Congressional President's aeeusation appointed Government … · 2017. 12. 16. · this protest for...

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r FREMDENT'S SPECIAL JIESSAfflSTo of IieprcsenjLatrees: After a delay which has afforded ir.c ample time lor-reflection. and uftcr much and careful deliberation, I find myself constrained by an imperious sense of duty, as a co-ordinate bituich of the Federal Government, to protest against the first two clauses of the first resolution adopted by the House of Representatives, on the oth inst., and published in the Congressional Globe on the succeeding day. These clauses are in the followijjg words: "Resolved, That a coaimitteo of live members be appointed by the Speaker, for the purpose (first) ol investigating whether the President of the United States, or any other officer of the Government has, by money, patronage, or any other improper means, sought to inlluence the action of Congress, or any committee thereof, for or against the passage of any law appertaining to the rights of any State or Territory: (and 2d.) "also, to inquire into anil investigate whether any officer or officers of the Govern- ment have, by combination or otherwise, pre- vented or defeated, or attempted to prevent or defeat, the execution of any law or laws now upon the statute book, and whether the President has failed or refused ^ to compel the execution of any law thereof.'' I confine myself.exclusively to these two branches of the resolution; because the portions of it which follow relate to alleged abuses in post offices, navy-yards, public buildings, and other public works ol-thc United States.. In such cases inquiries are highly proper in themselves, and belong equally to the senate anil the House, as incident to their legislative duties, and being necessary to enable them to discover and to provide the appropriate legislative remedies for an.V abuses which may be as- contained. Although ttie terms 01 nw icuit portion of the resolution arc extremely vague and general, yet my sole purpose in adverting to thein at present is to mark the broad line of distinction between the accusatory and the remedial clauses of this resolution The House of Representatives possess no power under the Constitution over the first or accusatory portion of the resolution, except as an impeaching body; whilst over the last, in common with the Senate, their authority as a legislative body is fully and cheerfully admitted ® It is solely in reference to the. first or impeaching power that I propose to make a few observations. Except in this single case, the Constitutiondias invested the House ol Representatives with no power, 110 jurisdiction, no supremacy whatever over the President. In all other respedts he is quite as independent of them as they are of him. As 11 co-ordinate branch of the Government, he is their equal. Indeed, he is the only direct representative on earth of the people of all and each of the sovereign Stales. To them, and to them alone, is he responsible whilst acting withju the sphere of his constitutional duty; and not in any manner to the House of Representatives. The people have thought proper to invest him with the most honorable, responsible and dignified office in the world; and the individual, however unworthy, now holding this exalted position, will take care, so far as in him lies, ihut their rights and prerogatives shall never be violated in his person, but shall pass to his successors unimpaired by the adoption of a dangerous precedent. He will defend them to the last extremity against any unconstitutional attempt, come from what quarter it may, to abridge the constitutional rights of the Executive, and render him subservient to any human power except themselves. "" P A il_ * 1 The people nave no; conuneu me i-resiuuiu to the exercise of executive duties. They have also conferred upon hint a large measure of legislative discretion. " <> bill can become a law without his approval as representing the pcopie of the United States, unless it shall pass after his veto by a majority of two-thirds of both houses. In Ids legi.-lative capacity, he might, in common with the Senate and the House, institute an inquiry to ascertain any facts which ought to influence his judgment in approving or vetoing any bill. This participation in the performance of legislative duties between the co-ordinate branches of the Government ought to inspire the conduct of all of them, in their relations towards each other, witlr» mutual foib'.-aranee and respect. At least each has a right to demand justice from the other. The cause of complaint is that the constitutional" rights and immunities of the Executive have been violated in the person of the President. The. trial of an impeachment of the President before the Senate, 011 charges preferred and prosecuted against him by the House 0! Representatives, would be an imposing spectacle for the world. In the result, not only his removal from the presidential office would he involved, but, what is of infinitely greater importance to himself, his character, both in the eyes of the pr^tmt and of future generations, might possibly be tarnished. The disgrace cast upon him would, in some degree, be re~ < -1 f .1..' \ . necicu upon me cnaracier u. me amciituu people who elected him. Iloncc the precautions adopted by the Constitution to secure a fair trial. Or. such a trial it declares that "the Chief Justice shall preside." This was doubtless because the fratners of the Constitution believed it to be possible that the Vice President might be biased by the fict, that "in case of the removal of the President from cilice," "the same shall devolve on the Vice President." The preliminary proceedings in the House, in the case of charges which in 114- involve impeachment, Jiave been well and wisely settled by long practice upon principles of equal justice both to the accused and to the people.. The precedent established in the case «>f Judge Peck, of Missouri, in 1881, after a careful review of all former precedents, will. I venture to predict, stand the test of lime In that case Luke Edward Lawless, the accuser, presented a petition to the Ilou.*ib, in which he set forth minutely and specifically his causes of complaint. lie prayed "that the conduct and proceedings in this behalf of said Judge Peck may be inquired into by your honorable body, and such decision made thereon as to your wisdom and justice shall scfcin proper." This petition was referred to the Judiciary Committee. Such has ever been deemed the appropriate committee to make similar investigations. It is a standing committee supposed to be appointed without reference to any special case, and at all times is presumed to be composed of the most eminent luwycrs in the House from different portions of the Union, who.-e acquaintance with judicial proceedings and whose habits) of investigation qualify them peculiarly for the ta.sk. No tribunal, from their position and character, conid. in the nature of things, .be iq^rc impartial, in the cascof Judge Peck, the witnesses were selected by the committee itself, with a view to ascertain the truth of the charge. They were cross-examined by him, and everything was conducted in such a manner as to afford him no reasonable cause of complaint. In view of this precedent, and, what is of far greater importance, in view of the Constitution and the principles of eternal justice, in what manner has the 1'resiUcni ol uio uiiucu $. States been treated by the Houso of representatives? Mr. John Covodo, a representative from Pennsylvania, is the accuser of the President. Instead of following the wise precedents of former times, and especially that in the case of Judge Peck, and referring the accusation to the Committee on the "Judiciary, the House have made my accuser one of my judges. To make the accuser the judge is a violation of the principles of universal justice, and is condemned by the practice of all civilized nations. .Every freeman must revolt at such a spectacle. 1 am to appear before Mr. Covode, cither personally or by a substitute, to cross examine the witnesses which he may product before himself to sustain his own accusation* against me; and perhaps even this poor boon may be denied to the President And what is the nature of the investigation which his resolution proposes to institute? 1 is as vague and general as the English languagi affords words in which to make it The com . mittee is to enquire, not into any specific chargi or charges, but whether the President has, b_i "money, patronage, or other improper means sought to influence," not the action of anyindi vidual member or members of Congress, bu "the action" of the entire body "of Congress' itself, "or any committee thereof." The Pre sident might "have had some glimmering of tin nature of the offence to he investigated had hi: accuser pointed to the act or acts of Congress which lie sought to pass or to defeat by the eni ploytnent of "inonev, patronage, or other im proper means." But the accusation is bounded by no such limits. It extends to the whol< circle of legislation; to interference "for 01 against the passage of any law appertaining tc the rights of any State "or Territory." And what law docs not appertain to the richts ol some State or Territory ? And what law 01 laws 1ms the President tailed to execute ? These might easily .have been pointed out had anv such existed. Had Mr. Lawless asked an inquiry to be made by the Hpuse whether Judge Peck, in general terms, had not violated hisjudicial du ties, without the specification of any particulai act, I do not believe there would have been : single vote in that body in favor of the inquiry. ^mi.*.*^7 . Since the time of tbo Star Chamber and of « general warrants there has been no such proceeding in England. The House of Representatives, the high im- t peaching power of the country, without 4:011- ' senting to hear a word of explanation, have | endorsed this accusation against the President, j and made it their own act. They even refused j to permit a member to inquire of the President's accuser what were the specific charges 1 against him. Thus, in tins preliminary aeeusation of "high crime and "misdemeanor*." ; against a co-ordinate brunch of the Govern- 1 meat, under the impeaching power, the House refused to hear a single suggestion even in re- 1 gard to the correct mode of proceeding; but, j without a moment's delay, passed the accusa- < ton* resolutions under the pressure of the pre- 1 vious question. < In the institution of a prosecution for any of-1J fence against the most humble citizen.and 1 claim for myself 110 greater right than lie en- i joys.the Constitution of the United States 1 and of the several States require that lie shall be informed, in the very beginning, ol' the na- | ture and cause of the accusation against hun. < in order to enable bini to prepare for his de- | fence. There are other principles, which I ; might enumerate, not less sacred, presenting J an impenetrable shield to protect every citizen j falsely charged with a criminal offence These have been violated in the prosecution instituted by the House of Representatives against the j Executive branch of the Government. Shall J the President alone be deprived of the protec lion of these great principles which prevail in every land where a ray of liberty penetrates j the gloom of despotism ? Shall the Executive alone he deprived of rights which all his fellow- J citizens enjoy ? The whole proceeding against him justifies the fears of those wise and great J men who, before the Constitution was adopted by the States, apprehended that the tendency of the Government was to the aggrandizement of the Legislative at the expense of the Execu- tive and Judicial Departments. I again declare, emphatically, that 1 make this protest for no reason personal to myself; and I do it with perfect respect for the House of Representatives, in wluch l hsiti me nonor of serving as a member lor live successive terms. I have lived long in this goodly land, ami have enjoyed all the otiices and honors which my country could bestow. Amid all ! the political storms through which I have pass- I ed, the present is the first attempt which has I ever been made, to my knowledge, to assail j my personal or official integrity; and this as the time is approaching when I shall voluntarily retire from the service of my country.. I feel proudly conscious that there is no public act of my life which will not bear the strictest scrutiny. I defy all investigation. Nothing but the basest petjury can sully my good name. I do not fear even this; because I cherish an humble confidence that the! gracious Being who has hitherto <le fended and protected me against the shafts of falsehood and malice will n"t desert me now, when I have become "old and grey- j beaded.*' I can declare, before God and my country, that no hutuan being (with an excep- tion scarcely worthy of notice) has at any po- riod of my life dared to approach me with a corrupt or dishonorable proposition; and, until recent developments, it had never entered into i mv imagination that any person, even in the storm of exasperated political excitement, would charge me, in the most remote degree, with having made such a proposition to any human being. I may now, however, exclaim, in the language of complaint employed by my [ first and greatest predecessor, that 1 have been abused "in such exaggerated and indecent terms as could scarcely be applied to a Nero, to a notorious defaulter, <>r even to a common j pickpocket" 1 .),» iii.i*f.rnr.'» f,.r the reasons stated, and in j the name of the people of the several Stales, solemnly protest against these proceedings of the House of Representatives; because they are in violation of the rights of the coordinate Executive branch of the Government and subversive of its constitutional independence; because they are calculated to foster a band <>i interested parasites and igfc.nncrs, ever ready, for their own advantage, to swear before ex parte committees to pretended private conver- salions between the President and themselves, incapable, from their nature, of being disproved; j thus furnishing material for harrassing him. degrading him m the eyes of the country, and eventually, should he be a weak or a timid man, rendering him subservient to improper J influences, in order to avoid such persecutions and annoyances; because they tend to destroy j that harmonious action for the common good, which ought to be maintained and which 1 sincerely desire to cherish, between co ordinate branches of the Government; and finally, because, if unresisted, they would cstaUish a precedent dangerous and embarrassing in all my successors, to whatever political party they might be attached. JAMES BLTIIAXAX. Wasiiisutox, March 2Sth, I860. Speech 01 Mr. Audcr»oi:, of Botetourt, In the Jlottee of Delegates, »n the 2"//, day >f February, 1800, in support of the lit 11 to j amend the Charter of the Jamrt Hirer and Kanawha Company. [Reported and printed at the request of a number of the tjusluc tneu of lticnmond.; Mr. A.vpei^P said that in; was aware ilia: he had so encounter deep-seated in supporting tlie bill under consideration. li h..d been in-liii'iiable. lor tunny yours, to abuse :m I villit'v tin; James liiver company,"until u load of odium and obloquy had been In-apod upon it which was almo-t in»upporta- Iile. lie believed no company had ever been more slandered and unjustly treated : and ull that he asked at the hands ot this ilouse was a fair and impartial hearing. This he believed he would receive. The intelligence, liberality and patriotism which had been so strikingly maiiitested throughout the session, wits us str--ng a guaranty us he could usk. The central water line iroui Kichmond to the Ohio is one of the greatest improvement.* of the age, and upon its success hangs the future destiny of Virginia. At an early period it attracted the attention and earnest solicitude of the greatest and best men our country Bus produced. Amidst the stirring scenes of the Revolution it attracted the attention of the Father of his Country, who, a* soon as lie had established the liberty ot his country, hastened to cull the attention of his countrymen to the groat importance of connecting the Waters of the -dailies and Kauuwhn Kivers, fly his advice, and under his auspices, the old James Kivvr Company was iliconxtiaie-1 in 17M, 01 which lie was the tir.-t I'resident Tin- great and good Madison, and Marshall, were the warm friends ot this improvement. Indeed, all the great men of Virginia, since the Involution, have been its advocates and friends : and il we had bad the energy and enterprise of New York, this great work would have been completed to the Ohio a otiarter of a century ago, and Virginia would now be to the re»t of the conlcueraey what New \ ork is. In lSI'J the present charter ol this Company teas granted, with u capital of live millions, and a promise to increase the capital, if it should he necessary to complete the work. The State subscribed three millions, and required the Company to take the old work* at one million, in part payment of her subscription, (when, in the opinion of all the able engineers who have been on the work, it has not been worth one dollar to the Company in constructing the new work.) and required the Company to p»y an annuity of £-'1,000 per annum to the old dames Hiv- er Company, tor which it never received any cmsid- ration. Notwithstanding these hard mid* onerous t-mis, £2,000,1 >00 of private stoek was subscribed untl secured, ntul the company was organized and com-j mcuccd operationsinlSSo,with u nominal capital ot live millions, but ail actual capital <-t tour millions, charged with an annmtt <-l" twenty-one thousand dol- ; lars, which reduced itsaettnil capital to three millions six hundred and fifty thousand dollars, with which J sum this company undertook the greatest work of. the age. It let out the tirst section, from llicliiii'm-l to Lynchburg, ut one time, aiul finding that its wlmk- capital would not be sufficient to complete that see- tion. it petitioned the Legislature, at the session of lSSs-'t1, to increase it* capital stock six million*, and to subscribe three-tilths i.l'il on the part ot the .State, . Sliiuige to say. this reasonable proposition tvas re- jeeted, and in lieu ot"it. a law was passed authorizing' the cotnpaiiy to borrow a million and a ball' ot' dollars on the guaranty of the State, which the company j was com pel ie<i { accept, as it was in want of about > nine hundred thousand dollar* to complete the work to Lynohhug, which was under contract. Thus did the Legislature refuse to enlarge the capital stock ot this eoinpiiny and subscribe for three-tilths of the inereasing stock, (which it ha* dune for every railroad i company,) it husbccnlcltcvcrsiiiceiostriigglooumi L der the greatest einliarrsissinent aitd rely altogether. . upon loans. It'tlie capital of this company iiad been in- creased six millions, agreeable to tltc prayer of the " petition in the winter of 1 sds-'lh and three-lift lis had S been subscribed bv the State, and the company had been authorized to'borrow- the other tw< -fifth"*, the i canal would have been completed to Covington ten ' years ago, the Covington ami Ohio Railroad would liuVe been completed to the 'steamboat navigation ot t tlie Kanawha, ami the navigation ot that river for! ' steamboats to the Ohio, by this time. lu"1542, \Vlien it was ascertained that General Ham-' > i'lton, oi*South Carolina, who iiad been employed In ' the company n* a* agent to negotiate a Mmm En- ! rope upoa its guarantied bonds, had hypothecated near six hundred thousand (Miars t»! tltOMj iiolitis us { security tor money l:e^ borrowed unci iiiUupnfied, « . most nnrcasonuble excitement w as created against the company in the Legislature, and a law oft ho most stringent kind was passed, requiring it to give a ! mortgage upon its property an<l>t"1> its work west of Lvnclibnrg, although it hud let out to contractors the i sc'etiou from Lynchburg through the mountain to the mouth of North river, and nearly siv hundred L thousand dollars had been expended on this section. Thus, fobiivc years was the work stopped,the great damage of the company in the destruction of the unfinished work. In 1S48 and 1S4*>, still more stringent laws were passed, treating the _ company like a felon, which completely destroyed its credit. Two railroads were chartered ntul built on the smith side nud one on the north side yf tliu canal, which greatly reduced its tonnage and income. In 1:>.U the South Side Railroad w-as completed . from Petersburg to Lynchburg, aud in the five years after it was put in operation to that place the canal 1 doat 145,031 tons of freight (it little more than ifikOOO tons pcr'uttuum) and $414,^72 of tolls.nearly Ss3,000 f " >r- uintnn, besides all ths incrcwo of tonnage on the Firginia and Tennessse Railroad during that time, vhicb was very great. Sir, this cotnpiiuv Una been great I v censured for 'educing its tolls lrom Lynchburg to Richmond. The act thul it 1 clt upwards of one hundred uild forty-five honsund torm or freight during it" five years contest vith the Sftutli Side "road, shows that it would have o»t ail Us tonnage ilwt laid not reduced its tolls, and s a triumphant vindication of its course. Tlie com puny has also hecu einhaVrnssed by extending its income on permanent improvements, liy its charter it was required to form a connection etween tlie basin utid Kocketts, to accomplish which t had to buy tlie dock, and deepen und enlarge it, tnd connect it with tlie basin by locks. This it bus lone at great expense. It became necessary to enurge the canal for some miles above Richmond, to iirnisli water power for manufactures, which has seen done at considerable cost. Jt is required bv its barter to form connection* by bridges and otlierivise with tlie South Side, to ciiublo the farmers to jot to the canal with their produce, which lias been lone. It has also expended large sums in malting lie Ilivumiaeonuecti'>u und in constructing the North iJivcr canal, and it lias expended about fOOO.wO in iie last seven \ ears ill extending tlie canal west of Jileiuilian. it lias also rebuilt a number of danis uid locks, substituting rock lor wood The whole iinoiiiit ol appropriations by tlie Legislature to pro ccute tiiis woik since 1 sje is whilst the rompaiiy has expended upon the peruuineiit iniir»veiiients stated above $£,K'7,42g; nine hundred uid seventy-seven thousand lour hundred and tweii;y-tw<» dollurs (or nearly one million; more than the ipprop,riaiions about one liuudred tliousaud dollars er annum.) Up to lS.Vf, when the contest comiieiiccftwilii the South Side Railroad, the company aid tiie annuity of i'Jl.iKH), tiie interest on liie tuaranteed bonds, and a considerable amount of ineresl upon other loans made to it by tlie State. It tad paid upwards of three millions of dollars interest, besides its current expenses ami u large amount for lepairs. At that tune it had a ll"uting debt of upwards of ^-loOjUW). which, together with tiie annual expenditure* of about $lod,oi«i upon permanent ivorks, ami a loss of ssO.Ooo per annum ol its income .luriuir the last five years, completely absorbed nil its income, and left nothing t>* pay interest. The reports of this company show thai, for eight years immediately preceding the completion ot liic South Side Railroad to Lwicbburg, its licit income uve I I...,-.. Tl.nu ..V. raged uii-'iu jiin.vw per miiiin. i ....... ...... ... plained tlii.