Staunton Spectator

Virginia Legislature.

HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

Saturday, Feb. 25

On motion of Mr. Jones, leave was given to bring in a bill to incorporate a Company for the purpose of constructing a Rail Road from the City of Richmond to York Town.

The following engrossed bills were read a third time and passed :—To change the time of holding certain courts of the counties of Lewis and Randolph; Providing for the encouragement of Volunteer Companies.

The engrossed bill changing the mode of compensation of the General Agent of the Penitentiary, &c. was read a third time, and the blanks in the bill were filled, on motion of Mr. Gallaher, so as to give the Agent seven per cent. on the ordinary sales of goods, and two and a half per cent. on such as are sold at auction. The latter allowance was opposed by Mr. Dickinson, Mr. Marshall, and Mr. Bryce of G. On motion of Mr. Bryce of G., the ayes and noes were ordered on the passage of the bill, which was decided in the affirmative: Ayes 66, Noes 26.

Monday Feb. 27.

The Senate have passed the bills—to authorise the raising of money by lottery for the purpose of paving the streets of the town of Fairfax, in the county of Culpeper—and with amendments—to amend an act authorising the Board of Public Works to subscribe to the stock of the Petersburg Rail Road Company.

On motion of Mr. MeCue, leave was given to bring in a bill, to amend an act incorporating the Staunton and Potomac Rail Road Company.

SLAVES AND FREE NEGROES.

On motion of Mr. Sims the bill to amend several acts regulating the police laws concerning slaves, free negroes and mulattoes, as reported by the Select Committee, with amendments, was taken up, and the amendments of the committee were agreed to.

On motion of Mr. Carter of P. W., the 4th section of the bill was amended by striking from the following sentence the words in italics: "No free negro or mulatto shall hereafter be capable of purchasing, or otherwise acquiring a title to any real estate, &c."

Mr. Brown moved to amend the seventh section by the insertion of a clause, prohibiting slave mechanics from going at large and making bargains for work, without the privity of their masters.

This motion was opposed by Mr. Booker, who argued that such a provision would produce great inconvenience—and was agreed to.

Mr. Brodnax moved to amend the same section, so as to permit free negro tradesman or mechanics to teach their trades to their own children, which was agreed to.

Mr. Carter of P. W., moved to amend the following sentence in the same section—“Nor shall any slave, free negro or mulatto, hereafter be employed, or act as a musician to any military company," &c., by inserting between the words any and slave the word such,—referring to those who shall have refused to be removed by the public means. This motion was opposed by Messrs. Brodnax, Roane and Gholson, and supported by Mr. Carter of P. W., when it was rejected.

Mr. Bolling moved the re-consideration of the vote on an amendment of the committee prohibiting masters and owners of coasting vessels trading to ports north of Baltimore from employing on board slaves and free negroes. Considerable debate arose on this motion, which was supported by Messrs. Bolling, Jones and Chandler, and opposed by Messrs. Brodnax, Williams and Randolph. The motion was negatived Ayes 34, Noes 67

On motion of Mr. Marshall, the 9th section was stricken out [prohibiting
slaves and free negroes from selling spirituous liquor under certain circumstances—a similar restriction being provided in the law regulating licenses.

Mr. Bare moved the indefinite postponement of the Bill, which was rejected, Ayes 41, Noes 72.

On motion of Mr. Miller the 10th section, being as follows, was stricken out—“Hereafter no court &c. shall grant any license to any person whatever, to keep a tavern, or retail groceries unless the party applying for such license will make oath, to be entered on record, that he or she had not sold liquors to any slave, contrary to the provisions of this act since its passage, and that he or she would not do so during the continuance of the license."

Mr. Newton moved to strike out the 5th section prohibiting free negroes from selling any thing whatever, without exhibiting a written certificate of two free holders that the articles were raised or owned by such free negro—and insert a substitute confining such prohibition to agricultural products or stock. Agreed to.

Mr. Caldwell moved to amend the 8th section by striking from the following passage,—“no white person, free negro or mulatto, shall buy, sell, or receive, of to or from a slave, any commodity whatever without the written consent of the master,&c.”—the words in italic, and inserting in their place "agricultural productions, stock or fowls."—Rejected.

Mr. Moore moved to strike out a clause in the 3d section which prohibits a free negro from going out of the county in which he resides without a certificate, &c.—Rejected.

Mr. Johnson rose to move the indefinite postponement of the bill, observing that the amendments it had already undergone, reminded him of the attempt of the black-smith to mend the broken leg of a dog, in doing which he broke it in two other places.

After a few remarks from Messrs. Brodnax & Carter of P. W., Mr. Johnson withdrew his motion

On motion of Mr. Caldwell, the 4th section was amended by adding to the passage declaring the disability of a free negro from "purchasing or hiring, or otherwise acquiring title or ownership permanent or temporary, to any slave," the words "except their wives or children."

—This section was further amended on motion of Mr. Bryce.

The bill being on its engrossment, the ayes and noes were ordered on motion of Mr. Zinn, and it was passed to be engrossed for a third reading, as follows:

Ayes—Messrs Banks (Speaker,) Grinals, Wood of Albemarle, Randolph, Booker, Garland, Brooke, Campbell of Bedford, Anderson and Wilson of Botetourt, Gholson Shell, Patteson of Rockingham, Rives, Daniel Dickinson, Halyburton, Richardson, Patteson of Chesterfield, Pendleton, Broadus, Wilson of Cumberland, Brodnax Jones, Ball, Marshall, Stillman, Smith of Gloucester, Bryce, of Goochland, Erskine, Spencer, Bruce, Sims, Roane, Mullen, Williams, Mayo, Gravely, Jordan, Sheild, Gallaher, Barry, Summers, Harwood, Carter of Lancaster and Richmond, Allen, M'Ilhany, Poindexter, Hudgins, Smith of Mason and J, Preston, Webb, Chandler, Leigh, Fisher, Harvey, Anderson of N., Fitzhugh, Davis, Witcher, Swanson, Miller, Dupuy, Lane, Shands, Carter of Prince William, Moore Tazewell, Cobb, Powell, Crump, Hargrave, McCoy, Keller, Newton, Crockett, King, Brown, and Rutherfoord—79.

