While its exercise secures us the enjoyment of all the privileges and immunities of freemen, its abuse would be equally fatal to our liberty. Its corruption would subject the virtuous and intel'igent majority to the usurpation and tyranny of a vicious and ignorant majority. Thus, this institution, instead of protecting and supporting the government, would become the means of its overthrow. It would, therefore, seem that any provision which may be necessary for its preservation should be promptly and unhesitatingly adopted.

By an act of Congress entitled "An act to distribute the proceeds of the sales of the public lands, and to grant pre-emption rights," approved Sept. 4th, 1841, the quantity of 210,135.85-100 acres of land was granted to the State of Illinois. An act was passed on the 19th of March, 1842, authorizing the Governors of the States of Illinois, Arkansas, and Missouri, to select the lands granted to those States respectively.

In conformity with the provisions of this act I appointed agents, and caused the before mentioned quantity of land to be selected and located, with the registers of the land offices, in the different districts in which the selections were made. In selecting this land, the agents were directed to visit and examine every separate tract, and to select none but the first quality. By the accompanying reports you will perceive that they discharged the trust confided to them with great care and fidelity. The land is represented to be of the finest quality, and advantageously located, and will, I have no doubt, prove highly valuable to the State. Although this land was granted by the law which provides for the distribution of the land revenue among the States, to which measure I have felt constrain. ec in another part of this communication to express my decided objections, yet those objections are not applicable to a grant of land. Congress cannot distribute the proceeds of the sales of the public lands to the States, yet it might with the utmost propriety donate portions of those lands to the States in which they are situated. The proceeds of these lands applied to the opening of communications and the construction of improvements, which would encourage the growth and advancement of the new States, would greatly enhance the value, and facilitate the sale of the government lands within their limits.

This enlightened and liberal policy was long since adopted and extensive donations made to several of the States. The present grant, therefore, to Illinois, and others mentioned in the law, was merely regarded as an act of justice which was necessary in order to place them upon an equality with those which had previously received similar grants.

Having thus in an imperfect manner presented a few of the most prominent subjects which demand your consideration, such other matters as may solicit your attention I must leave your own wisdom to suggest. I sincerely regret that it has been my duty to exhibit so dark and gloomy a view of our present condition. It is truly unfortunate, that the errors of past legislation, should have impeded the progress and almost destroyed the prosperity of the State. But the experience we have had, and the lessons of economy it has taught, will enable us in time to repair the injuries that have been inflicted. And I confidently hope that the energies of the people, aided and encouraged by wiser councils, will rapidly develope the resources of the State and soon place her upon that eminence which she is

at some future period destined to attain. I should do injustice to my feelings were I to close this, my last official communication, without expressing the profoundest sense of my gratitude to my fellow citizens for the kindness and partiality they evinced in elevating me to the station from which I am about to retire, and congratulating them upon their choice of a successor, whose experience, integrity and talents so eminently qualify him for discharging the responsibilities he is about to assume.

In conclusion, I would invoke upon your labors the blessings of Him whose province it is to rule the destiny of nations. May He endow you with understanding and wisdom, that will enlighten and guide your deliberations, that your acts may prove salutary to the public good. THOMAS CARLIN.

SPRINGFIELD, Dec. 7, 1842.

Mr. Nunnally moved that the message be laid on the table, and 5000 copies thereof be printed for the use of the Senate.

Mr. Smith moved that 3000 copies be printed; and

Mr. Killpatrick moved 1000.

The question was then taken upon the motion to lay the message on the table, and to print 5000 copies of the same.

Mr. Baker called for the yeas and nays.

The question was then decided in the affirmative, as follows:

Those who voted in the affirmative, are

Messrs. Barnett, Cavarly, Crain, Dougherty, Feaman, Harris, Hoard, James, Leviston, Markley, Matteson, McMurtry, Minard, Nunnally, Par rish, Pearson, Ralston, Slocumb, Warren, Willbanks, and Wynne-21. Those who voted in the negative, are

Messrs. Baker, Buford, Catlin, Cullom, Davis, Evans, Fithian, Gillham, Harrison of Sangamon, Johnson, Killpatrick, Parker, Ruggles, Ryan, Smith, Stapp, Thompson, Vandeventer, Waters, and Worthington-20. On motion of Mr. Ralston.

