By Mr. KYLE: Resolved, That the committee for courts of justice enquire and report whether or not the committee on House expenses has the authority to direct additional or extra compensation to be paid to any employee of the House. The hour of 123 o'clock having arrived, No. 76. House bill to authorize the James river and Kanawha company to make sale and transfer of all its works, property and franchises to the Richmond and Alleghany railroad company, and to define the powers and duties of the board of public works in respect thereto, came up as a special order. On motion of Mr. WALKER of Northumberland, the special order was postponed until 1 o'clock. No. 58. Senate bill entitled an act to amend and re-enact section 19, chapter 77, Code of Virginia, edition of 1873, concerning the board of visitors of the Virginia agricultural and 'mechanical college at Blacksburg, was, on motion of Mr. SHELBURNE, taken up out of its order on the calendar. On motion of Mr. SHELBURNE, the bill was made a special and continuing order for Friday, 31st instant, at 1 o'clock. No. 120. House bill to provide for the revisal of the civil code of this commonwealth, was, on motion of Mr. WALKER of Northumberland, taken up out of its order on the calendar. On motion of Mr. WALKER of Northumberland, the bill was made a special and continuing order for Tuesday, 28th instant, at one o'clock. No. 60. Senate bill entitled an act declaring New river a lawful fence in parts of Wythe, Carroll and Grayson counties, was, on motion of Mr. FULTON, taken up out of its order on the calendar. The bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. FULTON moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed; which motion was rejected. The SPEAKER laid before the House the semi-annual report of the board of visitors of the Virginia Military Institute. On motion of Mr. FRAZIER, the report was laid on the table and two thousand copies were ordered to be printed. No. 132. House bill to amend and re-enact the act entitled an act for the protection of game, approved March 14, 1878, came up as unfinished business. Mr. WHITE of Hanover moved to dismiss the bill. Pending its consideration, the hour of one o'clock having arrived, No. 37. House bill to amend and re-enact section 15 of an act approved March 29th, 1875, as amended by an act approved March 29th, 1876, and section 30 of the same act as amended by the said act approved March 29th, 1876, and act approved April 2d, 1877, and section 18 of an act approved March 29th, 1875, as amended by an act approved April 2d, 1877, prescribing the duties, powers, liabilities and compensation of certain county officers, came up as a special order. On motion of Mr. MCMULLAN, the special order was postponed until Monday, 27th instant. No 76. House bill again came up as a special order. The question being on agreeing to the amendment offered by Mr. BERNARD, Mr. GRAVES demanded the pending question; which was ordered. The amendment was agreed to. On motion of Mr. SAELBURNE, the House adjourned until to-morrow at 12 o'clock. FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 1879. The Journal was read by the clerk. A communication from the Senate by their clerk, was read as follows: In Senate, January 23, 1879. The Senate have rejected House joint resolution to appoint a joint committee to revise the laws relating to the fees of county officers, &c. No. 75. Senate bill entitled an act for the relief of C. W. Sullivan, treasurer of Montgomery county, and John II. Goodloe, treasurer of Nelson county, was reported from the committee on finance. The following House bills, reported from the committee on finance, were read a first time: No. 159. House bill for the relief of Callowhill M. Wiggenton, Abram Staples, William C. Smoot, and Saunders Bowman, of Patrick county. No. 160. House bill to refund to Thomas E. Gravatt, of Caroline county, a license tax. No. 161. House bill for the relief of A. W. Houchins, late deputy treasurer of Patrick county. No. 162. House bill to amend and re-enact the second section of an act approved March 14, 1878, entitled an act to repeal an act entitled an act for the encouragement of land purchasers and actual settlers in Virginia, and to repeal an act approved March 29, 1873, entitled an act for the encouragement of immigration, and to dispose of the books and pamphlets in the possession of the board of immigration, reported from the committee on immigration, was read a first time. No. 163. House bill to allow Baines Brothers, of New Kent, to erect a pier in Chickahominy river, below Binns' bar, reported from the committee on propositions and grievances, was read a first time. No. 164. House bill to provide for the printing of the acts of assembly, reported from the committee on printing, was read a first time. Mr. WILKINSON, under a suspension of the rules, presented No. 165. House bill to amend the charter of the Dan valley and Yadkin river railroad company, which was read a first time. The following reports were agreed to: The committee on asylums and prisons, to whom was referred the resolution to enquire into the expediency of abolishing the board of directors of the state penitentiary, adopt the following resolution: Resolved, That it is inexpedient to abolish the said board of di rectors. The committee on retrenchment and economy have had under consideration the resolution to "enquire into the propriety of abolishing the appropriation to the state library," and respectfully ask that it be referred to the committee on the library. The committee on counties, cities and towns have had under consideration a bill to amend and re-enact section 2 of an act approved March 14, 1878, in relation to jurisdiction of justices, and respectfully ask that it be referred to the committee for courts of justice. The report of the committee on federal relations and resolutions upon the exercise of jurisdiction by the United States district judge in the matter of Burwell Reynolds and Lee Reynolds, came up. Mr. FAUNTLEROY moved to pass by; which motion was agreed to. Mr. KEYSER offered the following joint resolution: Resolved (the Senate concurring), That the committee on finance of the House