* CiiUM-s winch led to the great eiiibnrrassmeiit of tnis company, wtiieli show'that it ha* heel) prod need by the most unwise mill unjust legislation, mill ought in relieve it from the heavy oditnn and prejudice which re.-is upon it. It has been charged that there was an extravagant expenditure of money ill constructing the canul. It is the cheapest public work ever constructed in the United States, except the old Erie canal. The enlarged Erie canal, which is seventy feet wide auti sewn feet deep, has est about £1 ij.UOO per mile, whilst this canal to liuelianuti, fifty feet wii'le and live feet deep, with live times tlic amount of lockage ol the Erie canal, has cost jrJ.'.Ool To units ]>er mile, after deducting one niillioti, the cost of the old works, which were worth unthiug, in constructing tin: new. It has cost much less than any of tlm railroads which penetrate tiie mountain regions. The Centra! and Virginia and Tennessee Railroads have cost a good deal more per mile. Tire average cost of tM-j-J inilo.-. of railroad in New Vork is $.fs,4l'u pel* mile, and the Baltimore and (Jhio Railroad has cost about joUji'i'P per mile. This company lias also been charged with great extravagance iu the number of its ollicers and agents, and the amount ot their salaries.. l'or the purpose of ascertaining whether this charge bo well-touniled, 1 have compared it, iu this respect, with the Richmond and Danville railroad Company, winch company 1 have selected as one ol tiie I>est managed in or oat of the State. The James River and Ivutiawhii Company employs now IliO ollicers and agents, besides common laborers, whose salaries and compensation amounts to 7*1 o per annum, while the Richmond and Danville Railroad Company employs 1 si ollicers anil agents, ex- elusive of common laborers, whose salaries unci compensation amount to per annum.$u7,K<3 per milium more than tins current expenses of the Junius Kivcr and Kanawha Company. I find that Imtli companies pay about the miiiic salaries to their presidents. engineers atnl clerks. Thus- it will he totind that the administration < ! this company is as economical as that <>t any other company in the Slate; ami, in its present crippled condition, it brings to Richmond about three tlioiisatid tons of produce, more than tne four railroads terminating. nt Kieli inond. together. It is the most important improvement in the State, and, if complctcu, would do more than all the Other improvements combined to promote the prosperity and glory of Virginia? If si n:ethilljJ he not done at this session to relieve the company ironi its embarrassed condition, it will prove most disastrous to ill'; best interests of the State. It is now engaged ill re-building two dams, one nine miles lu low hynclibc.rg and the other about ten miles above Richmond. These dams are now in u condition to l>e swept off by an ordinary rise in the river, which would break up the navigation ot the Canal; and if the Letrislatnre should aojouru without passing a biil for the relief ot the company, having neither money ie>r credit, it would not be able to re-build these dams, and it an extra session should be called next winter uml ail appropriation should be made l'»r that purpose, it wotiid lake fully another year to re-build them, so that the navigation i<f llie Cnlia! would be suspended tor two years. This would prove most disastrous to the business of Richmond, and to the agricultural, mining and mauufactnrihg interests of the v. hole valley of James river, whose iiiiiabitants, including the cities in it, pay about one fourth ol the taxes. Sir, the people would be unable to pay their taxes; and it would produce a rebellion to attempt to collect them. [Here air. A. lead a letter from .Mr. SpiiUr, the contractor lor building Josn.i Falls dam, stating its precarious condition.that it is liable to be swept away bv the first ordinary llood, which would break up the navigation of the cabal; that lie hud been at work on the dam lor two years, ami had received n«< pay for'his uoik the last year, and hud been compelled to discontinue the work for wunt of mcuns.j -Mr. A. said, that he Was Well acquainted with .Mr. Spiller; that lie was a highly respectable anil intulli gent man, and that the most implicit reliance could be placed in h a statements. 5?ir, the eptcstioii in now presented, whether this groat work shall i>e abandoned or not' Jl"it nlini! i>u abandoned, weigtiontiniously surrender the ricli eoinineroe «'i" the Went, direct trade and commercial indopclideneo. The expenditure of millions in constructing the Covington uiulUiiio railroad will he the consummation of lolly; an without tin; connection with the- canal it cannot compete succcssfullv with he Daltimoro and Ohio railroad, much lean with the linen North ot it, and iimnt prove n wasteful expenditure of money. Engineer Visk banc* all hiscalculationa upon ti»i> mad competing sueeeasfully with the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, upon itn connection with the canal at Covington, which would greatly reduce the c -at of transportation front thence to" the Eastern cities and hack to Covington. The delegates trout Monroe based their strongest arguments in favor of this niilroud upon its connection with the canal. Tlte Central railroad, with its single track and much heavier grades, cannot accommodate its large wayfreight anil passengers, and tlit: large ntlliiher of through passengers, (which the Covington and Ohio railroad will bring to it,) and transport one-tit tit ol' the large tonnage which will be brought on the Covington and Ohio railroad'. The Central road would not carry more than l(Ki.OO0 tons ol through freight each way, and without the canal the Covington and Ohio Railroad would bring no more freight to Covington than the Central road would carry away. The coat of transportation on the Central road, from Covington to Richmond would he too great for Western mineral and agricultural products, so that they could not lie developed without the canal. Nor can our cities he built tip and direct trude ami commercial independence istahlished without'it. The gentleman Irotn Monroe (Mr. Cti.vrMAN i estimated the freight brought to Covington. on the Covington and Ohio road, at 1,000,'>'<) tons, and half that amount going East, which will, tut doubt, be realized in live years after the improvement shall be completed, provided the canal shall be connected with it at Covington. Suppose if shall only amount to half that qnunlitv (w hich is a sate calculation) as it is greatly below the freight carried on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which has not the great advantages of the easy grade and large proportion of water transportation of our line. (.if .MVi/iOil tons of freight brought on tho Covington and Ohio Railroad to Covington. dOb.f'OO tons would be shipped 011 the canal to Richmond at. per ton (about % per cent per ton per mile) iimoanll tig to " &»0tf,UC0 Of g.Vi.oOO tons freight shipped from the East to the West lot),000 would take the canal at two dollars per ton BOo.oOO SOO.OOe Net amount of tolls on way freight between Covington and Richmond, and income from water rights and tide -water connection and dock 200/ i o. to r Kisr'tit per cent on two and it half million.-* of debt, the company's new bond* 200,000 Six i>*-r oc-nt on §12,-100,000 capital stock 744,000 ru, oo Amount of income over six per cent on Capital stock .'.6,000 This v.'Mikl ra'sc tlie stock to par, imil, a-, tiie income from the improvement increased, there would lie no iliiHcnlty in raisinir money hy the snk- t new stock to complete the water line to the Ohio. lly aiiundonintr the improvement the State would sacrifice .-even millions Imir hundred lli'-iivuid dollars. and private stockholder.- two million*, provided it should sell for three million,* (the nt»i<.:iiit ot itpresent capital,) and there is no calculating- the loss to our citizens commercially: ntul. ubo\,*:,( the disjrracelnl relinquishment ot direct trade uud commercial independence forever. The thought cannot lie tolerated »- a moment. Tin- ciiria! cannot be abandon* d. Jlow i- it to he completed 1 Fir-t. either hv forcclostuj; the niortc...'esand selling out the company; or. second, i-y Tounimr the company mom-v to pay its lloafnn.'di-U ..ml complete its works; *.r, third, by converting the debts of the company into stock. jzivinjj it hah a million of the bonds of the State for that amount < ; its stock, alhl authorizing it to borrow motu-jf on it- income incomplete the canal to ('ovingtbn. and steamboat nayipntioii ot' the Kanawha to Loan Creek jjiioals- To foreclose the uiorta'aci - and sell out tin- compiniy would cond.-ciil § », ni.iw of private.-tnck.and would sink 'lie State'- capitalof ^S.oW.oni'.iuulabout S"V"-|P.i".nl, (two-thirds of the deiits of the company,) n* there is no probability of the works i.riiiaiuc more than two-and-a-halt millions. The Pennsylvania canal, which is comuleted to Pittsburg. :ii a cost"1 twenty iniliiuiis.'amt* had yielded a net revenue ot ottc-anda half ntillioiisof dollar-amuii.lle, for live year-previous to lis -ale, was sold a te-.v years ail" for about seven millions of dollars. 1. therefore, conclude, that the James river and Ivaiiuw!,,, e.mal, in its unfinished and embarrassed conditio-, e, jtj, . pet revenue ot about one hundred and fitly Thousand dollars, would not britijr more than two-i. .i-a.|ta|f millions of dollars, if the purchaser shots ,] he required to complete it to Covington. This we-involve a loss to the Ftate and private otockltc. ;yre ten luillions of dollars. Such n sacrifice cam; retcivc the sanction of this Legislature: and, I cotitlude, that the works will be bought tor the Star.-, and the private stock alone sacrificed. Such a lti-.-s uCt ol injustice V.rfftuia will never perpetrate iijsuj her c*juthliu£ ftr,j putriotie citizens,-whoseeah crime is, time they liherully advanced two millions ot their money, tC vears n^o, to aid ill developing her wealth und powe. ^ Virginia will c^cr commit so dark und dam.;us a c .M^teBCTr«-|iriniiii III 11I « | crime, md pboo upon her bright escutcheon a blot ! winch uii the waters of the James ccnid not wash out lu ti;u end of time. The history of the civilized world does not tarnish i.u example of such perSJy and cruel oppression, j If sold, the sitiite in us* on" it, end pay her citizens u fair compensation lor their stock, which could not he estimated at less than u million, She would have to complete the e-.ml to Coviugton at :i cost of two and a halt millions, und pay the dotting debt ot lialt it million, wliicli would together make four millions, she would have to add to her public debt. This, 1 take it for granted, she will not do, when by the provisions ot the bill under consideration all tliis can be butter accomplish, ;! by addiu# to Iter debt only half a million of dollars. Tlio proposition of foreclosing the mortgages and sale of tiie company's work must, therefore, be ubuuuoiicd. (.'an the*Legislature be induced to loan the company three millions of dollars to pay its floating debt anil complete the canal to Covington? This will not l»: done, it it can be accomplished a? well at a cost of half a million of dollars I'liis lends us to the consideration of the third pro1 position which is contained in the hill lllidercotlside! ration. It increases the capital >U el: of the comaany to tweiitv-five iniliieiis, and increases theState'ssiibseription to the amount o| the debt of the company, including the debt guaranteed by tlm State and half a million of tile bonds of Ihe State to be is-u,-d, to the company to pay its floating debt, and leave ils iicome entjtely unencumbered: and it authorizes lhece.lip.iliy to. issue its bonds to The umouiit Of two ui)J u half millions complete the canal to Covington and its other works, and mortgage ils property an/ inc 'ine secure the payment tl.c interest and principal oi these bonds. ,\|| (j|U niortgages which lave been given bv the company are to lie released. .By tni> !,j)i the only charge upon tse State is 3o,uy0 dollars, the intcri sMmd eootnbittion to the sinking iiind to pay the interest and redeem tne half I million of State bond*. Alter Ilie ennui shall be completed toCovington and the stock c;.n be s >ld at wir, the company an thorized tn mix- lu.uey by the sale of stuck to con1 tiniie tbe water Ime to'tlie <'bin, but !i«»t t»» po'sccum : their work any further, until tbe money em lie raised by a t-ale OItllie stock at par. The* c.i lie no dan! ger of giving this powvr toibe company, n- it ean only be exercised when the Stock can bt sol.i at par, ami litis cannot lie tbe oa>c unless 'be trade '1 v.:h»|ii:(J by the railroad will jusli'V tbe i:o>t u| extending tbe canal. Tlie passage ol tbe Covington and Ohio raiiroad bill settles tbe policy ol tbe State as to tbe completion nj that road, and the importance n| connecting tbe eitna! with it by the time it reaches Kutiawhii.. It is important that a bill should puss at tins session lurthut purpose,so thai the canal shall ne completed to Covington by tlie lime llie railroad shall be completed to the steamboat navigation on tlie Kuiiaw ba. A better plan thull that contained in tbe bill to effect this object , could not be derived ; at ?o little en-t to the Male, wliieb ensures its completion in so sliorl a time, provided the money can be raised upon the bonds ol' the company to' complete the work. Taking the nett income «>f the company at .?l'ie'.t'"0 per milium, J'or the next live years. 11 believe it will average ^liOu.oOd per annum*) according m a statement, 1 Hold, calculating the interest on the different loan* Jrom the time tiie" money will be w..nt;ng for carrying oil the works, running tu rough lice years, ufimt more than Snoo.i'Oo per annum, mil l the canal shall be completed to Covington, including one percent, on these loan-and one percent, upon the bonds issued by the Mate in Ib-n o; the giiaiiintuj bonds tor tin i sinking nmd. ami there will be left, alter satisfy in. all these demands, about fj'io.i.'ou the income > the company nt the close ol live years. Mr. Charles Scott, nt Ly nebbing, one of the inr t respectable and responsible men in the State, stnt -i in a letter lately written, that if ibis bill shall p-* be will be willing to eontrnet to e ciipiete the en to Covington ill five* years, for the bonds of the C "" puny. It is, thcrcioru certain, that if she bill sail puss, the company will be able I" complete tile <;,il' to Covington in live years. The certainty tribe completion of this great work ought If secllt the passage of this bill. A cauai is greatly siiperif lo !l railroad to develop tlie agricultural and 11 icra! wealth und forests of our mountain country. wine ; to its greatly superior capacity, it can tr. sport ; so much cheaper. Mr. McAlniuc. one of the . caie.-i. engineers in ihu State *>t Sew York, s.ieg "t the throitoli tommim ou tin.- Jb.no canal, in 1* -C «: " l,2I3,<it".i tons. niid the whole amount of '"i1"-1' liiatyear wns5,5;Ji.j-:t>toii>, whilst the whoi amount "f the toiiiuiL'c on the S'ew York ami It'rie >! Sew York Centra! railroads together, was S'O; 'o*1 tons. and the alnoiiut of llirnuirn freight c.irrii <"i these two roads was less than ].'i<i,oovi tons. T of the live followiijjj railroads; Nov Yorl Northern, ( Sew York Central, S'ew York Jlric, P :nsylvaiiia and Baltimore and tJhto. together a muted to 1 .^".'1,107 ton- in is.vj. The nvcruzB i uitnl tmtis! [loriation ot toinuige on the trie eati '*"r twelve i years, ciibin_' with lSJis, was u,.V*i5,{j£. tons, yiehll injr an nveraire anmul revenue in tolls Si,7S8,5»31. exclusive ot the tolls oil imat- and p'S.-tigers, du1 rim; which time the average sn-pciis'u rv.Mii ire »« nearly live months. The capacity the enlarged canal is estimated at seven million : as The tolls on the iirie camd for son.e years has Veil four mills j pet ton per :iiile,"iii;d on the enl.ir. -I canal it will lie two mills [ er t-ui per mile, whilst ie average tolls on the Sc'a York railroad was 10 ills 'per ton per mill'. The charges tortile tratisportalii of all the freight on the canals of X-".v York :il including the tolls paid to tin' State, averag. d 1 lit nod I mill per tan per mile, whilst tin: charges I the transportation of nil freight on the Railroads i r.geti about three j cents per t- n ['el' mile, c.Xclie-ivc lam her and coal. I which were a coed d -a! lower. The Virginia water lint* is a aitted by the ablest engineers m this country to 1 superior in location to any other connecting The -teni and Western i waters. The c**st per ton fr Baltimore to Porta-j month, hv Wheeling, is s? ; whilst from Rich- j moiid to Wrtsiiioiith. upon : Yiririnia water line, Would he f l 11. to t'liieinn 51 -. to Kvun-ville -1'.*. mid to Cairo so US. T"c same from New- j York, by Cleveland an.! t' Ohio Canal to Portsmonth. is So 5.'.; '.n Clf.cil Ci. by 'Joledo and the Ohio C.illn 1, is "> ;l, and Kvan.-vilio t.y the lu! diana Canal is i<j 'e'.i. So it it will lie sceti tlint, j the tolls on ilie Virginia', e will he {J "! per tori i cheaper than on the' Bait ie and Ohio route, ami | £1 4'J cheaper to Cinet. ati, anil £1 Cu eiicuper to J'Jvansviili: on tiic Yirgu than on the New York route to those places; aid the difference in the freight and toils togetll-.' will ho about double these sums. Tillit is, the' T.'giiiiu route, if the J.iiiiOs River and Kanawha C ni'were completed, would, in the opinion ot Mr. Alpine, have ihu advantage over tile .New 1 orl; ni wnso camus ni .-o -iv per ion nt Portsmouth, and ?. i" |-r ton at Cincinnati, ami Oilier points on lliiit below. W'lu-ii we take into consideration tl.e gr advantage the Virginia route lias in climate ovi the N«\v Y*>rk .(whilst the navigation of the .I >. > Hiver and Kanawha Ciiiml will not he susped' i by ice more than two Weeks per milium, on an erage, tii > average suspension ot the navigation of - New York Erie canal will lie u!>out live month' per annumi.there i* no doiit.t but timt it will b -de to compete. most successfully with the New Y : route, lor the Western trade.. As the live nice s that the navigation of the Erie Canal i^ sti-pcU : hy ice, the water of the Ohio. lielow the month : the Kanawha, is in the best stage t >r boating, tli. will be every iuduccmcut-elo the Western nieri -nts to ship their produce utf&iucr chiindisc by t Virginia route.. When the liter line sliail be completed to the i Ohio it will : Capable of traiis|>nrting three and a half million of freight annually. Three millions. at an .o-ra.'e toll ot -ft aOper ton, WoiiM yield four and » an It nillioK dollars,'winch would pay the maxim a dividend of la per cent, on twentylive ininfo of capital, and leave seven hundred and titty aitsand to pay expenses and keep the canal ill r air The pa-age of this bill would secure the completion ot t canal to Covington, the steamboat nnvigationof I - Kanawha (n Lotlp Creek .Shoals and tincomple:-ii of tltp ('ovingtoii iind Ohio Kail road to connee: with steamboat navigation at that point in live yi rs, when there will be u through transit from llieht! ml to the Ohio, bv canal t«> Joviijat'in, thence j by ni. mad of easy grade to Loup Creek Shoals, and then by steinihout to the Ulii", cheaper and siipi.rior i very respeet to the Baltimore and Uhio I'.iilroH'.