On his further motion, The rule was again dispensed with, and the bill read a third time, and referred to the committee on Education. On motion of Mr. Janney, The rule was dispensed with, and leave given him to make a report from the committee on claims, to which was referred the petition of Samuel Slocumb, asking compensation for provisions, &c., furnished the Illinois troops, in the Mormon difficulties, when he reported the same back, and asked to be discharged from its further consideration. The question being taken on discharging the committee, it was decided in the affirmative. The petition was then referred to the committee on the Militia. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Elwood, their assistant Secretary. Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed bills, here with presented for the concurrence of the House of Representatives, of the following titles: "An act to pay John and Thomas Lonergan, an amount that is honestly due them;" "An act to locate a State road therein named;" "A act to authorize Joseph S. Jackson to build a dam across the Kaskaskia river;" "An act for the benefit of Calhoun county;" "An act to authorize school district No. 1, in Oswego precinct in Kendall county, to build a school house by tax," and "An act supplemental to an act giving additional power and authority to the city council of the city of Peoria." The Senate have concuried with the House of Representatives in the passage of bills, entitled "An act to incorporate the Kankakee and Iroquois Navigation and Manufacturing Company;" "An act more explicitly defining the times of holding courts in the fourth judicial circuit;" "An act establishing the county seat of Whiteside county," and "An act to provide for vacating town plats." The Senate, also have adopted joint resolutions, requesting county school commissioners to call annual county common school conventions, and the formation of county education societies; also requiring the Secretary of State to furnish to the Cincinnati Historical and Agricultural Society, a copy of the laws, journals and reports of the present session of the General Assembly; in the adoption of which, I am directed to ask the concurrence of the House of Representatives. On motion of Mr. D'Wolf, The rule was dispensed with, and a Senate bill for "An act changing the time of holding the Circuit Courts in the second judicial circuit, was taken from the orders, read, and Ordered to a second reading. On his further motion, The rule was again dispensed with, and the bill read the second time by the title, and Ordered to a third time. On his further motion, The rule was again dispensed with, and the bill read the third time by the title, and passed. Ordered, That the title be as aforesaid, and that the Clerk inform the Senate thereof. Mr. Morrision of Hancock, introduced a bill for "An act to change the name of the town of Macedonia to Webster;" which was read, and Ordered to a second reading. On motion of Mr. Morrison of Hancock, The rule was dispensed with, and the bill read the second time by the title, and Ordered to be engrossed for a third reading. On his further motion, The rule was again dispensed with, and the bill read the third time by the title, and passed. Ordered, That the title be as aforesaid, and that the Clerk ask the concurrence of the Senate in its passage. Mr. Gilmore introduced a bill for“An act to relocate and establish the county seat of Mercer county;" which was read, and Ordered to a second reading. On motion of Mr. Gilmore, The rule was dispensed with, and the bill read a second time by the title, and Referred to the committee on Counties. Mr. Linder introduced a bill for "An act to amend the law in relation to justices of the peace and constables;" which was read the first and seccond time by the title, and Referred to the committee on the Judiciary. Mr. Marshall introduced a bill for "An act to amend the law in relation to justices of the peace;" which was read the first time by the title, and Ordered to a second reading. On motion of Mr. Marshall, The rule was dispensed with, and the bill read a second time by the title, and Referred to the committee on the Judiciary. On motion of Mr. Barber, The rule was dispensed with, and leave given him to make a report from the select committee, to which was referred a bill for "An act to establish a ferry across the Illinois river, at LaSalle;" when he reported the same back with amendments, which were read and concurred in, and the bill, as amended, passed, Ordered, That the Clerk ask the concurrence of the Senate in its passage. Mr. Sherman introduced a bill for "An act to digest and settle the title to the wharfing privileges in Chicago, and for other purposes;" which was read the first and second times by the title, and Referred to the committee on Internal Improvements. Mr. Morris introduced a bill for "An act requiring moneys collected on fines and forfeitures of recognizances to be paid into the school fund of the county;" which was read the first time by the title, and Ordered to a second reading. On motion of Mr. Morris, The rule was dispensed with, and the bill read a second time by the title. On motion of Mr. Johnston, The bill was referred to the committee on Finance. Mr. Reynolds introduced a bill for "An act to incorporate the Illinois Insurance and Savings Institution;" which was read the first time by the title, and Ordered to a second reading. On motion of Mr. Reynolds, The rule was dispensed with, and the bill read a second time by the title, and Referred to the committee on Banks and Corporations. Mr. Dawson introduced a bill for "An act to regulate the fees of the Clerk of the supreme court, circuit court clerks, judges of probate and recorders;" which was read the first and second time by the title, On motion of Mr. Morris, Referred to the committee on the Judiciary. and Mr. Turner, introduced a bill for "An act to amend 'An act to establish and maintain common schools,' approved February 26, 1845;" which was read the first and second time by the title, and Referred to the committee on Education. Mr. Turner introduced a bill for "An act to regulate the interest on money; which was read the first time by the title, and Ordered to a second reading. Mr. Skinner introduced a bill for "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to incorporate the Lake Michigan Hydraulic company,' approved March 1, 1545;" which was read the first time by the title, and Ordered to a second reading. On motion of Mr. Skinner, The rule was dispensed with, and the bill read the second time by the title, and Referred to the committee on Banks and Corporations. Mr. Skinner introduced a bill for "An act to incorporate the Chicago Bethel Association;" which was read the first time