Mr. WARING, under a suspension of the rules, offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the superintendent of public instruction be requested to inform this body what is the amount of all claims outstanding against the public school fund.

The resolution was agreed to.

Mr. KYLE offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That speeches on the bill proposing amendments to the constitution be limited to fifteen minutes.

The question being on reference, was put and decided in the negative.

The resolution was agreed to.

Mr. HENKEL moved to reconsider the vote by which the resolution was agreed to; which motion was rejected.

Mr. HENRY, under a suspension of the rules, offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the board of public works inform the House of Delegates whether the office of the secretary of their board can properly be abolished, and the compensation attached thereto be reduced, and if so, how much; and whether the duties of said office can be properly performed by the railroad commissioner.

The resolution was agreed to.

Mr. JOHNSTON of Giles offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the committee for courts of justice be instructed to inquire what legislation may be necessary to prevent the payment to any of the officers of this House, except by its order, any other than the compensation fixed by law for their services, and report by bill or otherwise.

The question being on reference, was put and decided in the nega

tive.

The resolution was agreed to.

The following were presented and referred under rule 37:

By Mr. J. HOWARD SMITH: A bill providing commutation to John C. Culen, of Albemarle county, for artificial leg. Referred to committee on finance.

By Mr. ALLEN: Petition of citizens of Shenandoah county for the appointment of an inspector of mines. Referred to committee on agriculture and mining.

By Mr. KEYSER: A bill to authorize the Washington, Cincinnati and St. Louis railroad company to record its mortgage in Rockingham county. Referred to committee for courts of justice.

The morning hour having expired, the House proceeded to the business on the calendar.

No. 149. House bill to repeal section 9 and to amend section 10 of chapter 119 of the Code of 1873 in relation to descents from infants, came up as unfinished business.

The question being the motion of Mr. GRAVES to dismiss the bill, was put and decided in the affirmative-yeas 60; nays 32.

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

YEAS-Messrs. Adams, Akers, Bernard, Bland, Bocock, Brown, Burger, Burnham, Chase, Coghill, Cox, Crutchfield, Davis, Dickerson, Dickenson, Dyer, Farr, Ficklin, Fry, Fulton, Graves, Green, Hall, Hanger, Hardesty, Henkel, Hunter, R. D. James, Waddy T. James, Johnson, Johnston, Kelly, Lacy, Lovell, Luck, McCaull, McConnell, McDaniel, Moncure, Moorman, Ragland, Robinson, Sandidge, Shannon, Shelburne, Shumate, Stevens, W. B. Taliaferro, Warner T. Taliaferro, William Taylor, Trout, George Walker, Wm. M. Walker, Wallace, Watson, Whitacre, Thomas M. White, Wilkinson, Wingfield, and Witten-60.

NAYS-Messrs. Anderson, Attkissou, Bohannan, John R. Carter, Coleman, Dance, Echols, Fauntleroy, Finney, Gray, Grigsby, Henry, Keyser, Kyle, Lady, Lee, McCabe, McCraw, Mushbach, Norton, Parrish, Pitts, Powell, Pulliam, Reese, Ryland, E. H. Smith, Starke, VanLear, Waring, Smith J. R. White, and Wright—32

Mr. LACY moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was dismissed; which motion was rejected.

On motion of Mr. TALIAFERRO of Gloucester, the rules were suspended and the House proceeded to the consideration of House bills on their second reading.

No. 215. House bill to annex a portion of the county of Craig to the county of Giles, and to repeal an act passed April 7, 1858, entitled an act to annex a portion of the county of Giles to the county of Craig, came up as unfinished business.

The question being the motion of Mr. SHELBURNE to dismiss the bill,

Mr. JOHNSTON of Giles moved that the bill be passed by; which motion was agreed to-yeas 48; nays 40.