-whieli would develop the immense mineral ami-griculture wealth ot tne country and produce -O.'.rgeft revenue from that source, and the great an ant oftoiinage it would draw ironi the vallies ni tl-t*»ltio and Mississippi, that it would insure the cjipielion ot the water line to the Ohio iy twelve, stars. J'nen will the rich treasures of the mighty West poured into our Eastern cities, receiving in return I ,11 tlieni the niereliiuulize of every clinic, producing : ;,j; amount of tonnage going East and West together, r.f at least three millions aimuallv. TIiih, will the .vilderiicss blossom as the rose. There will l>« a sac- cession <>f prosperous villages, and thrifty manittac- lories, filled with indiistricuis, ciiterpriziugand happy citizens, tmui one end of the improveuieht to the other. Then will Kiclnnoml. Petersburg, Norfolk and Portsmouth, spring up as if by magic, into large niaiiulacl urine commercial cities. Norfolk and P-.itsi mouth will become the Tyre and Ssidou of the Wes'eru world, and tinir magnificent and canueions Harbor will be whitened with the sales o, every clime. Then shall our commerce rival that ot the Empire city, and, what is more glorious than till, the South will be free, and independent of j her Northern oppressors, by the establishment of commercial mdi pemlciicc upon a basis as jjrm as the rock of tiibraltar, which will perpetuate nitr Union, because we shall he able tbeu to rypel Northern aggression and sit it at dertance. Is there not patrioti.-m in this IIoii.-oiitBciciit to pass this bill! Will the appropriation of a halt'million of dollars deter gentlemen from voting ibrit, w hen so much good and such splendid results must ensile t No other appropriation bills could have passed this w inter, witlioiit tin* votes ol the friends of this great j work. Hy their votes they were ail carried: and will tlic friends of those measures now pmveTul»c to us. and vote against this bill ? Sir, I w ould much rather bo the deceived than the deceiver. I wmiM much rather lo-c this lull, as del ply anxious as 1 am to sec it pass, than to have it passed by the votes of gentle- -=- ' ! i-i'-.i >(.'11 rcpn-MMJUIlS ll'cr IIIIVH.-1-...lli.i nan <|.<»L I..VX bills by voting against tin-in. nr \v:t!i!i'»l«liiitr Iroiu them my vutc. Ofsiich ungenerous ami faithless cuu.-uictlhi's Umiscwtll never be guilty. No, sir. the Internal Improvement party "I' thi.« House w ill not. niter iuivin^r received tlie v»tc« tiie trii r.il> n| this tail for nil tln-ir hills', vote against thii<, by Jar the most important measure n|' them all. 1'iiu Southwest can't d" thin, alter the large appropriations which have been voted hv the tricmls nt j;,:> hill to hnihl their railroad and * .MeAJ.ua road. They arc n> interested in the Canal u> my constituents'. a> tliei. ugrieulturtll und mineral WeitUli can never he developed without it, as they will ii"t hear the cost of railroad transportation to tide-water. To the groat Northwest I would appeal. The friends u! the Central improvement have always stood by yon. and voted tor appropriations to nil the improvements you have asked tor. When 1 first came :< tnis House, thirty-two years ago. your country was cuiiiparat.vely a wilderness. We voted large appropriations to make your roads, to give yt.n out- jets to market, and thereby developed your country and greatly incr-uscd vonr wealth. We gave the j Baltimore and Ohio Ihu'roud Company the right of way. free from charge. through your country, when j tiiut company was willing to pay millions for the . privilege ot locating their ro.itl tip the valley to dailies Uivtr in my" county, and thence along* tiie James Kivcr and Kanawha route to the Ohio. This, sir, would have given tuv constituents the choice of the Richmond or Baltimore market, una yet I, as their representative, rejected it proposition >o favora ble to them, which would have enhanced the value of their real estate one hundred percent, and ntade my first speech on this tioor in tutor of giving the Baltimore and Ulii© Railroad Cojtipany a right of j way tor their road through the Northwest. I thus refused to ray own constituents and the conntry be- tweea tpe aui the mouth of the Kanawha that whiah Ill, - III IWUIIIM enrl<med the Northwa.-r, by givlngit an onrlot to StZ markets of the world. I did this because I was "mining tor uny price to sell to Baltimore the birthr "lit ot Virguiiu.to transfer to thut city the trade nod 0'iruniercoOt'tlio great West, which properly belonged to the cities ot' Virginia, and without which thev could never prosper. I then told by some ot the most respectable men ot the greatest intclli,'euce ami Ciperivi.ee in mv section, that I was giving the Northwc.-t a stick to break my own head, and was building tip a Baltimore interest in that section antagouis'tieal to the best interests ot' \ irgiuhi. But 1 C 'titemieU that it was justly iiue to the Northwest. as Virginia.was nottible t<> develop their country*. by giving them proper outlets to market; and I hud assurances Jroui the representatives of that section il.,t they would support ail measures necessary to complete the Central improvement to the Ohio; and it now remains to Ire seen w hether this promise will be redeemed. VVIrat appeal shall I make to the Western delegates along the Centra! line.' It is said that some of you arc opposed to this hill. Can it he sot Is it possible that rosy one shmiliPie so blind to the true iu'tcrcst of his constituents to commit bo suicidal an net.'. The completion of this improvement Would enhance I the lauds along the line for agricultural purposes more than lOO pcr cent., ami the mineral lands more than LOW per cent. Let me appeal to the patriotism ot Virgiuiuns in every section, to every man whose j bosom is warmed by the great heart ot a Virginian. ! \"oti now have it in your power to restore our good | ..Id mother to tli.it station from which she lias fallen; to make tier the lir-t again in this great con f ile racy of States. To build up her cities, to dcvelope her great agricnltiiral wealth and her inexhaustible and iiiu oniiiled mineral resources, to encourage ami promote her manufactures. atid establish a direct trade j and a commerce which will challenge the admiration j of tile world, and make the glorious tsoiuh truly free j and independent: and by binding the Western and j Xoith-Westcrn States to Virginia ami Kasturu and Western Virginia together h\ the strong tb-s of inte r st and social and c imitierefal intercourse,perpetuate j that L'nioti whieli was obtained for us at so much sai eiiticc ly our m.iile ancestors. What a glorious desI tiny awaits if, if we will only make good Use of the great advantages whieli nature has given us. j. 1 u i I; conclude with noticing an objection made to the 1 i i by s'une on constitutional grounds. It is said that it is unconstitutional to release the debts ol thc.eompaiii . it is only a gratuitous release without miv consideration, which, is forbidden by the Constitution. N 't a release or discharge from a tlrlit for a valuable consideration. There is I 1.0 i or, lit the Suite well Id have a right ti subscribe / tbr my amount of the stock of this company and ; pay for it one hundred dollars per share, when ij wodii not bring more than ten dollars in the market Tbs has been done ireqnentiy this session. A bill pit-scd a few days ago. authorizing an additional subset ptioii o| stock t" the amount of six hundred tliousa.ii dollars nt the Loudoun and Hampshire lh.ilro.d, at "lie iiiindred dollars per share, when. I supp -e it wotiid not sell for more than ten dollars per s are. If it has a right to pay tor stock ineasli.it < rtuinly has a right to pay for it in the doubtful ebt of the company. it will be a discharge of the nurodiieti ve debt of the company, and the assuiupion o| tin., debt for w Inch it :s bound by its guarantees torn valuable consideration in tbc new stock of thn company, by wbicbit w ill insure tin: completion of a great work, which w ill in a fcwyeais pay a dividend ">" w* stuck. f*1 MX VCIUs, UMkr VHM Vlt v..- -v? but :i]'uii its oM stock. »t three millions, which is pay siiir tiotliinjf now. Tins question then j<rc->fiitc<I i.s.'sl.all we not appropriate u Iciit' million more to si-cufe :i b:i<! debt of sewn million-*, und make an investment of three million.", prothable, which hu? never yielded anything, nnd iK-veroan be worth anything, without thus appropriation. Pass thi." hill, und you will secure to \ ir^ritnu a glorious future, which nhe can never realize without it. Sir. I have done. Thirty-two years r.t'0 -1 took rny sunt in tiii- lloU*e a Zealous friend ot tills great work. I have ever since defended it, through > vil and »«»' d report. Many of tho-e uoble spirits, who, <111 toruier occasions in this Hall, havo poured forth their eloquent strains in support of ]t, have passed into the spirit land, and 1, of its early friends, am left almost alone to rai-e my voice in its luvnr; and may God, in hi" mere;., grant that mv lite shall lie spared to see the completion of this srreat work, which will redound so much to the honor and glory of my country. C^'islitlnrc of Vir^tnin. TnriisiMT, March 'z9ih. Isfift. IIOI Si; or DKLIKiATE-S. liVKNINi; StsSfiiN. The House u-.ct at 7 o'clock. Speaker CltUTCIIFKLM In the Chair. bills r*>sm. At act to establish a Ilmnrli Hank at I'arkereburg, In the county of Wood. Aa aei concerning the terms of ilio Circuit Courts in the Pd and 5:h Judicial Circuit* An ucl Incorporating tlie Lynchburg Locomotive and Mo! chine Company. An actio incorporate the I'arkersburg Hoot and Shoe Manufacturing Company. An act to amend and rc-«*wiet the charter of the town ot l'oit.t I'leiiMitit, in Mason county. An act to Incorporate the Kureku Insurance Company of Wheeling. An act to Incorporate the Williaiasville Woolen and Cotton Manufacturing Company. Mr. n.LMINti called up the bill for repairs to the Staunton and I'nrkersburg Ituad. The liftl direct" (lit- Hoard of Public Works to expend a certain .-utti of money change the location and reconstruction of said road on Crab ICuti. in flight ind county, Kaiiisey'.* Itr.ift", in Augusta county, and other points, and being advocated by Mes-rs. f'LKMfNti and CltitlsTlAN. was passed. IXCUKA-K OI Mum. A resolution to authorizellw joint committee on the l'ublie Library to increase the compensation of the assistant clerk unci copying clerk in the Executive department, patseil the House without dissent. Tile T.tJ BILL. The hill for the assessment of tuxes on person; ami property he-tnjr iimler consideration. .Mr. HUFFMAN moved to amend the forty-third lection hy striking out "hones, nsscs anil jennettt, cattle, sheep and lines," ami inserting "horses, asses, jennets and catlle ovrr two years nltl. and sheep and lings over oueyear old." .Mr. HUFFMAN at tlic same time pave notice of his purpose to move to amend the forty-luurth section hy adding what follow-: "In ascertaining the value of cattle, sheep mid lings, the coinnii-smncr shall deduct from their uciual value tlie increase of value occasioned by their growth or improvement fro :i grazing or otherwise feeding since the first day of February in the preceding year, and the residue otilv shall lie the value to.- tatfhtion. Messrs. UuFr'.M \N, lUCKINtUN of lEu'stll and MOKEMAN advocated the amendment moved, and Messrs. IMCIvl.NSuN of I'rince Edward and CuLLIEK opposed it. Mr. CoLLlKit. in reply to Mr. HOFFMAN, submitted the following remarks: Mr. Speaker:.! hesitate not to express my profound surprise at the very remarkable speech of the gentleman from the county of Harrison.. In order t<> vindicate his amendment, he travels nut of the svay, to refe to the fact that under the Constitution of the Ftute, negroes under 13 years of age are exempt from taxation; that such exemption operates f-r the benefit of the Fast, to the Inequality of the M'rsl That in order to eiiual and uniform justice, the Legislature should uilopl Ins amendment, exempting from taxation, cattle, sheep and Logs Sir, cue uninformed as to the sta ti-lics of ttic State, would infer that all the cattle, sheep and hogs iu die Commonwealth were to he found in the count > »f llartison, and if not in the county of Harrison, in the western section ot the State, which receives no iicuelit from the constitutional slave exemptions. Hut, sir, what are the facts undisputed and indisputable on this tjUestioU? Win, sir, when I state the fact that the East Is as much licncllttcil hy the exemption proposed by thu gentleman frniii Harrison as the VVest, 1 state a f ict within the know1-dge of every well informed man on this door. Let ine refer this House to the following comparison, which I now prop-set" Institute, as between the bctietilsreruHui* to the cast ami west: 1 will llist refer to the county of Uarrieon, in the west, nnilthe county of Fauquier, In the east, llarrisoti in I:,111,lud 13/i.si attic, sheep and hogs, while the county of Fauquier, in the east had 61,770, making In lavur of Fauquier over Jiariisonta the hiiioiiiii of 13.104. And, i refer to the county f F.iuquiei with unalloyed plea-uro, as the banner county of Hi east in this particular, and 1 now challenge, if she has a superior, let it be produced. The county of Mecklenburg in tli- East lias I2.P&J, while the county of Marion Las Sl.-l.'si, Hardy Jcountv has o4,7ul, and the county of Southampton with a Itss white population hy two thousand lias Us, 113. And, last, I contrast the gallant county of FiMsex with the noble little county of Craig.the former has 21,"Oil, while the latter lias only ll.4>y. Tlic comparison llius instituted, if carried to the extreme between eaclt county of the West receiving no henelit from the slave exemption, ami (lie counties of the Slate receiving such constitutional li-neiit, would result most fav i" it"- laveliahliiig counties. It would add U such couu'ies ft legislative exemption from taxation, besides the constitutional exemption. 1 have tlitis iiinvn. Hint while the object tlie mover of this amendment has in view is thwarted, and that while the exemption v. oul.l ni ct ate to the benefit of the East as well at the West, 1 am unwilling to vole for It, because we cannot afford to make any further exemptions of this character, kAucIi win throw all the burdens of tiovermuent upon tlie untiled interest and the mercantile interests of the State. K will go far in making addition.ilpburdens upon lite cities now groaning under a load of taxation beyond endurance. The (|UCSll<'U war then taken, and the amendment was n-Jecled.Ayes C-, noes !J2. Tlie llouse then adjourned. KP.IDAY, M.UtCU 3">, I31J1). SENATE. Tite Senate was called to order at 10 o'clock A. >1., by Lieut Governor MONTAGUE. A communication was read from tlie House, Informing the senate of the passage of a number of bills orignaling In the Senate; also of sundry II'use hills.the latter, when disposed ol. are noted below. The House agreed to tlie amendments proposed by the Senate to the following bills: "An act to re-enact and amend the Ultli section of chapter ID ol the Cod', so as to extend the exemptions from dis. tress or Invyon the property of poor debtors." llllfsK tit Lt.i Pss.-10. To amend and re enact the charter of the town of point Pleasant, In .Mason county; to Incorporate the Parker-burg P.ool ami Shoe Manufacturing Company; to eetntili-li a branch Bans at Parkeraburg, In the county of Wood: direeling tlie payment of a judgment in favor of Mary Pecry and other?, of Tax.-w.ll county, against the Hoard of Public Works, for repairs to the Staunton and Parkersburg road; for lite relief of John W. Lnwson; auth wiring the Hank of the Valley in Virginia to establish a branch In the city i f Kiclin ond; to incorporate the Sultville and Laurel Turnpike Company (.with un amendment.) COVtllXOKS OF low'A ami 011:0. Mr. COC'iiliLl., from tlie joint committee on the General Assembly, on the special message of the Governor rfa the subject of tlie demand mads by him on tlie Governors of fow.t and Ohio lor the surrender of certain fugitives front justice, made a report, concluding with a resolution, which was read and ordered to be printed. .......I.. nrmnTUVST. The Senate were notified hy a lfou«e m«o;e that that hoily hart agreed to a joint resolution "to authorize the Joint Committee on the Public Library to increase the com- pettsatio'i el tin* .ts-isiuiit Clerk and Copying.Clerk in the Executive Department." SLSATK It ILLS Pl83-I>. Releasing IHchard Carr troia the payment of a fine im- posed hy the Circuit Court of Middlesex county; toextctnl the time of rebuilding the upper mil! or Clue. Mason, lu the county of King Unirge. SCXSTS.'O BretfESs. Senate hill charging the Petersburg and JViyrtton Plank Road and the Ihiyrtton and l.irksville Plank lloui) into a Railroad, and auihuslztrg an increase ot the capital stock fur that purpose, wtu put on Its passage and rejeeted. lite hill rearranging and extending the corporate limits of the town o! Staunton, w.i3 indefinitely postponed. The Seriate rejected House resolution exempting the Sheriff of llttchle county from certain damages recovered against him fur a failure to pay the public revenue into the Treasury. Hou-e.liill exempting the Fair llroundsof agricultural and mechanical societies from taxation, was rejected on its passage. Senate bill for the rrlicf of Robert W. lianley, contrac- tor on a Turnpike, was rejected.ayes 15, roes 14.not receiving a constitutional majority. The bill Imposing taxes on persons and property came up as unfinished business The sections relating to taxes on merchants were disposed of Thursday night. The Senate resolved to let the tax remain as In the present law. To- day, a vote being taken on the yhole bill, it was passed. The bill toincorporatethr Wheeling Kailroad llridge Com- pany was called up. Mr. NEWL'TS offered an amendment, proposing thai the Company should pay a tax of three cents per |«n and three cents for each passenger fur the privi- leges secured by the hill. The motion was rejected. Mr NEErSON moved to amend the hill by requiring the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company to accept the proprovisions of the general railroad laws of Virginia before the act should take effect. The last mentioned amendment wag pending when the hour Of 3 ariiveil, and the Senate adjourned till* o'clock. HOUSE OP DELEGATES. The House met at taa o'clock, Speaker 03CTCH5IELD la lka chair. i SSBSS9BE3L Jl.tt -1 "" " gggg Prayer by Bishop Esrly, of ih« Methodist Episcopal Church. Many bills were received from the Senate, with amendments, which ware generally concurred la. bills passed. A Mil granting right! of way to mining and manufacturing companies, in Kanawha county. iir. GILMER, of Pittsylvania,called up anil explained u bill for the relief of A. J. Whitehead; which was passed. ayes 115. The Chair requested Mr. GILMER to communicate the passage of the hill by the Oouse to the SenR'e. Mr. McGRL'DER, of Albemarle, called up and explained an act for the relief of the sureties of Joseph Llgon, late sheriff of Nelson ccuntt; which was passed.ayes SA. Mr. DCCKWALL called up and advocated a bill Incor- poruting the Sir John's Run Turnpike Company; which was passed.ayes 75. t.tTs.vjiu.s or me sorrn sine railroad. Mr. ORGAIN called up a hill "to enable the South Side Railroad Company to construct a orunch of their road from I lacks and Whites to the Roanoke river." Messrs ORGAIN. COLLIER, KEMPER, CHAPMAN, j BASKERVIIX, IIaYMOND and ItlSBIE advocated the j passage of the bill; and Mr. WILSON, of Isle of Wight, opposed It. The hill was lost. It cot receiving a constltutional majorltv. Ayes 05, noes 49. TtIS OoVEKMlHa OF lowA A X 0 OniO. Mr. DCCKWAI.L, from the special committee on the subI ject of the correspondence between the fiovemois of Iowa ami Ohio, relative to the rendition of certain fugitives from justice, with the Governor of Virginia, made a report from thai committee as follows; The undersigned, joint committee of the General Assem' My, to whotu wore referred the speclul messages of the Governor on the subject of the demand made hy him on the Governors of Iowa anil Ohio fur the surrender of Barclay- Cnppoc, Francis Mlrrlnm and Owen llrown, three of the criminals engaged In the late raid at Harper's Ferry, have, accoidlng to order, had the same under consideration an.l make the following report: On the Ititli day of October last these' men (Coppoc, Mir- riatn and Urown) deliberately conspired together with others to 1licit* our slaves to rebel and to overthrow the institutions and government of our State ; and in the attempt to execute their felonious and treasonable purpose, i.tlte property of our citizens wax carried away, their per- sons forcibly detained and conllntd, while others were ruthlessly murdered. After having committed the grave offences, they lied he- yond the juriidieiion of the commonwealth. The plain duty of the Executive of this Coininnnwealtli, charged as lie is with the execution of the l»ws. was to demand of the Governor of any State, within the limits of which they might be found, their surrender. Your committee do not think It necessary to refer par- ticularl. to the clause of the Federal L'onstmiiimi anu me act of Congress under which the Governor of Virginia He- I mantled the surrender of these eriinina's, because both are familiar to the whole country Under the clause of the Federal Constitution and the act ol Congress' eferred to.t he Governor proceeded todeman of the Governor of Iowa the surrender of liarclay Coppoc, and of the Governor of Ohio the surreti- derof Francis Mirriani and tiwen Grown In both cases the surrender was refused. In justification of their conduct, they do not pretend that the utleuco with which the critnl- uats are charged have not been committed, nor that they were not to be found within the limits of their States; but they put tbelr refusal solely 0:1 the ground of al- 1-ged informalities in the papers accompany in* the re- quMition. The-e alb ged informalities, when examined, are not only technical, but utterly and wholly groundless. and, your committee are constrained to say, furnish evi- j denee satisfactory to our minds that both the Governors ot Iowa and Ohio have wilfully and deliberately violated their sworn duty and u plain provision of the Fed raI Constitution, and that the reasons they assign In Justification pf their conduct are rather of a character to clothe with decency a foregone conclusion, than to satisfy the Governor and people of Virginia. Your committee deem It a useless waste of time to chb». rate this branch of the subject; but in ord.r to demonstrate very briefly, that the views expressed by your committee are warranted by the extraordinary conduct of these Kxecutlves, we will for a moment adveit to the reasons assigned by Attorney General Wolcolt, of Ohio, upon whose opinion the Governor of that State predicates hi? refusal to surren- tier .Mlrtlam and Hruwu. And In order that there may not be the slightest Injustice dene to the Attorney General, we will slate the case precisely us he litti done, and in his own language. lie says, speaking of Mirriam: (1st), "lie must have been charged in another State, by indictment or affidavit, with the commi.