House of Delegates. Saturday, March 22, 1862.
A message was received from the Senate, notifying the House of the passage of a bill to compensate David W. Trobel, for services connected with the militia of Nicholas and Greenbrier counties; also, a bill to authorize the receipt of Confederate States Treasury notes in payment of taxes and other public dues; also, House bill to legalize the use of certain State securities held by the Bank of Pittsylvania as part of its capital; also, disagreeing to House resolution, exempting the Printer of the Court of Appeals, at Lewisburg, from militia duty; also, agreeing to a resolution instructing he Attorney General to litigate with the Confederate Government, the validity of any lawn of the said Government, as claim the right to sequestrate or confiscate the property held by residents of the United States, in the State of Virginia, and asking the concurrence of the House.
Laid on the table.
The House laid on the table the Senate bill authorizing the receipt of Confederate Treasury notes for taxes. Also, the resolution instructing the Attorney General to litigate with the Confederate Government in relation to cofiscated property.
Bills presented.
Mr. Hunter, from a Special Committee, presented a bill to reduce into one all the acts and resolutions for raising and enrolling troops for defence of the State, calling for drafts, embodying the militia, and collecting arms. Read a second time.
The case of Judge Pitts.
Mr. Evans, from the Special Committee in the case of Judge Pitts, presented a report, which was laid on the table.On motion of Mr. Evans, the following resolution was adopted:
Resolved by the General Assembly, That no further action in the case of Judge E. P. Pitts, under the resolution of the 21st February, 1862, be had during the present session, the notice required by the aforesaid resolution not having been given.
The House laid on the table Senate bill to provide temporary warehouses for tobacco, with the pending substitute
The Speaker laid before the House a communication from the Governor, enclosing a communication from the Adjutant General. Referred.
The Senate bill entitled an act to sanction an ordinance of the State of North Carolina, entitled "an ordinance to incorporate the Piedmont Railroad Company," was taken up. The following amendment, proposed by the committee, elicited considerable debate as to whether it would not necessitate, if adopted, the reference of the act back to the North Carolina Convention for ratification.
Provided, That if the corporators to be organized under said ordinance accept the provisions of this act, it shall be upon the condition that the said Piedmont Railroad Company shall not have power to discriminate on either freight or travel, against the Richmond and Danville Railroad, or any other railroad in Virginia connected therewith, and upon the further condition that the connection of said Piedmont Railroad with the Richmond and Danville Railroad, hereby authorized, shall be made at some point south of Dan river, at or near the town of Danville, unless, in the opinion of the President of the Confederate States, the military interests of the country require such connection to be made elsewhere, in which event such conection may be made at such point as the President of the Confederate States shall approve.
on the table and made the order of the day for Monday at 12 o'clock.
The bill appropriating $100,000 to the manufacture of field artillery and the purchase at small arms, was called up.
Mr. Hunter asked for the reading of a letter from Col. Turner Ashby as a reason why the bill should be passed at once. The letter states that Col. Ashby had over 600 men in his nineteen companies of cavalry and artillery without arms. In a recent charge one of his men rode horseback armed only with a club. The bill was considered and laid over.
The tax bill was then discussed and the Senate amendments considered. After an hour's deliberation, it was laid over.