The Senate adjourned to 2 o'clock, P. M.

TWO O'CLOCK, P. M.

Senate met pursuant to adjournment.

A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Ewing, their Clerk:

Mr. Speaker: I am directed to inform the Senate, that the House of Representatives have concurred with them in the passage of their resolution, having for its object the appointment of a joint select committee to wait on the Governor and Lieutenant Governor elect, and inform them of their respective elections, and have appointed, on their part, Messrs. Cloud, Hicks and Gregg.

On motion of Mr. Warren.

The vote taken on this morning, by which the Senate refused to permit the Springfield Independent Order of Odd Fellows to occupy the Senate Chamber, at a time named in their petition then presented, was re-considered; when

Mr. Ralston offered the following resolution to supercede said petition:

the Odd

Resolved, That the use of the Senate Chamber be tendered to Fellows of Springfield, on Tuesday next, from the hours of 12, M., till 2, P. M., for the purpose of holding a celebration; which was adopted. On motion of Mr. Davis,

The following preamble and resolution were adopted:

Whereas, An inauguration party is proposed to be holden at the State House on to-morrow evening, in order that the citizens of Springfield and visitors to said city, may meet the Governor elect and interchange the civilities customary upon such occasions; therefore,

Resolved by the Senate, the House concurring herein, That the possession of the Senate Chamber and Hall of the House of Representatives, be tendered to said party on the occasion referred to, on Thursday evening next, after the hour of 5 o'clock, P. M.

Ordered, That they be sent to the House of Representatives for concur

rence.

Mr. Speaker laid before, the Senate the following communication, viz: SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, Dec. 7, 1842.

To the Hon. the SPEAKER

of the Senate:

SIR: Such documents as have heretofore been printed for the use of both Houses, having been printed in octavo or book form, has occasioned an extraordinary expense of postage to those to whom they have been sent, and has also been attended with greater expense to the State, in printing, stitching, paper, &c, I would, therefore, respectfully suggest that such documents be hereafter printed in folio or quarto form, where they are designed for such temporary use, and that to all of them there shall be appended a caption, in compliance with the regulations of the Post Office Department, governing the rates of postage on periodical publications.

I have the honor to be,
Sir, very respectfully,

Your most ob't. serv't.

WILLIAM WALTERS,

Public Printer.

On motion of Mr. Vandeventer,

The foregoing communication was laid on the table.

On motion of Mr. Hoard,

Resolved, That all public documents ordered by the Senate to be printed for distribution, shall be published in quarto form, of a size similar to that of the Governor's message, recently laid before the Senate.

On motion of Mr. Ralston,

Resolved, That hereafter the standing hour of adjournment shall be to ten o'clock, A. M., until otherwise ordered by the Senate.

A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Ewing, their Clerk:

Mr. Speaker: I am directed by the House of Representatives to inform the Senate that they have adopted the following resolutions, viz:

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring herein, That the Secretary of State be directed to deliver to any member of the General Assembly, any book or work which he may desire, from the Li

brary of the State, on his application therefor; and that the Secretary keep a book in which the name of the member, and the book or work taken, shall be entered.

Resolved, That any member so taking a book or work from the Library shall be held responsible for the same, and in case the same shall be lost, the value or cost thereof shall be deducted from the pay of the member; and no book or work shall be retained for a longer period than one week, except the journals of the Legislature, and statutes of the State. In which they ask the concurrence of the Senate.

Mr. Cavarly, from the joint select committee appointed to wait on Thomas Ford, Governor elect of the State of Illinois, and John Moore, Lieutenant Governor elect of said State, and inform them, respectively, of their elections, and to learn from them at what hour it would be convenient for them to meet the two Houses, in the Hall of the House of Representatives, to be installed into office, made the following report, to-wit: That they have performed that duty, and have received for answer, that they will meet the two Houses, in the Hall of the House of Representatives, on Thursday next, at 2 o'clock, P. M.