-slou thereof treason, felony or other crime. (ffd). lie tnust have lied from that Stale to escape its Jus' lice; and phi) Demand for hi, surrender, accompanied by an au- tlii-nlic copy of I be Indicttnelit or affidavit, on wiilcb the demand is predicated, must have he ,i made by the Executive authority of the State froui which the (light was made." He t lien say?: When these do concurrently happen, the power to remove exists, and must be executed." Let us see, now, whether the several mutters of fuel In: voiced In the preceding position of the Attorney General. are shown to have exi led in the case of Mirriam. In the first place.the fugitive (Mirriam) on the s:h tlay r.f February lust was indicted by a grand Jury of the Circuit Court of Jefferson county of ibis Plate, with having, or. the Ititlt ami tTill days of October, l-iff, "advi-ed slaves to rebel and make Insurrection; for conspiring with slaves to rebel and make insurrection; ami for compiling with certain persons to Induce slaves to rebel Mid make insurrection". all off lice made felony bv the law s of Yirclnia. This indictment charges that Mirriam, on the Milh and !7lh days of Uetoher, ltfilt, committed the aiorrsaM offence in the C' unty of Jeffer«on, and within the jurisdiction of the Circuit Court of that couuty. ! A copy of this indictment, and so much of the record of the proceedings of the Court as showed that it was regular- Jy Tulltlil, was cerilueilio uy in- M-rK mi ill': tuun, nun [ill' seal nf his Mlice annexed. It""; .1 ililce nf the Court next rerilllcd to the genuineness of the certificate ami seal of I lie Cleric, ami llie whole was certified to liy 111 Governor of tliis Commonwealth, under the seal of Sm'e. This indictment, thus authenticated, ilmsi, in tin* very language *"f Attorney Oineral IVultott, tliat Mirriam, tin; person ii«. inanili-a, was charged In (Virginia) another Stat"; witliil.o commission f a crime, ami that crliue felony. Attorney General Wolcott further "ay, that in nililition to the forego'in:, it niu-t lie sliuwu that .Virriata "fled (rota VirgT.la to e.-ca|ic Its justice."' The same evidence Ihnl is deemed sufficient to show that Mirriam was charged with having couiluittetl the ntfence, will answer to show that heil.il from the Stale after the cniniiiirsioti of the otfetiee. The indictment, when once admitted as evidence, flume ti nt on the 10th and 17th nf October last Francis Miriiain was ill the county of .lelfcrsoti in llie Commonwealth ' ( \ irginia, and then and there cotntnitteil the felony aforesaid. Now, if he tic found on the '--d of February, Istlu, In the State of Ohio, are would like to know how lie happened to he In that Stateon that day, unless he fled there from tile State of Virginia. Can the Attorney Gentiral of Ohio, alter admitting that In the month of October last Mirriam was In Virginia. Inform the people i f Virginia now he got into Ohio on the Slid nf Feb ruary following ? Is It necessary, In order to satisfy the term's of the constitution and the act of Congress, that the Governor of Vhginia should show, as a condition precei dent to hid tight to demand the surrender of .Mirriam, the particular mode of travel by wldclt the fugitive left the Stulc? nr the C|UO animo with which he It ft? or the control!ing sentiment that moved him in his hasty departure from the limits of Virginia.whether is was fear nr hatred or remorse? Would he devolve upon the Governor of Vlr- | gli.iu the onus of slioivingJwh.it could only he known to Mirriam himself? Whether Mirrl-im, after commit'lng the felony, walked or ran out of Virginia on his two legs, or whether he went on horse hack, or by since coach, or by railway, is probably better known to Attorney General Wolcott, or liii excellency. Gov. DctitiUoti, than to Gov. Letcher. j In addition to the language of the Indictment, the requisition of tiov. Letcher avers, that Mirriam was a fugitire from justice.thus showing. In the tuost positive auil solemn form, that lie hail not only committed the otrenee, hut that lie had fled from the State o Virginia "lo escape its justice." Vet, in the face of tlris anient i record, thus authenticated, uud in the teeth of the official declaration of the Governor of Virginia, showing that Mirriam was a fugitive from Justice from Virginia, Attorney General Wol{ cut hazards the assertion that no evidence existed to shew that Mirriatu hail fled front Virginia to elude justice. It is udiii'ttrd hy Ihe Attorney General of Ohio, that !hc third requisite eXISteu III tne case; ami we arc cuiiscquuuii,, relieved from (he trouble of noticing Hint. The case uf Owen lirnwn stood upon precisely the same ground, utid was ill all respects similar to that of Mirriani; and (here- j fore, the name reason lor refusing to surrender the one In- tluenced liov llennison in refusing to surrender the other. ! In striking contrast with the conduct of tne Governors of Intra and Ohio, was the action of the Governor of l'enn- syiv.mia, and one Kf the Judges of the latter Stale, on the occasion of the demand made hy the Governor of this Commonwealth for the surrender of lidward llazlett, one of the Harper's Kerry conspirators. . ( After the Governor ol Pennsylvania had promptly sur- rendered the accused, he was brought before one of the Judges of that State, under a writ of habeas corpus; and although the evidence showed that the accused was named lidwurd, and not Albert llazlett, and for that reason lie ] could not he surrendered under the requisition of Governor j Wise, yet the Judge remanded the prisoner to Jail, to await another requisition In proper form. I How striking the contrast between the administration of the law by a coudcicu ious ami enlightened judge, and the execution of lite same law hy the unscrupulous ami fatuitiI cat black republican governors of Iowa and Ohio! The ; one intent only on doing his duty, while the others exhaust all their mental resources la seeking for a decent disguise by which to conceal their predetermined purpose to evade a plain provision of tile federal compact. t , Your committee have observed in tne public prints of , Ohio, that the governor of that r'tato had communicated to ( tlie editor of an abolition journal uf that slate his Intention to refuse to surrender X.irriam anil Crown before he look the advice of the attorney general of Ohio, upon whilst; opinion he professes to luveacted. I , Both the Governor of Iowa and the Governor of Ohio, in- stead of regarding the demand of the Governor of Virginia j as a matter to be kept as a confidential communication, , cent to have made haste to give it publicity. Conduct I like this Is not only unbecoming the highest functionary of a sovereign State, hut morally renders these delinquent Governors accessories to the offence. . 1 Your committee arc not disposed to hold the whole people of Iowa and Ohio responsible for the acts of their Gover- nnrs. On the cuntrary, we are gratified In being nble.to state that a large portion of the people of both Mates con- detnn. as strongly hi do your committee, the conduct of , their Governors. But while this is true, thlsc Governors represent the majority of the people of their respective ; States. | In conclusion, your committee, while they refrain front recommending any retaliatory measures, for reasons which at this period of the session will he obvious to thy General Assembly, vet they cannot forbear to express tne opinion , that acts like those in question. If persisted in hy the people j of our sistet non slaveliolding Stales, will not only justify > retaliation on the part of Virginia, hut will Inevitably lead to ] that estrangement and alienation between the two section-, j which will ultimately remit in a dUtuptlou of the federal compact. t Your committee beg leave to recommend the adoption , of the following joint resolution : I itesolved, l>y the General Assembly of Virginia, Thai the ( Governors of Iowa and Ohio, hy refu-inc to surrender to the Governor of this Commonwealth, Barclay Coppoc, , Francis Mirriatnanil nwen nrnw n, cum giro . . J tu have committed, within this State, crimes of the highest . frail*, nr.it In have !!« ! beyond in limits, wilfully atidde- lihcralely violated the Federal compact, disregarded the ( comity which should exist between Sovereign States, and ( made themselves morally, if not legally accessories to the j offences committed by these criminals and fugitives from justice. ; t l>u motion of Mr. ISLl'E, the report find resolutions w-ere ( laid on the table, and ordered to be printed. p | Mr. JUNKS of Appomattox proposed to Introduce a rose- j lution requiring every .citizen of the State* of Ohio and t loan, who shall lie found within the limits of Virginia to give bond ur.il security for their good behavior whilst in , (heCommonirealth. I Tlf PI KsOS.lL ISO PltorfRTr T.«X BILLS. j ] Mr. IIAYMOND called up. tlie ill imposing taxes on per- , sons and property, which was before the House with many j amendments, whelt the Speaker 'vacated the chair until T o'clock this evening. ' . [On the >Ut day of March, when the Joint resolutions in j response to the renuest of South Carolina and .Mississippi, for a conference of the Southern Stales, were under con- se.'eratbin, and put upon their passage, Mr. IV A HI), of t Frederick, when the Clerk called his name, stated that he would not vote, because he had pair-d off with a gentle- man who was suddenly c.illwl home to see a sick family. He said he regretted that he could not therefore cast his vote for the Conference. , Mr. tVAItli requested the reporter of the House of He- legstes to append tills statement to the report of the proceedings of that day, which has been omitted until now.] Fuipay, M.tki'ti fib, li'». i \ SUN A TIC. EVF.NINU akloslO.V. j j ItOC.-'E Il'lLLS IWSsLD. j ( Prescribing the rights »f certain persons In relation to property drilled on waters west of the Alleghany Moun- tains, and deposited on the lands of others than the owners; j Incorporating the Central Agricultural S ciety of Virginia; authorizing the justices of the County Courts of Hanover, Culpeperaml Orange to impose a tax upon degs; Incorpo- rating the Wheeling llailroad bridge Company; changing the time of holding the Circuit Courts for the city of Rich- mond; re-arrangiiig and extending the limits of the town of Staunton, Ac. ; SfSlTg BILLS PASSr'P. i I Amending und re-enacting the 1st section of ah act pro- viilin.g adihtionai protection to the slave property of cltl- j tens of this Commonwealth, passed March HMi, lsotf; for tepairs to the Staunton and l'arker.-burg lload; incorpora- ting the Hark ersburg boot antl Shoe Manufacturing Com- i pany; Incorporating the Iiichiui nd and Lynchburg llailroad < Company; ameuding an act to amend the charter of the city of Richmond. and to re-organize the Court of Hustings of said city; incorporating the Holllday'. Cove Railroad; establishing a branch bank at Harrisvilie, In Ritchie county ; j I consolidating the Hot Springs and Miller Mill Turnpike Company, and to place the two roads under the control of t the Jackson Kiver Turnpike Company ; prohibiting railroad agents from charging more than the regular transportation rates on railroad treigbts t OrUifcJtaL BCsI.VKSS. ( The Senate agreed to the amendment of the Hosse of J Delegates to the resolution In relation to the use of the Cap- 1 mr.."1.1, -Li. .a:. Pol by the Suproma Court of Appdais. Tbe Bsnata also concurred In House rosoiution authorizing a change of the locatfoo of the Tasewell C. II. and Kentucky Line Turnpike. The Senate aiso agreed to House amendments to Senate bill Incorporating the Lynchburg Locomotive and Machine Company. Also, to Houl? amendments to Senate bill entitled an act to umend the 8d uod Sth Sections of un act p:i-ied .May 22.1SJ2, entitled an act concerning the terms of the Circuit Courts. On motion of -Mr. FINNEY, tlie Senate adjourned. Fatast, March SO, 1500. IIOLSD OK 2KLECATES. EVENING SESSION. The House mst at 7 o'clock. Speaker CRL'TCHFJKLD In the Chair. BILLS P.tSSSD. To amend art act entitled, an act to amend the charter ol the city of Klchuiond, and to organise the Court of Hustings of said county. An act tn amend ami re-enact the eighth, twenty-first ami flftv-seventh sections of an act entitled, "an act incorporating the town of I'ortsmnuth as a city, passed .March 1st, InH" A bill to restrict the catching cf oy sters In certain months, An act to make the Ohio river a lawful fence. A hill making the Kanawha river a lawful fence. An act providing f..r ttie re-print of the tlftli volume ol Leigh's Reports, and the 1st, 2nd and Brd volume* of Unittun'j Reports L»r. WUULk'OLK, of Orange and Gilmer, called up and explained a hill releasing Thomas Sisson from the payment oi u tine, which was p-s-cd. Jves U-l U^tVUULKUl.K was requested by the Chair to inform the ScnSgl of tlie passage of the bill. .Mr. THOMAS, of Warren,.called up and advocated a bill refunding to l-afayette Up-tlke excess of taxi-s paid by him, and authorising the County Court to correct erroneous assessments, which was passed. Ayes 100. okimsukb ei si\k.-s. The tax fill cause up as the unfinished buslntss, and the House proceeded to consider the different amendments. Several amendments were adopted. Tlie bill was then passed, and the House adjourned. Ji.irciiP.tr, Mxrcii 31, Is*!". SENATE. At in A. ."W, Lieut. Governor MONTAGUE called the Senate to order. « A communication was received from the House by their clerk that they had paced a number of Senate bills istiliie wiili, and other-, without, amendments! and sundry Semite bills. The action of the Senate, on said bills and amendments, L noted below. On motion of Mr. BKANNON, the Senate indefinitely postponed Hou-e bill granting rights of way to milling and manufacturing companies In Kanawha county. The Senate, on motion of Mr. HltANNoN, concurred in tlie House amendments to Senate MI! for the assessment of taxes on persona and property ( One of these amendments exempts from taxation the property of the Ladies* Mount Vernon Association of tlie Union.) The Senate concurred in the House amendments to the following Senate bills, viz : To amend and re-enact the Nh, .fat and 27th sections of an act Incorporating the town of Portsmouth a city; to amend the lith sec ion of chapter br of the code, as amended In is." I and IsJvAe., so as more effectually to prevent dealing with slaves or free negroes, and to repeal the gyth retloti or »Hi'i act. .Mr. ll.iY.MOM> brought Irnrn the House the ld'1 Imposing lav.- for the support afctoverttn ent, with an amendment providing il>ai We tax on auctioneers of sugar ami molasses shall not exceed JJ'di The Senate concurred In sal.t cuielnliiielil, ami the tax hill Is now a law. IIOI-.-K KILLS PASsk.ll. Hcieasiug Thoni.t« Siss»n from the payment of a fine. Incorporating the Sir John's I!tin Turnpike Company. Authorizing the County Courts of Augusta ami Albemarle to purchase the franchises of the Staunton and James filter Turnpike Company. (Explained by Mr. ill Vis.) For the relief of A. J. Whitehead. t Explained hv Mr. STUART.) Refunding to Lafayette Updike excess of taxes pa'd by him, ami author.zh g the County Court (of Warren) to correct erroneous assessment. t Explained hy Mr. CaRSUX.) Making Kanawha river a lawful fence. To restrict the catching of oy.-ters in certain months. f LoCK ISSPILCTIOX Encouraging direct foreign trade. [The hi!! was called up hy Mr. WIOKIlA.M. Atuoug other features it provides tliul inspection shall tint he compulsory on flour shipped to Tneigu pons, on vessels four-tilths of which are owned by resident citizens of Virginia. The f|uestiou pending was a substitute offer, d hy Mr. TIIOMI'SON, providing thut flour shall inspected with an augur not less titan fl ve-eigh hs of an inch In diau-.eler, an J the ilrnuglit flour to he retained hy the Inspector. Mr. PAXTOX moved an auu-udnieni requiring the draught flour to be >ohi lofi tlie heiieflt of the Treasury. After an lueflcetunl -tuoti in to lay on the table, Mr. THOMPSON accepted Mr. I'AXTON'S amendment, which was rrJeCted.ayes I'd, noes 23. Mr. 1'aXTOX then uiuved an amendment, abolishing ail laws for the Inspection of flour. Mr. ISilKLL moved the iudiiiulte postponement of the bill. Lost, li t'i SO. Mr. I'AXTON'S aiuendmetii was lo«t.aves i", noes 27. The hill was sustained hy Messrs. WJCKIIAM. AUGUST ami IMVKS, opposed hy Messrs. ISIthl.L, PaXTON and Cllirlill.l., and passed hy the following vote, Mr. TJIO.MPMIX having asked tlie ayes ami noes AVKs.Messrs. August, liruce, Caldwell, Christian. Cols, an. liickciisoti, Finney, French, Ijreever, Johnson, Knight, Logan, Lymdi. Marshall. Pale, lllchmo,*!, Itives, Stuart, Thomas of Fairfax, anu Wickliam.k'n. Xom.Messrs. Carson, Carter, Coghill. Douglas, Early, Oiitewood. lshell, Jones, Xcal, Neesou, Xewlop, Newman, Paxtou, Smith, Tailalerro an Thompson.1<J.] Hose hill, Incorporating the Lyitchhuig and Itlchinoml Railroad Company, came up on its passage; ami having been advocated by Messrs. JONES, Cut.Ill I.I, and ls11ELL, and opposed hy Messrs. STL'AItT and CLAIIIOKXE, wa> pa*se«l.ayes Is, noes 12. Mr. CARTER offered tlie following join' resolution, ami, tlie rules having been suspended, the ques'ion uii its adoption, came up: llesulveil by the General Assembly, That the company officers, nou-eoinmissioned officer* ami privates of tlie 7V71Is regiment, in the county of Loudoun, who were ordered into service hy Col. Salt ford J Itainey, the command.nil of said regiment, in November, l5."j, he paid hy tlie State ill conformity with the joint resolutions of February 5th and March 5th, lsti"; nod that tlie Arid ami staff officers of said regiment, who were under orders aml'upon whom responsibilities were imposed, requiring their care ami attention ami 'active supervision, pending the Harper's Ferry difficulties, tie paid hy the State for the time during which they were under such orders, including rations, .