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A message was received from the senate by Mr. Nowlin, who informed the house that the senate had agreed to the resolution.

The speaker appointed Messrs. Riddlebarger, Taylor and Fulkerson the committee on the part of the house.

Subsequently the committee, through their chairman, reported that they had waited upon the governor, and that he had no communication to make to the general assembly.

Mr. Dooley offered the following, which were agreed to:

RULES

For the government of the senate and house of delegates when convened in joint assembly for the purpose of counting the votes for govenor and lieutenant-govenor:

1. At the hour fixed for the meeting of the joint assembly, the senators, accompanied by the president and clerk of the senate, shall proceed to the hall of the house of delegates, and shall be received by the delegates standing. Appropriate seats shall be assigned to the senators by the sergeant-at-arms of the house.

2. The speaker of the house of delegates shall be the presiding officer of the joint assembly. In case it shall be necessary for him to vacate the chair, his place shall be taken by the president of the senate, or in case of his absence, by such member of the joint assembly as the speaker may designate.

3. The sergeant-at-arms, doorkeepers and pages of the house, shall act as such for the joint assembly.

4. The clerk of the house shall be the clerk of the joint assembly, and shall be assisted by the clerk of the senate.

5. The rules of the house of delegates, so far as applicable, shall be the rules of the joint assembly.

6. When the joint assembly meets to count the votes for govenor and lieutenant-govenor, the speaker of the house of delegates shall open the returns from the several counties and corporations, and as each county or corporation is announced, a senator and delegate, to be appointed by the speaker, shall receive said returns and count the votes. They shall deliver the result to the clerk of the house, who shall embody the several results in a general statement: thereupon a committee of one senator and one delegate shall add up the entire vote for govenor and lieutenantgovernor respectively, and the speaker of the house of delegates shall announce the result and declare thereon who is elected.

7. In calling the roll of the joint assembly, the names of the senators shall be called first in alphabetical order, and then the names of the delegates in like order, except that the name of the speaker of the house of delegates shall be called last.

8. If, when the joint assembly meets, it shall be ascertained that a majority of each house is not present, the joint assembly may take measures to secure the attendance of absentees, or adjourn until the succeeding day, as a majority of those present may determine.

9. When the joint assembly adjourns, the senators, accompanied by

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the president and clerk of the senate, shall return to their chamber, and the business of the house shall be proceeded with in the same order as when it was interrupted by the entrance of the senators.

Mr. Dooley moved a reconsideration of the vote by which the joint rules were agreed to, which motion was rejected.

Ordered, That Mr. Dooley carry the joint rules to the senate and request their concurrence.

A message was received from the senate by Mr. Quesenberry, who informed the house that the senate had agreed to the joint rules, and that the senate is ready to meet the house in joint assembly to count the votes for governor and lieutenant-governor.

The speaker announced that he had received from the secretary of the Commonwealth returns of the election for governor and for lieutenant-governor.

Ordered, That Mr. Blair inform the senate that the house is also ready to meet in joint assembly; whereupon the senate repaired to the hall of the house of delegates, and the speaker of the house of delegates, in the presence of a majority of the senate and house of delegates, proceeded to open the returns of elections.

The speaker appointed Mr. Moffett, of the senate, and Mr. Bagwell, of the house, to receive and count the votes, who having performed that duty, delivered the result to the clerk of the house of delegates.

The speaker appointed Mr. Eubank, of the senate, and Mr. Taliaferro, of the house, a committee to add up the entire vote as embodied in the statement by the clerk of the house.

Subsequently Mr. Eubank, from the committee, submitted the following report, which was read by the clerk :

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The speaker of the house of delegates declared James L. Kemper duly elected governor of this Commonwealth for four years, commencing the 1st day of January, 1874.

The speaker of the house of delegetes declared Robert E. Withers duly elected lieutenant-governor of this Commonwealth for four years, commencing the 1st day of Jannary, 1874.

On motion of Mr. Lovenstein, the joint assembly adjourned sine die.

The following bills, petitions and resolutions were presented and referred under rule 37:

By Mr. Dooley: A bill to amend section 10, chapter 208, Code of 1860, as amended by act of February 13th, 1873, as amended by act of February 25th, 1883, with reference to juries in criminal cases. Referred to committee for courts of justice.

By Mr. Dooley: A bill to amend section 6, chapter 207 of the Code of 1860, as amended by act passed April 27th, 1867, entitled an act to amend and revive the criminal procedure with reference to larceny. Referred to committee for courts of justice.

By Mr. Dooley: A bill to amend the 21st section of chapter 176 of the Code of Virginia (edition of 1860), in reference to witnesses. Referred to committee for courts of justice.

By Mr. Dooley: A bill to amend the 35th section of chapter 208 of the Code of 1860, as amended by the 34th section of an act to amend and re-enact the criminal procedure, passed April 27, 1867, with reference to the trial of felonies. Referred to committee for courts of justice.

By Mr. Dooley: A bill to amend the 4th section of chapter 186 of the Code of 1860, as amended by an act passed January 14th, 1873, with reference to judgment liens. Referred to committee for courts of justice.

By Mr. Koiner: A petition to prevent sale of ardent spirits to confirmed drunkards after notice by near relatives or a justice of the peace. Referred to committee on propositions and grievances.

