On motion of Mr. Pickering, Resolved, That the ministers of the gospel resident in the city of Springfield be requested to open the daily sessions of the House of Representatives with prayer. On motion of Mr. Morton, Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring herein, That a joint select committee of three on the part of the House, and two on the part of the Senate, shall be appointed to draft and report rules for the government of the two Houses. Ordered, That Messrs Morton, Reynolds and Archer, be that committee, and that the Clerk inform the Senate thereof. On motion of Mr. Huflman, Resolved, That the editors of newspapers in this State, or their reporters, be admitted within the bar of this House, to such seats as may be assigned them by the Speaker, for the purpose of reporting the proceedings of the same. On motion of Mr. Johnston, Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring herein, That the joint rules of the two Houses of the last session of the General Assembly of this State be adopted as the joint rules of the two Houses of the present session of the same, until otherwise ordered. Ordered, That the Clerk inform the Senate thereof. On motion of Mr. Thomas of Morgan, Resolved, That the Illinois State Temperance Society be permitted to Occupy the Hall of the House this evening from five o'clock, P. M. for the purpose of holding its annual meeting. On motion of Mr. Boyakin, Resolved, That the Secre ary of State be required to lay before this House a statement of the returns of the recent election for Governor and Lieutenant Governor of this State. Resolved, That the Secretary of State be required to lay before this House a statement of the returns of the recent election wherein the elec tors were recommended to vote for or against a convention to amend the constitution of this State. Mr. Linder introduced for adoption the following resolution, which was not agreed to: Resolved, That this House meet hereafter at ten of the clock, A. M. and take recess from twelve to two P. M. Mr. Logan of Jackson moved that the members of the House proceed to the selection of their respective seats; when, On motion of Mr. Wilcox, Ordered, That the Clerk be directed to draw the numbers for the members. After proceeding some time in the call, it was discovered that a mistake had been made in numbering the desks; Whereupon, Mr. Sherman moved to postpone the further execution of the order until to-morrow morning. On motion of Mr. Morris, The motion made by Mr. Sherman was laid on the table. On motion of Mr. Linder, The Clerk was directed to re-commence the drawing of the numbers. Mr. Simms moved that the House adjourn for half an hour. Mr. Huffman moved to adjourn unul two o'clock, P. M.; which was agreed to. The House then adjourned until 2 o'clock, P. M. Two O'CLOCK, P. M. House met pursuant to adjournment. A message from the Senate by Mr. Moore, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: I am directed to inform the House of Representatives that the Senate have concurred with them in the adoption of their resolution proposing the appointment of a joint committee of the two Houses to wait on his Excellency the Governor, &c. and have appointed Messrs. Cavarly and Judd, the committee on their part. M. Denning, from the joint select com ittee appointed to wait upon the Governor, and inform him of the organizatian of the two Houses of the General Assembly, and that they are ready to receive any communication he may desire to make, reported that they had waited upon his Excellency, and received an answer that he will send a message to each of the two Houses, at two o'clock, P. M. of this day. A message from the Governor by Thompson Campbell, Secretary of State. Mr. Speaker: I am directed by the Governor to lay before the House of Representatives a communication in writing. Whereupon, The Speaker laid before the House the following message from his Excellency the Governor: Fellow-Cilizens of the Senate, EXECUTIVE Department, and House of Representatives: Since the adjournment of the last session of the General Assembly, the loan of $1.600,000 for the canal, has been completed; the lands and canal property have been conveyed in trust for the payment or the canal debt; a board of trustees has been appointed and organized; the work on the canal for fifteen months past, has been progressing as rapidly as could have been expected, considering the general sickness which has prevailed on the line; and there is now almost a certain prospect, that this important enterprise will be completed and in successful operation within a year from this time. The annual report of the trustees for this year, has not been received; for which reason I cannot now be more particular in stating the progress of the work. It is with much satisfaction that I am enabled to state, that the people called Mormons have removed from the State. The great body of them removed volunt trily; but, a small remnant were barbarously expelled with force, and in a manner which reflects but little credit on the State or its institutions. Much difficulty has ever existed between this people and the neighbors by whom they have been surrounded; from which it was apparent, that their continuance amongst us would have been the fruitful