-sc., according to tl.eir respective grades or ranks, as tlie ease luay be. Gn motion of Mr. JG.NlvS, the above Joiiu reaoiviiiou iniletliiitelv post polled. Mr. IIUCCK called U|> Senate bill.f.irthe relief of the Koanokc Valley railroad company, tit muke.i a loan of ft'lMjb'b for extending the road frotn Clarksville to Keyaville, about J? miles. Tlie bill »"ae advocated by Messrs. HKCCF, l.OUAN and rll'CAKT, oppo-ed by Messrs. DUCULAs mid ChAinOHNE, and rejected, aye* lit noes 14.) M. FATE' called up tieuaic bill, Increasing the capital stock of Wilson's Creek and Kanawha turnpike road, for the purpose of completing bridue over Coal river. The vote stood on In passage, ayes l"J noes 5, and was rejected for want of a constitutional majority. SESATK HILL Plssf.il. Allowing it pension (A.'itP per >car) to Amanda IJIgdoti, widow of John II. Higdoti, wlto died from exposure at Harper's Ferry, during the late troubles.the pension to cease on tier mart las*. (.Called up and explained by Mr 'I iluMAS of F.J ProKO-Kli SALE OK AHSlOltY Lois. Mr. STtiAKT olfered tlie following joint resolution : liesolved by the Genet al Assembly, That the Governor he, und he Is hereby rri|uv»ted 10 ascertain and report 10 he General Assembly at Its next session tlie extent of stirface, the water front upon the canal and the water-power which would be available lor use. of tlie present site of the Armory in Kicliiuotid, a id also the sum for which It could prubabiy be sold in lots, and also whet'ie-, ill Ids opinion. It would be advisable to sell said sltcand to apply a portion of the proceeds of s"!ild sale for the construction of an Armo-y at some other eligible point, and pay the residue Into tiii- treasury. This resolution was advocated by Messrs. ?TlfAIIT and I.SIShLL, and opposed by Mt«sr-. AL'GI'.d'l', CAlWlN, JuNEii and COG it I I.E. Mr JON Hi moved to lay the resolution on tin- table,. Fending litis motion, and while Mr. COGIllEE hud the lioor, the hour of 3 F. M. art rived, ami the debate look a rsc" an'.ll F. M. hoist: <>i» nin.KGA'rns. A cntiimuuicali !. a received Iroui the Senate, with hills passed hy them, an.: amendments to House bills, which were concurred i.. by the House. mix P.tssKP. An ac! to extend the time for ro-hnilding Ihe copper mill >f Charles Mason, in the '"-tty of Uittg George. I. ..... tit LI. Mr. EVANS advocated a bill for the relief of Itirhard Corr, which was passed.ayes b9. A resolution releasing thesecuiilicsof E. M. (.'underwood, late sheriu of Cabell county, was adopted.ayes Po, noes 4. Mr. FRIEND called up and earnestly advocated tin act (Ulhorizlng the payment of the forfeited capitation tax of ItsM apportioned to the county df.t'hesterfleld. vt-s-rs. CllItlSTlAN and CKANE opposed, and General lviv.ui-i-:tt advocated Hie act, which was passed. Mr. till UNO, of Chesterfield, raid : *1 lie proposition lit .his tdll contained, if understood, must meet tlie approval mil should ie«v'. Hie vote or every member present. It » propose. Ilia" id Auditor shall Issue his warrant upon .he Treasury, In favor of Hie Superintendent of the Hoard .f School Cotnml-sloners of the county of Cheslertlcld, for Jot'iOdt!.that heinc the amount of the undrawn capitation ..V f.,e ill. ei.tr 1 «..\1 in which tlie cnniitc of Chesterfield is mill~dt and wan act apart by the Auditor for that county.j fur that year, lint which was not drawn by the Supeilntcmi- (lit of the Hoard at that time, and l^s never rince l>e-ti Irnwtt. The bib lias 'or its object an act of simple justice. It proposes to carry out practically that wUe and beiieticenc irovi.-lon of the law which. In a measure, provided lor the tduc&tioii of the indigent children of the Commonwealth. It doe9 not seek an appropriation to the poor of the county. liy a general law the Auditor i9 required, alter the expir.v ion ol two year*, to carry all undrawn school quotas of tl.e leveral counties to the credit of the Uterary Fund, which | tas hren done, and hence an act of Assembly lit necessary to rcli-ve from forfeiture tliii amount, and enable the commissioners, through tlieir superintendent, to draw fioin the rreus ire what belongs of rigbt to tl.e poor ct.ildreii if my county. Thin, sir, is a ease coining under he operation of the taw referred to, and uppeuU directly to the good feline and justice of the llou-e. The question iresented i», shall tlie poor children of the county he longer Jeprlved of what their necessitous circumstances require, } tod what Is fairly tlieiis, by the Inattention »r negligence of the Superintendent of the Hoard of School Coininissioners. And perhaps the inattention of il.ls oilicer (If such It can e cahed) can be excused, lor, l»y an examination of the Second Auditor's books, it will be ween ttiat trie capitation ax for the year l».Vl was about 'ei.nuo, and that hut a tactino of it was paid iuto the treasury until Hist March, IViti; and lhu«, -ir, when the Superintendent came l draw he qiiwla, which was made up of the capitation tax and he .uterest upon the permanent capital of the 1.1r<rary r mid, Ini was unalile to draw this portion, for which I ask, the capitation lax.> for the siithcient reason that It hud ' lot been paid into the treasury. And, Indeed, I aru i'lfm'inrd liy the Auditor, that the payment of tiiis tax has been rery irregular until within ihe last year or.twu; and the iuperintcndeiil failing to gel it at the proper time, when .! namled, 1 have no doubt concluded (erroneously, it is tru'i hat it was ,o»l to the county, and hence hit apparjin ucgliteuce. Il,.a «b, il'isv !.» Millill' Br ill.ll.C r.fthis claim? if not, how cun geiulein»n reconcile to their consciences his taking the pound »f tle-h from hear the heart of ihe loor of tlte county.this lib-hiug framtlieui? Hy the r^uge of taking shelter behind this two years statute of liinlatinos'; Are gentlemen, by so doing, willing to establish liis odious principle of lorleiture, which is abhorrent to rquity, ami sn construed by the C urts 1 This House has quily Jurisdiction, am) I appeal to its sense of equity and 'alrness to support this bill. Sir, honest Wen are very re- uctalit to plead the statute nf limitations in their private iflairs. Why apply it here? Why apply it in your Legitalive capacity ngaiust my constituents, when you would lot at Individuals apply It against a private claim of tnine'r md especially, too, when the great object of the Literary 'uuil.the dissemination of knowledge and the promotion of earning, are sought to be enhanced The very purpose f.ir which this tax wa» levied is sought o he made operative by it.it bill; the very constituency tpon whom this tax was levied, and hy whom it was paid, sre here asking l»y this bill tiiat it shall be appropriated to Ihe benefit of those tor whom it was raised and intended. .he poor children of the county, but another objection i urged to this hill Is, that it opens the door to endless appli- rations that it will he referred to as a precedent. I might irvpie from this a concession of the justice of the demand, anil ask gentlemen if they are disposed to do substantial in- usiice from the fear of setting a precedent, which, If had, tan do but little harm, being so limited. These forfeitures are not so likely to occur hereafter, because tlie capitation lax Is now paid in regularly; Indeed the whole undrawn capitation tax up to this time is but f l,TS9 and of this amount tn.v application ii for fCiCO t'2. I trust, Ms ypealc- cr, that no nteiiilier will, by Ills vote, hold the poor children >i my county responsible, and make lliem suffer for the r iper conduct of this capitation tax fund, iu which they least of all had control. governors oy iov. a axn nmo. Mr. DUCKW ALL called up the report of Ihe joint committee on the subject of tie correspondence between the Governor of Virginia, and the Governor* of Iowa and Ohio, read in the House on the duth of March. relative to the re'osal of the Governors of Iowa and ijl.io to surrender to Ihe requisition of the Executive ot Virginia fugitives fiotn ustice engaged iu the John Lf.-owu raid, who had escaped into Iowa ami Ohio. Thi- question wai put on the adoption of the report and resolution, i»ee the Enquirer of Saturday,) which wan derided in the affirmative by a unanimous vote. TUETAX KILL. The tax bill caiae up, as the unfinished order nf the day. Many Sen* orial amendments were discussed, when, on notion, the amended bill was passed. [Mr. COLLIER made an uosuccess'ul motion Indefinitely u postpone the bill.] . CSIVER3ITY OK VIRGINIA, fenatebil! making an appropriation of 2.2,0'X per year o Hie University of Virginia, was called ajftLy J'r- >,c" JRCDEK, and advocated by Mr. McGRWBR and Mr. EbDO.S and opposed by Messrs. COLLIER and RASHER- riLL. , The bill being put upon It* final plitsve, resulte! ' lows : Ayes 4'J, noes 47. So the bill was lo»t. .| Oa motion of Mr. BROWN'.lba votebr wh'ch tl.r {/ rejected war re-conilderrd, and, on further isoteir., i. e f was then laid on the table. A bill authorizing the Hoard of Pub!!.: W«r!:>t» vUe the rates of charges on the Internal improvem- panics in tho Stale, amended or, motion of yp._ j,. Tt AN, so as to uulhorlze the Hoard to preset!!-- »!, on which connecting railroads shall Interchange .] to avoid trans-shipment of freights, was taken up Tho bill being put upon Its flnul p tr>age, tiie re-sl* w ; the affirmative.nyes 77. A motion to adjourn, made by Mr. JONES of Olnueay,. »'us negatived. and the taction that (hz C.hu:r shoe: i vacated until 7 o'clock P. M., prevailed. SiTCEDiT, MaKfll 81, 15CG. I SHX.ITH. EVENING SKssION. I SKNsTk HILLS PlSS. n. To amen J the llili section of an act, pauel May eta 13V2, entitled an uet concerning the letu.a ' the cites courts, us amended by all act pa«sed , ted | To authorize the voters of the town of Itcuiury to Mayor and Aldermen for raid lo« n. I To Incorporate the H'cUtcr Woolen Cutupi:.., county of Taylor. To atuen the art. passed Dec l»ih, J?.",;, c.-.-i:',...; to Incorporate the Merchants' InsU, ar.Cc cOmpi,.i cltv nf Ulcliniond. j To Incorporate the Harrison mnocfucttiting c .. the county of Harrison. To amend an act e titled an ac'lncorpar r. ! and Williitmspoit turnpike company. and subscription on the part of the State, and . t. name of said company to the Wil Ian stew n, I.1j Kavenswood turnpike company. To Incorporate the Point Pleas ...t Mrt.u.n... tlott. Amending the charter uf the t..wn of N,.t> county nf Pulask To authorize two cH/en* of the ?:-» * rf t, ... ar director* of the branch of the II ciVvf it. In the State of Virginia. To Incorporate the Palmyra lleot, Si.ce l ; tory. % Authorizing the .-ale <«f delitnjuettt is city ami county r.f Norf lit. To amend an act cntPled an n-t to lr..- board It.ttitt ol Viigtnia, pi>*,-d M ji . To incorporate the li- w.nJ.cil;.- .m.i.-.-j...pauy. Increasing ihy .f led, do he .! hi t.e ; lhi!.h«i the salary of the Clerk of the ; To incorporate the KslPburg V., P. | I.either yinimfactiitli tf L'-tnpat,*, in the | WmVA- a-bs II»»OE r\ ffr To aui«*»<l am! PM/uscf *!) l>i ,- % 1M , rntiitrd an «c fncnr|.>r.irink' :!.! «>.M t-.,;;. ». Ull'l Hill Hf 111-lHO.e III -.ii ill, March 4th, I* I. nutltlrii ail t am* nd'i . the the net lncorpor.it hur the IM.I Fe|p>«»' m. h. Institute of I'etcirhur;*. ilirouch' fr. m ii .... Col.lIKK, and called up I t Mr I li"»ll's.,V For tin- relief of t'ie Coal Hirer mi :n manufacturing company. tl'rmish! from i!ie '! SMITH i f Kalianha. uml Culled up Siy Mr Vf.M'vJ V\ To Increase the N|iltal at ck cf the Xcw .-. company. (llpuvht from ilir House Mr. L'OIlJ' .,v nad called up l»y Mr. XKU'M \X Amending the charter nf the Farmers' nr. ! v Javlnes Hank of Vlrr ni.i :it A'i.\ ,n.!t i.i t " the House hjr >lr. MeKKNZlK.) Ori million of Mr. AL'fiUH' Hie Senile irnh/"iif»'y poin d Hie hit! to nuihotUe the Kxecut ve to eir.'i.M. ry rnmpntilrs into regiment?, us it nm provide for i- mililin itr. A hill Hu'lioritin; the pnvrner.t cf a re ti!n «:nr. n' n-.rto John A-la me. of Knui|uirr com t.v. tv-« ndvnr.ite.i . \; MA If? IIAI.I., oppo-ed liv .Mr NKU I.ON. ..ml irJ.-, i. On molionnf Mr. JilIIXSOX".'he Jen ve r.-e m- d. r, .t vote rejecting the House re* iuHnn «irVn:t I 1- ii .. ,t of I'uhlic Account* to * trie the a 'Count* f J .tin > I' .; rlierltt ! llliclnr county. f..r the year Iri'J.'n if e damages recoeered hv n Jm'gmen. The retvluf it then advocated hv Mr XFAL. and passed. Mr. CAliSOX' oiler-d a Joint resolution, rerun;nr. the l*re>|ileitt nriil Srerriarv »f War, for prime 'on' ( post of ttrlgadier General, Co! T. T F ni'dlerov. r Army, on account of liij illslingui-fel mlhr.iry .-..I-,. T e resolution ntslalned hv x'r.sr? C.ilif T"OMAr of K.. and ISIIKI.!,, and adopted Mr. IJIIt'i.l. tens nqilesicd in infonn the llott'e of passage 01 the resolution. Suhser.u |y Mr. I'liLT."';K(KLI) brought u incsiu«e that the ll..u«v h ,.| a .. c j. ] tnl rvolnrhui. Mr. AI-'GCS I" called up a h|!l to trrctpn .' the Hi. h. momi Water power Company. due. r|. tii . n \. ,t j and awnr'aies to hold find hi lletiihu. i.n I i 11 *' f, i, , On motion of Mr. JOXKS, the hill was indefinite > ., . j Mr. ISRE1X calif I up and advocate I a1-ill Inc. >pra': the Oharlestown ami Sheplierdstown Turnpike <Vn-p«rv' » Oil it? passage the vote strtfitl. *yr( 22. line? 11. a::i|. ; '' hill *;n rejected for the want of a con-'itutio' nl Nr. NEKTON called up and sustained II :i-e hip, i,,..,... ( the chut tor of the Wheeling creek turnpike rninpHut j: vo e. on the passage of the hill, stood, live- o , n.v, 1 the hill »a« rejectrrl. tint having a cortstl'iitlniril in .j Mr. KAltl.V ealh'il it|> lloife brought t i th- > to night hy Mr. TOMl.tN. auOe iltirg tie- line1.1 ..f works tn suprrvlse the rate of charge on |t.. inr..f, provcinetita in the State. Mr. lll' ANNON ir.ivcJ ?, / -tltute. h Senate l.'.II giving ml' l-ional power of public work*. After mine «tl-en«»tnn, the MM . on the table on motion of Mr. I'AXTUN. The Senate, on utotleii o( Mr. TllOMI'sON, titf \ S.vTCftOvV, MARCH SI. IIOl.KK or IlKLEfi.VTKS, / f VMM ST. SESSION. The lloust tat', at i o'clock.Speaker CRCTC!!!"!' r the chair. .ottt.y pa--i p. I Mr WATSON. of I'ulaski. called up an act to Ir. r.v. 1 the KlinherllngV Spring! Company ' Mr. ll.tM.KV e.ille'l up an act to Iwrnrpnr.t'e fact titers'uinl .MlortV Rank of-Mmoi-, V.i, In the cotppj ' Ma."It. f An act tn establish a Saving* Sank In the town of Car:, roti. In ihe enuoty of Marshall. A bill to Increase the Capital stock of the New.vk To pike Company. Mr. coi.l.im: calle.l up a hill to atnrtti] III r.- f act Incorporating the OJ.t Fellow.' Mai ami I'c .- !: , title ot IVt, rslmrg .Mr. Mi KKNZIK ra'leil up an act am>n.|ir.c the ci. the Kartnera'anil Mechanic*'llank nl Virg'nia, at .V a ... drla. All of these bills Were |i«mwI. Mr. HEAR, of Itockliriitre, Calleil up and a tvoc i'i a ' act Incorporatint! the Lexington Railroad Cor pare, t wua p.i'Setl Mr. UEAII was requested io cossr.mt.tfa:e passage of the act to the Senate. Judge HOPKINS called op anil advocate I .'rn c. f r . the relief of Joseph II. Alvis, late clerk of the circuit io-.; of Mercer county, which was p'l.sed.aye! in). "itcno* ro iiikiiuivk" cot. Ttiouis rtv.sru r*r\'Tt"> The fallowing resolution itivlnc prevj..ii.|y p.-t Senate, was called up hv Mr. Speaker CISC TCI I h I i.I/'. i in eloquent terms advocated Its passage, and mf1 > r lit.tiler lemarks cotnplitaentarv to the ehar.ict.-r n i-i lantryof the ilistiligtlislieil >dlicrr hv Met* f DtVK U'-. I. 1 JONES of lilnucesler, and WARD, It was uiiat.ii::...- i adopted: . Mhercai Thrtnas Turner fauntler«y. Colonel 1-t lie.metiff ftf I* :? llruvrtnui a son and citizen of Virclll rsllected credit upon lis lia'lve State l.v gallant tin |r ibjniisbeil >erri(c» In ihs army i>f tin? L'nucd S'a'es, a I more especially In itiv cotidnct of campaigns r«j::-1 .»r hostile, daring and formidable Indian tribes <it N°,» -,|.\ n> iilteJteil liy a formal ami enthusiastic vote of ill pi; the legislature i f that Territory in Jsirt. a:ol as ittt in Is anil also hy official letters ol acknow ledginet.! r: t Governor of the Territ- r.v, ami from Kit <\n t* IuiIIkii Aitetit.ami celebrated Mountaineer an-1 ' the West; which repeated ami halid-ome ir-' tile authorities of New Mexico to the fa 11' tri jj eouiluct of Colonel FiUiiileroy, uowr emnm c Itary deputttnetit of Xi* Mexico, coll r»> some i. j-r recognition ami response !r»iu i.|. native Mat,-. 0' Now, therefore, he it rc-o!vr,l liv the lierirnil Avsro 0 of Virginia, That the m.1.1 Col. Thomas T Faui.tlrr. > If. £ C. S. Iiragoon.v he and he is hereby cwdbriy ui"-e to the llonorahle Secretary of War ami to his I'xcl en p the I'r.silleiit of the Culteil Etanj foe prvmoiiou : l rank of Urigadicr <>> m-al. Itesoivcil, Tli it a Copy f the foregoing J nt re ohr.' engrossed upon parchment lie iluly dcliicie I o Col i * lerey, of the I'nite.l states army. Speaker Clil.'TCHFItil.H Was reqnes'c.J to f a- "I C nate of the unanimous ailopflon of the tes u*s> ' y House of Delegate*. Mr. C.U'HIlTllN called up a hill to prnvlih fa' fu*o i':. 1 partof the arrears of interest amf capl.r'0'' t 'In J l.'.terary Fund, ulihli was umler ili».mss o .. w I House ailjottriieil. I I.titer frot*i tiuropc. Xkw Yohk. March <T" .T-'iesle tOI"! Ip Arabia, frc ' pool, with dale* to the I Till but , arrive I to ret a; '1 France has tssiieil a new circular dechiting the "it tlon of Savoy ahsolutely necrsx.irv, toil stating a feelings «f the SnvoyarOr will he Coii.-e.litd lie.'i.iv cc measures arc taken, Oil the iec»jpt «,f t>o» fir u| . ,1c: John llussell sal I, that the view-- o! Flighted » i: Is with embodied In a despatch mid laid liefore l'.u h m c . Switzerland has jel.l a protest against at.nexat! o r< porteJ that French troops are innler ciders f « burg. Some Knitlish Journals are gelling three «itti N leoti on the Savoy question, which they sate will by treaty between France ami i.ir,:li,i.i hemic tic:.*,. arils a.e con-uheil Full teturtis of the voting in t'ctttral I: ity s'.ct so . f, whrlmlrig iua|ority in favor of anrie\.t!i iii to -.,: .1 1 vote in Tusc my was lit,ti,hoc for annexailcii an 1 o. t a separate kingdom. ] An Insurrection in Naples was considered ietatimnThe Mouse of Lords have agreed with Hie II - toons on the resolution a approving the Fr> i ch tn .' majority i.ord Kii.-.«cll explained the p .-I mo i .8 Chtuu. He said a reasona'de It demiiity ivoilid t.e ite ir ed. ami enforced, if tiecei-aiy. lint he hop, o t' s .; i 4 he tie es«ary to go to I'ekin. He said ti. it £: v-i,;i t. paid to Hetituark for coticessietiS for a Noit'-ein A: k telegraph via to eenland, etc. [ LivchPimii. Match ir..'li,e salt ' of c»tt, frr i amount to til,nop hale, including :l,Obu ImL a to * and Ht.oOt) to exporters. The market opened a.: * ward Ivtidency, particularly in L'plaml-. to' , ! S mid steady, clo-lng nt the following quotations: '> fair, 7^4>I.; middling Cljd.; uplands, f.,i 7 I; to .1 ; .. Tli e stock lit port amounted to * !. ) »> b.if'-, i... ! 67J,f«eJ of American. , Itlciiardsoii, Spence ,t L'»., report 6 ur ns q il>steady. Wheat ilrm. Coruoull. No qu ,t«'i <:;« I',irk ish.iivy.O l.ard dull, ami slIgLt'.v lower Sttga and 0,1 higher. Coffee quiet. Klcg firm, Hnd tl,e quallllei lla'Jil higher. Il.«i:i heavy, and illgl.tlv I,,we Turpentine doll. The money market Is more string, .t ai J active. American sicuiltlo are geticr-.ll,, utiwhaS£e l.'oiisol. 01>iaff>;. " Conimotlorc ?I;irin's hliitciiiciti, a >'if.- (nti.Ks.vg, M.Ircli CI..f>mtiinlore Marin k against the capture of the Ml ram on ateatoers I! , that the Atoeri ail v,-t»ils did not ah,or any colon. ,t,tl ." opposed that the Wave and Indian,,la «v> re do ir. i /. ^ towing armed ho rts. lie attempt,.,! to e*,; (ps, t,,jt %/., ti- ,! upon and returned th. hre. As soon as he rccogf.'z the Sartitoea he ordered tile litiag to cease; nut, nntw.:' elat.'i* 1 iltg tl.ii the attack Continued. I!>* purctlased t!^ .y.tori's X at llavatiu under the orders of to- supreme gov. ruiuent. u Another Coit^rcxaiotia] Squafchlo. ',Visiiinutox, March 31..A scene- between twoCotigmr men which occurred this morning, occasions some e,"I inenL Mr. Van Wycktiieeting Mr. Ihudm ino-, tlieuvcvi held out his hand in friendly recogidiioit, when Mr. II in in refused to take it. making u«- of'the w-nr,i», a. n Rj ed : "Yoii 0w-iFfeoiir.ilrel, you have delivered not only insulting to every .Southe-n nt in, hut to gentleman." At the "anie tlioe Riiking a tU"Ve::<- lv to insult Wru It said ill it a duel will tdiilt. . Couiiiizratlon at Independence, ISDirkNO.NC', Mo., March 80..A inor l I---Ir mo f occurred here1 i?t night, I'nnruiniug a. .tly .a: ii.e U. # 0:1 III* soulli siil>- »f the oily. ! Among ill* buildings liui lit am tl;. I. I- p '-If 1 two drug store-, leu or twelve business h us"-, -i:* etc.dwellings At lea.at twenty'substantial hit'.hiii:>:s here been des'-i '". by the fire The l"ss is about 417>u,m>". The wind was Mowing a jtalc.tt ih-nine, mdiarve h ' j" were carried half h tnilc utf, coiniBuuicatin* fire ti. b--us ' j" situated at that distance from !"t «cci;e eonCif aiio!-. P ». The Centra! overland IflajJ. J Sr. JortPEi, M«., Mar.-lithi .The tfe'itfal uve-lst i#* I with L'tali Male- to the IT11> iu-t , airiv.-.l here la- _ The news is meagre arid uiduiporiaid u,* f b increase of the juveiiilc^.nlT,on ol ilie ccmniui. ^ , I Young is starting public schn i, I. and a ade i .... J.. j Ian range is mostly covered with show. Tl-.,_- t "hungea'de, with sioiuis of r-.in ati.l snow. » s-scss-s » Death ol" .Uajar Pu^t.Ntctviiicr nurtn. St. lulls. March 31.. Maj. f. h'. I -gc, ac.istsm * 0 tant (Jelierai, died a* Kurt Mrlifi, '*rtaus«j, on t r \ iu-t. lie was » nailvs of Virginia, j Cincinnati, March 31..Thebtijamcr K te.vi'l M TUU hales of cotton, was I.U'lit on ib- ".'7th. oppnd'r,r" melton, It.iliana. The boat and cargo are a total la.?. Krwm U'asliiactoti City. j IVssHiNOTos, March 3o..Documents sent to the " , to-day by the Hre.ident show that Capt Ja.'vU -rss u;i vil to land at Vera Cras, at the request of >litii-i<.r [j such furccs a- could be sj.arid f .r ilie t. I. ' - l< citizens, where tii'.ij* |.«r-on- 01 ;r pe;', I [l judgment ol .»ir. McLario, lie in 1|i.pC *. Cs ". a * L sis* informed trust ourGovernment ' : t raiuon's proposed bloesa-le, *,! vr.,s .1 t e * |j the naval forcta to afford frtv- ir.gre . ai.-l -i - 1 American Vessels at a the .".leiit.iii |> . ' tec', them. These Instruction.-., however, had u t Capt. J arris at the tins oj the capture ot ;liira-c- t steamers. J .A l