By Mr. Koiner: A petition for the better regulation and restriction of railroad companies, and the protection of public and private rights affected by their operations. Referred to committee on roads and internal navigation.

By Mr. Lovenstein: A bill for the relief of William M. McGruder and others, sureties of Patrick H. Huffman, late sheriff of Henrico county. Referred to committee on finance.

By Mr. Graves: Joint resolution extending the time for the collection of taxes and county and township levies in the Commonwealth for the year 1873. Referred to committee on finance.

Mr. Banks offered the following resolution :

Resolved by the house of delegates (the senate concurring), That a committee of three on the part of the house, and two on the part of the senate, be appointed to inform James L. Kemper of his election as governor of this Commonwealth, and that the general assembly has been duly organized and is ready to receive any communication he may be disposed to make.

Which was agreed to.

Mr. Magruder moved a reconsideration of the vote by which the resolution was agreed to, which motion was rejected.

Ordered, That Mr. Banks carry the resolution to the senate and request their concurrence.

A message was received from the senate by Mr. Terry, who informed the house that the senate had agreed to the resolution with an amendment, as follows:

Add at end of resolution the following: "and the said committee also inform Robert E. Withers of his election as lieutenant-governor of the State."

Which amendment was agreed to.

Mr. Powell moved a reconsideration of the vote by which the amendment was agreed to, which motion was rejected.

Ordered, That Mr. Boykin inform the senate that the house had agreed to the amendment of the senate.

The speaker appointed Messrs. Banks, Anderson and Morrison the committee on the part of the house.

Subsequently the committee, through its chairman, reported that they had discharged the duty imposed under the resolution, and that the governor would communicate to the house in writing. A message was received from the governor as follows:

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA,

EXECUTIVE OFFICE, 1st January, 1874.

Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Delegates:

Assuming the executive office at a grave epoch in the history of the State, and invoking the favor of God for the future, I cordially greet you at the beginning of our joint responsibilities and labors.

It is an unusual circumstance, arising from recent changes of law, that the legislature and the executive are now both inaugurated at the same time. My official relations and my access to official sources of information begin as this message is communicated; and it is not to be expected that the incoming executive, at the moment of installation, should transmit to the general assembly detailed information, with recommendations embracing all the varied interests of the Commonwealth which claim your attention and care. Hereafter, and as occasion shall from time to time require, such further detailed and specific recommendations will be addressed to you, from this office, as shall be deemed useful in facilitating the discharge of your weighty trusts.

You organize at an era which is destined to shape the fortunes of Virginia for generations to come. Before you proceed to exercise the law-making power, it is well that we pause and calmly comprehend the political situation.

The Government of the Races.

We have devolved upon us to-day the solution of this great problem: How to make and administer laws so as to secure life, liberty and pro

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perty, so as to establish enduring peace, order, justice and prosperity, in a community composed of two distinct races, not largely differing in numbers, but dissimilar in training, intelligence, color and other characteristics—races hitherto standing toward each other in the relation of master and slave, but now suddenly and by inviolable organic law clothed with equal rights. Although such a problem has not elsewhere or in any age been peacefully or successfully solved, although our great ancestors recorded their opinions declaring it impossible of solution, yet I do not hesitate to affirm, so encouraging and decisive has been the progress of the last four years, so clearly developed by the past are the obligations of to-day, that if we are but guided by prudence, if we go forward with courage, tempered with forbearance, and if no Federal legislation shall intervene to disturb the relations between the races, we cannot fail to bring our great experiment to a successful and prosperous issue.

One patriotic aim, controlling our counsels and impelling us to avoid the example of extremists of whatever section or class, must always be to establish and perpetuate relations of cordial co-operation and good will between the races; and this is to be accomplished not merely by distributing equal burthens and benefits to each, but by promoting such connections of kindness, confidence and interest between them as will, without impairing or touching the social independence of either, enlist each in increasing the prosperity of the other, and both in advancing a common weal. In this direction instructive and significant progress has been made in Virginia within the last four years. The constitution made it obligatory upon the general assembly to provide for the gradual, equal and full introduction of a uniform system of free schools into all the counties of the State by the year 1876. Our predecessors, undismayed by the impoverished condition of the people, and rejecting all arguments for delay, proceeded in 1870 to organize a comprehensive system of free education, now fully operating throughout the State, which challenges comparison with any organized scheme of public schools elsewhere, under which a sum of money is being annually expended, in impartially educating both races, not far short of the amount required to meet all the other current expenses of the government, and this system has received the deliberate sanction of the white race, who chiefly contribute the means by which it is maintained. As respects all other interests as well as that of education, our people are subject to no State laws except such as provide equally and alike for both races, without a single discrimination. At no time since the people of Virginia resumed the control of their domestic affairs, has the interposition of the Federal government been occasioned upon any complaint or pretext of injustice or inequality in their code of laws, or in its application and enforcement between the races. Nor has our past policy of according equal justice and benefits to both races been wanting in beneficent results. Recent events prove how futile, and how disastrous to its authors, must be any future attempt to array the colored race as a political combination upon any principle of antagonism between the races. All such attempted combinations of the past are dissolved and dispersed,

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