General Assembly of Virginia.
Senate.
On motion of Mr. Gray, House bill entitled to incorporate the St. James Improvement Company was taken up, read a second referred to Committee on General
On motion of Mr. Gray, House bill entitled incorporate the Chesterfield Gas Coal Mining Company was read a third time and passed.
By Mr. Coleman:
"Resolved, That the Committee of Courts of Justice be instructed to report a bill for the purpose of legislating and enforcing all contracts with the freedmen by parties wishing to employ them by the year, or for a less period, and providing for the enforcement of such contracts, as may be deemed necessary and proper." Agreed to.
On motion of Mr. Lemosey, the Senate took up a bill to amend the fourth section of chapter one hundred and forty-one of the Code, and to repeal the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh sections of said chapter:
"1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly. That the 4th section of chapter 141 of the Code of Virginia be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:
"Section 4. Legal interest shall continue to be at the rate of six dollars upon one hundred dollars for a year, and proportionably for a greater or less sum, or for a longer or shorter time, and no person, unless upon a contract in writing, shall take for the loan or forbearance of money or other thing above the value of such rate."
"3. Be it further enacted, That the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th sections of said chapter 141 be, and the same are hereby, repealed, except as to all debts and obligations for the loan of money contracted previous to the passage of this act.
"2. This act shall be in force from its passage."
After a brief discussion, it was laid on the table for future action.
Senate bill amending the stay law was returned from the House with an amendment.
On motion to lay it on the table, the bill was discussed at some length.
Mr. Keen, of Pittsylvania, urged the passage of the bill, and thought that if the stay law was not adopted that the question would grow into the question of repudiation. He thought that he could go before his county and carry it upon that issue, and that there was a strong feeling throughout the State.
Mr. McRae, of Chesterfield, denied indignantly that the people of Virginia would ever consent to repudiation. The bill was referred to the Committee on Courts of Justice.
On motion of Mr. Robinson, the Senate then adjourned until January 3d, 1866.
House of Delegates.
The House met at the usual hour. Prayer by the Rev. Dr. Burrows.
Manchester cotton Company.
House bill extending Manchester Cotton and Wool Manufacturing Company's charter, with amendment from the Senate, which was concurred in, and the bill passed.
Finance.
Mr. Grattan, from the Committee on Finance, reported the following bills, which were read the first and second times and ordered to be printed:Bill to authorize the conversion of registered bonds into coupon bonds.
Bill to amend fourth section, one hundred and forty-first chapter Code 1860, regulating rates of interest.
Bill to amend certain sections of Code of 1860, regulating the payment of salaries and mileage of members.
Stay law.
A bill amending the stay law, passed December 19th, reported by Mr. Joynes, was read the third time and passed.[This amendment is substantially the same as the Senate bill passed yesterday.]
Fredericksburg and Gordonsville railroad.
House bill releasing State interest in the Fredericksburg and Gordonsville railroad in certain instances was brought up. After some discussion, under a suspension of the rules, the bill was reconsidered and recommitted.
State debts.
Mr. Robertson offered the following resolution:"Resolved, That the Committee on Finance inquire into the expediency of funding the interest debt of the State."
On motion of Mr. Ellis, a resolution was adopted inquiring into the expediency of providing that, until the question of the re-union of the States shall have been decided by a vote or some other legal method, it is not advisable for the Legislature to make any provision for the payment of public debts, or any portion thereof, or for the funding of the interest thereon. Referred to the Committee on Finance.
Incorporated companies.
On motion of Mr. Robertson, the Committee on Finance was directed to inquire into the expediency of requiring incorporated companies of the State to pay into the Treasury a deposit of security, and to pay a bonus for incorporation.
An affectionate appeal to our Western brethren.
On motion of Mr. Hansborouge, it was"Resolved, That the Committee on the Union of Eastern and Western Virginia be respectfully requested to examine into the propriety of adopting the following appeal."
Sometimes, in the course of human events, trivial circumstances separate good friends, and, as in the case of Abram and Lot, one goes to the right hand and the other departs to the left. But when passion subsides and reason is enthroned, the remembrance of ancient friendship prompts kindly feelings of our nature to reconciliation and mutual esteem. It us that there has been a separation us and our western brethren. Bound together by common blood, a common language, and the iron hooks of interest, what shall separate us? And bound together by natural limits, who shall separate what God has joined together? Shall poverty, shall tribulation, shall the sword, tear us asunder from our brethren? And how shall we divide the glory of the Old Dominion? You are too brave and generous to require us, in bondsman's key, to say, "Pray master, forgive us." And we ask no submission, no humiliation from you, but with outstretched arms we invite you to our affectionate and tender embrace. And behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down to the beard, even Aaron's beard; as the dew of Heaven, as the dew that descended upon the mountain of Zion, for the Lord commanded the blessing, even life forevermore.
On motion of Mr. Joynes, the House adjourned until Wednesday, January 3, 1866.