Noes—Messrs. Persinger, McCue, Cameron Faulkner, Good of B., Campbell of D., Spurlock, Chilton, Stephenson, Helms Hite and Woods of F., Ward and Bruce of Fred., Sridow, Hite of G., Carshaddon, Poston, Johnson, Hays Cordell, Caldwell, Billingsly Henry Vawter, Parriott, Adams, Hiner, Zinn, Hart, McMahon, Cline, Jessee, Bare, Gillespie and Morris—26.

The bill making provision for the redemption of lands delinquent for non-payment of taxes, was taken up with the amendments reported from the Select Committee, which were severally agreed to.

Mr. Erskine moved to amend the bill so as to exempt the County of Greenbrier from its operation. This motion was opposed by Messrs Summers and Preston, and was rejected.

Thursday, Feb. 29.

The Senate have passed the bills—to authorise a lottery to construct a bridge across the South Shenandoah, in the county of Rockingham—authorising the Guyandotte Turnpike Company to extend their road.

The engrossed bill, to regulate the tolls on stage coaches, on the Kanawha turnpike, [authorising the James River Company to make such reductions in those tolls as they may deem expedient was read a third time—and on its passage, a debate occurred, in which Messrs. Summers, Berry, Chandler, Randolph, Erskine, Fitzhugh, Gholson, and Anderson of B., supported, and Messrs. Goode and Williams opposed the bill. A rider proposed by Mr. Gholson, restricting the J. R. Company to the exercise of the authority for one year—was adopted. Ayes 72. Noes 41.

On motion of Mr. Carter of P. W., the bill to provide for the erection of a monument over the remains of George Washington was taken up and ordered to be engrossed.

The following engrossed bills were read a third time and passed :—Concerning delinquent and forfeited lands, and providing for the sale of lands returned delinquent hereafter for the non-payment of taxes: To form a new county out of parts of Shenandoah & Frederick.

Wednesday, Feb. 29.

The Senate have passed the bills—
to amend an act incorporating the Fincastle and Blue Ridge Turnpike Company.

Mr Williams presented a petition from sundry citizens of Harrison, for the establishment of a new county.

Thursday, March 1.

The Senate have passed the bill to authorize a lottery to construct a road from Beverly, in the county of Randolph, to Morgantown, in Monongalia county.

The engrossed bill to amend several acts concerning slaves, free negroes, and mulattoes, revising the police regulations was read a third time, and being on its passage, was discussed at considerable length by Messrs. MeCue, Brodnax, Chandler, Williams, Sims, Campbell of Brook, Bolling, Brooke, Summers, and Fitzhugh.

The vote was then taken on the passage of the bill, and was decided in the affirmative, as follows:

Ayes—Messrs. Banks, (Speaker.) Grinals, Wood of A., Randolph, Booker, Garland, Campbell of Br., Pate, Wilson of B., Gholson, Shell, Patteson of B., Bolling, Rives, Daniel, Dickinson, Halyburton, Richardson. Patteson of C., Broadus, Wilson of C . Brodnax, Jones, Ritchie, Ball, Stillman, Hale of F., Bryce of F., Smith, of F., Smith, of G., Bryce of G., Erskine, Spencer, Sims, Roane, Williams, Mayo, Gravely, Jordan, Shield, Berry, Summers, Harwood, Hooe, Dabney. Carter of L.. and R., Street, Hudgins, Goode of M., Knox, Preston, Webb, Cabell, Leigh, Harvey, Anderson of N., Fitzhugh, Davis, Swanson, Miller, Dupuy, Land, Shands, Carter of P., W., M'Dowell, Powell, Moncure, Crump, Hargrave, M'Coy Newton, Morris, Crockett, King, Rutherfoord 74.

Noes—Messrs. Persinger, M'Cue, Brooke, Cameron, Faulkner, Good of B., Anderson of B., Campbell of Br., Spurlock, Chilton, Marshall, Stephenson, Helms, Woods, of Franklin, Wood of F., Hail of G., Bruce, Carskadon, Poston, Mullen, Johnson, Gallaher, Allen, Hays, M'Haney, Cordell, Smith of M. and J., Billingsly, Henry, Vawter, Chandler, Parriott, Robertson, Adams, M'Mahon, Cline, Jessee, Bare. Cobb, Gillespie, M'Culloch, Hiner, Witcher, Gilliland, Zinn, Hart,.—47.

Mr. Bryce of Goochland, from the Committee of Finance presented a report of the Financial concerns of the commonwealth—also a bill imposing taxes for the support of government, and a bill appropriating the public revenue, which were referred to a committee of the whole, made the order of the day for Wednesday next, and ordered to be printed.

A Report of the Committee of Finance against the enlargement of the Western Lunatic Hospital, was agreed to.

Reports of the Committee of Roads, &c. in favor of the petition of the President, Directors, &c. of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company, asking a subscription by the Commonwealth to their stock—and in favor of the petition of the citizens of the county of Henrico, for the incorporation of a company to construct a rail road from the City of Richmond to Turkey Island, were agreed to.

Friday, March 2.

The Senate have passed the bills—to incorporate the Shadwell manufacturing company in the county of Albemarle—and concerning David W. Sleeth. Also, with amendments, a bill to regulate the toll on stage coaches on the Kanawha turnpike—which were agreed to.