On motion of Mr. Stapp,

The above report was laid on the table.

A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Ewing, their Clerk:

Mr. Speaker: I am directed by the House of Representatives to inform the Senate, that the House of Representatives refuse to concur with the Senate in the passage of their preamble and resolution, proposing to give the use of the Senate Chamber and Representatives' Hall for au inaugur ation party on the evening of Thursday next.

Mr. Stapp offered the following preamble and resolution:

Whereas, It appears by the message of the Governor, this day read in the hearing of the Senate, that the State of Illinois is indebted to the State Bank of Illinois in the sum of $294,000, for advances made upon warrants issued by the Auditor of Public Accounts, in discharge of debts due from the State of Illinois, for ordinary and other expenses: And whereas, By the proclamation of the Governor, Auditor, and Treasurer, issued about the first September last, the collectors of the several counties in this State were inhibited from receiving the paper of the State Bank of Illinois and branches for taxes due the State for the year 1842: And whereas, Said proclamation, being made to take effect after the 12th day of September last, and about ten days after the appointment of collectors in the several counties of this State, thereby enabling and encouraging a portion of the people to pay their taxes in depreciated State paper, to the manifest inju ry of another portion, who will be compelled, under the proclamation, to pay in specie: And whereas, No possible danger of loss to the State then existed, nor now exists, because the State was, at the date of the proclamation, and now, indebted to the State Bank of Illinois in double the amount of the whole revenue due the State for the year 1842; therefore,

Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring herein, That the effect and operation of the said proclamation cease and be of no effect or force from the date of the passage of this resolution.

Mr. Pearson moved a call of the Senate, which was proceeded in for some time; when,

On motion of Mr. Vandeventer,

It was dispensed with.

Mr. Ralston made a motion to amend the foregoing resolution, offered by Mr. Stapp, by striking it out and inserting the following:

Whereas, The State Bank of Illinois has wholly failed to purchase from the State, State bonds, according to the conditions of the act approved on the 27th day of February, 1841, entitled, "An act concerning the State Bank of Illinois:" And whereas, The said bank has also failed to declare and pay to the State a dividend, according to a further condition of said act: And whereas, also, The said bank has failed to resume specie payment according to a further condition of said act; therefore,

Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring herein, That said bank, by her repeated violations of law, is no longer entitled to public confidence, and that her charter is wholly forfeited..

On motion of Mr. Henry,

Said preamble and resolution, offered by Mr. Stapp, and the amendment, offered by Mr. Ralston, were laid upon the table.

On motion of Mr. Parker,

Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring herein, That a committee of two on the part of the Senate, and three on the part of the House of Representatives, be appointed to examine the laws in relation to the fees of the several officers of this State, and to report whether any retrenchment of such fees can be practicably made; and if so, in what particular, and to what extent.

The Chair appointed Messrs. Parker and Vandeventer to be said committee on the part of the Senate.

Ordered, That said resolution be sent to the House of Representatives for concurrence.

A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Ewing, their Clerk:

Mr. Speaker: I am directed by the House of Representatives to inform the Senate, that they have adopted the following preamble and resolutions, to-wit:

Whereas, The conduct of General Andrew Jackson, in the defence of New Orleans in the campaign of 1814-15, has, on various occasions, received the approbation of the American people: And whereas, Congress on the 15th day of February, 1815, by a vote of thanks, and by directing a gold medal to be struck and presented to him, as an evidence of their estimation of his patriotism, bravery, and good conduct, sanctioned and applauded his course in the said campaign: And whereas, The fine imposed upon him by Judge Hall, for an alleged contempt of the authority of said judge, is not only an unjust imputation upon the character of General Jackson, but a reflection of the justice and gratitude of the nation; therefore,

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring herein, That our Senators in Congress be instructed, and our Representatives earnestly requested, to use their exertions to procure the passage of a law, directing that the fine of one thousand dollars imposed by Dominick A. Hall, then District Judge of the United States for the district of Louisiana,