to the committee on asylums and prisons, with instructions to enquire into and report what new legislation and amendments to existing laws may be necessary to carry into effect the reduced rate of transportation provided for by the act of assembly approved March 12, 1878. By Mr. TROUT: A bill to authorize trustees of certain school property in the county of Roanoke to sell the same and re-invest proceeds. Referred to committee for courts of justice. By Mr. KYLE: Resolved, That the committee on schools and colleges enquire into the propriety of abolishing county superintendents of schools. By Mr. KYLE: Resolved, That the committee on retrenchment and economy enquire into the expenses of lunatic asylums and the salaries of the officers of the same. By Mr. HANGER: A bill to amend and re-enact section 28 of chapter 161, Acts of Assembly, 1875 6, in relation to the tax on merchants. Referred to committee on finance. By Mr. LOVELL: A bill to amend section 58, chapter 8, Code of 1873, with reference to pay of commissioners of elections. Referred to committee on privileges and elections. By Mr. HANGER: Resolved, That the committee for courts of justice enquire into the expediency of so amending the laws for the recordation of deeds and contracts, so as to meet the omissions therein as to sales of real estate under contracts not in writing. By Mr. HENRY: A bill to repeal section 14 of chapter 36 of the Code of 1873, in relation to the collection of taxes by certain officers. Referred to committee on finance. By Mr. KYLE: Resolved, That the committee on retrenchment and economy enquire into the expediency of changing the law providing for collection of taxes and compensation of county treasurers and other county officers; also, to reduce the expenses of elections, clerk of Senate's biennial salary and reduce first auditor's salary and expenses of capitol. By Mr. LOVELL: A bill relating to the collection of printers' fees in legal cases. Referred to the committee for courts of justice. By Mr. WALSH: A bill to require county and corporation treasurers to furnish to registrars lists of all persons who have paid the capitation tax for the preceding year, and to require the registrars to furnish such lists to the judges of elections at or before the opening of the polls at each election precinct. Referred to the committee of privileges and elections. By Mr. MOFFETT: Resolved, That the committee on finance be requested to enquire into the propriety and practicability of requiring all taxes derived from the sale of alcoholic and malt liquors to be paid to the state in lawful money, and appropriated to the public free schools, or so much thereof as may be necessary to secure the efficiency of the free school. system. The morning hour having expired, the House proceeded to the business on the calendar. No. 9. Senate bill entitled an act authorizing the trustees of Andrew chapel congregation, of the town of Harrisonburg, to execute a deed of trust on its church property, was read a third time and passed. Mr. HARRISON of Rockingham, moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed; which motion was rejected. No. 12. Senate bill to amend and re-enact an act entitled an act to fix the times of holding circuit courts in the fourteenth judicial circuit, was read a third time and passed. No. 1. House engrossed bill for the relief of the tax-payers of the county of Orange, was read a third time and passed-yeas 103; nays 1. The vote required by the constitution was recorded as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Speaker, Adams, Akers, Ashton, Attkisson, Barbour, Bernard, Bland Bocock, Bohanan, Burger, Burnham, John R. Carter, Peter J. Carter, Chase, Coghill, Coleman, Cox, Crutchfield, Curlett, Dance, Davidson, Davis, Dickerson, Dyer, Echols, Edmunds, Edwards, Evans, Farr, Fauntleroy, Ficklin, Finney, Fowler, Frazier, Fry, Fulkerson, Fulton, Graves, Gray, Green, Hall, Hardesty, H. H. Harrison, Reuben N. Harrison, Healy, Henkel, Henry, Henson, Hiner, Hunter, R. D. James, Waddy T. James, Johnston, Keyser, Kyle, Lady, Lee, Lovell, Luck, McCabe, McCaull, McConnell, McDaniel, McMullan, Michie, Moffett, Moorman, Nelson, Pitts, Popham, Pulliam, Ragland, Edmund C. Robinson, Ryland, Sandidge, Shannon, Shelburne, Shriver, Shumate, E. H. Smith, J. Howard Smith, Southward, Spessard, Stevens, William B. Taliaferro, Warner T. Taliaferro, Andrew J. Taylor, William Taylor, Trout, VanLear, Wallace, Walsh, Waring, Watson, Whitacre, Smith J. R. White, Thomas M. White, Wilkinson, Witmer, Witten, Wright, and Young-103. NAYS-Mr. Kelly-1. Mr. WALLACE moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed; which motion was rejected. Ordered, That Mr. WALLACE carry the bill to the Senate and request their concurrence. No. 4. House bill allowing any person to have his dog listed for taxation, thereby making the same personal property, was read a second time and ordered to be engrossed to be read a third time. Mr. HUNTER moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was ordered to be engrossed; which motion was agreed to. The question recurring on ordering the bill to be engrossed, On motion of Mr. HUNTER, the bill was amended by adding an independent section, as follows: 2. This act shall be in force from its passage." The bill as amended was ordered to be engrossed to be read a third time. The callendar having been called through, the House resumed the business of the morning hour. On motion of Mr. WALLACE, the use of the hall of the House of Delegates was granted to Mr. W. W. Berry on Tuesday night next. A report was presented as follows: The joint committee appointed to enquire what is the true status of the present session of the general assembly of Virginia as to the authority under under which it has assembled and organized for the transaction of business, has discharged the duty assigned them and beg leave to report the following resolution: Resolved, That the present session of the general assembly is legal and constitutional, and that it is inexpedient to legislate further on the subject. A. KOINER, Chairman of the Senate Committee, Chairman of the House Committee. On motion of Mr. Bocock, the report was passed by. Resolved by the general assembly of Virginia, That the governor is hereby requested to write Messrs. S. G. & G. C. Ward, attorneys of Messrs. Baring Brothers & Co.; August Belmont, esquire, representative of Messrs. de Rothschild; Messrs. Brown Brothers & Co., Richard