The Legislature.
--In the Senate, the joint resolution in relation to the increase of pay to soldiers, and the commutation of rations not furnished in kind, was taken up and passed.The joint resolution adopted by the House to adjourn on the first Monday in November, was taken up and laid on the table.
The act passed by the House, authorizing the sale of the Capon Springs, heretofore referred to the Committee on General Laws, was reported back from that committee without amendment.
Mr. Neeson submitted a resolution looking to additional compensation to the Judges of the State during the war, which was agreed to.
Mr. Marshall moved that the joint resolutions on the currency, prices, &c., offered by him several days ago, be withdrawn from the consideration of the Committee on Confederate Relations, to which they were referred, and deposited with the Committee for Courts of Justice, together with another resolution which he had submitted, and the motion was agreed to.
The bill amending and re-enacting section 9, chapter 60, of the Code, edition of 1860, relative to the powers of the Court of Appeals in cases of habeas corpus, &c., authorizing the removal of causes from one district to another, was taken up and passed. Ayes 31, noes none.
The Militia bill, with the amendments of the House, was taken up as the order of the day. After considering a number of the amendments, Mr. Keen moved that a committee of conference of the two Houses be had; but the motion did not prevail, and the Senate continued the consideration of the bill as amended.
A bill was reported from the Committee on Agriculture for the establishment of a Board of Manufactures.
Mr. Wilson, of Isle of Wight, offered a substitute for the bill reported from the Committee on Banks, authorizing a subscription to the Confederate loan; which was ordered to be printed.
On motion of Mr. Buford, the rules were suspended and the report from the Committee on Banks, and accompanying resolutions, were taken up and made the special order at 12 o'clock to-morrow.
A resolution was adopted directing the Committee on Courts of Justice to inquire into the expediency of prohibiting by law the impressment by the State or Confederate authorities of supplies intended for the use of poor-houses.
On motion of Mr. Bouldin, the bill to amend the Code, with reference to the jurisdiction of certain Courts, was taken up and passed.
Mr. Burwell offered a substitute for the bill to authorize the impressment of slaves to work on certain railroads, which was ordered to be printed.
The rules were suspended, and the bill to increase the salaries of certain officers of the Government was taken up and ordered to its third reading.
On motion of Mr. Worsham, the Committee on Finance was directed to inquire into the expediency of appropriating — dollars for the benefit of destitute refugees.
Senate bill entitled "an act to suspend proceedings in certain cases, and on executions, attachments, distress warrants, &c.," with an amendment from the Committee on Courts, to which the bill had been referred, was taken up. The bill contemplates a repeal of the present stay law for debts, except those owed by soldiers in the service. The bill was finally indefinitely postponed.
In the House, a message was received from the Senate announcing that that body had agreed to a joint resolution concerning Commissioners of the Revenue, which was read and committed.--Also, that they had passed the bill to incorporate the Petersburg Home Insurance Company, and an act incorporating the Southern Insurance and Savings Society of Petersburg, which were read and committed. Also, that they had passed, with amendments, the House bill for the relief of indigent soldiers and sailors of the State of Virginia who have been or may be injured, or who had died, in the service, and of the indigent families of such soldiers and sailors. The amendments were read and the bill committed.
Mr. Jones, from the Committee on Elections, presented a report on the contested-election case in Halifax county.--There was also a minority report from the same committee submitted by Mr. Fry, of Madison. Both reports were ordered to be printed without being read.
From the Committee on Confederate Relations a bill was reported by Mr. Shackelford to authorize the Confederate Government to purchase and hold real estate in the State of Virginia for the purpose of producing and manufacturing iron and other metals.
