By Mr. Armstrong: A bill authorizing D. A. Plecker to erect a tollbridge, across North river, at Mount Crawford, in Rockingham county. Referred to committee on roads and internal navigation. By Mr. Hoeninger: A bill to amend sections 8 and 9 of chapter 188, Code of 1873, in relation to the protection of forest and other property. Referred to committee on agriculture and mining. By Mr. Taliaferro: Memorial of the bar of Nottoway, praying the restoration to the county courts of their former jurisdiction, or an increase of the number of circuit judges. Referred to committee for courts of justice. By Mr. Wharton: Memorial of the board of visitors of the Virginia agricultural and mechanical college. Referred to committee on schools and colleges. By Mr. Walker: Resolved, That the committee on agriculture and mining inquire into the expediency of so amending the law as to better protect the farmer against the depredation of dogs. By Mr. Harris: Resolved, That the committee for courts of justice be, and they are hereby instructed, to report as to the expediency of a bill which, while relieving the judges of the Commonwealth from the embarrassments thrown around them by existing laws as indicated by Judge Guigon in his opinions as reported, will enforce the constitutional rights of all the citizens of the State in relation to the jury system. The morning hour having expired the house proceeded to the business on the calendar. No. 4. House bill to amend and re-enact section 18, chapter 196, Code of Virginia (edition of 1860), in reference to offences against morality and decency, was read a second time, and, on motion of Mr. Coghill, was dismissed. On motion of Mr. Lovenstein, the house adjourned until to-morrow at 12 o'clock M. FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 1874. Prayer by Rev. A. C. Bledsoe, of the Methodist church. The journal was read by the clerk. A communication from the senate, by their clerk, was read as follows: In Senate, January 8, 1874. The senate have passed bills entitled An act to incorporate the Masonic mutual relief association of Virginia; No. 16. And An act to allow further time for the judge of Norfolk county to qualify; No. 21. And they have agreed to House joint resolution extending the time for the collection of taxes and county and township levies for the year 1873, No. 1, with amend ments. And they have also agreed to House joint resolution in relation to the election of a judge for the county court of Halifax. In which bills and amendments they respectfully request the concurence of the house of delegates. No. 1. House joint resolution extending the time for the collection of taxes and county and township levies for the year 1873, was referred to the committee on finance. No. 21. Senate bill, was read twice and referred to the committee for courts of justice. No. 16. Senate bill, was read twice and referred to the committee on propositions and grievances. The following bills, reported from the committee for courts of justice, were read a first time : No. 6. House bill to release the securities of Joseph Charlton from the payment of a forfeited recognizance. No. 7. House bill to amend section 10, chapter 202, Code 1873, with reference to juries in criminal cases. No. 8. House bill to change the name of the Augusta county fair to the Baldwin fair, reported from the committee on agriculture and mining, was read a first time. No. 9. House bill to amend an act incorporating the town of Wytheville, reported from the committee on counties, cities and towns, was read a first time. The following bills, reported from the committee on finance, were read a first time: No. 10. House joint resolution extending the time for the collection of taxes and county and township levies in the Commonwealth for the year 1873, with a recommendation that it do not pass. No. 11. House bill to extend the time for the collection of taxes and county and township levies throughout the Commonwealth, with a recommendation that it do not pass. No. 12. House bill to authorize the common council of the corporation of Winchester to borrow money. Senate joint resolution in reference to the sale of forfeited and delinquent lands, was reported from the committee on finance. Leave of absence was granted Mr. Branch for two days. The following reports were agreed to: The committee for courts of justice have, according to order, taken into consideration a resolution to make it a penal offence for any person to pull and leave down the fence of another, or for opening or leaving open the gate of another, and have adopted the following resolution thereon: Resolved (as the opinion of this committee), That it is inexpedient to adopt the proposed change in the law. The committee on printing have had under consideration a resolution to inquire into the expediency of having the Code of Virginia published in two volumes, and have come to the following resolution: Resolved, That it is inexpedient to have the Code so published. Mr. Critz offered the following joint resolution: Resolved (the senate concurring), That the general assembly proceed at one o'clock to-day to elect a county judge for Tazewell county, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the failure of Wm. P. Cecil to qualify. The house refused to refer the resolution to a committee. The resolution was agreed to. Mr. Critz moved a reconsideration of the vote by which the resolution was agreed to, which motion was rejected. Ordered, That Mr. Critz carry the joint resolution to the senate and request their concurrence. A message was received from the senate by Mr. Nowlin, who informed the house that the senate had agreed to the joint resolution. Mr. Richmond offered the following resolution: Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed, to whom shall be referred all petitions and resolutions upon amendments to the State constitution. The house referred the resolution to the committee on rules. The following were presented and referred under rule 37. By Mr. Rogers: A bill to amend and re-enact section 77 of chapter 159 of acts of 1871-'72, as to compensation of assessors. committee on finance. Referred to By Mr. Rogers: A bill to amend and re-enact section 2 of