source of frequent wars and tumults, alike disgraceful to the State, above the power of the constituted authorities to suppress, demoralizing to the residue of the inhabitants, and encouraging, to a spirit of anarchy and disregard of law, subversive of republican government. The difficulties with the Mormons, and my proceedings as Fund Com missioner ex-officio, for the last two years, will be made the subject of special reports to the House of Representatives. During the past summer, when, upon the call of the President, volunteers were required to vindicate the rights and the honor of the nation, and to chastise an insolent power which had insulted us, nine regiments of our brave Illinoians rushed to the standard of their country; though four of them only could be taken. And such was the general alacrity for this patriotic service, that great discontent prevailed amongst those who were doomed to stay at home. As I am about to retire from office, to mingle again with my fellow-citizens in the pleasant walks of private life, and cannot, bereafter, assist officially in carrying any new measures into effect, I do not design to recommend any ling for the future. This task I leave to my successor in office, who is a gentleman in whom the people have justly reposed their confidence. His official relation to the State, and to the General Assembly, makes it more proper that such recommendations should come from him. But I hope to be indulged in a slight retrospection of the past. A review of our progress for the last few years, must minister the highest satisfaction to every patriot who is truly desirous of the welfare of his country. When I came into office, it was a time of the most disheartening depression, of both private and public affairs. The State was in debt about fourteen millions of dollars, for moneys squandered and wasted upon internal improvements and banking; the domestic treasury of the State was in arrear three hundred and thirteen thousand dollars for the ordinary expenses of government; Auditor's warrants were freely selling at a discount of fifty per cent.; the people were unable to pay even moderate taxes to replenish the treasury, in which not one dollar was contained, even to pay postage on letters to and from the public offices; the great canal, which was more than two-thirds finished, after expending five millions of dollars on it, was about to be abandoned; both of the banks, upon which the people, had relied for a currency, had become insolvent; their paper had fallen so low as to cease to circulate as money; as yet no other money had taken its place, leaving the people wholly destitute of a circulating medium, and universally in debt; almost every one was indebted to the merchants, who were again indebted to the banks, or to foreign merchants; the banks owed every body, and none were able to pay; emigration to the State had almost ceased; real estate was unsaleable; the people abroad, terrified by the prospect of high taxation, refused to come amongst us for settlement; and our own people at home were no less alarmed and terrified at the magnitude of our debt, then apparently so much exceeding any known resources of the country. Many were driven to absolute despair of ever paying a cent of it; and it would have requir ed but little countenance and encouragement, in the then disheartened and wavering condition of the public mind, to have plunged the State into irretrievable infamy, by open repudiation. This is not an exaggerated picture of our affairs four years ago. In the last four years, matters have been very considerably changed for the better. The domestic debt of the treasury, instead of being three hundred and thirteen thousand dollars for the ordinary expenses of government, is now only $31.212; and there is $9,269 in the treasury, not counting the sum due from the U. S. to the school fund; and Auditor's warrants are at par, or very nearly so; the banks have been put into liquidation; their circulation has been retired, and its place supplied by a reasonable abundance of gold and silver coins, and the paper of solvent banks in other States; the people have generally paid their private debts, an now stand upon the high platform of freemen, laboring for themselves and their own families, instead of being slaves to the demands of creditors; a very considerable portion of the State debt has been paid or provided for; about three millions of dollars has been paid by a sale of the public property, and by putting the banks into liquidation; and five millions more has been effectually proviled for, to be paid after the completion of the canal; being a reduction of eight millions of the State debt, which has been made or effectually provided for within the last four years; the State itself, although broken and discredited at one time throughout the civilized world, has been enabled to borrow, on the credit of its property, one million six hundred thousand dollars, to complete the canal; the people abroad have once more begun to seek our highly favored land as the home of the emigrant. Our population has rapidly increased, and is now increasing faster than it ever did before; our people at home have become more contented and happy; they have ceased to be terrified by the magnitude