Transcript of Congressional President's aeeusation appointed Government … · 2017. 12. 16. · this protest for...

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    FREMDENT'S SPECIAL JIESSAfflSToof IieprcsenjLatrees:After a delay which has afforded ir.c ample

    time lor-reflection. and uftcr much and carefuldeliberation, I find myself constrained by animperious sense of duty, as a co-ordinate bituichof the Federal Government, to protest againstthe first two clauses of the first resolutionadopted by the House of Representatives, onthe oth inst., and published in the CongressionalGlobe on the succeeding day. Theseclauses are in the followijjg words: "Resolved,That a coaimitteo of live members be appointedby the Speaker, for the purpose (first) olinvestigating whether the President of theUnited States, or any other officer of the Governmenthas, by money, patronage, or anyother improper means, sought to inlluence theaction of Congress, or any committee thereof,for or against the passage of any law appertainingto the rights of any State or Territory:(and 2d.) "also, to inquire into anil investigatewhether any officer or officers of the Govern-ment have, by combination or otherwise, pre-vented or defeated, or attempted to prevent ordefeat, the execution of any law or laws

    now

    upon the statute book, and whetherthe Presidenthas failed or refused ^ to compel the executionof any law thereof.''

    I confine myself.exclusively to these twobranches of the resolution; because the portionsof it which follow relate to alleged abusesin post offices, navy-yards, public buildings,and other public works ol-thc United States..In such cases inquiries are highly proper inthemselves, and belong equally to the senateanil the House, as incident to their legislativeduties, and being necessary to enable them todiscover and to provide the appropriate legislativeremedies for an.V abuses which may be as-contained. Although ttie terms 01 nw icuitportion of the resolution arc extremely vagueand general, yet my sole purpose in advertingto thein at present is to mark the broad line ofdistinction between the accusatory and the remedialclauses of this resolution The Houseof Representatives possess no power under theConstitution over the first or accusatory portionof the resolution, except as an impeaching body;whilst over the last, in common with the Senate,their authority as a legislative body is fullyand cheerfully admitted ®

    It is solely in reference to the. first or impeachingpower that I propose to make a fewobservations. Except in this single case, theConstitutiondias invested the House ol Representativeswith no power, 110 jurisdiction, nosupremacy whatever over the President. Inall other respedts he is quite as independent ofthem as they are of him. As 11 co-ordinatebranch of the Government, he is their equal.Indeed, he is the only direct representative onearth of the people of all and each of the sovereignStales. To them, and to them alone, ishe responsible whilst acting withju the sphereof his constitutional duty; and not in anymanner to the House of Representatives. Thepeople have thought proper to invest him withthe most honorable, responsible and dignifiedoffice in the world; and the individual, howeverunworthy, now holding this exalted position,will take care, so far as in him lies, ihuttheir rights and prerogatives shall never beviolated in his person, but shall pass to hissuccessors unimpaired by the adoption of adangerous precedent. He will defend them tothe last extremity against any unconstitutionalattempt, come from what quarter it may, toabridge the constitutional rights of the Executive,and render him subservient to any humanpower except themselves."" P A il_ T» * 1The people nave no; conuneu me i-resiuuiu

    to the exercise of executive duties. They havealso conferred upon hint a large measure oflegislative discretion. " bill can become alaw without his approval as representing thepcopie of the United States, unless it shall passafter his veto by a majority of two-thirds ofboth houses. In Ids legi.-lative capacity, hemight, in common with the Senate and theHouse, institute an inquiry to ascertain anyfacts which ought to influence his judgment inapproving or vetoing any bill.

    This participation in the performance oflegislative duties between the co-ordinatebranches of the Government ought to inspirethe conduct of all of them, in their relationstowards each other, witlr» mutual foib'.-araneeand respect. At least each has a right to demandjustice from the other. The cause ofcomplaint is that the constitutional" rights andimmunities of the Executive have been violatedin the person of the President.The. trial of an impeachment of the Presidentbefore the Senate, 011 charges preferred

    and prosecuted against him by the House 0!Representatives, would be an imposing spectaclefor the world. In the result, not only hisremoval from the presidential office would heinvolved, but, what is of infinitely greater importanceto himself, his character, both in theeyes of the pr^tmt and of future generations,might possibly be tarnished. The disgracecast upon him would, in some degree, be re~< -1 f .1..' \ .necicu upon me cnaracier u. me amciituupeople who elected him. Iloncc the precautionsadopted by the Constitution to secure afair trial. Or. such a trial it declares that "theChief Justice shall preside." This was doubtlessbecause the fratners of the Constitutionbelieved it to be possible that the Vice Presidentmight be biased by the fict, that "in caseof the removal of the President from cilice,""the same shall devolve on the Vice President."The preliminary proceedings in the House,

    in the case of charges which in 114- involve impeachment,Jiave been well and wisely settledby long practice upon principles of equal justiceboth to the accused and to the people..The precedent established in the case «>f JudgePeck, of Missouri, in 1881, after a careful reviewof all former precedents, will. I ventureto predict, stand the test of lime In that caseLuke Edward Lawless, the accuser, presenteda petition to the Ilou.*ib, in which he set forthminutely and specifically his causes of complaint.lie prayed "that the conduct and proceedingsin this behalf of said Judge Peckmay be inquired into by your honorable body,and such decision made thereon as to your wisdomand justice shall scfcin proper." This petitionwas referred to the Judiciary Committee.Such has ever been deemed the appropriatecommittee to make similar investigations.It is a standing committee supposed to be appointedwithout reference to any special case,and at all times is presumed to be composed ofthe most eminent luwycrs in the House fromdifferent portions of the Union, who.-e acquaintancewith judicial proceedings and whose habits)of investigation qualify them peculiarlyfor the ta.sk. No tribunal, from their positionand character, conid. in the nature of things,.be iq^rc impartial, in the cascof Judge Peck,the witnesses were selected by the committeeitself, with a view to ascertain the truth of thecharge. They were cross-examined by him,and everything was conducted in such a manneras to afford him no reasonable cause ofcomplaint.

    In view of this precedent, and, what is offar greater importance, in view of the Constitutionand the principles of eternal justice, inwhat manner has the 1'resiUcni ol uio uiiucu

    $. States been treated by the Houso of representatives?Mr. John Covodo, a representativefrom Pennsylvania, is the accuser of the President.Instead of following the wise precedentsof former times, and especially that inthe case of Judge Peck, and referring the accusationto the Committee on the "Judiciary,the House have made my accuser one of myjudges.

    To make the accuser the judge is a violationof the principles of universal justice, and iscondemned by the practice of all civilized nations..Every freeman must revolt at such aspectacle. 1 am to appear before Mr. Covode,cither personally or by a substitute, to crossexamine the witnesses which he may productbefore himself to sustain his own accusation*against me; and perhaps even this poor boonmay be denied to the PresidentAnd what is the nature of the investigation

    which his resolution proposes to institute? 1is as vague and general as the English languagiaffords words in which to make it The com

    . mittee is to enquire, not into any specific chargior charges, but whether the President has, b_i"money, patronage, or other improper meanssought to influence," not the action of anyindividual member or members of Congress, bu"the action" of the entire body "of Congress'itself, "or any committee thereof." The President might "have had some glimmering of tinnature of the offence to he investigated had hi:accuser pointed to the act or acts of Congresswhich lie sought to pass or to defeat by the eniploytnent of "inonev, patronage, or other improper means." But the accusation is boundedby no such limits. It extends to the whol<circle of legislation; to interference "for 01against the passage of any law appertaining tcthe rights of any State "or Territory." Andwhat law docs not appertain to the richts olsome State or Territory ? And what law 01laws 1ms the President tailed to execute ? Thesemight easily .have been pointed out had anvsuch existed.Had Mr. Lawless asked an inquiry to be

    made by the Hpuse whether Judge Peck, ingeneral terms, had not violated hisjudicial duties, without the specification of any particulaiact, I do not believe there would have been :single vote in that body in favor of the inquiry.

    ^mi.*.*^7 .

    Since the time of tbo Star Chamber and of «

    general warrants there has been no such proceedingin England.The House of Representatives, the high im- t

    peaching power of the country, without 4:011-'

    senting to hear a word of explanation, have |endorsed this accusation against the President, jand made it their own act. They even refused jto permit a member to inquire of the President'saccuser what were the specific charges 1against him. Thus, in tins preliminary aeeusationof "high crime and "misdemeanor*." ;against a co-ordinate brunch of the Govern- 1meat, under the impeaching power, the Houserefused to hear a single suggestion even in re- 1gard to the correct mode of proceeding; but, jwithout a moment's delay, passed the accusa- <ton* resolutions under the pressure of the pre- 1vious question. <

    In the institution of a prosecution for any of-1Jfence against the most humble citizen.and 1claim for myself 110 greater right than lie en- ijoys.the Constitution of the United States 1and of the several States require that lie shallbe informed, in the very beginning, ol' the na- |ture and cause of the accusation against hun. <in order to enable bini to prepare for his de- |fence. There are other principles, which I ;might enumerate, not less sacred, presenting Jan impenetrable shield to protect every citizen jfalsely charged with a criminal offence Thesehave been violated in the prosecution institutedby the House of Representatives against the jExecutive branch of the Government. Shall Jthe President alone be deprived of the proteclion of these great principles which prevail inevery land where a ray of liberty penetrates jthe gloom of despotism ? Shall the Executivealone he deprived of rights which all his fellow- Jcitizens enjoy ? The whole proceeding againsthim justifies the fears of those wise and great Jmen who, before the Constitution was adoptedby the States, apprehended that the tendencyof the Government was to the aggrandizementof the Legislative at the expense of the Execu-tive and Judicial Departments.

    I again declare, emphatically, that 1 makethis protest for no reason personal to myself;and I do it with perfect respect for the Houseof Representatives, in wluch l hsiti me nonorof serving as a member lor live successiveterms. I have lived long in this goodly land,ami have enjoyed all the otiices and honorswhich my country could bestow. Amid all! the political storms through which I have pass-

    I ed, the present is the first attempt which hasI ever been made, to my knowledge, to assailj my personal or official integrity; and this asthe time is approaching when I shall voluntarilyretire from the service of my country..

    I feel proudly conscious that there is no publicact of my life which will not bear the strictestscrutiny. I defy all investigation. Nothingbut the basest petjury can sully my goodname. I do not fear even this; because Icherish an humble confidence that the!gracious Being who has hitherto , still morestringent laws were passed, treating the _ companylike a felon, which completely destroyed its credit.Two railroads were chartered ntul built on the smithside nud one on the north side yf tliu canal, whichgreatly reduced its tonnage and income.

    In 1:>.U the South Side Railroad w-as completed. from Petersburg to Lynchburg, aud in the five years

    after it was put in operation to that place the canal1 doat 145,031 tons of freight (it little more than ifikOOOtons pcr'uttuum) and $414,^72 of tolls.nearly Ss3,000

    f " >r-

    uintnn, besides all ths incrcwo of tonnage on theFirginia and Tennessse Railroad during that time,vhicb was very great.Sir, this cotnpiiuv Una been great I v censured for'educing its tolls lrom Lynchburg to Richmond. The

    act thul it 1 clt upwards of one hundred uild forty-fivehonsund torm or freight during it" five years contestvith the Sftutli Side "road, shows that it would haveo»t ail Us tonnage ilwt laid not reduced its tolls, ands a triumphant vindication of its course.Tlie com puny has also hecu einhaVrnssed by extendingits income on permanent improvements,liy its charter it was required to form a connectionetween tlie basin utid Kocketts, to accomplish whicht had to buy tlie dock, and deepen und enlarge it,tnd connect it with tlie basin by locks. This it buslone at great expense. It became necessary to enurgethe canal for some miles above Richmond, toiirnisli water power for manufactures, which hasseen done at considerable cost. Jt is required bv itsbarter to form connection* by bridges and otlierivisewith tlie South Side, to ciiublo the farmers tojot to the canal with their produce, which lias beenlone. It has also expended large sums in maltinglie Ilivumiaeonuecti'>u und in constructing the NorthiJivcr canal, and it lias expended about fOOO.wO iniie last seven \ ears ill extending tlie canal west ofJileiuilian. it lias also rebuilt a number of danisuid locks, substituting rock lor wood The wholeiinoiiiit ol appropriations by tlie Legislature to pro

    ccutetiiis woik since 1 sje is whilst therompaiiy has expended upon the peruuineiit iniir»veiiientsstated above $£,K'7,42g; nine hundreduid seventy-seven thousand lour hundred and tweii;y-twe swept off by an ordinary rise in the river,which would break up the navigation ot the Canal;and if the Letrislatnre should aojouru without passinga biil for the relief ot the company, having neithermoney ie>r credit, it would not be able to re-buildthese dams, and it an extra session should be callednext winter uml ail appropriation should be madel'»r that purpose, it wotiid lake fully another year tore-build them, so that the navigation i mad competing sueeeasfully withthe Baltimore and Ohio railroad, upon itn connectionwith the canal at Covington, which would greatly reducethe c -at of transportation front thence to" theEastern cities and hack to Covington. The delegatestrout Monroe based their strongest arguments in favorof this niilroud upon its connection with the canal.Tlte Central railroad, with its single track and muchheavier grades, cannot accommodate its large wayfreightanil passengers, and tlit: large ntlliiher ofthrough passengers, (which the Covington and Ohiorailroad will bring to it,) and transport one-tit tit ol'the large tonnage which will be brought on the Covingtonand Ohio railroad'.The Central road would not carry more than

    l(Ki.OO0 tons ol through freight each way, and withoutthe canal the Covington and Ohio Railroad wouldbring no more freight to Covington than the Centralroad would carry away. The coat of transportationon the Central road, from Covington to Richmondwould he too great for Western mineral and agriculturalproducts, so that they could not lie developedwithout the canal. Nor can our cities he built tipand direct trude ami commercial independence istahlishedwithout'it. The gentleman Irotn Monroe(Mr. Cti.vrMAN i estimated the freight brought to Covington.on the Covington and Ohio road, at 1,000,'>'t Sew York, s.ieg "t thethroitoli tommim ou tin.- Jb.no canal, in 1* -C «: "l,2I3, average suspension otthe navigation of - New York Erie canal will lieu!>out live month' per annumi.there i* no doiit.tbut timt it will b -de to compete. most successfullywith the New Y : route, lor the Western trade..As the live nice s that the navigation of the ErieCanal i^ sti-pcU : hy ice, the water of the Ohio. lielowthe month : the Kanawha, is in the best staget >r boating, tli. will be every iuduccmcut-elo theWestern nieri -nts to ship their produce utf&iucrchiindisc by t Virginia route..When the liter line sliail be completed to the i

    Ohio it will : Capable of traiis|>nrting three and ahalf million m» of freight annually. Three millions.at an .o-ra.'e toll ot -ft aOper ton, WoiiM yieldfour and » an It nillioK dollars,'winch would paythe maxim a dividend of la per cent, on twentyliveininfo of capital, and leave seven hundredand titty aitsand to pay expenses and keep thecanal ill r airThe pa-age of this bill would secure the completionot t canal to Covington, the steamboat nnvigationofI - Kanawha (n Lotlp Creek .Shoals and tincomple:-iiof tltp ('ovingtoii iind Ohio Kailroad to

    connee: with steamboat navigation at that point inlive yi rs, when there will be u through transit fromllieht! ml to the Ohio, bv canal t«> Joviijat'in, thence jby ni. mad of easy grade to Loup Creek Shoals, andthen by steinihout to the Ulii", cheaper and siipi.riori very respeet to the Baltimore and Uhio I'.iilroH'.-whieliwould develop the immense mineralami-griculture wealth ot tne country and produce-O.'.rgeft revenue from that source, and the greatan ant oftoiinage it would draw ironi the vallies nitl-t*»ltio and Mississippi, that it would insure thecjipielion ot the water line to the Ohio iy twelve,stars.J'nen will the rich treasures of the mighty Westpoured into our Eastern cities, receiving in returnI ,11 tlieni the niereliiuulize of every clinic, producing

    :;,j; amount of tonnage going East and West together,r.f at least three millions aimuallv. TIiih, will the.vilderiicss blossom as the rose. There will l>« a sac-cession f prosperous villages, and thrifty manittac-lories, filled with indiistricuis, ciiterpriziugand happycitizens, tmui one end of the improveuieht to theother. Then will Kiclnnoml. Petersburg, Norfolkand Portsmouth, spring up as if by magic, into largeniaiiulacl urine commercial cities. Norfolk and P-.itsimouth will become the Tyre and Ssidou of the Wes'eruworld, and tinir magnificent and canueionsHarbor will be whitened with the sales o, everyclime. Then shall our commerce rival that ot theEmpire city, and, what is more glorious thantill, the South will be free, and independent of jher Northern oppressors, by the establishmentof commercial mdi pemlciicc upon a basis asjjrm as the rock of tiibraltar, which will perpetuatenitr Union, because we shall he able tbeu to rypelNorthern aggression and sit it at dertance. Is therenot patrioti.-m in this IIoii.-oiitBciciit to pass this bill!Will the appropriation of a halt'million of dollarsdeter gentlemen from voting ibrit, w hen so muchgood and such splendid results must ensile t Noother appropriation bills could have passed this w inter,witlioiit tin* votes ol the friends of this great

    j work. Hy their votes they were ail carried: and willtlic friends of those measures now pmveTul»c to us.and vote against this bill ? Sir, I w ould much ratherbo the deceived than the deceiver. I wmiM muchrather lo-c this lull, as del ply anxious as 1 am to secit pass, than to have it passed by the votes of gentle--=- ' ! i-i'-.i

    >(.'11 rcpn-MMJUIlS ll'cr IIIIVH.-1-...lli.i nan hill to hnihltheir railroad and

    * .MeAJ.ua road. They arc n>interested in the Canal u> my constituents'. a> tliei.ugrieulturtll und mineral WeitUli can never he developedwithout it, as they will ii"t hear the cost of railroadtransportation to tide-water.To the groat Northwest I would appeal. The

    friends u! the Central improvement have alwaysstood by yon. and voted tor appropriations to nil theimprovements you have asked tor. When 1 firstcame :< tnis House, thirty-two years ago. your countrywas cuiiiparat.vely a wilderness. We voted largeappropriations to make your roads, to give yt.n out-jets to market, and thereby developed your countryand greatly incr-uscd vonr wealth. We gave the jBaltimore and Ohio Ihu'roud Company the right ofway. free from charge. through your country, when jtiiut company was willing to pay millions for the .privilege ot locating their ro.itl tip the valley todailies Uivtr in my" county, and thence along* tiieJames Kivcr and Kanawha route to the Ohio. This,sir, would have given tuv constituents the choice ofthe Richmond or Baltimore market, una yet I, astheir representative, rejected it proposition >o favorable to them, which would have enhanced the valueof their real estate one hundred percent, and ntademy first speech on this tioor in tutor of giving theBaltimore and Ulii© Railroad Cojtipany a right of jway tor their road through the Northwest. I thusrefused to ray own constituents and the conntry be-tweea tpe aui the mouth of the Kanawha that whiah

    Ill,- III

    IWUIIIM

    enrl" w* stuck.f*1 MX VCIUs, UMkr VHM Vlt v..- -v?but :i]'uii its oM stock. »t three millions, which ispay siiir tiotliinjf now. Tins question then jfiitcSir. I have done. Thirty-two years r.t'0 -1 took rnysunt in tiii- lloU*e a Zealous friend ot tills greatwork. I have ever since defended it, through > viland »«»' d report. Many of tho-e uoble spirits, who,, I31J1).SENATE.

    Tite Senate was called to order at 10 o'clock A. >1., byLieut Governor MONTAGUE.A communication was read from tlie House, Informing

    the senate of the passage of a number of bills orignalingIn the Senate; also of sundry II'use hills.the latter, whendisposed ol. are noted below. The House agreed to tlieamendments proposed by the Senate to the following bills:"An act to re-enact and amend the Ultli section of chapterID ol the Cod', so as to extend the exemptions from dis.tress or Invyon the property of poor debtors."

    llllfsK tit Lt.i Pss.-10.To amend and re enact the charter of the town of point

    Pleasant, In .Mason county; to Incorporate the Parker-burgP.ool ami Shoe Manufacturing Company; to eetntili-li abranch Bans at Parkeraburg, In the county of Wood: direelingtlie payment of a judgment in favor of Mary Pecryand other?, of Tax.-w.ll county, against the Hoard of PublicWorks, for repairs to the Staunton and Parkersburgroad; for lite relief of John W. Lnwson; auth wiring theHank of the Valley in Virginia to establish a branch In thecity i f Kiclin ond; to incorporate the Sultville and LaurelTurnpike Company (.with un amendment.)

    COVtllXOKS OF low'A ami 011:0.Mr. COC'iiliLl., from tlie joint committee on the General

    Assembly, on the special message of the Governor rfa thesubject of tlie demand mads by him on tlie Governors offow.t and Ohio lor the surrender of certain fugitives frontjustice, made a report, concluding with a resolution, whichwas read and ordered to be printed.

    .......I.. nrmnTUVST.

    The Senate were notified hy a lfou«e m«o;e that thathoily hart agreed to a joint resolution "to authorize theJoint Committee on the Public Library to increase the com-pettsatio'i el tin* .ts-isiuiit Clerk and Copying.Clerk in theExecutive Department."

    SLSATK It ILLS Pl83-I>.Releasing IHchard Carr troia the payment of a fine im-

    posed hy the Circuit Court of Middlesex county; toextctnlthe time of rebuilding the upper mil! or Clue. Mason, lu thecounty of King Unirge.SCXSTS.'O BretfESs.Senate hill charging the Petersburg and JViyrtton Plank

    Road and the Ihiyrtton and l.irksville Plank lloui) into aRailroad, and auihuslztrg an increase ot the capital stockfur that purpose, wtu put on Its passage and rejeeted.

    lite hill rearranging and extending the corporate limitsof the town o! Staunton, w.i3 indefinitely postponed.The Seriate rejected House resolution exempting the

    Sheriff of llttchle county from certain damages recoveredagainst him fur a failure to pay the public revenue intothe Treasury.

