By Mr. Round: Petition of T. L. Selecman, and other citizens of Occoquan, for a reduction of the tax on land agents in the interest of immigration. Referred to committee on immigration.

By Mr. Koiner:

Resolved, That the committee on constitutional amendments be directed to inquire into the expediency of reporting an amendment to the constitution reducing the number of members in each branch of the general assembly, so as to make it a more efficient body.

The morning hour having expired, the house proceeded to the business on the calendar.

No. 367. House joint resolution extending the privileges of taking fish to the land owners of Lancaster and other counties, was read a second time.

The question being on ordering the bill to be engrossed to be read a third time, was put and decided in the negative.

Mr. Taliaferro moved a reconsideration of the vote by which the house refused to order the bill to be engrossed to be read a third time, which was agreed to-yeas 54; nays 39.

On motion of Mr. Gilliam, the vote was recorded as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Anderson, Armstrong, Blair, Bohannon, Boykin, Brown, Campbell, J. A. Carter, P. J. Carter, A. J. Clark, Cockerille, Coghill, Critz, Finney, Fitzpatrick, Flood, Foster, Franklin, P. Gibson, Gilman, Haden, Hale, Henderson, Howard, Hunter, James, Jett, R. S. Jones, B. W. Lacy, J. H. Lacy, Lamkin. Lee, Lightner, Lovell, Loving, Massey, McMullan, Montague, Morris, Neeley, Nickens, Pannill, Round, Scruggs, Spratt, Stuart, Taliaferro, Taylor, Webb, Wharton, Withers, Yager, Young, and Mr. Speaker-54.

NAYS-Messrs. Allen, Bickens, Brady, Branch, Cecil, Matt Clark, Cox, Crank, Friend, Gaines, T. S. Gibson, Goodwyn, Hamilton, Harris, Harrison, Hill, John T. Hoskins, P. K. Jones, Lipps, Lipscomb, Longley, Lovenstein, Lucas, Lybrook, May, Moss, W. A. Nash, Norton, O'Neal, Pendleton, Powell, Richmond, Rogers, Shumate, Stovall, Syphax, Van Auken, Wallace, and Whittaker-39.

The question recurring on ordering the bill to be engrossed to be read a third time, was put and decided in the affirmative.

No. 293. House bill to amend and re-enact section 48, chapter 52 of the Code of 1873, in relation to county roads, was read a second time and ordered to be engrossed to be read a third time.

The following house engrossed bills were read a third time and passed:

No. 277. House engrossed bill to provide an increase of the county and district school funds of Bland and Prince William counties.

No. 229. House engrossed bill to provide for working the public roads in Princess Anne county.

On motion of Mr. A. J. Clark, the title was amended by striking out "county," and inserting "Charles City and New Kent counties.

The following senate bills were read a third time and passed:

No. 305. Senate bill entitled an act to incorporate the Virginia turnpike company.

No. 313. Senate bill entitled an act to provide counsel to appear

before the arbitrators on the boundary between this State and Maryland, and making an appropriation to pay the expenses of said arbitrationyeas 101; nays 3.

The vote required by the constitution was recorded as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Allen, Anderson, Armentrout, Armstrong, Bagwell, Bickings, Blair, Boykin, Brady, Branch, Brown, Campbell, J. A. Carter, P. J. Carter, Cecil, A. J. Clark, Matt Clark, Cockerille, Coghill, Cox, Crank, Critz, Dooley, Finney, Flood, Foster, Franklin, Friend, Fulkerson, Gaines, Gardner, P. Gibson, T. S. Gibson, Gilman, Goodwyn, Haden, Hale, Hamilton, Harris, Harrison, Henderson, Hill, Hoenniger, J. T. Hoskins, Howard, Hudgin, Hunter, James, P. K. Jones, Koiner, B. W. Lacy, J. Horace Lacy, Lamkin, Lee, Lipps, Lipscomb, Longley, Lovell, Lovenstien, Loving, Lucas, Lybrook, Massey, May, McMullan, Montague, Morris, Morrison, Moss, W. A. Nash, Neeley, Nickens, Norton, O'Neal, Ould, Pannill, Powell, Richmond, Rogers, Scruggs, Sellers, Shumate, Spratt, Stovall, Stuart, Swann, Syphax, Taliaferro, Taylor, Turner, Van Auken, Wallace, Webb, Wharton, Whittaker, Williams, Winn, Withers, Yager, Young, and Mr. Speaker-101.