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

YEAS-Messrs. Speaker, Bernard, Brown, Coleman, Crank, Dickerson, Dickenson, Dyer, Echols, Frazier, Fulton, Green, Grigsby, Harvie, Henkel, Henson, R. D. James, Waddy T James, Johnson, Johnston, Kelly, Lacy, Lady, Lee. Lovell, McCaull, McConnell, McCraw, McDaniel, Moncure, Mushbach, Myers, Parrish, Pulliam, Robinson, Ryland, Sandidge, Shannon, Shumate, E. H. Smith, J. Howard Smith, Sykes, William B. Taliaferro, William Taylor, William M. Walker, Waring, Thomas M. White, and Wilkinson-48.

NAYS-Messrs. Adams, Anderson, Burger, John R. Carter, Chase, Coghill, Cox, Crutchfield, Dance, Fauntleroy, Ficklin, Finney, Fry, Graves, Gray, Hall, Hanger, Hardesty, Hunter, Jordan, Keyser, Kyle, Luck, McCabe, Moorman, Ragland, Reese, Shelburne, Shriver, Spessard, Stevens, Warner T. Taliaferro, Andrew J. Taylor, Van Lear, Wallace, Watson, Whitacre, Smith J. R. White, Witten, and Wright—40.

The hour of 1 o'clock having arrived,

No. 184. House joint resolution proposing amendments to the constitution, came up as a special order.

The question being the motion of Mr. ROBINSON to reconsider the vote by which the amendment of Mr. TALIAFERRO of Gloucester was agreed to,

by.

On motion of Mr. ROBINSON, the motion to reconsider was passed

The question being on agreeing to the amendment of Mr. HENRY,

to strike out the proposed second section, was put and decided in the negative.

Mr. Bocock moved to amend the joint resolution by inserting after the words "court of appeals," in the first and second lines of the first section of article six, as proposed to be amended, the following: "in district courts of appeals at the discretion of the legislature"; which was rejected.

Mr. TALIAFERRO of Gloucester moved to amend the joint resolution by striking out the words "two hundred dollars" in the second section of article six, as proposed to be amended, and inserting in lieu thereof "three hundred dollars"; which was rejected.

Mr. HANGER moved to amend the joint resolution by striking out on page two the eighteenth section of article six as proposed to be amended, which is in the following words:

"18. One city or town treasurer, whose duties shall be similar to those of county treasurer, and shall hold his office for a term of three years.".

The question being on agreeing to the amendment,

On motion of Mr. HANGER, the amendment was passed by.

Mr. HENRY moved to amend the joint resolution by adding at the end of the fourth section of article six as proposed to be amended the following:

"But the legislature may require the said court to state in writing and preserve with the records their decision in any and all cases"; which was rejected.

Mr. ECHOLS moved to amend the joint resolution by striking out the thirteenth section of article six, on page three, which is in the following words:

"County Courts.

"§13. In each county of this commonwealth there shall be a court called the county court, which shall be held monthly by a judge learned in the law of the state, and to be known as the county court judge: provided that counties containing less than eight thousand inhabitants, shall be attached to adjoining counties for the formation of districts for county judges. County court judges shall be chosen in the same manner as judges of the circuit courts. They shall hold their office for a term of six years, except the first term under this constitution, which shall be three years, and during their coutinuance in office they shall reside in their respective counties or districts. The jurisdiction of said courts shall be the same as that of the existing county courts, except so far as it is modified by this constitution, og may be changed by law."

Pending which, the hour of 23 o'clock having arrived, the chair was vacated until 8 o'clock.

EVENING SESSION.

The chair was resumed at 8 o'clock.

No. 77. Senate bill entitled an act to amend and re-enact section first of an act to incorporate the Lynchburg gas light company, passed March 31, 1851, came up.

On motion of Mr. MCCAULL, the bill was dismissed.

Mr. JAMES of Goochland moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was dismissed; which motion was rejected.

No. 122. Senate bill entitled an act to provide for the registration of the voters of the counties of Lee and Buchanan.

The bill was read a third time and passed.

Mr. LOVELL moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed; which motion was rejected.