    Hou-e.liill exempting the Fair llroundsof agriculturaland mechanical societies from taxation, was rejected on itspassage.Senate bill for the rrlicf of Robert W. lianley, contrac-

    tor on a Turnpike, was rejected.ayes 15, roes 14.notreceiving a constitutional majority.The bill Imposing taxes on persons and property came up

    as unfinished business The sections relating to taxes onmerchants were disposed of Thursday night. The Senateresolved to let the tax remain as In the present law. To-day, a vote being taken on the yhole bill, it was passed.The bill toincorporatethr Wheeling Kailroad llridge Com-

    pany was called up. Mr. NEWL'TS offered an amendment,proposing thai the Company should pay a tax of three centsper |«n and three cents for each passenger fur the privi-leges secured by the hill. The motion was rejected.Mr NEErSON moved to amend the hill by requiring the

    Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company to accept the proprovisionsof the general railroad laws of Virginia beforethe act should take effect.The last mentioned amendment wag pending when the

    hour Of 3 ariiveil, and the Senate adjourned till* o'clock.HOUSE OP DELEGATES.

    The House met at taa o'clock, Speaker 03CTCH5IELDla lka chair. i

    SSBSS9BE3L Jl.tt -1 "" " ggggPrayer by Bishop Esrly, of ih« Methodist Episcopal

    Church.Many bills were received from the Senate, with amendments,which ware generally concurred la.

    bills passed.A Mil granting right! of way to mining and manufacturing

    companies, in Kanawha county.iir. GILMER, of Pittsylvania,called up anil explained u

    bill for the relief of A. J. Whitehead; which was passed.ayes 115. The Chair requested Mr. GILMER to communicatethe passage of the hill by the Oouse to the SenR'e.Mr. McGRL'DER, of Albemarle, called up and explained

    an act for the relief of the sureties of Joseph Llgon, latesheriff of Nelson ccuntt; which was passed.ayes SA.Mr. DCCKWALL called up and advocated a bill Incor-

    poruting the Sir John's Run Turnpike Company; which waspassed.ayes 75.

    t.tTs.vjiu.s or me sorrn sine railroad.Mr. ORGAIN called up a hill "to enable the South Side

    Railroad Company to construct a orunch of their road fromI lacks and Whites to the Roanoke river."Messrs ORGAIN. COLLIER, KEMPER, CHAPMAN, j

    BASKERVIIX, IIaYMOND and ItlSBIE advocated the jpassage of the bill; and Mr. WILSON, of Isle of Wight,opposed It. The hill was lost. It cot receiving a constltutionalmajorltv. Ayes 05, noes 49.

    TtIS OoVEKMlHa OF lowA AX 0 OniO.Mr. DCCKWAI.L, from the special committee on the subIject of the correspondence between the fiovemois of Iowa

    ami Ohio, relative to the rendition of certain fugitives fromjustice, with the Governor of Virginia, made a report fromthai committee as follows;The undersigned, joint committee of the General Assem'

    My, to whotu wore referred the speclul messages of theGovernor on the subject of the demand made hy him onthe Governors of Iowa anil Ohio fur the surrender of Barclay-Cnppoc, Francis Mlrrlnm and Owen llrown, three ofthe criminals engaged In the late raid at Harper's Ferry,have, accoidlng to order, had the same under considerationan.l make the following report:On the Ititli day of October last these' men (Coppoc, Mir-

    riatn and Urown) deliberately conspired together withothers to 1 licit* our slaves to rebel and to overthrowthe institutions and government of our State ; and in theattempt to execute their felonious and treasonable purpose,

    i.tlte property of our citizens wax carried away, their per-sons forcibly detained and conllntd, while others wereruthlessly murdered.After having committed the grave offences, they lied he-

    yond the juriidieiion of the commonwealth. The plain dutyof the Executive of this Coininnnwealtli, charged as lieis with the execution of the l»ws. was to demand of theGovernor of any State, within the limits of which they mightbe found, their surrender.Your committee do not think It necessary to refer par-

    ticularl. to the clause of the Federal L'onstmiiimi anu meact of Congress under which the Governor of Virginia He- Imantled the surrender of these eriinina's, because both arefamiliar to the whole country Under the clause of the FederalConstitution and the act ol Congress' eferred to.t he Governorproceeded todeman of the Governor of Iowa the surrenderof liarclay Coppoc, and of the Governor of Ohio the surreti-derof Francis Mirriani and tiwen Grown In both casesthe surrender was refused. In justification of their conduct,they do not pretend that the utleuco with which the critnl-uats are charged have not been committed, nor that theywere not to be found within the limits of their States;but they put tbelr refusal solely 0:1 the ground of al-1-ged informalities in the papers accompany in* the re-quMition. The-e alb ged informalities, when examined,are not only technical, but utterly and wholly groundless.and, your committee are constrained to say, furnish evi-

    j denee satisfactory to our minds that both the Governors otIowa and Ohio have wilfully and deliberately violated theirsworn duty and u plain provision of the Fed raI Constitution,and that the reasons they assign In Justification pftheir conduct are rather of a character to clothe with decencya foregone conclusion, than to satisfy the Governorand people of Virginia.Your committee deem It a useless waste of time to chb».rate this branch of the subject; but in ord.r to demonstrate

    very briefly, that the views expressed by your committeeare warranted by the extraordinary conduct of these Kxecutlves,we will for a moment adveit to the reasons assignedby Attorney General Wolcolt, of Ohio, upon whose opinionthe Governor of that State predicates hi? refusal to surren-tier .Mlrtlam and Hruwu. And In order that there may notbe the slightest Injustice dene to the Attorney General, wewill slate the case precisely us he litti done, and in his ownlanguage.

    lie says, speaking of Mirriam:(1st), "lie must have been charged in another State, by

    indictment or affidavit, with the commi.-slou thereof treason,felony or other crime.(ffd). lie tnust have lied from that Stale to escape its Jus'

    lice; andphi) Demand for hi, surrender, accompanied by an au-

    tlii-nlic copy of I be Indicttnelit or affidavit, on wiilcb thedemand is predicated, must have he ,i made by the Executiveauthority of the State froui which the (light was made."He t lien say?:When these do concurrently happen, the power to removeexists, and must be executed."

    Let us see, now, whether the several mutters of fuel In:voiced In the preceding position of the Attorney General.are shown to have exi led in the case of Mirriam.

    In the first place.the fugitive (Mirriam) on the s:h tlayr.f February lust was indicted by a grand Jury of the CircuitCourt of Jefferson county of ibis Plate, with having, or. theItitlt ami tTill days of October, l-iff, "advi-ed slaves torebel and make Insurrection; for conspiring with slaves torebel and make insurrection; ami for compiling with certainpersons to Induce slaves to rebel Mid make insurrection".all off lice made felony bv the law s of Yirclnia.This indictment charges that Mirriam, on the Milh and !7lhdays of Uetoher, ltfilt, committed the aiorrsaM offence inthe C' unty of Jeffer«on, and within the jurisdiction of theCircuit Court of that couuty.

    ! A copy of this indictment, and so much of the record ofthe proceedings of the Court as showed that it was regular-Jy Tulltlil, was cerilueilio uy in- M-rK mi ill': tuun, nun [ill'seal nf his Mlice annexed. It""; .1 ililce nf the Court nextrerilllcd to the genuineness of the certificate ami seal ofI lie Cleric, ami llie whole was certified to liy 111 Governorof tliis Commonwealth, under the seal of Sm'e. This indictment,thus authenticated, ilmsi, in tin* very language *"fAttorney Oineral IVultott, tliat Mirriam, tin; person ii«.inanili-a, was charged In (Virginia) another Stat"; witliil.ocommission f a crime, ami that crliue felony.

    Attorney General Wolcott further "ay, that in nililitionto the forego'in:, it niu-t lie sliuwu that .Virriata "fled (rotaVirgT.la to e.-ca|ic Its justice."'The same evidence Ihnl is deemed sufficient to show that

    Mirriam was charged with having couiluittetl the ntfence,will answer to show that heil.il from the Stale after thecniniiiirsioti of the otfetiee. The indictment, when onceadmitted as evidence, flume ti nt on the 10th and 17th nfOctober last Francis Miriiain was ill the county of .lelfcrsotiin llie Commonwealth ' ( \ irginia, and then and therecotntnitteil the felony aforesaid. Now, if he tic found onthe '--d of February, Istlu, In the State of Ohio, are wouldlike to know how lie happened to he In that Stateon thatday, unless he fled there from tile State of Virginia. Canthe Attorney Gentiral of Ohio, alter admitting that In themonth of October last Mirriam was In Virginia. Inform thepeople i f Virginia now he got into Ohio on the Slid nf February following ? Is It necessary, In order to satisfy theterm's of the constitution and the act of Congress, that theGovernor of Vhginia should show, as a condition preceident to hid tight to demand the surrender of .Mirriam, theparticular mode of travel by wldclt the fugitive left theStulc? nr the C|UO animo with which he It ft? or the control!ingsentiment that moved him in his hasty departure fromthe limits of Virginia.whether is was fear nr hatred orremorse? Would he devolve upon the Governor of Vlr-

    | gli.iu the onus of slioivingJwh.it could only he known toMirriam himself? Whether Mirrl-im, after commit'lng thefelony, walked or ran out of Virginia on his two legs, orwhether he went on horse hack, or by since coach, or byrailway, is probably better known to Attorney GeneralWolcott, or liii excellency. Gov. DctitiUoti, than to Gov.Letcher. j

    In addition to the language of the Indictment, the requisitionof tiov. Letcher avers, that Mirriam was a fugitirefrom justice.thus showing. In the tuost positive auil solemnform, that lie hail not only committed the otrenee, hut thatlie had fled from the State o Virginia "lo escape itsjustice." Vet, in the face of tlris anient i record, thus authenticated,uud in the teeth of the official declaration ofthe Governor of Virginia, showing that Mirriam was afugitive from Justice from Virginia, Attorney General Wol{cut hazards the assertion that no evidence existed to shewthat Mirriatu hail fled front Virginia to elude justice.

    It is udiii'ttrd hy Ihe Attorney General of Ohio, that !hcthird requisite eXISteu III tne case; ami we arc cuiiscquuuii,,relieved from (he trouble of noticing Hint. The case ufOwen lirnwn stood upon precisely the same ground, utidwas ill all respects similar to that of Mirriani; and (here- jfore, the name reason lor refusing to surrender the one In-tluenced liov llennison in refusing to surrender the other. !

    In striking contrast with the conduct of tne Governors ofIntra and Ohio, was the action of the Governor of l'enn-syiv.mia, and one Kf the Judges of the latter Stale, on theoccasion of the demand made hy the Governor of thisCommonwealth for the surrender of lidward llazlett, oneof the Harper's Kerry conspirators. . (

    After the Governor ol Pennsylvania had promptly sur-rendered the accused, he was brought before one of theJudges of that State, under a writ of habeas corpus; andalthough the evidence showed that the accused was namedlidwurd, and not Albert llazlett, and for that reason lie ]could not he surrendered under the requisition of Governor jWise, yet the Judge remanded the prisoner to Jail, to awaitanother requisition In proper form.

    I How striking the contrast between the administration ofthe law by a coudcicu ious ami enlightened judge, and theexecution of lite same law hy the unscrupulous ami fatuitiIcat black republican governors of Iowa and Ohio! The ;one intent only on doing his duty, while the others exhaustall their mental resources la seeking for a decent disguiseby which to conceal their predetermined purpose to evadea plain provision of tile federal compact. t ,Your committee have observed in tne public prints of ,

    Ohio, that the governor of that r'tato had communicated to (tlie editor of an abolition journal uf that slate his Intentionto refuse to surrender X.irriam anil Crown before he lookthe advice of the attorney general of Ohio, upon whilst;opinion he professes to luveacted. I ,Both the Governor of Iowa and the Governor of Ohio, in-

    stead of regarding the demand of the Governor of Virginia jas a matter to be kept as a confidential communication, ,cent to have made haste to give it publicity. Conduct Ilike this Is not only unbecoming the highest functionary ofa sovereign State, hut morally renders these delinquentGovernors accessories to the offence. .

    1

    Your committee arc not disposed to hold the whole peopleof Iowa and Ohio responsible for the acts of their Gover-nnrs. On the cuntrary, we are gratified In being nble.tostate that a large portion of the people of both Mates con-detnn. as strongly hi do your committee, the conduct of ,their Governors. But while this is true, thlsc Governorsrepresent the majority of the people of their respective ;States. |

    In conclusion, your committee, while they refrain frontrecommending any retaliatory measures, for reasons whichat this period of the session will he obvious to thy GeneralAssembly, vet they cannot forbear to express tne opinion ,that acts like those in question. If persisted in hy the people jof our sistet non slaveliolding Stales, will not only justify >retaliation on the part of Virginia, hut will Inevitably lead to ]that estrangement and alienation between the two section-, jwhich will ultimately remit in a dUtuptlou of the federalcompact. tYour committee beg leave to recommend the adoption ,

    of the following joint resolution : Iitesolved, l>y the General Assembly of Virginia, Thai the (

    Governors of Iowa and Ohio, hy refu-inc to surrender tothe Governor of this Commonwealth, Barclay Coppoc, ,Francis Mirriatnanil nwen nrnw n, cum giro . .

    J tu have committed, within this State, crimes of the highest .frail*, nr.it In have !!« ! beyond in limits, wilfully atidde-lihcralely violated the Federal compact, disregarded the (comity which should exist between Sovereign States, and (made themselves morally, if not legally accessories to the joffences committed by these criminals and fugitives fromjustice. ; t

    l>u motion of Mr. ISLl'E, the report find resolutions w-ere (laid on the table, and ordered to be printed. p |

    Mr. JUNKS of Appomattox proposed to Introduce a rose- jlution requiring every .citizen of the State* of Ohio and tloan, who shall lie found within the limits of Virginia togive bond ur.il security for their good behavior whilst in ,(heCommonirealth. I

    Tlf PI KsOS.lL ISO PltorfRTr T.«X BILLS.j ]Mr. IIAYMOND called up. tlie ill imposing taxes on per- ,

    sons and property, which was before the House with many jamendments, whelt the Speaker 'vacated the chair until To'clock this evening.

    '.

    [On the >Ut day of March, when the Joint resolutions in jresponse to the renuest of South Carolina and .Mississippi,for a conference of the Southern Stales, were under con-se.'eratbin, and put upon their passage, Mr. IVA HI), of tFrederick, when the Clerk called his name, stated that hewould not vote, because he had pair-d off with a gentle-man who was suddenly c.illwl home to see a sick family.He said he regretted that he could not therefore cast hisvote for the Conference. ,Mr. tVAItli requested the reporter of the House of He-

    legstes to append tills statement to the report of the proceedingsof that day, which has been omitted until now.]Fuipay, M.tki'ti fib, li'». i \

    SUNA TIC.EVF.NINU akloslO.V. j jItOC.-'E Il'lLLS IWSsLD. j (

    Prescribing the rights »f certain persons In relation toproperty drilled on waters west of the Alleghany Moun-tains, and deposited on the lands of others than the owners; jIncorporating the Central Agricultural S ciety of Virginia;authorizing the justices of the County Courts of Hanover,Culpeperaml Orange to impose a tax upon degs; Incorpo-rating the Wheeling llailroad bridge Company; changingthe time of holding the Circuit Courts for the city of Rich-mond; re-arrangiiig and extending the limits of the townof Staunton, Ac. ;

    SfSlTg BILLS PASSr'P. i I

    Amending und re-enacting the 1st section of ah act pro-viilin.g adihtionai protection to the slave property of cltl- jtens of this Commonwealth, passed March HMi, lsotf; fortepairs to the Staunton and l'arker.-burg lload; incorpora-ting the Hark ersburg boot antl Shoe Manufacturing Com- ipany; Incorporating the Iiichiui nd and Lynchburg llailroad <Company; ameuding an act to amend the charter of thecity of Richmond. and to re-organize the Court of Hustingsof said city; incorporating the Holllday'. Cove Railroad;establishing a branch bank at Harrisvilie, In Ritchie county ; j Iconsolidating the Hot Springs and Miller Mill TurnpikeCompany, and to place the two roads under the control of tthe Jackson Kiver Turnpike Company ; prohibiting railroadagents from charging more than the regular transportationrates on railroad treigbts t

    OrUifcJtaL BCsI.VKSS. (The Senate agreed to the amendment of the Hosse of J

    Delegates to the resolution In relation to the use of the Cap- 1

    mr.."1.1, -Li. .a:.Pol by the Suproma Court of Appdais. Tbe Bsnata alsoconcurred In House rosoiution authorizing a change of thelocatfoo of the Tasewell C. II. and Kentucky Line Turnpike.The Senate aiso agreed to House amendments to Senatebill Incorporating the Lynchburg Locomotive and MachineCompany. Also, to Houl? amendments to Senate bill entitledan act to umend the 8d uod Sth Sections of un actp:i-ied .May 22.1SJ2, entitled an act concerning the termsof the Circuit Courts.On motion of -Mr. FINNEY, tlie Senate adjourned.

    Fatast, March SO, 1500.IIOLSD OK 2KLECATES.

    EVENING SESSION.The House mst at 7 o'clock. Speaker CRL'TCHFJKLD In

    the Chair.BILLS P.tSSSD.

    To amend art act entitled, an act to amend the charterol

    the city of Klchuiond, and to organise the Court of Hustingsof said county.An act tn amend ami re-enact the eighth, twenty-first ami

    flftv-seventh sections of an act entitled, "an act incorporatingthe town of I'ortsmnuth as a city, passed .March 1st,InH"A bill to restrict the catching cf oy sters In certain months,An act to make the Ohio river a lawful fence.A hill making the Kanawha river a lawful fence.An act providing f..r ttie re-print of the tlftli volume ol

    Leigh's Reports, and the 1st, 2nd and Brd volume* of Unittun'jReportsL»r. WUULk'OLK, of Orange and Gilmer, called up and explaineda hill releasing Thomas Sisson from the payment oi

    u tine, which was p-s-cd. Jves U-lU^tVUULKUl.K was requested by the Chair to inform theScnSgl of tlie passage of the bill..Mr. THOMAS, of Warren,.called up and advocated a bill

    refunding to l-afayette Up-tlke excess of taxi-s paid by him,and authorising the County Court to correct erroneous assessments,which was passed. Ayes 100.okimsukb ei si\k.-s.The tax fill cause up as the unfinished buslntss, and the

    House proceeded to consider the different amendments.Several amendments were adopted. Tlie bill was then

    passed, and the House adjourned.Ji.irciiP.tr, Mxrcii 31, Is*!".SENATE.

    At in A. ."W, Lieut. Governor MONTAGUE called theSenate to order. «A communication was received from the House by their

    clerk that they had paced a number of Senate bills istiliiewiili, and other-, without, amendments! and sundry

    Semite

    bills. The action of the Senate, on said bills and amendments,L noted below.On motion of Mr. BKANNON, the Senate indefinitely

    postponed Hou-e bill granting rights of way to milling andmanufacturing companies In Kanawha county.The Senate, on motion of Mr. HltANNoN, concurred in

    tlie House amendments to Senate MI! for the assessment oftaxes on persona and property ( One of these amendmentsexempts from taxation the property of the Ladies*

    Mount

    Vernon Association of tlie Union.)The Senate concurred in the House amendments to the

    following Senate bills, viz :To amend and re-enact the Nh, .fat and 27th sections of

    an act Incorporating the town of Portsmouth a» a city; toamend the lith sec ion of chapter br of the code, as amendedIn is." I and IsJvAe., so as more effectually to preventdealing with slaves or free negroes, and to repeal the gythretloti or »Hi'i act..Mr. ll.iY.MOM> brought Irnrn the House the ld'1 Imposing

    lav.- for the support afctoverttn ent, with an amendmentproviding il>ai We tax on auctioneers of sugar ami molassesshall not exceed JJ'di The Senate concurred In sal.tcuielnliiielil, ami the tax hill Is now a law.

    IIOI-.-K KILLS PASsk.ll.Hcieasiug Thoni.t« Siss»n from the payment of a fine.Incorporating the Sir John's I!tin Turnpike Company.Authorizing the County Courts of Augusta ami Albemarle

    to purchase the franchises of the Staunton and James filterTurnpike Company. (Explained by Mr. ill Vis.)For the relief of A. J. Whitehead. tExplained hv Mr.

