Virginia Argus

Virginia Legislature.

HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

TUESDAY, December 3d, 1811.

Ordered, that a Committee of courts of justice be appointed; and a Committee was appointed of Messrs. Stanard, (of Spottsylvania) Stevenson, Mercer, Lee, (of Norfolk borough) Leigh, (of Dinwiddie) Magill, Preston, Seawell, Bowyer, Jackson, Pope, Corbin, Claiborne, Ragland, Campbell, Thompson, Stith, Holt, Caperton, Goode, Dade, Anderson, (of Hanover) Tyler, Machir, J. Selden, Johnston, Robertson, Armistead and Tebbs.

Ordered, that a Committee of Privileges and Elections be appointed; and a Committee was appointed of Messrs. Johnston, Jackson, Preston, Bowyer, Magill, Leigh, (of Dinwiddie) Ritchie, Yancey, Davis, (of Orange) Coleman, (of Pittsylvania) Corbin, Holt, N. Selden, Pope, Evans, Lee, (of Norfolk borough) White, Stith, Coleman, (of Caroline) Buckner, Walker, (of King and Queen) Stanard, (of Chesterfield) Bernard, and Morgan, (of Ohio.)

Ordered, that a Committee of Propositions and Grievances be appointed; and a Committee was appointed of Messrs. Noland, Joynes, Moore, Garth, Cocke, Fulton, Waggener, Edmunds, Walker, (of Buckingham) Reveley, Richardson, Julian, Branch, Allen, M'Comas, Turner, Watts, Ritchie, Scott, (of Fairfax) Fitzhugh, Bernard, Garrett, Williams, Card, Quarles, Maclin, Lewis, (of Gloucester) Spencer, Price, King, Cargill, Purnall, Sanford, Vashon, White, Anderson, (of Augusta) N. Selden, Goodson, J. Selden, Ruffner, Ragland, Hooe, Hill, Dawe, Daniel, (of Louisa) Davis, (of Surry) Gregory, Morgan, (of Madison) Henderson, Smith, (of Matthews) Feild, Thruston, Gray, Nicklin, J. H. Christian, R. Christian, Baker, Rice, Eppes, Varnum, Morgan, (of Ohio) Davis, (of Orange) Hughes, Coleman, (of Pittsylvania) Watkins, Temple, Grigsby, Marteney, Booth, Cecil, Garrow, Bradley, Bailey, Kent and Blair.

Ordered, that a Committee of Claims be appointed; and a Committee was appointed of Messrs. Otey, Anderson, (of Augusta) Shearer, Lewis, (of Botetourt) Rudd, Ward, Hodges, Snyder, Chapman, Hankins, Griggs, Hansford, Martin, M'Millan, Craig, Irwin, Blackwell, Woodson, Baker, Sergeant, Fugate, Carson, Parham, Langhorne, Kent, Given, Haller, Berry, Hughes, Tebbs, Currin and Flanagan.

Ordered, that a Committee be appointed to examine the Armoury; and a Committee was appointed of Messrs. Wooding, Rutherford, Gee, Wilson, Strode, Jones, (of Essex) Coleman, (of Fairfax) Tucker, King, Early, Woods and Ruffner.

Ordered, that a Committee be appointed to examine the Executive expenditures: and a Committee was appointed of Messrs Stith, Lewis, (of Gloucester) Armistead, Simon, Given, Lynch, Jones, (of Caroline) Scott, (of Fauquier) Payne, Garrett, Morrow, Leake, Goodson, Hooe and Upshaw.

Ordered, that a Committee of Finance be appointed; and a Committee was appointed of Messrs. Randolph, Mercer, Strode, Scott, (of Fairfax) Young, Claiborne, Machir, Stevenson, Egmon, Seawell, Goode, Branham, Robertson and Wooding

Ordered, that a Committee to examine the Clerk's office be appointed; and Committee was appointed of Messrs. Purnall, Perrin, Sanford Coplin, Aylett, Daniel, [of Louisa] Jesse, Dunton, Vashon, Dawe, Temple and Madeira.

Ordered, that Anthony Robinson, Jr. be appointed Clerk to the Committee for Courts of Justice: Charles Barrett, Clerk to the Committee of Privileges and Elections, and Claims; and Edmund Pendleton, Jr. Clerk to the Committee of Propositions and Grievances.

