The Daily Dispatch: March 2, 1865., [Electronic resource]

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Virginia Legislature.

[Extra session.]

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Senate.
evening session.

The Senate convened at half-past 7 o'clock P. M. Among the business transacted was the following:

‘ The Committee from Courts of Justice reported a joint resolution ratifying the contract between the Board of Public Works and J. N. Clarkson for the hire of his slaves and allowing transportation for the salt agreed to be delivered to him. Lies over under the rules.

’ A bill to authorize the appointment of an Inspector of Salt, to reside at Saltville, was reported from the Joint Committee on Salt and read the first and second times.

Mr. Dulaney offered a resolution providing that hereafter no member of the Senate shall speak over ten minutes on any one subject. The resolution was adopted.

Mr. Keen, of Pittsylvania, offered the following resolution, which, under the rules, lies over:

‘ "Resolved, That all the testimony taken by, and now in the possession of, the Salt Committee, together with all letters and papers touching the sale, transportation and private contracts for salt manufactured at the salt works and shipped, or sought to be shipped, therefrom, be placed in the possession of the Senate, and that the same be printed for the use of the Senate."

’ Mr. Keen also offered a resolution requesting the President of the Virginia and Tennessee railroad to furnish to the Senate a copy of all letters from his letter-book touching the sale and transportation of salt shipped over the said road, and that the said letters be printed for the use of the Senate; and that he furnish also any other information on the subject not previously communicated to the Senate.

The resolution was discussed and afterwards laid on the table.

On motion, at 10 1-2 o'clock, the Senate adjourned.

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Senate.

The Senate was called to order at 11 o'clock. Prayer by Rev. Dr. Edwards.

The following Senate bills have been passed by the House of Delegates:

‘ Senate bill disbanding the One Hundred and Seventy-ninth regiment militia of the line, and for the more effectual organization of the Nineteenth regiment of militia and the First regiment of the second class militia, so as to enlarge the bounds and strength of the Nineteenth regiment of militia of the line.

’ Senate bill, with the House amendments, exempting from service in the militia of this State, or in any reserved forces of this Commonwealth, certain mechanics and artisans in the service of any railroad or canal company in this State. House amendments were disagreed to.

Also, a bill re-enacting section one, chapter twenty-two of Code of Virginia, in relation to persons liable to military duty.

The rule of the Senate requiring all bills to be kept in the hands of the Clerk two days before being sent to the House of Delegates was rescinded for the remainder of the present session, on motion of Mr. Hart.

Mr. Keen, of Pittsylvania, arose to a personal explanation in relation to a card, over the signature of Mr. Collier, of Petersburg, which appeared in the Enquirer of this morning, concerning the bill and substitute passed by the Senate, in secret session, with regard to putting negroes in the army. In conclusion, he caused the following substitute for the fourth resolution to the bill, which was offered by him, to be read, in order that he should be fairly understood upon the subject:

‘ "The people of Virginia, relying upon the wisdom of the commander of the forces of the Confederate States, and being willing to contribute all the resources of the Commonwealth for a successful prosecution of the war, will devote to that cause such of their slave population as may be needed therefore. Whenever the commander of said forces shall call for slaves, such requisition shall be apportioned according to the slave population of each of the slaveholding States, and shall be called out by the Governor according to the provisions of an act of the General Assembly of Virginia, passed October 10, 1863, entitled 'An act to amend and re-enact the first and third sections of an act passed March 13, 1863, entitled an act to amend and re-enact an act further to provide for the public defence, passed October 3, 1862, ' and delivered up to the authorities of the Confederate States, to be employed in such service as said authorities may direct: Provided, That the ownership to said slaves, and the relation of master and slave, shall not be impaired thereby."