NAYS-Messrs. R. S. Jones, Riddlebarger, and Round-3.

The hour of 12 o'clock M. having arrived, special order

No. 133. Senate bill entitled an act for the encouragement of land purchasers and actual settlers in Virginia, and to repeal an act approved March 29, 1873, entitled an act for the encouragement of immigration,

came up.

Mr. Powell moved to lay the bill on the table, which was rejected— yeas 18; nays 66.

On motion of Mr. Taylor, the vote was recorded as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Armentrout, Branch, Crank, Critz, T. S. Gibson, Hale, Hamilton, Harris, James, Lybrook, Morris, Moss, Nickens, Powell, Rogers, Stovall, Webb, and Yager-18.

NAYS-Messrs. Allen, Anderson, Armstrong, Blair, Boykin, Brady, Brown, Campbell, J. A. Carter, P. J. Carter, Cecil, A. J. Clark, Coghill, Dooley, Finney, Fitzpatrick, Flood, Foster, Franklin, Friend, Gaines, P. Gibson, Gilman, Goodwyn, Haden, Harrison, Henderson, Hoenniger, John T. Hoskins, Hudgin, Jett, P. K. Jones, R. S. Jones, B. W. Lacy, J. H. Lacy, Lamkin, Lipscomb, Lovell, Lovenstein, Loving, Lucas, Massey, McMullan, Montague, W. A. Nash, Neeley, Ould, Pannill, Pendleton, Richmond, Round, Scruggs, Shumate. Spratt, Strother, Stuart, Swann, Syphax, Taliaferro, Taylor, Turner, Van Auken, Wallace, Wharton, Winn, and Young-66.

The hour of 1 o'clock P. M. having arrived, special order

No. 335. House joint resolutions in relation to a bill now before the congress of the United States for the establishment of a national exchequer, came up.

On motion of Mr. Anderson, the joint resolution was laid on the table.

Special order

No. 133. Senate bill entitled an act for the encouragement of land purchasers and actual settlers in Virginia, and to repeal an act approved March 29, 1873, entitled an act for the encouragement of immigration, again came up.

On motion of Mr. Foster, the house adjourned until Monday at 11 o'clock A. M.

MONDAY, APRIL 20, 1874.

Prayer by Rev. George C. Vanderslice, of the Methodist church. The journal was read by the clerk.

A communication from the senate, by their clerk, was read as follows:

The senate have agreed to the

In Senate, April 18, 1874.

Joint resolution fixing the time for the election of a county judge for Gloucester.

And they have rejected house bill entitled

An act for the relief of the late township collectors of the counties of the Commonwealth; No. 317.

No. 207. House bill entitled an act to provide for the organization and government of the volunteer militia of the State, and to repeal existing laws concerning the same, was reported from the committee on militia and police, with a recommendation that the house agree to the amendments of the senate.

No. 376. House bill to amend and re-enact section ten of chapter 175 of the Code of 1873 in relation to injunction bonds, reported from the committee for courts of justice, was read a first time.

No. 377. House bill for the relief of C. Wendlinger, George Guvernator and E. Lohman, for certain damages as sureties of F. King, late sheriff of Surry county, reported from the committee on finance, was read a first time.

The following report was presented:

The committee on enrolled bills have the honor to report that the following bills have been approved by the governor:

An act to incorporate the Little sisters of the poor in Richmond; approved April 17, 1874.

An act for the preservation of oysters and to obtain revenue for the privilege of taking them within the waters of the Commonwealth; approved April 18, 1874.

An act to incorporate the Sons of Levi of the city of Petersburg; approved April 18, 1874.

The following report was agreed to:

To the house of delegates of Virginia:

Your committee on executive expenditures having had under consideration a resolution to them referred, making inquiry how and for what the $7,000 appropriated by act of general assembly, approved July 11th, 1870, for repairs to governor's house, were expended, respectfully report that they have looked into this matter and have found, properly filed in the auditor's office, vouchers for $6,900 64, for various

articles of furniture, and repairs done to the executive mansion by Messrs. Doggett & Anderson, in November, 1869, and ordered to be paid (out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated) by General Canby, then commanding this military district. Your committee are of the opinion that the appropriation referred to in the resolution was made by the general assembly to legalize these orders of General Canby, as by reference to the auditor's report of warrants drawn upon the treasury, from the 1st of Ootober, 1869, to the 30th of September, 1870, both inclusive, this charge of $6,900 64 is the only one made for that fiscal year upon the fund for the governor's house. In view of the foregoing facts, your committee ask to be discharged from the further consideration of this subject.