by the title, and Ordered to a second reading. On motion of Mr. Skinner, The rule was dispensed with, and the bill read a second time by the title, and Keterred to the committee on Banks and Corporations. Mr. Skinner introduced a bill for "An act to change the terms of the Cook county court, and for other purposes;" which was read the first time by the title, and Ordered to a second reading. Mr. Everett introduced a bill for "An act relative to ware-housing and forwarding;" which was read the first time by the title, and Ordered to a second reading. On motion of Mr. Everett, The rule was dispensed with, and the bill read a second time by the title, and Referred to the committee on the Judiciary. On motion of Mr. Kinney, The rule was dispensed with, and leave given him to make a report from the select committee, to which was referred a bill for "An act to lay out and locate certain State roads therein named," when he reported the same back without amendments, and recommended its passage. On motion of Mr. Archer, The bill was referred to the committee on State Roads. Mr. Bailey of Fulton, introduced a bill for "An act to secure the rights of married women;" which was read the first time by the title, and Ordered to a second reading. On motion of Mr. Bailey of Fulton, The rule was dispensed with, and the bill read a second time by the title, and Referred to the committee on the Judiciary. Mr. McDowell introduced a bill for "An act amending a certain law therein named;" which was read the first and second times by the title, and Referred to the committee on the Judiciary. Mr. Little of Fulton, introduced a bill for "An act to amend 'An act entled an act to incorporate the Liverpool, Canton, and Knoxville Rail Road Company;" which was read the first and second times by the title, and Referred to the committee on the Judiciary. Mr. Little of Fulton, also introduced a bill for "An act to amend the seventh section of thirty-seventh chapter of the Revised Statutes of 1845;" which was read the first and second times by the title, and Referred to the committee on Elections. Mr. Eddy introduced a bill for "An act to authorize the Governor of this State to sell the salt wells and coal lands in the Saline Reserve in Gallatin county for the State indebtedness and for other purposes;" which was read the first and second times by the title, and Referred to a select committee. Ordered, That Messrs. Eddy, Smith, and Logan of Jackson, be said committee. On motion of Mr. Eddy, The rule was dispensed with, and leave given him to submit the following preamble and resolutions, which were read: WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is indebted in an amount beyond the means of the State to pay the semi-annual interest thereon, and has been thus unable since July, 1841, from which time hitherto the creditors of the State have not received one cent in the way of interest upon the evidences of debt held by them against the State: And whereas, Those evidences of indebtedness have greatly depreciated in value in the mar kets of the world, and are now mostly in the hands of brokers and speculators, as this legislature has good reason to believe, purchased by them at prices varying from fifteen cents to the dollar to forty to fifty cents to the dollar: And whereas This State, acting honestly and bona fide, has provided effectually, as it is thought, for the canal bonds and the Bank bonds, constituting half, or thereabouts, of our whole indebtedness, thus leaving the Internal Improvement bonds and the scrip issued to rail road contractors, on the suspension of the works on the rail roads, and the improvement of rivers, unprovided for: And whereas, The people of this State are already taxed nearly, or quite, to the maximum of their ability to pay and subsist their families; but being willing, nevertheless, to do all that honest men, under like circumstances, could be expected to do: Therefore, Resolved, That the committee on Finance, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of inviting, by law, the holders of the bonds of this State, sold for Internal Improvement purposes, (excluding the Bank and Canal bonds, which are already sufficiently provided for,) to cancel or fund the same, on the following terms, to wit: 1. The holders to surrender their bonds to the State, at a fixed maximum of value, or at their actual cost to them, with the addition of interest on such cost, and to receive new bonds of this State for the aggregate of such cost and interest, payable, with interest, whenever the bonds so surrendered would have become payable by the terms thereof; the State agreeing to levy and appropriate a sufficient tax to pay the annual interest on such new bonds punctually every six months. 2. That the State will pledge all its real estate, entered or purchased for the purposes of internal improvement, in addition to the tax hereby contemplated, for the faithful and punctual payment of the interest, and in the end, the principal of such new bonds. Also, to inquire into the expediency of providing, by law, for persons owing taxes upon real estate, to pay the same for any number of years in advance that they may please, at the maximum of taxation which may be fixed at the present session of the General Assembly, on the terms following, to wit: The State to receive such bonds and rail road scrip, from the tax payer, at an advance of twenty per cent. above the current value of them in the New York market, at the time when paid; Provided such premium shall not exceed the nominal value thereof. Also to inquire into the expediency of levying a poll tax, not exceeding fifty cents on every male citizen over twenty-one years of age, to supply any deficiency which the above measure may cause in the Treasury for ordinary State and county purposes. On motion of Mr. Eddy, The foregoing preamble and resolutions were referred to the committee of the whole House, and made the order of the day for Saturday next, at 10 o'clock, A. M. On motion of Mr. Hick, The rule was dispensed with, and leave given him to make a report from the committee on Banks and Corporations, to which was referred a bill for "An act to repeal the charter of the town of Vandalia;" when he reported the same back without amendment, and recommended its passage; the bill was Ordered to be engrossed for a third reading. Mr. Stickney introduced a bill for "An act to repeal so much of an act approved February 28, 1845, as vests in the Governor of this State the power of Bank commissioner in the Bank of Illinois at Shawneetown, and to appoint a commissioner with similar powers; and to provide for the security of the State interests now in the hands of the assignees of said bank;" which was read the first and second times by the title, and X |