It will be found that most of the returns have been opened by me, and it is due that an explanation should be made. The returns were directed to the secretary of the commonwealth as ordinary letters, without any endorsation showing what were the contents. It is impossible, from the appearance of the packages, to judge whether they contained poll books or not, because in many cases large documents and petitions for pardons, signed by numbers of persons, are constantly received; and if they were not opened, much injury might result.

In some cases, the letters were endorsed "Returns of Elections," without stating what elections; and the law requires returns of elections for justices (which are occurring continually to supply vacancies) to be made in the same manner. An election was held at the same time for a member of the Board of public works, which the law required the governor to examine; and in many cases the return of the election of a commissioner of public works was in the same envelope with those for governor.

Finding when opened, that most of the returns were not in conformity with the requirements of the law, with the advice of the attorney general, I prepared a circular, which was forwarded to each county, suggesting a form to be used, and requesting another return to be made, endorsed in such way as to prevent the necessity for breaking the seal. In some counties the request has been complied with, but in the majority it has not.

In consequence of this, it will be found that there are two returns from the same county, and varying from each other in some instances. In In many counties the poll books are returned, but in others a mere statement of the result.

All the returns which have been received are herewith presented. Very respectfully, &c.

Hon. Speaker House Delegates.

GEO. W. MUNFORD, Sec. Com.

On motion of Mr. BURWELL of Bedford, the said communication was ordered to be laid on the table.

On motion of Mr. TOMLIN,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation be instructed to enquire into the expediency of reporting a bill to provide the necessary appropriation for completing the line of railroad to connect the Chesapeake bay with the Ohio river, by way of the York river, Central and Covington and Ohio railroads.

On motion of Mr. EDWARDS,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of amending an act, passed April 7th, 1853, to incorporate the Halifax and Pittsylvania railroad company, so as to increase the capital stock to dollars, and provide for a subscription on the part of the state for three-fifths of said capital, and to extend said road; and that they have leave to report by bill or otherwise.

6

On motion of Mr. SEGAR,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of making a further appropriation to the prosecution of the Covington and Ohio railroad.

On motion of Mr. CHRISTIAN,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of authorizing a loan by the commonwealth to the Virginia Central railroad company, on the terms on which loans have been heretofore made to other railroad companies of the state, for the purpose of completing and equipping the road to Covington.

On motion of Mr. WELLMAN,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of increasing the capital stock of the Sandy river turnpike company in the county of Wayne.

On motion of Mr. BRANNON,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of constructing a turnpike road from some point on the Weston and Gauley bridge road, above and near the said town of Weston in the county of Lewis, to the head of the Valley river in the county of Randolph.

On motion of Mr. SPRINKLE,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of making a loan to, or increasing the capital stock of, the Manassa gap railroad company, so as to enable said company to complete their road from the city of Alexandria to the town of Harrisonburg in the county of Rockingham.

On motion of Mr. HARDY,

Resolved, that the committee for courts of justice enquire into the expediency of reporting a bill providing for the voluntary enslavement of Araminta Frances, a woman of color, emancipated by the last will of Col. James G. Richardson deceased, of the county of Lunenburg.

On motion of Mr. CARPENTER,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of increasing the captial stock of the Virginia Central railroad company, for the purpose of straightening and shortening the track between Charlottesville and the city of Richmond.

On motion of Mr. BARNES,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of macadamizing the Ohio river and Maryland road, on state account.

On motion of Mr. BONDURANT,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of amending the charter of the Slate river company, so as to increase the capital stock of said company to fifty thousand dollars-the state subscribing three-fifths of the additional capital of fifteen thousand dollars.

On motion of Mr. VANORSDALL,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation en

quire into the expediency of granting a charter, upon the two and three-fifths principle, for a road commencing at a point near McIntire's mill on the Berkeley and Hampshire turnpike, and terminating at some point on the Bath and Potomac road-the capital stock not to exceed seven thousand dollars.

On motion of Mr. POWELL,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of authorizing the Manassa gap railroad company to extend its Loudoun branch from the present termination thereof, at or near Purcellville, to some suitable point at or near Harpers Ferry.

On motion of Mr. BOREMAN,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into and report the propriety of repealing section seven of an act passed on the 14th day of February 1851, incorporating the Northwestern Virginia railroad company, and also an act passed on the 23d day of February 1854, amendatory thereof.

On motion of Mr. CARTER,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of reporting Senate Bill No. 168 of last session, authorizing the Upperville and Manassa gap plankroad company to increase their capital stock.

On motion of Mr. BAKER,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation, when created, consider the expediency of reporting a bill to construct a coal road from Winchester to the coal fields near Paddytown, to be called the Winchester and Hampshire railroad.

On motion of Mr. MALLORY,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of converting the state's subscription to the Norfolk and Petersburg railroad into a loan.

