To the House of Representatives: EXECUTIVE OFFICE, Lansing, February 17, 1849.5 I have this day approved, signed and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State, A joint resolution authorizing the settlement of certain claims growing out of the raising, subsisting and mustering into service of the Michigan volunteer regiment called to serve in the late war with Mexico. EPAPHRO. RANSOM. The Speaker announced the following communication from the Sec-retary of State: Hon. LEANDER CHAPMAN, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE,) Speaker of the House of Representatives:: I have the honor to transmit herewith an abstract of the reports of the superintendents of the poor for the several counties of this State for the year 1849, as far as the same has been received at this office.. This abstract has been delayed in consequence of the neglect of the superintendents of several counties to file their reports within the time prescribed by law. Respectfully yours, GEO. W. PECK, The report accompanying the foregoing communication was laid on the table and ordered to be printed. On motion of Mr. Lovell, The petition of Ethan S. Johnson and' others; of A. F. Carr and others, and of Samuel Dexter and others, asking for an extension of the charter of the Farmers' and Mechanics' bank, were severally taken from the table and referred to the committee on banks and incorporations. Mr. Parkhurst offered the following resolution; Besolved, That Johnson Niles, Esq., be and he is hereby authorized and empowered to proceed immediately to the county of Ma-comb and bring forthwith the Hon. Mr. Flower, a member of the House. On motion of Mr. Chamberlain,, The resolution was amended by adding after "Esq." in the first line, the words, "speaker of the third house." The resolution as amended was then laid on the table. Mr. Pennoyer moved that the vote granting leave of absence to Mr. Flower be reconsidered. Mr. Fox offered as a substitute for the motion of Mr. Pennoyer, the following resolution: Resolved, That the vote of this House by which indefinite leave of absence was granted to Mr. Flower, be and the same is hereby rescinded, and that the Speaker in drawing his certificate for pay, for his services, be directed to certify to the amount of time only that he has attended the sessions of this House. Before taking the question on the adoption of the substitute, The whole subject was laid on the table. On motion of Mr. Ingersoll, The bill to incorporate the Minesota mining company, and the bill to incorporate the North-Western mining company of Michigan, were severally taken from the table, and recommitted to the committee on mines and minerals with instructions to make such amendments thereto as they shall deem proper. Mr. Kilborn gave notice that he will on some future day ask leave to introduce a bill to authorize the Auditor General to procure certain maps. Mr. Hawley gave notice that on some future day he will ask leave to bring in a bill to amend the election laws of this state. On motion of Mr. Coe, The House resolved itself into committee of the whole on the special order, being joint resolution requiring reports from certain special commissioners, Mr. J. W. Turner in the chair. After a short time spent thereon, the committee rose and reported the joint resolution above named back to the House, with sundry amendments thereto, in which they asked the concurrence of the House and to be discharged from its further consideration. The report was accepted, the committee discharged and the amendments concurred in. The joint resolution was then ordered to be engrossed and read the third time. On motion of Mr. Hawley, The rule requiring bills to lay over one day before being read the third time, was suspended, and the joint resolution was read the third time and passed. The House then resolved itself into committee of the whole, on the general order, Mr. Chamberlain in the chair. After some time spent thereon the committee rose, and through their chairman, reported back without amendment, a bill to amend section fifty of chapter one hundred and eight of the revised statutes of 1846; and A bill to authorize the assessors of the second ward of the city of Monroe to levy a certain tax; And with amendment, in which the concurrence of the House was asked, a bill to incorporate the Temple building company of Battle Creek; a joint resolution relative to the settlement of a claim of Cyrus Howard, from the further consideration of all which they asked to be discharged. The committee, through their chairman, further reported that they had had under consideration a bill to continue for a limited time the charter of the Farmers' and Mechanics' bank of Michigan, upon which they had made some progress and asked leave to sit again. The report was accepted and the committee discharged as to the three bills and the joint resolution first named, and leave was granted to sit again in consideration of the bill last named. The first and second named bills reported back by the committee. of the whole, were severally ordered to be engrossed and read the third time. The amendment to the third named bill was concurred in, and the bill as amended was ordered to be engrossed and read the third time. The amendment to the above entitled joint resolution, which was to strike out all after the enacting clause, was concurred in, and the enacting clause was indefinitely postponed. Mr. Ingersoll, from the committee on mines and minerals, to whom was referred with certain instructions, the bills incorporating the Minesota mining company, and the North-West mining company, having had the same under consideration, as their chairman, reported as follows: Amend the bill to incorporate the Minesota company by reinsta ting the word "state," in the eighth line of section four, and also by restoring section six of said bill as originally printed. Amend bill to incorporate the North-Western mining company, by striking out the word "southern" in section five, and reinstating in lieu thereof the word "Pontiac." Strike out section seven as amended, and reinsert the original section as far as the word " company," in the fourth line-inserting after the word "company," in the second line, the words, "for all claims and demands against said company." Amend section nine by inserting after the word “offices” in the second line, the words "one of which shall be in this state." Amend section four by striking out all after the word "company" in the tenth and eleventh lines, and insert the following: “and said tax shall be in lieu of all other state taxes upon the personal and real estate of said company." The committee would here deem it proper to give their reasons briefly why they recommend the reinstating of the sections in each bill as originally printed on the subject of liens. First. Because such section as it now stands renders the whole property of a company liable to a lien, in favor of the people of Michigan, to an indefinite amount and for an indefinite sum. It in fact, amounts to a perpetual mortgage for an unascertained amount of debt. Second. Because it will tend to encourage these companies in incurring debts for labor, and the laboring men to give long credits for large sums, when it is due to the laborer to ensure short credits, and prompt payments. Third. Because it places these companies upon a footing of ine. quality with the companies heretofore chartered. Privileges granted to one should be granted to all, or legislation becomes unequal, and of course unjust. The report was accepted and the committee discharged. Mr. McNeil moved to lay the bill with the amendments on the table, but before taking the question thereon, On motion of Mr. Ingersoll, The House adjourned till half past two o'clock, P. M.. AFTERNOON SESSION. The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was called to order by the Speaker. The motion to lay upon the table the bill to incorporate the Minesota mining company; and The bill to incorporate the North-West mining company of Michigan, with the amendments thereto, which was pending when the House adjourned, was withdrawn. The amendments reported by the committee on mines and minerals to the first of the above named bills being under consideration, the first amendment was, On motion of Mr. Ingersoll, So amended as to strike out the word "other" in the eighth line of :section four of the bill, and also to strike out the words, "property of said company," and the words "in lieu of all other state taxes on the" in the ninth line of said section. The amendment as amended was then concurred in. The second amendment, which was to restore section six of the bill as originally printed, was concurred in, and The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read the third time. The amendments reported by the committee on mines and minerals to the bill to incorporate the North-West mining company of Michigan, being under consideration, they were severally concurred in. On motion of Mr. Ingersoll, The bill was further amended by striking out in line six of section four, the word "January" and inserting in lieu thereof the word "July;" also, by striking out in line eight of the same section the word "December" and inserting "January.” On motion of Mr. Coe, Section seven of the bill was amended by adding thereto the following: And any person may enforce said lien by filing with any court having jurisdiction thereof, an affidavit showing to the satisfaction of said court that he has a claim under the provisions of this section, and such court may thereupon issue an attachment against the property of such company, and the same proceedings may be thereupon had had as in other cases. On motion of Mr. Ingersoll, The bill was further amended by adding to section five the following proviso: Provided, That if a plank road shall be deemed most advisable by said company, the said road shall be made and governed in all |