Irvin & Co., Hugh McCullough, esquire, and Charles M. Fry, esquire, to visit Richmond at their earliest convenience and confer with the general assembly of this commonwealth upon the subject of the public debt of Virginia. On motion of Mr. HENRY, the resolution was committed to the committee on finance. Mr. FULTON offered the following resolution: Resolved (the Senate concurring), That a joint committee, consisting of three members of the House and two of the Senate, be appointed to collect and lay before the general assembly such information in regard to oyster and fish culture, the extent of the public domain suited to this culture, the present and possible fish and oyster product of the Virginia tidal waters, and the peculiar advantage of our waters for rearing and taking oysters and fish, as will throw light on the question of the feasibility and expediency of dividing our tidal domain into sections and leasing the same for a long term of years, or selling the same to the highest bidders. The House referred the resolution to the committee on the Chesapeake and its tributaries. Mr. SHANNON, under a suspension of the rule, presented No. 10. House bill to incorporate the Marion reading club, of the town of Marion, Smyth county; which was read a first time. On motion of Mr. HARDESTY, the House adjourned until Monday next at 12 o'clock M. MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1878. Prayer by Rev. J. G. Armstrong, of the Episcopal church. The Journal was read by the clerk. The following report was agreed to: The committee on retrenchment and economy have had under consideration the following resolution: Resolved, That the committee of retrenchment and economy enquire into the propriety of reducing the amount of stationery to members of the legislature to $2, and have come to the following resolu tion: Resolved, That it is inexpedient to legislate upon the subject. The SPEAKER laid before the House a communication from JOHN W. JOHNSTON, president of the James River and Kanawha company, transmitting copies of memorial and bill in the matter of proposed sale of the works, property and franchises of the James River and Kanawha company to the Richmond and Alleghany railroad company; which were referred to the committee on roads and internal navigation. On motion of Mr. Bocock, the communication, memorial and bill were ordered to be printed. On motion of Mr. BARBOUR, the committee on finance was authorized to have such papers printed as they may deem necessary. The report of the joint committee on the status of the present session of the general assembly was, on motion of Mr. Bocock, passed by. Mr. EDMUNDS offered the following resolution: Resolved, That the auditor of public accounts be instructed to report the names and counties of applicants who have received commutation, in lieu of artificial limbs and eyes, under the provisions of an act approved March 12th, 1878; also the names and counties of persons who have filed their applications and who have received no benefit under laws heretofore passed; which was agreed to. The following were presented and referred under rule 37: By Mr. WALKER, of Chesterfield: A bill to enable the board of supervisors of Chesterfield county to assist the Manchester free bridge commissioners in keeping the free bridge in repair. Referred to the committee on counties, cities and towns. By Mr. WATSON: A bill to authorize supervisors to levy taxes on railroads, in certain cases, for county purposes. Referred to the committee on counties, cities and towns. By Mr. KEYSER: A bill to amend and re-enact section 19 of an act to provide for working the roads in the counties of Shenandoah and Page, approved February 6th, 1878. Referred to the committee on counties, cities and towns. By Mr. WALLACE: A bill to incorporate the Bangen's hydraulic mining and manufacturing company. Referred to committee on propositions and grievances. By Mr. HENSON: A bill to amend and re-enact an act approved March 8th, 1875, declaring South Anna river, in Louisa county, a lawful fence. Referred to committee on agriculture and mining. By Mr. LOVELL: Whereas the board of directors of our state penitentiary in the report made November 10th, 1878, recommended the abolition of the office of general agent and store-keeper, by which the state would save from $3,000 to $5,000 per annum in commissions and other charges; therefore, Resolved, That the committee on asylums and prisons inquire into the expediency of the abolition of the office of general agent and storekeeper of the state penitentiary, and report by bill or otherwise. By Mr. LOVELL: Resolved, That the committee of privileges and elections enquire into the expediency of dispensing with the registration of voters except in cities containing a population of five thousand and upwards, and report by bill or otherwise. By Mr. EDMUNDS: A bill to amend and re-enact section 21 of the act of March 20th, 1875, in relation to working and keeping in order the roads of the commonwealth. Referred to the committee on coun ties, cities and towns. By Mr. HALL: Petition of Centreville grange, of Princess Anne, asking for act of incorporation. Referred to the committee on propositions and grievances. By Mr. SMITH of Dinwiddie: Petition of citizens of Rowanty district in Dinwiddie, to extend the time of the enforcement of an act requiring certain districts in said county to fence their lands. Referred to committee on agriculture and mining. By Mr. SMITH of Dinwiddie: A bill to extend the time for the repeal of the present fence law in the magisteral district of Rowanty in the county of Dinwiddie. Referred to committee on agriculture and mining. By Mr. EDMUNDS: A bill to amend section 7 of chapter 80 of the Code of 1873, in reference to the admission of pupils to the asylum for the deaf and dumb and blind. Referred to committee on asylums and prisons. By Mr. FULTON: A bill to amend and re-enact the 5th section, chapter 38, Code of 1873, in regard to the delivery of lists of delinquent lands to treasurers. Referred to committee on finance. By Mr. FULTON: A bill for the relief of Nathan W. Williams, of Grayson county, from the payment of a fine. Referred to committee on finance. The morning hour having expired, the House proceeded to the business on the calendar. No. 4. House engrossed bill allowing any person to have his dog listed for taxation, thereby making the same personal property, was read a third time and passed. |