On motion of Mr. LEE,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of authorizing a subscription on the part of the state to three-fifths of the capital stock of the Orange and Alexandria railroad company, created for the purpose of extending their railroad to Lynchburg.

On motion of Mr. HOLDEN,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into and report the expediency of constructing a bridge across the West Fork river, on the line of the West Milford and New Salem turnpike road at the town of West Milford in the county of Harrison.

On motion of Mr. Bass,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of constructing a turnpike road, on the two and three-fifths principle, from the town of Blacksburg in the county of Montgomery, by the way of the valley of the Catawba creek in Roanoke to the town of Fincascle in Botetourt county. On motion of Mr. NICOLSON,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation en

quire into the expediency of increasing the capital stock of the Richmond and York river railroad company.

On motion of Mr. MARTIN,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of constructing a turnpike road, on the two and three-fifths principle, from Rowlesburg, by Kingwood, Swindler's mill and the mouth of Sandy creek, to intersect the Maryland and Fishing creek road between the top of Laurel Hill and Bruceton in Preston county.

On motion of Mr. SHUMATE,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of making a loan on the part of the state to the Orange and Alexandria railroad company, in a sum sufficient to enable said company to complete their railroad to Lynchburg. On motion of Mr. HIETT,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation, when appointed, enquire into the expediency of increasing the capital stock of the Alexandria, Loudoun and Hampshire railroad company, for the purpose of completing said road to the coal fields in the county of Hampshire.

On motion of Mr. DEJARNette,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of reopening the navigation of the Mattapony, on the two and three-fifths principle, from Aylett's in King William county, to some point at or near Guinea's depot in Caroline.

On motion of Mr. EARLY,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of making a state subscription, in the shape of a 6 per cent. preferred stock, to the Rivanna navigation company, and to what amount.

On motion of Mr. KEE,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of extending the Hardy and Randolph turnpike from the mouth of Seneca in the county of Pendleton, to Beverley in the county of Randolph, on state account.

On motion of Mr. LANGFITT, leave was granted to withdraw from the files of the house the following papers: The bill, and papers appertaining to the same, granting the right of way to the Pittsburg and Steubenville railroad company, to construct a railroad through the counties of Brooke and Hancock; the bill, and papers connected therewith, amending the charter of the town of Wellsburg; the bill, and accompanying papers, chartering an independent bank in the town of Wellsburg; the bill and papers chartering a company to construct a turnpike road in the county of Brooke.

Ordered, that the said bills and papers be respectively referred to their appropriate committees.

On motion of Mr. PITMAN,

Resolved, that leave be given to withdraw from the files of the office of the clerk of this house the memorial, papers, &c. in relation to the construction of a graded road from some point on the line of the Manassa gap railroad in the county of Warren to the cross roads in

Powell's Fort in the county of Shenandoah, for the purpose of reconsideration by this house.

On motion of Mr. NOTTINGHAM,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of reporting a bill for the extension of the Lewisburg and Marlin's Bottom turnpike road from Marlin's Bottom, by way of Huntersville, to some point on the Staunton and Parkersburg turnpike road east of Greenbrier river in Pocahontas county. On motion of Mr. RONALD,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of constructing a turnpike road, upon the two and three-fifths principle, leading from the Yellow Sulphur to the Montgomery White Sulphur in the county of Montgomery.

On motion of Mr. ELLYSON,

Resolved, that the committee on banks enquire into the expediency of chartering an independent bank in the city of Richmond, under the style of the Bank of Richmond, with a minimum capital of $ 200,000, and a maximum capital of $ 1,000,000.

On motion of Mr. PAULL,

Resolved, that the committee for courts of justice enquire into the expediency of ceding the jurisdiction and exempting from taxation on the part of the commonwealth certain lots in the city of Wheeling, proposed to be purchased by the United States for the erection of a court-house and custom-house.

On motion of Mr. WEST,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of constructing a turnpike road from New Martinsvile in the county of Wetzel, by way of Dulin's river or N. Clark's store, to some suitable point on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad in said county, on state account.

On motion of Mr. TowNER,

Resolved, that leave be granted to withdraw from the files of the house, Bill No. 208 of last session, incorporating the Charlestown and Shepherdstown turnpike company, and that the same be referred to the committee of roads and internal navigation.

On motion of Mr. CARROLL,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of extending the Richmond and Danville railroad, to intersect the Virginia and Tennessee railroad at the most practicable point, on the two and three-fifths principle.

On motion of Mr. RUTHERFOORD,

Resolved, that leave be given to withdraw from the files the petition and accompanying papers of J. H. Smith, administrator of Isaac Holmes deceased, and that the same be referred to the committee of claims.

On motion of Mr. DICKINSON,

Resolved, that the committee of roads and internal navigation enquire into the expediency of reporting Bill No. 212 of the last session for the extension of the Floyd court-house and Hillsville turnpike road.