Very respectfully,

F. MCMULLAN,

Chairman committee on executive expenditures.

A report of the joint committee of investigation into the management of the basement offices, &c., was presented.

On motion of Mr. Riddlebarger, the report was laid on the table and ordered to be printed. (Doc. No. 7.)

The motion entered by Mr. Van Auken to reconsider the vote by which the report of the committee of seven, to investigate charges, &c. made by minority report of committee on roads and internal navigation in relation to the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio railroad company was agreed to, was rejected.

The joint resolution offered by Mr. Neeley (cffered April 11th, 1874, and subsequently postponed until this day) came up.

The joint resolution offered by Mr. Neeley is as follows:

Resolved (the senate concurring), That a special committee of one on the part of the senate and two on the part of the house be appointed to investigate the affairs of the Eastern lunatic asylum, and to report upon its general condition and the manner in which appropriations made during the term of office of the present superintendent have been expended; and that said committee be authorized to make the said investigation during the recess of the general assembly.

Mr. Fulkerson offered the following as a substitute for the joint resolution offered by Mr. Neeley:

Whereas, Sydney Smith, Esq., a citizen of Williamsburg, Virginia, has made charges of a serious character, in a printed paper signed "Tax Payer," and dated January 24th, 1874, addressed to the general assembly of Virginia, against the superintendent and directors of the Eastern lunatic asylum; and whereas W. W. Vest, Esq., another citizen of Williamsburg, has expressed his belief, in a private letter addressed to a member of the house of delegates, that said charges are true: therefore,

Resolved (the senate concurring), That a committee of two on the part of the house and one on the part of the senate be appointed to investigate the said charges, and report the result of their investigation to this general assembly. The said committee shall proceed with the investigation at once, and it is hereby clothed with power to send for persons and papers.

An amendment, heretofore offered by Mr. Fulkerson to the joint resolution offered by Mr. Neeley, to strike out the words "and that said committee be authorized to make the said investigation during the recess of the general assembly," and insert "the said committee is authorized to send for persons and papers and are directed to proceed with the investigation at once," was agreed to.

The substitute offered by Mr. Fulkerson to the joint resolution offered by Mr. Neeley was agreed to.

The joint resolution offered by Mr. Neeley, as amended by the substitute offered by Mr. Fulkerson, was agreed to.

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

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

The following were presented and referred under rule 37:

By Mr. Hudgin: A bill to amend and re-enact section 11 of the act approved March 21, 1871, entitled an act to incorporate the Life insurance company of Virginia. Referred to committee on propositions and grievances.

By Mr. Montague: Petition of citizens of the counties of Elizabeth City and Warwick, asking an increase of the pay of county judge of said counties. Referred to committee on finance.

By Mr. Bagwell: A bill appropriating $1,000 for repairing and refitting Margaret academy in the county of Accomac. Referred to committee on schools and colleges.

By Mr. Morris:

Resolved, That the committee for courts of justice be instructed to inquire and report whether or not existing contracts, or any of them, for the hire of penitentiary convicts, can be legally revoked.

The morning hour expired.

A message was received from the senate by Mr. Connally, who informed the house that the senate had agreed to house joint resolution appointing a committee to investigate the management of the Eastern lunatic asylum, with an amendment; in which they respectfully request the concurrence of the house.

A message was received from the senate by Mr. Smith of Nelson, who informed the house that the senate had passed senate bill entitled an act to incorporate the Richmond hotel company, No. 326; in which they respectfully request the concurrence of the house.

The hour of 12 o'clock M. having arrived, special order—

No. 133. Senate bill entitled an act for the encouragement of land purchasers and actual settlers in Virginia, and to repeal an act approved March 29th, 1873, entitled an act for the encouragement of immigration, came up.

The hour of 3 o'clock P. M. having arrived, the chair was vacated until 8 o'clock P. M.