No. 142. Senate bill entitled an act to declare a portion of Rockfish river, between Nelson and Albemarle counties, a lawful fence. The bill was read a third time and passed.

Mr. HARDESTY moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed; which motion was rejected.

The following House engrossed bills were read a third time and passed:

No. 150. House engrossed bill to prescribe the times for holding the circuit courts in the sixteenth judicial circuit.

No. 152. House engrossed bill for working the roads in the counties of Powhatan, Cumberland and Goochland.

No. 153. House engrossed bill to amend and re-enact section two of an act entitled an act to incorporate the town of Gladeville, in the county of Wise, approved February 24, 1874, with reference to the boundary lines of said corporation.

No. 155. House engrossed bill to incorporate the town of Columbia, in Fluvanna county.

No. 157. House engrossed joint resolution instructing senators and requesting representatives in the congress of the United States to vote for an amendment to the banking laws of the United States fixing the penalty for usury.

No. 161. House engrossed bill for the relief of A. W. Houchins, late deputy treasurer of Patrick county.

No. 163. House engrossed bill to allow Barnes Brothers, of New Kent, to erect a pier in Chickahominy river below Binn's bar.

No. 168. House engrossed bill to allow II. C. Hudson, treasurer of Halifax county, extension of time to make his returns of delinquents and insolvents in the revenue for 1877.

No. 171. House engrossed bill to extend the time for the treasurer of Stafford county to make returns of his delinquent and insolvent lists for the year 1877.

No. 173. House engrossed bill in relation to hauling seines, &c., in the waters of Accomac county.

No. 177. House bill to incorporate the Young Mens' Independent Social Club, No. 1, of the city of Richmond.

No. 178. House engrossed bill declaring Meherrin river, North Meherrin river, South Meherrin river, and Middle Meherrin river, respectively, a lawful fence.

No. 179. House engrossed bill to provide a charter for the city of Fredericksburg.

No. 182. House engrossed bill to protect regularly hauled fishing shores in the counties of Accomac and Northampton.

No. 183. House engrossed bill to amend and re-enact section 11, chapter 13, of the Code of 1873, in relation to the salary of county judges of Norfolk and Henrico.

No. 185. House engrossed bill to amend and re-enact section 4 of an act entitled an act to provide for working the roads and repairing the bridges in the counties of Pulaski and Wythe.

No. 189. House engrossed bill to amend and re-enact the sixtieth section of chapter 101, Code 1873, for protection of terrapins and terrapin eggs.

No. 190. House engrossed bill to provide for the use of convict labor on the public grounds of Richmond city.

No. 193. House engrossed bill to authorize the trustees of Cedarville parsonage, of Abingdon circuit, Methodist Episcopal church, south, in the county of Washington, to borrow money and secure pay ment of same by deed of trust on said parsonage property.

No. 198. House engrossed bill to prevent obstructions to the free passage of fish in Smith's river, in Patrick and Franklin counties.

No. 201. House engrossed bill to authorize the trustees of the parsonage of the society of United Brethren in Christ, at Edinburg, Shenandoah county, Virginia, to sell the same.

No. 204. House engrossed bill allowing further time to John H. Chichester, treasurer of Fairfax county, to make his return of delinquents and insolvents for 1877.

No. 205, House engrossed 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 interest on such bonds may be enforced.

No. 209. House engrossed bill to amend and re-enact the third section of an act entitled an act to incorporate the Fauquier White Sulphur Springs company, approved April 4, 1877.

No. 212. House engrossed bill to amend and re-enact an act to incorporate the Portsmouth insurance company, passed February 17, 1852.

No. 214. House engrossed bill to incorporate the town Madison, in the county of Amherst.

Motions (severally made) to reconsider the votes by which Nos. 150, 152, 153, 155, 157, 161, 163, 168, 171, 173, 177, 178, 179, 182, 193, 185, 189, 190, 193, 198, 201, 204, 205, 209, 212, and 214, House bills, were passed, were rejected.