measures to secure the attendance of absentees, or adjourn until the succeeding day, as a majority of them present may determine. 12. When the Joint Assembly adjourns, the senators, accompanied by the PRESIDENT pro tempore of the Senate and clerk of the Senate, shall return to their chamber. The SPEAKER of the House shall resume the chair, and the business of the House shall be proceeded with in the same order as when it was interrupted by the entrance of the senators. The House refused to refer the joint rules to a committee. Mr. CRISMOND moved to reconsider the vote by which the joint rules were agreed to; which motion was rejected. Mr. FULKERSON of Washington presented the petition of C. L. Finch, contesting the seat of J. R. Jones, of the county of Mecklenburg; which was referred to the committee of privileges and elections. On motion of Mr. FULKERSON of Washington, the petition and all papers connected with the case were ordered to be printed. The following were presented and referred under rule 37: By Mr. OGLESBY: A bill to authorize a loan of muskets to the Wytheville academy. Referred to the committee on militia and police. By Mr. STARKE: A bill to incorporate the trustees of the Baptist ministers' relief fund of Virginia. Referred to the committee on propositions and grievances. By Mr. BUCHANAN: A bill to provide for a new judicial circuit, and to alter the fifteenth and sixteenth circuits. Referred to the committee for courts of justice. By Mr. CURLETT: A bill to abolish pound-net fishing in the rivers of Virginia for five years. Referred to the committee on the Chesa peake and its tributaries. By Mr. CHICHESTER: A bill for the relief of Matilda T. Holcombe. Referred to the committee on finance. By Mr. O'BANNON: A bill to re-enact section 9 of an act approved February 21, 1882, entitled an act to incorporate the Fauquier and Rappahannock railroad company, as amended by an act in force January 28, 1884. Referred to the committee on roads and internal navigation. By Mr. SMITH: A bill to amend and re-enact section 3 of chapter 514 of Acts of 1883-'4, entitled an act to amend an act approved March 9, 1880, respecting wild game. Referred to the committee on propositions and grievances. By Mr. JOHNSON: A bill to amend and re-enact an act entitled an act to amend and re-enact the final section of an act entitled an act for the protection of game, approved March 9, 1880. Referred to the committee on propositions and grievances. By Mr. WESCOTT: A bill to allow Ezra K. Young, Warren H. Young, and Milton Young to erect a wharf at Franklin City, Acco mac county, for the purpose of shipping oysters. Referred to the committee on roads and internal navigation. By Mr. BOLEN: A joint resolution for the relief of the tax-payers of this commonwealth. Referred to the committee on finance. By Mr. CRISMOND: A bill to incorporate the Grange camp association of Northern Virginia. Referred to the committee on agriculture and mining. By Mr. LOCKETT: A bill to provide artificial limbs for citizens of the state who lost limbs during the late war. Referred to the committee on finance. On motion of Mr. HAY, the House adjourned until to-morrow at 12 o'clock M. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1885. Prayer by Rev. Dr. George Cooper, of the First Baptist church. The Journal was read by the clerk. A communication from the Senate, by their clerk, was read as follows: In Senate, December 9, 1885. The Senate have passed Senate bill entitled an act to empower the board of supervisors of Hanover county to give additional compensation to Judge J. D. Foster, No. 3; and Senate bill entitled an act to release lot No. 374, in the plan of Sidney, from taxes reported delinquent, No. 8. In which bills they respectfully request the concurrence of the House of Delegates. No. 3. Senate bill, was read twice and referred to the committee on counties, cities and towns. No. 8. Senate bill, was read twice and referred to the committee on finance. No. 2. House joint resolution for the relief of the tax-payers of this commonwealth, reported from the committee on finance, was read a first time. A message was received from the Senate by Mr. LOVENSTEIN, who informed the House that the Senate had agreed to the amendments of the House to Senate joint resolution providing for the election