of the State debt, and the imagined inability of the State to pay it; they have cheerfully submitted to taxation, as far as they were able, to meet the public liabilities; and have thereby manifested to the world, that they possess a heroic virtue, capable of any sacrifices demanded by integrity and patriotism; and it is with unbounded satisfaction that I now announce to the General Assembly that the former discredit resting upon our people in other States, for supposed delinquencies in paying their debts, no longer exists; and that the reputation of Illinois and its citizens now stands proudly fair and honorable amongst her sister States, and the great family of nations in the civilized world. I repeat again, that it is with a just pride, and a very high satisfaction, that I am enabled to announce these results; and to claim, as I truly may, that I have at all times fully concurred with the Legislature in all the measures which have been instrumental, so far as legislation could be instrumental, in producing them; and also that I have faithfully endeavored to carry out and execute, to the best of my ability, all the laws which have been passed for this purpose. However, it must be acknowledged that much more credit for this altered state of things is due to the gallant spirit and to the recuperative energies of the people, than to any agency of law or government. That I may have committed some errors, is not to be questioned. To err, belongs to all the family of man, in their present imperfect state; but whatever errors I may have committed, I trust were the errors of a bad judgment, rather than of a dishonest purpose. Without having indulged in wasteful or extravagant habits or living, I retire from office poorer than I came in; and go to private life with a full determination not to seek again, any place in the government. I retire from the exercise of high power, with heart-felt gratitude and joy; gratitude, for the many favors I have received at the hands of the people and their representatives; and jo, at being liberated from the cares and toils of office. I have the honor to be, Very respectfully, The message was read; when, Your obedient servant, Mr. Logan of Jackson moved that said message be laid upon the tat le, and that five hundred copies be printed for the use of the House. Mr. Reynolds moved that five thousand copies be printed, and that one thousand additional copis be printed in the German language. The question was taken on the motion made by Mr. Reynolds, and decided in the affirmative. The Speaker laid before the House a communication from the Sceretary of State, transmiting, in compliance with a resolution of the House, the official returns of the vote cast for Governor and Lieutenant Governor of the State of Illinois, in the several counties in this State, on Monday, the third day of August, A. D. 1546; which was read, and, On motion of Mr. Thomas of Morgan, Laid on the table. In compliance with the order of the House, the Clerk proceeded to call the roll, and drew the numbers for the seats of the members, respectively. On motion of Mr. Stickney, Resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of Illinois, That the Governor of this State be required to communicate to this House all the information and evidence in his possession relative to the Bank of Hilinois at Shawneetown, and tending to inculpate any of its former or present officers with acts of fraud or peculation to the injury either of this State as a stockholder, or the creditors of said institution. On motion of Mr. Boyakin, Resolved, That the resolution passed at the last session of the General Assembly in regard to certain supposed counterfeit scrip, and now on tile in the Secretary's offic, with all the accompanying papers, be taken from the files in said office, and referred to a select committee of five. Resolved, That the Secretary of State be requested to deliver said papers to said committce. Ordered, That Messrs. Boyakin, Reynolds, Thomas of Morgan, McDowell and Archer, be that committee. On motion of Mr. Morris, Resolved by the House of Representatives, That a committee of three be appointed to contract for and superintend the printing of the one thousand copies of the Governor's message ordered to be printed in the German language. Ordered, That Messrs. Morris, Omelveney and Pickering, be that com mittee. On motion of Mr. Pickering, Resolved, That the Door Keeper be requested to procure fire screens suthcient for the use of the House. Mr. Thon is of Morgan moved that the House adjourn until 10 o'clock to-morrow morning; which was not agreed to. Mr. Reynolds offered for adoption the following resolution; which was read: Resolved, That in the next apportionment of the members of the General Assembly of this State, both Houses shall not consist of more than one hundred members. On motion of Mr. Martin, Said resolution was laid on the table. On motion of Mr. Thomas of Morgan, Resolved by the House, the Senate concurring herein, That the two Houses will meet in the Hall of the House to morrow at 10 o'clock, A. M. for the purpose of canvassing the returns for the election of Governor and Lieutennat Governor, in August last. Ordered, That the Clerk inform the Senate thereof. On motion, The House adjourned. |