providing for the holding of such election at the session of the legislature next preceding the expiration of the term of the senator whose successor is to be chosen.

Resolved, That the governor of the commonwealth be requested to transmit to our senators and representatives in congress, official copies of this resolution.

Mr. Duffield moved that the rules be suspended, and that the preamble and joint resolution be referred to the committee on federal relations.

Mr. Quesenberry demanded a division of the question; which was ordered, and being put on the first branch of the proposition, was determined in the affirmative.

The question being on the adoption of the second branch of the proposition,

Mr. Bland demanded the pending question; which was ordered, and being put, was determined in the affirmative.

On motion of Mr. Eubank, the Senate adjourned until to-morrow, twelve o'clock.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1875.

Prayer by Rev. Dr. T. L. Preston.

The President announced, as the committee to examine the treasurer's office, Messrs. Nunn, Elliott, and Dickenson.

Mr. Daniel, from the committee of privileges and elections, presented the following report:

The committee of privileges and elections beg leave to submit the following report to the Senate:

In the case of William C. Knight, contestant, against Bradley T. Johnson, incumbent, of a seat in this body, from the seventh senatorial district, your committee has had laid before them a voluminous mass of depositions and exhibits, which in their present form they find it difficult to investigate with the care that the subject demands at their hands.

Some portions of the testimony consist of printed exhibits, and some portions seem to them entirely irrelevant to any question raised, or which by any possibility could be raised, in the controversy.

It is the desire of the committee to make a prompt and thorough examination of the case, and they respectfully ask that the Senate will order that any portion of the record that the committee, or any one of them may desire, shall be printed; and that the committee be empowered to send for and require the presence of such persons, and the exhibition of such books and papers, as they may think necessary to the full consideration of the case.

They respectfully submit the following resolution:

Resolved by the Senate, That the committee of privileges and elections be and they are hereby authorized to order to be printed so much of the record in the contested election case of William C. Knight against Bradley T. Johnson, as any member of said committee may desire; and to send for and require the presence of such persons, and the exhibition of such books and papers, as the committee may think necessary to the full consideration of the

case.

The question on the adoption of the report being put, was determined in the affirmative.

Mr. Cochran, by leave, presented

No. 5, A bill to provide for a proper ventillation of the two halls of the general assembly; which, on his motion, was read the first and ordered to be read a second time, and referred to the committee on public institutions.

Mr. Smith, by leave, presented

No. 6, A bill to repeal the law by which the state of Virginia, on conditions, surrendered its interests and franchises in the James river and Kanawha canal to the United States government; which, on his motion, was read the first and ordered to be read a second time, and referred to the committee on finance.

Mr. Eastham, by leave, presented

No. 7, A bill to amend and re-enact section 73, chapter 61, of Code of 1875, in relation to abandoned turnpikes; which, on his motion, was read the first and ordered to be read a second time, and referred to the committee on roads and internal navigation.

Mr. Critcher presented a petition for extension of the law with regard to weirs and hedges in Rappahannock creek; which, on his motion, was referred to the committee on general laws.

On motion of Mr. Johnson,

Resolved, That the committee of privileges and elections be instructed to report whether, under section 20, article 6, of the constitution, members of common councils of cities are eligible to seats in the Senate.

On motion of Mr. Ward,

Resolved, That that part of the governor's message which refers to the "secret ballot," be referred to the committee for courts of justice, and that the committee be requested to enquire into the expediency of so amending the constitution of the state as will restore the viva voce system of voting.

Mr. Penn offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That it is inexpedient to entertain at this session of the general assembly, any propositions to amend the constitution other than those voted upon by the last general assembly.

The question being on the adoption of the resolution,

Mr. Allan made an unsuccessful motion to refer the same to the committee for courts of justice.

The question recurring on the adoption of the resolution, and being put, was determined in the affirmative.

On motion of Mr. Critcher, the committee on roads and internal navigation was enlarged, by the addition of one member; and the President appointed, as the additional member, Mr. Spitler.

Mr. Allan moved that when the Senate adjourns to-day, it adjourn to meet on Monday next, at 12 o'clock; and the question being put thereon, was determined in the negative.

On motion of Mr. Duffield, the Senate adjourned until to-morrow, twelve o'clock.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1875..

Prayer by Rev. Dr. T. L. Preston.

Mr. Finney, by leave, presented

No. 8, A bill to amend and re-enact sections 24 and 25, chapter 180, Code of 1873, giving to county treasurers the power to collect the fee-bills of clerks; which, on his motion, was read the first and ordered to be read a second time, and referred to the committee on county, city and town organizations.

Mr. Elliott presented the petition of Jesse T. Davidson and others, praying for the passage of a law authorizing the collection of certain fee-bills, tickets and county levies, by the acting sheriff of Appomattox county; which, on his motion, was referred to the committee on finance.