and Senate be requested to report some arrangement for conducting the conference with the creditors of the state, provided for by resolution of the general assembly, to be held on the 30th day of January, 1879. The question being on reference, was put and decided in the negative. The resolution was agreed to. Mr. KEYSER moved to reconsider the vote by which the joint resolution was agreed to; which motion was rejected. Ordered, That Mr. KEYSER carry the joint resolution to the Senate and request their concurrence. Mr. GRAVES offered the following resolution: Resolved, That all speeches on House bill No. 76 be limited to ten minutes. The question being on reference, was put and decided in the negative. Mr. JORDAN moved to amend by striking out "ten," and inserting "fifteen." Pending its consideration, On motion of Mr. HANGER, the resolution was laid on the table. Resolved, That a committee of seven members be appointed, with powers to send for persons and papers, to enquire what members of the general assembly are pecuniarily interested in the Moffett bell punch, and what officers and clerks of the government, if any, have a like interest. The question being on reference, was put and decided in the affirmative. Mr. HANGER moved to reconsider the vote by which the resolution was referred; which motion was agreed to. The question recurring on reference, was put and decided in the negative. On motion of Mr. JORDAN, the resolution was laid on the table. Resolved, That the committee for courts of justice be instructed to enquire and report whether a resolution passed only by this branch of a previous legislature, authorizes the clerk of the House to continue to issue warrants on the auditor. The question being on reference, was put and decided in the negative. The resclution was agreed to. Mr. MUSHBACK offered the following resolution: Resolved, That the committee for courts of justice be instructed to enquire whether any, and if any, what legislation is necessary to enable the county, corporation and hustings courts and judges to fill any vacancies that may occur in the grand juries directed by the second section, fifteenth chapter of the revision of the criminal laws, 1877-78, p. 330, to be annually, and to report by bill or otherwise. The question being on reference, was put and decided in the negative. The resolution was agreed to. Leave of absence was granted Messrs. SHELBURNE, five days; GRAVES, three days; HENKEL and WHITE of Hanover, two days each; and ATTKISSON, one day. The following were presented and referred under rule 37: Resolved, That the committee on counties, cities and towns enquire into the expediency of increasing the compensation of commissioners of the revenue. By Mr. STEVENS: A bill to amend and re-enact sections 12 and 74 of chapter 78 of the Code of 1873, as amended by an act approved March 29th, 1876, in relation to pay of county superintendents of schools. Referred to the committee on schools and colleges. By Mr. BURNHAM: Remonstrance against bill to amend the charter of the Lynchburg gas company. Referred to the committee on propositions and grievances. By Mr. JOHNSTON of Giles: Petition of William Leffle for change of boundary line between Craig and Giles counties. Referred to the committee on counties, cities and towns. By Mr. POWELL: A bill to provide a charter for the city of Fredericksburg. Referred to the committee on counties cities and towns. By Mr. COLEMAN: A bill declaring Meherrin river, North Meherrin river, South Meherrin river, and Middle Meherrin river, respectively, a lawful fence. Referred to the committee on counties, cities and towns. By Mr. SHANNON: Resolved that the committee on counties, cities and towns enquire into the expediency of reporting a bill to amend the 8th, 9th and 14th sections of the charter of the town of Marion. By Mr. JOHNSON of Accomac: A bill to amend and re-enact section six of an act approved February 20th, 1878, in reference to unlawful fishing. Referred to the committee on the Chesapeake and its tributaries. By Mr. MONCURE: Petition of citizens of Stafford county to extend the time of erecting fences in Aquia district in said county. Referred to the committee on agriculture and mining. By Mr. JOHNSTON of Giles: A bill to annex a portion of the county of Craig to the county of Giles, and to repeal an act passed April 7th, 1858, entitled an act to annex a portion of the county of Giles to the county of Craig. Referred to the committee on counties, cities and towns. By Mr. KELLY: A bill to authorize elections by the people of assessors, and to repeal section 1, chapter 32, Code of 1873. Referred to committee on finance. By Mr. JOHNSTON of Giles: Petition of Lucinda Stebar for change of boundary line between Craig and Giles counties. Referred to committee on counties, cities and towns. By Mr. MUSHBACH: A bill to authorize the city of Alexandria to compromise the debt of the city and to issue bonds in accordance with the terms of such compromise, and prescribing the mode in which the payment of the interest on such bonds may be enforced. Referred to committee on finance. By Mr. SHRIVER: A bill to refund to Kirk & Shoemaker state taxes erroneously assessed. Referred to the committee on finance. By Mr. EDMUNDS: A bill to allow H. C. Hudson, treasurer of Halifax county, extension of time to make his returns of delinquents and insolvents in the revenue of 1877. Referred to the committee on finance. By Mr. MONCURE: A bill to extend the time for the treasurer of Stafford county to make returns of his delinquent and insolvent lists. for the year 1877. Referred to the committee on finance. By Mr. FARR: A bill to amend and re-enact sections 24 and 26 of an act entitled "an act prescribing the duties, powers, liabilities and compensation of certain county officers," providing for the collection of taxes and the repeal of chapters 37 and 46 of the Code of 1873, approved March 29, 1875. Referred to the committee on finance. The morning hour having expired, the House proceeded to business on the calendar. No. 132. House bill to amend and re-enact the act entitled an act for the protection of game, approved March 14, 1878, came up as unfinished business. |