REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS, ON RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE GOVERNOR TO COLLECT STATE ARMS, &c., AND ON REPORT OF THE QUARTER MASTER GENERAL. To the Senate: [REFERRED TO ON PAGE 114 OF THE JOURNAL.] The Committee on Military Affairs to whom were referred the Report of the Quarter Master General, and a joint resolution requesting the Governor forthwith to cause the property and funds pertaining to the Military Department to be collected, repaired and placed in the public Arsenal, or some other place of security, have had the same under consideration, and beg leave to submit the following Report: It appears to your Committee, from an examination of the existing Militia Laws of the State, that ample provision is already made for the performance of the service which the Resolution proposes to assign to the Governor. By Sections 104, 251, 252 and 253 of the law passed Nov. 12, 1842, it is made the special duty of the Quarter Master General to provide for the collecting, cleaning, repairing and safe keeping of the military property of the State, and your Committee are not apprised that any complaint has been made that this duty has been, in any respect, improperly neglected. The Report of that officer, referred to your Committee, discloses the reasons why he has not felt himself called upon to cause the public property, in the possession of the numerous companies of the Enrolled Militia disbanded by the operation of the law passed at the last session of the Legislature, to be collected. Those reasons, being principally, the want of a Public Arsenal in which this property could be placed for safe keeping, and the expense which would be likely to result from this service, appear to your Committee to justify the course which the Quarter Master General has thought proper to pursue. The want of a State Arsenal for the preservation and secure keeping of the large amount of military property which is owned by the State, and which is annually increasing, is becoming a serious evil. That the Legislature will ultimately perceive the necessity of appropriating an amount sufficient for the construction of such an edifice for which purpose it is probable that from $3,000 to $5,000 would be requiredyour Committee do not doubt. The present value of the military pro perty of the State is not less than one hundred thousand dollars, and it is a description of property which requires careful attention to preserve it from rapid depreciation. Your Committee, however, do not propose to recommend any appropriation at the present session of the Legislature, though they deem the subject of such importance as to deserve serious consideration. That some steps should be at once taken, nevertheless, to furnish facilities for the storage and safe keeping of the military property of the State, cannot be questioned. Believing that the existing laws on the subject are amply sufficient to secure the proper management of this property, and that no public interest requires that any portion of the prescribed duties of the Quarter Master General should be assigned to the Governor, your Committee are of the opinion that the Resolution referred to them ought not to pass; and they recommend the adoption of the following: Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives, That the Governor be requested to apply to the Secretary of War, for such an extension of the privilege granted to this State for storing munitions of war in the U. S. Arsenal at Vergennes, as will be sufficient to meet the existing wants of this State in that respect. Resolved, That if such application should be successful, the Quarter Master General be directed to cause all the military property of the State, not lawfully distributed and held by the Militia, to be collected and placed in said Arsenal for repairs and safe keeping. THOMAS T. BARRETT, for Committee. REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE LICENSE LAW. [REFERRED TO ON PAGE 123 OF THE JOURNAL.] To the Hon. Senate now in session : Your committee appointed on the resolution relative to the operation of the License Law of 1844, and to whom was referred the bill entitled "An act to repeal all laws regulating the sale of spirituous liquors, wine, ale or beer, beg leave to report, that they have had said resolu tion under consideration, and have made inquiries under said resolution, so far as their limited time would permit. They find that in several of the counties in this State, Commissioners have been elected who were in favor of licensing to a limited extent, while in others Commissioners have been elected who have refused to grant any license other than for medicinal, chemical and mechanical purposes. In some of the latter counties there has been an acquiescence under the law, while in others there has been a strong opposition to the law, and its provisions have been rendered wholly inoperative. From what your Committee have been able to learn, they are not of opinion that it would be expedient to repeal the law of the last session relating to licenses, but your Committee are of opinion that a right of supervision ought to be vested in the Commissioners, and that they should be empowered to annul any license by them granted, whenever the public good shall require it. They therefore report the accompanying bill and recommend its passage. Your Committee have also had the bill entitled" An act to repeal all laws regulating the sale of spirituous liquors, wine, ale or beer, under consideration, and are of opinion that the same ought not to pass. All which is respectfully submitted. ORAMEL H. SMITH, for Committee. REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON RECORDING REVOLUTIONARY PAPERS. [REFERRED TO ON PAGE 126 OF THE JOURNAL.] The Select Committee to whom was referred the resolution of inquiry as to the amount expended within the last four years for recording revolutionary pay-rolls and similar documents, and by what authority the same was paid out, &c., have had the subject referred under consideration, and submit the following report: They find by resolution and other Legislative enactments, the Auditor has drawn orders on the Treasurer to pay Henry Stevens, Esq. the following sums: November 11, 1842, F. F. Merrill claims, and should be allowed, Making in all, $860,97 318,99 871,85 $2,051 75 90,00 720,00 39,00 $849,00 200,00 45,26 $3,146,01 Your Committee find some pay-rolls that have not been recorded with other papers which are not, in view of your Committee, of much importance to record. It appeared further to your Committee that there are documents relating to the early history of this State that would be desirable to have. Some of these documents are in the departments at Washington, New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, and some in the hands of individuals. Also copies of correspondence with the Governor of Canada before the War of the Revolution and during the same. Your Committee were also informed by Mr. Henry Stevens, that copies of said correspondence and other papers in relation to the early history of Vermont, can be procured from Her Majesty's State Papers in London, for a reasonable compensation. There was not such information before your Committee as would, in their opinion, justify any considerable amount of expenditure for the above purpose, or for recording and arranging papers now in the hands of the Secretary of State, but would recommend that his Excellency the Governor of this State be authorized to expend a sum not exceeding one hundred dollars, in procuring such documents as he may deem of importance. All which is respectfully submitted. GEORGE T. HODGES, for Committee. Montpelier, Nov. 5, 1845. |