A message was received from the House of Delegates by Mr. Swann, who informed the Senate that that house had adopted the following joint resolution:

Resolved, That the House of Delegates, by and with the concurrence of the Senate, do, on Wednesday, December 8th, at 1 o'clock P. M., proceed to the election of the following officers, viz: secretary of the commonwealth, auditor of public accounts, second auditor, superintendent of public printing, superintendent of penitentiary, general agent and storekeeper of penitentiary, and register

of land office.

The resolution was taken up, and the question on its adoption being put, was determined in the affirmative.

Ordered, That the clerk inform the House of Delegates thereof. On motion of Mr. Lathrop,

Resolved, That the committee on federal relations be requested to consider the expediency of fully representing the resources and progressive industries of the state of Virginia, at Philadelphia, at the centennial exhibition of 1876; and if they deem it advisable, to report to the Senate a bill for the accomplishment of that end, as soon as practicable.

52

On motion of Mr. Smith,

Resolved, That the committee on county, city and town organizations, be requested to report upon the expediency of so amending the law as to prohibit supervisors from disposing of county property, unless the sale thereof be concurred in by the county judge.

On motion of Mr. Eastham, the senate adjourned until Monday, twelve o'clock.

MONDAY DECEMBER 6, 1875.

Prayer by Rev. Dr. Woodbridge.

On motion of Mr. Quesenberry, the vote by which the Senate agreed to the House joint resolution providing for the election of certain officers of government on Wednesday, the 8th December, 1875, was reconsidered, and on his further motion, the resolution was amended by inserting after the words "second auditor," in the sixth line, the word "treasurer."

The resolution as amended, was then agreed to.

On motion of Mr. Quesenberry, it was

Ordered, That he inform the House of Delegates of the adoption of the resolution, and request their concurrence in the amend

ment.

Subsequently a message was received from the House of Delegates by Mr. Swann, who informed the Senate that that House had agreed to the amendment of the Senate to the said resolution.

The President laid before the Senate a communication from the governor, transmitting_resolutions adopted by the stockholders of the James river and Kanawha company, at their annual meeting held on the 4th November, 1875; which, on motions of Messrs. Allan and Grimsley, were ordered to be printed and referred to the committee on roads and internal navigation. Doc. No. 2.

Mr. Allan, by leave, presented

No. 9, A bill to amend and re-enact section 14, chapter 188 of the Code of 1873, in relation to punishment for petit larceny; which, on his motion, was read the first and ordered to be read second time, and referred to the committee for courts of justice. Mr. Clark, by leave, presented

a

No. 10, A bill to provide for the registration of the voters of the city of Danville; which, on his motion, was read the first and ordered to be read a second time, and referred to the committee of privileges and elections.

On motion of Mr. Finney,

Resolved, That so much of the message of the governor as relates to the boundary between Maryland and Virginia, be referred to the committee on federal relations.

Mr. Finney, by leave, presented

No. 11, A bill to prohibit the appropriation of a greater sum than $3,000, in any one year, for the purchase of books and works of art for the use of the library; which, on his motion, was read the first and ordered to be read a second time, and referred to the committee on the library.

On motion of Mr. Ward, the Senate adjourned until to-morrow, twelve o'clock.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1875.

Prayer by Rev. Dr. Woodbridge.

Mr. Quesenberry, from the committee on public institutions, presented,

No. 11, A bill authorizing the board of directors of the Eastern lunatic asylum to dispense with the office of treasurer for such asylum; which was subsequently taken up, read the first and ordered to be read a second time, and on motion of Mr. Quesenberry (two-thirds concurring), was read the second time-when,

On motion of Mr. Herndon, the bill was recommitted to the committee on public institutions.

Mr. Moffett, by leave, presented

No. 12, A bill to regulate the operation of banks and banking institutions organized under the laws of this state, and to provide for the publication thereof; which, on his motion, was read the first and ordered to be read a second time, and referred to the committee on banks.

Mr. Johnson, by leave, presented

No. 13, A bill to amend and re-enact sections 22 and 24, and to repeal section 23 of chapter 13; to amend and re-enact sections 1, 5 and 6, and to repeal section 13 of chapter 17; to repeal section 21 of chapter 25; to amend and re-enact chapter 206; to amend and re-enact section 8 of chapter 207, Code of Virginia (edition of 1873); and to repeal chapter 44 of the Acis of Assembly of 1874, and all other inconsistent laws. in reference to the organization of the penitentiary; which, on his motion, was read the first and ordered to be read a second time, and referred to the committee on public institutions.

Mr. Claughton, by leave, presented

No. 14, A bill to confer upon the corporation court for the city of Alexandria jurisdiction to remove justices and constables of said city from office; which, on his motion, was read the first and ordered to be read a second time, and referred to the committee on county, city and town organizations.

Mr. Penn, by leave, presented

No. 15, A bill to amend and re-enact section 11 of chapter 156 of the Code of 1873, in reference to the docket of causes in the