    STUART.)Refunding to Lafayette Updike excess of taxes pa'd by

    him, ami author.zh g the County Court (of Warren) to correcterroneous assessment. t Explained hy Mr. CaRSUX.)Making Kanawha river a lawful fence.To restrict the catching of oy.-ters in certain months.

    fLoCK ISSPILCTIOXEncouraging direct foreign trade. [The hi!! was called

    up hy Mr. WIOKIlA.M. Atuoug other features it providestliul inspection shall tint he compulsory on flour shipped toTneigu pons, on vessels four-tilths of which are owned byresident citizens of Virginia.The f|uestiou pending was a substitute offer, d hy Mr.

    TIIOMI'SON, providing thut flour shall b« inspected with anaugur not less titan fl ve-eigh hs of an inch In diau-.eler, anJthe ilrnuglit flour to he retained hy the Inspector.Mr. PAXTOX moved an auu-udnieni requiring the draught

    flour to be >ohi lofi tlie heiieflt of the Treasury.After an lueflcetunl -tuoti in to lay on the table, Mr.

    THOMPSON accepted Mr. I'AXTON'S amendment, whichwas rrJeCted.ayes I'd, noes 23.Mr. 1'aXTOX then uiuved an amendment, abolishing ail

    laws for the Inspection of flour.Mr. ISilKLL moved the iudiiiulte postponement of the bill.

    Lost, li t'i SO.Mr. I'AXTON'S aiuendmetii was lo«t.aves i", noes 27.The hill was sustained hy Messrs. WJCKIIAM. AUGUST

    ami IMVKS, opposed hy Messrs. ISIthl.L, PaXTON andCllirlill.l., and passed hy the following vote, Mr. TJIO.MPMIXhaving asked tlie ayes ami noesAVKs.Messrs. August, liruce, Caldwell, Christian. Cols,

    an. liickciisoti, Finney, French, Ijreever, Johnson, Knight,Logan, Lymdi. Marshall. Pale, lllchmo,*!, Itives, Stuart,Thomas of Fairfax, anu Wickliam.k'n.Xom.Messrs. Carson, Carter, Coghill. Douglas, Early,

    Oiitewood. lshell, Jones, Xcal, Neesou, Xewlop, Newman,Paxtou, Smith, Tailalerro an Thompson.1 Senate bill.f.irthe relief of the KoanokcValley railroad company, tit muke.i a loan of ft'lMjb'b

    for extending the road frotn Clarksville to Keyaville, aboutJ? miles. Tlie bill »"ae advocated by Messrs. HKCCF,l.OUAN and rll'CAKT, oppo-ed by Messrs. DUCULAs midChAinOHNE, and rejected, aye* lit noes 14.)

    M. FATE' called up tieuaic bill, Increasing the capitalstock of Wilson's Creek and Kanawha turnpike road, forthe purpose of completing bridue over Coal river. Thevote stood on In passage, ayes l"J noes 5, and was rejectedfor want of a constitutional majority.

    SESATK HILL Plssf.il.

    Allowing it pension (A.'itP per >car) to Amanda IJIgdoti,widow of John II. Higdoti, wlto died from exposure at Harper'sFerry, during the late troubles.the pension to ceaseon tier mart las*. (.Called up and explained by Mr 'I iluMASof F.J

    ProKO-Kli SALE OK AHSlOltY Lois.Mr. STtiAKT olfered tlie following joint resolution :liesolved by the Genet al Assembly, That the Governor

    he, und he Is hereby rri|uv»ted 10 ascertain and report 10he General Assembly at Its next session tlie extent of stirface,the water front upon the canal and the water-powerwhich would be available lor use. of tlie present site of theArmory in Kicliiuotid, a id also the sum for which It couldprubabiy be sold in lots, and also whet'ie-, ill Ids opinion.It would be advisable to sell said sltcand to apply a portionof the proceeds of s"!ild sale for the construction of an Armo-yat some other eligible point, and pay the residue Intotiii- treasury.This resolution was advocated by Messrs. ?TlfAIIT and

    I.SIShLL, and opposed by Mt«sr-. AL'GI'.d'l', CAlWlN,JuNEii and COG it I I.E.Mr JON Hi moved to lay the resolution on tin- table,.

    Fending litis motion, and while Mr. COGIllEE hud the lioor,the hour of 3 F. M. art rived, ami the debate look a rsc"an'.ll F. M.

    hoist: i» nin.KGA'rns.A cntiimuuicali !. a received Iroui the Senate, with hills

    passed hy them, an.: amendments to House bills, whichwere concurred i.. by the House.

    mix P.tssKP.An ac! to extend the time for ro-hnilding Ihe copper mill

    >f Charles Mason, in the '"-tty of Uittg George.I. ..... tit LI.

    Mr. EVANS advocated a bill for the relief of ItirhardCorr, which was passed.ayes b9.A resolution releasing thesecuiilicsof E. M. (.'underwood,

    late sheriu of Cabell county, was adopted.ayes Po, noes 4.Mr. FRIEND called up and earnestly advocated tin act

    (Ulhorizlng the payment of the forfeited capitation tax ofItsM apportioned to the county df.t'hesterfleld.

    vt-s-rs. CllItlSTlAN and CKANE opposed, and Generallviv.ui-i-:tt advocated Hie act, which was passed.Mr. till UNO, of Chesterfield, raid : *1 lie proposition lit

    .his tdll contained, if understood, must meet tlie approvalmil should ie«v'. Hie vote or every member present. It» propose. Ilia" id Auditor shall Issue his warrant upon.he Treasury, In favor of Hie Superintendent of the Hoard.f School Cotnml-sloners of the county of Cheslertlcld, forJot'iOdt!.that heinc the amount of the undrawn capitation..V f.,e ill. ei.tr 1 «..\1 in which tlie cnniitc of Chesterfield ismill~dt and wan act apart by the Auditor for that county.jfur that year, lint which was not drawn by the Supeilntcmi-(lit of the Hoard at that time, and l^s never rince l>e-tiIrnwtt. The bib lias 'or its object an act of simple justice.It proposes to carry out practically that wUe and beiieticencirovi.-lon of the law which. In a measure, provided lor thetduc&tioii of the indigent children of the Commonwealth.It doe9 not seek an appropriation to the poor of the county.liy a general law the Auditor i9 required, alter the expir.vion ol two year*, to carry all undrawn school quotas of tl.eleveral counties to the credit of the Uterary Fund, which |tas hren done, and hence an act of Assembly lit necessaryto rcli-ve from forfeiture tliii amount, and enable the commissioners,through tlieir superintendent, to draw fioin therreus ire what belongs of rigbt to tl.e poor ct.ildreiiif my county. Thin, sir, is a ease coining underhe operation of the taw referred to, and uppeuU directlyto the good feline and justice of the llou-e. The questioniresented i», shall tlie poor children of the county he longerJeprlved of what their necessitous circumstances require, }tod what Is fairly tlieiis, by the Inattention »r negligence ofthe Superintendent of the Hoard of School Coininissioners.And perhaps the inattention of il.ls oilicer (If such It cane cahed) can be excused, lor, l»y an examination of theSecond Auditor's books, it will be ween ttiat trie capitationax for the year l».Vl was about 'ei.nuo, and that hut atactino of it was paid iuto the treasury until Hist March,IViti; and lhu«, -ir, when the Superintendent came l drawhe qiiwla, which was made up of the capitation tax andhe .uterest upon the permanent capital of the 1.1r for the siithcient reason that It hud

    '

    lot been paid into the treasury. And, Indeed, I aru i'lfm'inrdliy the Auditor, that the payment of tiiis tax has beenrery irregular until within ihe last year or.twu; and theiuperintcndeiil failing to gel it at the proper time, when .!

    namled,1 have no doubt concluded (erroneously, it is tru'ihat it was ,o»l to the county, and hence hit apparjin ucgliteuce.Il,.a «b, il'isv !.» Millill' Br ill.ll.C r.fthis claim?

    if not, how cun geiulein»n reconcile to their conscienceshis taking the pound »f tle-h from hear the heart of iheloor of tlte county.this lib-hiug framtlieui? Hy the r^ugeof taking shelter behind this two years statute of liinlatinos';Are gentlemen, by so doing, willing to establishliis odious principle of lorleiture, which is abhorrent torquity, ami sn construed by the C urts 1 This House hasquily Jurisdiction, am) I appeal to its sense of equity and'alrness to support this bill. Sir, honest Wen are very re-uctalit to plead the statute nf limitations in their privateiflairs. Why apply it here? Why apply it in your Legitalivecapacity ngaiust my constituents, when you wouldlot at Individuals apply It against a private claim of tnine'rmd especially, too, when the great object of the Literary'uuil.the dissemination of knowledge and the promotion ofearning, are sought to be enhancedThe very purpose f.ir which this tax wa» levied is sought

    o he made operative by it.it bill; the very constituencytpon whom this tax was levied, and hy whom it was paid,sre here asking l»y this bill tiiat it shall be appropriated toIhe benefit of those tor whom it was raised and intended..he poor children of the county, but another objection iurged to this hill Is, that it opens the door to endless appli-rations that it will he referred to as a precedent. I mightirvpie from this a concession of the justice of the demand,anil ask gentlemen if they are disposed to do substantial in-usiice from the fear of setting a precedent, which, If had,tan do but little harm, being so limited. These forfeituresare not so likely to occur hereafter, because tlie capitationlax Is now paid in regularly; Indeed the whole undrawncapitation tax up to this time is but f l,TS9 and of thisamount tn.v application ii for fCiCO t'2. I trust, Ms ypealc-cr, that no nteiiilier will, by Ills vote, hold the poor children>i my county responsible, and make lliem suffer for ther iper conduct of this capitation tax fund, iu which they

    least of all had control.governors oy iov.a axn nmo.

    Mr. DUCKWALL called up the report of Ihe joint committeeon the subject of tie correspondence between theGovernor of Virginia, and the Governor* of Iowa and Ohio,read in the House on the duth of March. relative to the re'osalof the Governors of Iowa and ijl.io to surrender toIhe requisition of the Executive ot Virginia fugitives fiotnustice engaged iu the John Lf.-owu raid, who had escapedinto Iowa ami Ohio.Thi- question wai put on the adoption of the report and

    resolution, i»ee the Enquirer of Saturday,) which wan deridedin the affirmative by a unanimous vote.TUETAX KILL.

    The tax bill caiae up, as the unfinished order nf the day.Many Sen* orial amendments were discussed, when, onnotion, the amended bill was passed.[Mr. COLLIER made an uosuccess'ul motion Indefinitely

    u postpone the bill.]. CSIVER3ITY OK VIRGINIA,

    fenatebil! making an appropriation of 2.2,0'X per yearo Hie University of Virginia, was called ajftLy J'r- >,c"JRCDEK, and advocated by Mr. McGRWBR and Mr.EbDO.S and opposed by Messrs. COLLIER and RASHER-riLL. ,

    The bill being put upon It* final plitsve, resulte!'

    lows : Ayes 4'J, noes 47. So the bill was lo»t..| Oa motion of Mr. BROWN'.lba votebr wh'ch tl.r {/rejected war re-conilderrd, and, on further isoteir., i. e f

    was then laid on the table.A bill authorizing the Hoard of Pub!!.: W«r!:>t»

    vUe the rates of charges on the Internal improvem-panics in tho Stale, amended or, motion of yp._ j,.Tt AN, so as to uulhorlze the Hoard to preset!!-- »!,on which connecting railroads shall Interchange .]to avoid trans-shipment of freights, was taken upTho bill being put upon Its flnul p tr>age, tiie re-sl* w ;

    the affirmative.nyes 77.A motion to adjourn, made by Mr. JONES of Olnueay,.

    »'us negatived. and the taction that (hz C.hu:r shoe: ivacated until 7 o'clock P. M., prevailed.

    SiTCEDiT, MaKfll 81, 15CG.I SHX.ITH.EVENING SKssION.

    I SKNsTk HILLS PlSS. n.To amenJ the llili section of an act, pauel May eta

    13V2, entitled an uet concerning the letu.a ' the citescourts, us amended by all act pa«sed , ted

    | To authorize the voters of the town of Itcuiury toMayor and Aldermen for raid lo« n. ITo Incorporate the H'cUtcr Woolen Cutupi:..,

    county of Taylor.To atuen the art. passed Dec l»ih, J?.",;, c.-.-i:',...;

    to Incorporate the Merchants' InsU, ar.Cc cOmpi,.icltv nf Ulcliniond.

    j To Incorporate the Harrison mnocfucttiting c ..the county of Harrison.To amend an act e titled an ac'lncorpar r .

    ! and Williitmspoit turnpike company. andsubscription on the part of the State, and . t.name of said company to the Wil Ian stew n, I.1jKavenswood turnpike company.To Incorporate the Point Pleas ...t Mrt.u.n...

    tlott.Amending the charter uf the t..wn of N,.t>

    county nf PulaskTo authorize two cH/en* of the ?:-» * rf t, ...

    ar director* of the branch of the II ciVvf it.In the State of Virginia.To Incorporate the Palmyra lleot, Si.ce l ;

    tory. %Authorizing the .-ale *,-d M ji .To incorporate the li- w.nJ.cil;.- .m.i.-.-j...pauy.Increasing ihy .f led, do he .! hi t.e ;

    lhi!.h«i the salary of the Clerk of the ;To incorporate the KslPburg V., P. |

    I.either yinimfactiitli tf L'-tnpat,*, in the |WmVA- a-bs

    II»»OE r\ ffrTo aui«*»i ,- %

    1M , rntiitrd an «c fncnr|.>r.irink' :!.! «>.M t-.,;;. ».Ull'l Hill Hf 111-lHO.e III -.ii ill,March 4th, I* I. nutltlrii ail t am* nd'i . thethe net lncorpor.it hur the IM.I Fe|p>«»' m. h.Institute of I'etcirhur;*. ilirouch' fr. m ii ....Col.lIKK, and called up I t Mr I li"»ll's.,VFor tin- relief of t'ie Coal Hirer mi :n

    manufacturing company. tl'rmish! from i!ie '!SMITH i f Kalianha. uml Culled up Siy Mr Vf.M'vJ V\To Increase the N|iltal at ck cf the Xcw .-.

    company. (llpuvht from ilir House Mr. L'OIlJ' .,vnad called up l»y Mr. XKU'M \XAmending the charter nf the Farmers' nr. ! v

    Javlnes Hank of Vlrr ni.i :it A'i.\ ,n.!t i.i t "the House hjr >lr. MeKKNZlK.)

    Ori million of Mr. AL'fiUH' Hie Senile irnh/"iif»'ypoin d Hie hit! to nuihotUe the Kxecut ve to eir.'i.M.ry rnmpntilrs into regiment?, us it nm provide for i-mililin itr.A hill Hu'lioritin; the pnvrner.t cf a re ti!n «:nr. n' n-.rtoJohn A-la me. of Knui|uirr com t.v. tv-« ndvnr.ite.i . \;

    MA If? IIAI.I., oppo-ed liv .Mr NKU I.ON. ..ml irJ.-, i.On molionnf Mr. JilIIXSOX".'he Jen ve r.-e m- d. r, .t

    vote rejecting the House re* iuHnn «irVn:t I 1- ii .. ,tof I'uhlic Account* to * trie the a 'Count* f J .tin > I' .;rlierltt ! llliclnr county. f..r the year Iri'J.'n if edamages recoeered hv n Jm'gmen. The retvluf itthen advocated hv Mr XFAL. and passed.

    Mr. CAliSOX' oiler-d a Joint resolution, rerun;nr.the l*re>|ileitt nriil Srerriarv »f War, for prime 'on'(post of ttrlgadier General, Co! T. T F ni'dlerov. rArmy, on account of liij illslingui-fel mlhr.iry .-..I-,.T e resolution ntslalned hv x'r.sr? C.ilifT"OMAr of K.. and ISIIKI.!,, and adopted

    Mr. IJIIt'i.l. tens nqilesicd in infonn the llott'e ofpassage 01 the resolution. Suhser.u |y Mr. I'liLT."';K(KLI)brought u incsiu«e that the ll..u«v h ,.| a .. c j. ]tnl rvolnrhui.Mr. AI-'GCS I" called up a h|!l to trrctpn .' the Hi. h.momi Water power Company. due. r|. tii . n \. ,t j

    and awnr'aies to hold find hi lletiihu. i.n I i 11 *' f, i, ,On motion of Mr. JOXKS, the hill was indefinite > ., . jMr. ISRE1X calif I up and advocate I a1-ill Inc. >pra':

    the Oharlestown ami Sheplierdstown Turnpike m-al.

    Itesoivcil, Tli it a Copy f the foregoing J nt re ohr.'engrossed upon parchment lie iluly dcliicie I o Col i *lerey, of the I'nite.l states army.Speaker Clil.'TCHFItil.H Was reqnes'c.J to f a- "I C

    nate of the unanimous ailopflon of the tes u*s> ' yHouse of Delegate*.Mr. C.U'HIlTllN called up a hill to prnvlih fa' fu*o i':. 1

    partof the arrears of interest amf capl.r'0'' t 'In Jl.'.terary Fund, ulihli was umler ili».mss o .. w IHouse ailjottriieil. I

    I.titer frot*i tiuropc.Xkw Yohk. March mtiinlore Marink

    against the capture of the Ml ram on ateatoers I! ,that the Atoeri ail v,-t»ils did not ah,or any colon. ,t,tl ."opposed that the Wave and Indian,,la «v> re do ir. i /. ^towing armed ho rts. lie attempt,.,! to e*,; (ps, t,,jt %/., ti- ,!upon and returned th. hre. As soon as he rccogf.'z theSartitoea he ordered tile litiag to cease; nut, nntw.:' elat.'i* 1iltg tl.ii the attack Continued. I!>* purctlased t!^ .y.tori's Xat llavatiu under the orders of to- supreme gov. ruiuent. u

    Another Coit^rcxaiotia] Squafchlo.',Visiiinutox, March 31..A scene- between twoCotigmr

    men which occurred this morning, occasions some e,"IinenL Mr. Van Wycktiieeting Mr. Ihudm ino-, tlieuvcviheld out his hand in friendly recogidiioit, when Mr. II t»in in refused to take it. making u«- of'the w-nr,i», a. n Rjed : "Yoii 0w-iFfeoiir.ilrel, you have deliverednot only insulting to every .Southe-n nt in, hut togentleman." At the "anie tlioe Riiking a tU"Ve::- »f the oily.!Among ill* buildings liui lit am tl;. I. I- p '-If 1

    two drug store-, leu or twelve business h us"-, -i:* etc.dwellingsAt lea.at twenty'substantial hit'.hiii:>:s here been des'-i '".

    by the fire The l"ss is about 417>u,m>".The wind was Mowing a jtalc.tt ih-nine, mdiarve h ' j"

    were carried half h tnilc utf, coiniBuuicatin* fire ti. b--us ' j"situated at that distance from !"t «cci;e eonCif aiio!-. P».

    The Centra! overland IflajJ. JSr. JortPEi, M«., Mar.-lithi .The tfe'itfal uve-lst i#* I

    with L'tali Male- to the IT11> iu-t , airiv.-.l here la- _Thenews is meagre arid uiduiporiaid u,* fb

    increase of the juveiiilc^.nlT,on ol ilie ccmniui. ^ , IYoung is starting public schn i, I. and a ade i .... J.. jIan range is mostly covered with show. Tl-.,_- t"hungea'de, with sioiuis of r-.in ati.l snow.

    » s-scss-s »

    Death ol" .Uajar Pu^t.Ntctviiicr nurtn.St. lulls. March 31.. Maj. f. h'. I -gc, ac.istsm * 0

    tant (Jelierai, died a* Kurt Mrlifi, '*rtaus«j, on t r \iu-t. lie was » nailvs of Virginia, j

    Cincinnati, March 31..Thebtijamcr K te.vi'l MTUUhales of cotton, was I.U'lit on ib- ".'7th. oppnd'r,r"

    melton, It.iliana. The boat and cargo are a total la.?.

    Krwm U'asliiactoti City. jIVssHiNOTos, March 3o..Documents sent to the " ,

    to-day by the Hre.ident show that Capt Ja.'vU -rss u;ivil to land at Vera Cras, at the request of >litii-i£ [jsuch furccs a- could be sj.arid f .r ilie t. I.

    ' - l<citizens, where tii'.ij* |.«r-on- 01 ;r pe;', I [ljudgment ol .»ir. McLario, lie in 1|i.pC *. Cs ". a

    *Lsis* informed trust ourGovernment ' : traiuon's proposed bloesa-le, *,! vr.,s .1 t e * |jthe naval forcta to afford frtv- ir.gre . ai.-l -i - 1American Vessels at a the .".leiit.iii |> . 'tec', them. These Instruction.-., however, had u tCapt. J arris at the tins oj the capture ot ;liira-c- tsteamers.

    J

    .A l