’ At a subsequent time, he submitted the following as a substitute for the foregoing amendment, which was finally passed by the Senate:

‘ "Resolved, That the General Assembly of Virginia do hereby authorize the Confederate authorities to call upon Virginia, through the Governor of the Commonwealth, for as many of her male slaves and free negroes, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, not exceeding twenty-five per centum of the free negroes, as shall be deemed necessary for the public defence, to be called for on the requisition of the General-in-Chief of the Confederate Armies as he may deem most expedient for the public service: Provided, That whenever such call is made it shall be properly apportioned among the different counties and corporations of the Commonwealth according to the slave population of each.

"Resolved, That our Senators are hereby instructed, and our Representatives requested, to vote for the passage of a law to place at the disposal of the Confederate authorities as many of the slaves and free negroes of the Confederate States of America, not exceeding twenty-five per centum of the slaves and twenty-five per centum of the free negroes, as are necessary for the public defence, to be called for on the requisition of the General-in-Chief of our Armies, in such numbers as he shall deem best for the public service, each State furnishing its proper quota according to its slave population. But nothing in the foregoing resolutions shall be construed into a restriction upon the General-in-Chief of the Confederate Armies, or a prohibition to the employment of the slaves and free negroes for the public defence in such manner — as soldiers or otherwise — as the General-in- Chief may deem most expedient."

’ The following was the vote by which the foregoing resolutions were passed at the time in secret session:

‘ Yeas.--Messrs. Alderson, Armstrong, Ball, Christian of Augusta, Coghill, Douglas, Frazier, Garnett, Garrison, Hunter, Keen, Lewis, Nash, Neeson, Newlon, Newman of Mason, Newman of Madison, Stevenson, Spitler, Tayloe, Taylor and Thomas--22.

Nays.--Messrs. Bales, Bruce, Christian of Middlesex, Collier, Dickinson, Dulaney, Graham, Guy, Hart, Jones, Logan, Lynch, Quesenberry, Saunders, Wiley and Witten--16.

’ Admiral Buchanan appearing in the hall, on motion, the chair was vacated for ten minutes, in order to give the members of the Senate an opportunity to be introduced to him.

When the President resumed the chair, the order of the day, being the Senate bill imposing taxes for the support of Government, was taken up and amended, and discussed till the hour of adjournment.

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Evening session.

The entire evening session was taken up in perfecting the bills imposing taxes for the current year.

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House of Delegates.

The House met at 11 A. M.

Mr. Bouldin called up House bill ordering the sale of certain bonds and stocks held by the State, in order to facilitate the payment of the expenses of the State Government.

Mr. Bouldin indicated, in some remarks, that the action of the House on the bill would indicate whether the House should consider it expedient to go on with the consideration of the tax bill to levy taxes for the support of Government.

The bill was discussed at length, and several propositions were before the House as amendments to the bill.

Mr. Staples, of Patrick, chairman of the special committee appointed to inquire into the expediency of reconvoking a convention of the sovereign people of Virginia, reported "A bill to center upon the General Assembly the powers of a convention."

[The bill recounts, in a preamble, that the emergencies of war require this extraordinary measure, and goes on to direct that the officers of election (to be held in March) for members of the General Assembly shall direct a separate poll to be opened, where the question shall be voted upon: ‘"Shall the powers of a convention be conferred upon the General Assembly of Virginia?"’ with the reservation that said convention shall not alter the Bill of Rights or certain sections of the State Constitution; that the tickets to be voted shall indicate whether the voter is for or against a convention.]

Messrs. Deane and Pretlow, of the committee appointed to report upon the subject, submitted a minority report, declaring a convention inexpedient at this time.

A debate arose upon the disposal of the bill. It was finally ordered to be printed, the House refusing to suspend the rules in order to put the bill upon its second reading. The consideration of the bill was then made the order of the day for to morrow.

Mr. Deane then moved the printing of the minority report, and it was so ordered.

Mr. Pendleton moved, at 1 o'clock, that the House go into secret session, but the House refused — ayes, 32; noes, 40.

The bill to increase the pay of the professors of the Virginia Military Institute was taken up and discussed to the hour of recess.