of certain county judges. The SPEAKER laid before the House a communication from the auditor of public accounts, in response to a resolution of the House, in relation to the sum that will be sufficient to satisfy the claims allowed, in accordance with the act approved February 25, 1884, entitled an act to give aid to the citizens of Virginia wounded and maimed dur ing the late war while serving as soldiers and marines, as follows Hon. CHARLES E. STUART, SIR: COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS, RICHMOND, December 10, 1885. Speaker of the House of Delegates: A resolution of your honorable body, of the 9th inst., is as follows-to wit: "Resolved, That the auditor of public accounts be instructed to inform this House what sum will be sufficient to satisfy the claims on file in his office which have been examined and allowed, in accordance with the act approved February 25, 1884, entitled an act to give aid to the citizens of Virginia wounded and maimed during the late war while serving as soldiers or marines." In response to this resolution, I have to report that the claims which have been examined and allowed under the act referred to, but which remain unpaid, number 1,148, and that it will require $68,880 to satisfy them. Very respectfully, MORTON MARYE, Auditor of Public Accounts. Which was referred to the committee on finance. Mr. HURT offered the following resolution: Whereas Judge James C. McBroom, of the county of Russell, was elected judge of said county for a full term, which term will not expire during the existence of this legislature: therefore, Resolved, That it is improper for this legislature to elect a judge for the county of Russell, and that all action thereto be indefinitely postponed, and that this matter be referred to the committee for courts of justice. The House referred the resolution to the committee for courts of justice. A message was received from the Senate by Mr. JONES, who informed the House that the Senate had agreed to a concurrent resolution as follows: Resolved (the House of Delegates concurring), That the two houses of the General Assembly will proceed on Friday, the 11th day of December, 1885, at 1 o'clock, to elect an auditor of public accounts, second auditor, treasurer, secretary of the commonwealth, register of the land office, superintendent of public printing, and superintendent of the penitentiary; and this shall be the order and continuing order until completed. The SPEAKER laid the resolution before the House. The House refused to refer the resolution to a committee. The resolution was agreed to. Mr. MUNFORD moved to reconsider the vote by which the resolution was agreed to; which motion was rejected. Ordered, That Mr. MUNFORD inform the Senate that the House had agreed to the resolution. A message was received from the Senate by Mr. DIGGS, who informed the House that the Senate had agreed to House joint resolution fixing the time for the election of a senator in the Congress of the United States, and also had agreed to the House joint rules for the government of the Senate and House of Delegates when convened in joint assembly for the election of a senator in Congress. Mr. HARRIS presented certain papers connected with the contestedelection case of Finch against Jones, of the county of Mecklenburg. On motion of Mr. BLACK, leave of absence was granted Mr. Sullivan, doorkeeper, for four days. The following were presented and referred under rule 37: By Mr. MUNFORD: A bill to substitute a board of railroad commissioners for the present railroad commissioner of the state, and defining the duties and powers of such board, and repealing the act of March 31, 1877, in reference to said commissioner. Referred to the committee on roads and internal navigation. By Mr. HAY: A bill to amend section 23 of an act entitled an act to amend and re-enact an act entitled an act prescribing the duties, powers, liabilities and compensation of district officers, approved April 1, 1879, in relation to the compensation of supervisors. Referred to the committee on counties, cities and towns. By Mr. RYAN: A bill to amend and re-enact section 107 of an act entitled an act to provide for the assessment of taxes on persons, property, &c. Referred to the committee on finance. By Mr. MUNFORD: A bill to amend and re-enact