The Legislature.
Senate.--House bill to authorize the Governor to lease a portion of land adjoining the armory, was passed by the Senate yesterday.Also, House bill to authorize sheriffs to summon the posse comitatus to aid in enforcing impressments in certain cases.
The Senate bill to authorize the impressment of certain salt wells, furnaces and other property at Saltville, was passed by a vote of ayes 27, noes 13.
Mr. Grice offered a preamble and resolution in regard to the arrest and sentence to hard labor by Beast Butler, of the Rev. Geo M. Bain, Wm. H. H. Hodges, and Rev. John H. Wingfield, of Portsmouth, and requesting the Governor to invite the attention of the Confederate Government to the fact, and respectfully ask that the facts may be investigated, and if found as stated and believed, that three citizens of the Federal States, if there be such in the hands of the Confederate authorities, be held at hard labor as hostages for these three citizens of Virginia; and if none, that three Federal officers be placed at hard labor, one with ball and chain, on the public streets, and held as hostages for Messrs. Bain, Hodges and Wingfield.
The preamble and resolution were unanimously agreed to.
The report of the joint committee relative to the exemption of State officers, was considered until the hour for recess.
House.--The House passed Senate bill providing for the distribution of cotton, cotton yarns, &c., among the counties of the State.
The bill authorizing the impressment of certain salt wells, furnaces and other property, was also passed.
Also, an act to prevent the destruction of enclosures on public highways in the State.
And an act to sanction and give authority to the Code of 1860. Adjourned.