The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Lieutenant Governor, referring to sundry accompanying documents, for the consideration of the General Assembly; which letter was read. The letter shall appear in the next Argus.]

The following preamble and resolution were proposed to be adopted by the House, viz:

Whereas it is represented to the House that a gentleman returned to serve in this present House of Delegates, entertains particular scruples, arising from circumstances peculiar to his own situation, against taking the oath prescribed, as a pre-requisite qualification of all members of this house, by the Act "to suppress duelling," passed the 26th day of January, 1810; and whereas it is the proper and peculiar right and duty of this house to judge and determine all matters in anywise relating to the elections, privileges, and qualifications of its' own members;-

Resolved, therefore, as the sense of this House, that the said Act "to suppress duelling," and, particularly, the oath prescribed to be taken by the third section thereof, hath no manner of relation whatever to any offences, of the kind prohibited by the said Act, which may have occurred prior to the 1st day of April, 1810, when the act commenced in force; and that, in this sense, and in this sense only, the said oath is, and ought to be taken by every member of this house.

On motion, Ordered, that the said preamble and resolution be laid upon the table.

Ordered, that leave be given to bring in a bill "to exempt Magistrates from serving on Juries in the Superior Courts of this Commonwealth," and that Messrs. Armistead, Moore, Purnall, Woods, Baker, (of Northampton,) Irwin, Cecil and Temple, do prepare and bring in the same.

A petition was presented and read from a number of the inhabitants of Harrison County praying for a division thereof, and a new county to be formed in the manner described in the said petition: Ordered, that the said petition be referred to the committee of Propositions and Grievances.

A petition was also presented and read from the same county representing certain inconveniences resulting from the present organization of the Superior Courts of Chancery: especially to the people residing west of the Blue-Ridge; and praying such relief as the wisdom of the Legislature may devise ;-and

A petition from Frederick county to the same effect;

Ordered that the said petitions be referred to a select committee consisting of Messrs. Jackson, Magill, Mercer, Preston, Bowyer, Evans, Holt, Waggener, Scott, (of Fauquier,) Pope & Claiborne.

A memorial was presented and read, from Edmund McGinnis complaining of the undue election and return of Thomas Ward, returned as a delegate to the present General Assembly from the county of Cabell.

Ordered that the said memorial together with sundry documents in support thereof be referred to the committee of Privileges and Elections.

A petition was presented and read from a number of the inhabitants of Winchester and it's vicinity praying the establishment of an independent Bank, or of a Branch of the Bank of Virginia, in the said town :-also

A Petition of the Merchants and Traders, and sundry inhabitants of the Town of Lynchburg, and the adjacent counties, praying the establishment of a Bank at Lynchburg, on such terms as to the Legislature, in it's wisdom, may seem most advisable ;-also
A petition of a number of Freeholders and other inhabitants of the county of Amherst, praying that a law may pass declaring Buffalo River, from Garland's Mill in the said county, to it's confluence with Tye River in the county of Nelson, a public high way; and Tye River, from the aforesaid junction to it's confluence with James River, also a public high way; and to incorporate Trustees for raising, by subscription, a sufficient sum of money to clear out and improve the navigation of the said River.

Ordered, that the said petitions be referred to the committee of Propositions and Grievances,

A petition was presented and read from Mary Ward widow of Jeremiah Ward late of Kanawha county, praying to be permitted to bring into and hold in this Commonwealth certain slaves from the State of Kentucky.

Ordered, that the said petition be referred to the committee for Courts of Justice. On motion, Resolved. That this House will, on Thursday the 5th inst. proceed by joint ballot with the Senate, to the choice of a Governor or Chief Magistrate of this Commonwealth to supply the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of James Monroe, Esq.

Ordered, that the Clerk communicate the said resolution to the Senate, and request their concurrence.

Ordered, that leave be given to bring in a bill to amend an Act entitled "an Act incorporating a Company to establish a Turnpike from the Little River Turnpike Road to Fauquier Courthouse " and that Messrs. Noland, Scott, (of Fairfax,) Coleman, (of Fairfax,) Buckner, Scott, (of Fauquier,) Williams, Griggs, Shearer and King, (of Hampshire,) do prepare and bring in the same.

Resolved, that this House will, on to-morrow, resolve itself into a committee of the whole House, to take under it's consideration the state of the Commonwealth.

And then the House adjourned until to-morrow 12 o'clock.