section 2 of chapter 3 of the act approved March 14, 1878, in relation to breaking and entering any horse car, freight car, or passenger car. Referred to the committee for courts of justice. By Mr. HARRIS: A bill to incorporate the Grand Lodge of the Grand United Order of Knights of King Solomon. Referred to the committee on propositions and grievances. By Mr. MUNFORD: A bill to amend and re-enact section 1 of chapter 170 of the Code of 1873, as amended by section 1 of an act approved January 14, 1879, as amended by section 1 of an act approved March 7, 1884, in relation to the removal of causes pending in one court to another. Referred to the committee for courts of justice. By Mr. MUNFORD: A bill to amend and re-enact section 4 of an act entitled an act appropriating the public revenue for the fiscal year 1884 and 1885, approved March 15, 1884, as amended and re-enacted by an act approved August 25, 1884, in relation to the purchase of Riddleberger bonds by the board of sinking fund commissioners. Referred to the committee on finance. By Mr. MUNFORD: A bill appropriating $60,000 to pay the claims allowed disabled soldiers and marines, under act approved February 25, 1884. Referred to the committee on finance. By Mr. POLLARD: Resolved, That the committee on finance be instructed to report a joint resolution ordering the publication of the names of all parties who now sue, or shall hereafter sue, to enforce the payment of their taxes in tax-receivable coupons, in whole or in part, together with the names of the counsel in all such cases, and the amount thus sought to be paid into the treasury. ers. By Mr. POWELL: A bill to provide for bringing suit against receivReferred to the committee for courts of justice. The hour of 1 o'clock P. M. having arrived, being the hour fixed for the execution of the joint order which has for its object the election of certain county judges Ordered, That Mr. PATTON inform the Senate that the House is ready on its part to proceed to the execution of the joint order. A message was received from the Senate by Mr. LOVENSTEIN, who informed the House that the Senate is ready on its part to proceed to the execution of the joint order. Mr. HUFFMAN nominated P. V. Jones for judge of the county courts of Alleghany and Craig. Ordered, That Mr. HUFFMAN inform the Senate that P. V. Jones is the only person in nomination before the House. A message was received from the Senate by Mr. JONES, who informed the House that P. V. Jones and John Å. J. Lee are in nomination before the Senate. The roll was called with the following result: For P. V. Jones, The vote was recorded as follows: 64 23 For P. V. JONES-Messrs. Speaker, Arnold, Black, Bohannan, Bolen, Brown, Buchanan, Burks, Cardwell, Carter, Chalmers, Chichester, Cornett, Crismond, Dabney, Darst, Dickenson, Downing, Dupuy, Eastwood, Echols, Fentress, Figgatt, A. Fulkerson, L. D. Fulkerson, Goad, Hay, Hoge, Holladay, Huffman, Johnson, C. F. Jordan, W. I. Jordan, Lawson, Leftwich, Lightner, Lockett, Loving, Miller, Munford, Noblin, O'Bannon, Oglesby, Patton, Payne, Peters, Pollard, Powell, Reid, Rice, Roberts, Ryan, Saunders, Sebrell, Shields, Smith, Starke, Stribling, Taliaferro, Tavenner, Terry, Van Doran, Wescott, and Wilkins-64. For JOHN A. J. LEE-Messrs. Acker, Addington, Bandy, Borum, Curlett, Faulcon, Gills, Harris, Hylton, Jones, W. H. Jordan, Mallory, McCandlish, McClintic, Martin, Matthews, Mauck, Nance, Ruggles, Southworth, Turner, Webb, and Wise-23. Mr. MILLER nominated F. R. Farrar for judge of the county court of Amelia. Ordered, That Mr. MILLER inform the Senate that F. R. Farrar is the only person in nomination before the House. A message was received from the Senate by Mr. DIGGS, who informed the House that F. R. Farrar is the only person in nomination. before the Senate. The roll was called with the following result: For F. R. Farrar, The vote was recorded as follows: 69 For F. R. FARRAR-Messrs. Speaker, Arnold, Black, Bohannan, Bolen, Brown, Buchanan, Burks, Cardwell, Carter, Chalmers, Chichester, Cornett, Crismond, Dabney, Darst, Dickenson, Downing, Dupuy, Eastwood, Echols, Fentress, Figgatt, A. Fulkerson, L. D. Fulkerson, Gills, Goad, Grimsley, Hay, Hoge, Holladay, Huffman, Johnson, C. F. Jordan, W. I. Jordan, Lawson, Leftwich, Lightner, Lockett, Loving, Mallory, Miller, |