chapter 170 of Code of 1873, as to removal of causes pending in one court to another. Referred to committee for courts of justice. By Mr. Walke: Resolved, That the committee on agriculture and mining inquire whether any, and if so, what further legislation is necessary to insure full compensation to owners of land on railroads for damages sustained by fire from sparks from railroad engines. By Mr. Lee: Petition of James M. Reynolds to change boundary line of Craig and Giles, so as to include the petitioner in Craig county. Referred to committee on counties, cities and towns. By Mr. Koiner: Resolved, That the committee on finance inquire into the expediency of providing by law that all claims for jury service against the general or county treasury in any county, which are not presented at said treasury for payment within one year from the time of rendering the service, shall be null and void, and any money retained by a county treasurer to liquidate such claims as have become void, shall be accounted for in the general or county funds to which they may severally belong, thereby preventing an unnecessary accumulation of inoperative money in the hands of the county treasurer unaccounted for by him, and that they report by bill or otherwise. By Mr. J. Horace Lacy: A petition of Gen'l Tochman in relation to claim for disbursments made by him for the State while acting as the State agent för immigration. Referred to committee on finance. By Mr. Koiner: Resolved, That the committee for courts of justice inquire into the expediency of providing by law that any county which has not established a chain-gang of its own, may, by its supervisors or judge, contract to hire such convicted persons as are liable to work in a chain-gang, to the authorities of any city or corporation which has a chain-gang located in the county, on such terms as shall not conflict with the provisions of the 25th, 6th and 7th sections of the 196th chapter of the Code of 1873, and that the committee report by bill or otherwise. By Mr. Koiner: A bill to prevent obstructing with timber or rendering foul the water courses of this State. Referred to committee on propositions and grievances. By Mr. Lybrook : Resolved, That the committee for courts of justice inquire into the propriety of so amending the criminal laws of the Commonwealth as to send no one to the penitentiary for less than five years, and to provide for the punishment of minor offences by confinement in county jails and hard labor. By Mr. Taliaferro: Resolutions of inquiry as to expediency of changing the present law in relation to oysters. Referred to committee on Chesapeake and its tributaries. The speaker laid before the house a communication from the governor, enclosing a report of the condition of the State capitol by the superintendent of public buildings and grounds, which were referred to the committee on public property. The morning hour having expired, the house proceeded to the business on the calendar. Senate joint resolution in reference to the sale of forfeited and delinquent lands, was read a third time and agreed to. Mr. Stuart moved a reconsideration of the vote by which the senate joint resolution was agreed to, which motion was rejected. On motion of Mr. Jack Carter, the chair was vacated until one o'clock P. M. The hour of one o'clock P. M. having arrived, Ordered, That Mr. Critz inform the senate that the house is ready on its part to proceed to the execution of the joint order. A message was received from the senate by Mr. Nowlin, who informed the house that the senate is ready on its part to proceed to the execution of the joint order. Mr. Critz nominated Wm. R. Barksdale for county judge of Halifax. Ordered, That Mr. Critz inform the senate that Mr. Barksdale is the only person in nomination before the house. A message was received from the senate by Mr. Connally, who informed the house that no additional nomination had been made in the senate. The roll was called with the following result: For Wm. R. Barksdale, (6 H. Clay Harris, The vote was recorded as follows: 114 For WM. R. BARKSDALE-Messrs. Alexander, Allen, Anderson, Armentrout, Armstrong, Bagwell, Banks, Beaton, Bickings, Blair, Bohannon, Brady, Branch Brooks, Brown, Campbell, J. Armistead Carter, Jack Carter, Cecil, A. J. Clark, Matt Clark, Cockerille, Coghill, Cox, Crank, Critz, Davis, Dooley, Finney, Fitzpatrick, Flood, Foster, Franklin, Fulkerson, Gardner, P. Gibson, T. S. Gibson, Gilliam, Gilman, Goodwyn, Graves, Grayson, Haden, Hale, Harris, Harrison, Henderson, Hoeninger, Holbrook, Wm. Hoskins, Jno. T. Hoskins, Howard, Hudgin, Hunter, James, Jett, P. K. Jones, Jordan, Koiner, B. W. Lacy, J. Horace Lacy, Lamkin, Lee, Lewis, Lightner, Lipps, Longley, Lovell, Lovenstein, Loving, Lucas, Lybrook, Magruder, Massey, May, McGonigal, McMullan, Montague, Morrison, Moss, Jno. L. Nash, W. A. Nash, Neeley, Nickens, Norton, O'Neal, Ould, Pannill, Pendleton, Popham, Powell, Richmond, Rogers, Scruggs, Sellers, Shumate, Spratt, Stovall, Strother, Stuart, Swann, Taliaferro, Taylor, Turner, Walke, Webb, Wharton, Whittaker, Williams, Winn, Withers, Yager, Young, and Mr. Speaker-114. For H. CLAY HARRIS-Mr. Peter J. Carter-1. The speaker appointed Messrs. Critz, Stovall and Lovenstein the committee on the part of the house to count and report the joint vote. The committee subsequently, by their chairman, reported as follows: William R. Barksdale having received a majority of all the votes cast, was declared duly elected county judge of Halifax, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Thomas Leigh. Mr. Cecil nominated Samuel C. Graham for county judge of Taze well. Ordered, That Mr. Cecil inform the senate that Samuel C. Graham is the only person in nomination before the house. A message was received from the senate by Mr. Terry, who informed the house that no additional nomination had been made in the senate. The roll was called with the following result: For Samuel C. Graham, The vote was recorded as follows: 101 For SAMUEL C. GRAHAM-Messrs. Alexander, Allen, Anderson, Armentrout, Armstrong, Bagwell, Banks, Beaton, Bickings, Blair, Brady, Branch, Brooks, Campbell, J. Armistead Carter, Jack Carter, Cecil, A. J. Clark, Matt Clark, |