the Senate by Mr. LEE, who informed the House that the Senate had passed House bill entitled an act in relation to the assessment of real property for purposes of municipal taxation in the city of Alexandria, and to exempt and except said city from the operation of an act entitled an act to provide a basis of municipal taxation on the real property in cities and towns, approved March 29, 1877, No. 28, with an amendment, in which they respectfully request the concurrence of the House. On motion of Mr. HUNTER, the House adjourned until to-morrow at 12 o'clock M. TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1879. Speaker ALLEN in the Chair. Prayer by Rev. Dr H. A. Tupper, of the Baptist church. A communication from the Senate by their clerk, was read as follows: In Senate, January 6, 1879. The Senate have agreed to a preamble and joint resolution authorizing the governor to request the public creditors to meet the general assembly for conference about a plan of settlement of the state debt; in which they respectfully request the concurrence of the House of Delegates. Senate joint resolution as follows: Whereas the proposition for the settlement of the public debt, submitted to the general assembly of Virginia by the governor, with his annual message, embraces provisions which, in the judgment of the general assembly, the financial condition of the state renders it unsafe and inexpedient to accept in their present form; therefore, be it Resolved (the House of Delegates concurring), That the governor be and he is hereby authorized to request the presiding officer of the council of foreign bondholders of London, England, Messrs. Baring Brothers & Co., Messrs. L. G. & G. C. Ward, Messrs, De Rothschilds, Mr. August Belmont, Messrs. Brown Brothers & Co., Messrs. Richard Irvin & Co., Mr. Charles M. Fry and Mr. Hugh McCulloch, or the authorized representatives of said persons, and such other creditors of the commonwealth or their representatives as may desire to participate, to meet this general assembly on the 22d day of January, 1879, for conference about a plan of settlement of the state debtWas, on motion of Mr. STEVENS, committed to the committee on finance. No. 28. House bill entitled an act in relation to the assessment of real property for purposes of municipal taxation in the city of Alexandria, and to exempt and except said city from the operation of an act entitled an act to furnish a basis of municipal taxation on the real property in cities and towns, approved March 29, 1877, was placed on the calendar, the rule having been suspended, on motion of Mr. Mus¤BACH, requiring its reference to a committee. No. 50. House bill to provide a fence law for the county of Loudoun and to repeal an act entitled an act relating to fences and for the protection of crops, approved January 26, 1866, in so far as it applies to the county of Loudoun, and to amend and re-enact the 4th, 5th and 7th sections of an act approved February 20, 1878, reported from the committee on agriculture and mining, was read a first time. The following House bills, reported from the committee for courts of justice, were read a first time: No. 51. House bill in relation to the testimony of persons charged with criminal offenses testifying in their own behalf. No. 52. House bill to amend and re-enact the 1st section of an act approved December 13, 1877, prescribing the times for holding courts in the twelfth and eighteenth judicial circuits. No. 53. House bill to amend and re-enact section 35, chapter 154, of the Code of Virginia, edition of 1873, so as to dispense with the Augast term of the corporation court of the city of Petersburg (with a substitute). No. 54. House bill to amend and re-enact section 13, chapter 178, of Code of 1873, in relation to appeals, writs of error and supersedeas. No. 55. House bill to amend and re-enact section 6, chapter 104, of Code of 1873, in regard to marriages (with a substitute). No. 46. Senate bill entitled an act to amend and re-enact the 16th section of an act approved February 24, 1876, entitled an act to provile for the working of roads in the county of Fauqnier, was reported from the committee on counties, cities and towns. The following House bills, reported from the committee on counties, dities and towns were read a first time: No. 56. House bill to amend and re-enact the 67th section of the carter of the city of Richmond. No. 57. House bill to provide for keeping the paupers in the county of Rockbridge. No. 58. House bill to amend the charter of the town of Suffolk. No. 59. House bill in relation to making and working roads in the county of Loudoun and to repeal sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. 12. 15, 17, 26, 27, 28, 29, 1, 32 and 33 of chapter 87, session acts of 1874-5, and to amend and re-enact sections 13 and 21 of said chapter, approved February 2, 1875. The following House bills, reported from the committee of propositions and grievances, were read a first time: No. 60. House bill to incorporate Solone cemetery company, near Middleburg, Loudoun county, Va. No. 61. House bill to protect buzzards. No. 62. House bill authorizing the classification of the stock of the Norfolk library association. No. 63. House bill to incorporate the Virginia towing company. No. 64. House bill to amend and re-enact the first section of an act approved March 12, 1878, incorporating the Vance manufacturing company of the city of Norfolk. No. 65. House bill to incorporate the Good Templars' relief association of Loudoun county. Mr. Pulliam offered the following resolution: Resolved, That the superintendent of public printing be instructed to print for the use of the House 800 additional copies of auditor's report upon the liquor law. The resolution was agreed to. Leave of absence was granted Messrs. HARRISON of Sussex two days, FULTON Six days, and JAMES of Franklin six days from Monday last. Mr. TAYLOR of Henrico offered the following resolution : Whereas the debt due by the state of Virginia, including the amount to be settled by the state of West Virginia, together with consol and peeler bonds, and interest past due, and other just claims, is near or about seventy millions of dollars; and whereas it is absolutely necessary for the good of the people of the state of Virginia, as well as all parties concerned, that this debt should be settled now and forever; therefore, be it Resolved, That the finance committee of this House forthwith bring in a bill proposing to the bondholders of this commonwealth a settlement of their claims at the rate of forty cents in the dollar, to bear . interest at the rateof six per cent. per annum. The House referred the resolution to the committee on finance. The SPEAKER laid before the House a communication from the superintendent of public instruction in response to a resolution of the House asking him to explain to the House what he means by "diversion of the public school funds." The communication was referred to the committee on schools and colleges. The following were presented and referred under rule 37: Resolved, That so much of the report of the auditor of public accounts as refers to the injustice to the clerks of his department be referred to the committee on finance, with instructions to enquire into the same and to report such legislation as shall be necessary to correct it and do full and equal justice to all concerned. By Mr. FARR: A bill providing for submitting the question of liquor license or no liquor license to the qualified voters of Fairfax county, at the first election for district officers and at every subsequent election for district officers. Referred to committee on finance. By Mr. KEYSER: Whereas it is represented that in many sections of the commonwealth the clerks of school boards are receiving exorbitant salaries for the amount of labor performed, not contemplated by law, Resolved, That the committee on schools and colleges be requested to enquire into and report such amendments to the law as may be necessary to correct in the future the evil complained of. |