SEC. 35. ORDER OF BUSINESS. The first hour of each morning's sitting may be devoted to the reception and disposal of petitions, memorials, remonstrances, motions, resolutions, and the introduction of bills; after which the orders of the day, or other proper business, shall be announced, always commencing with the unfinished business of the last sitting. The first hour of the afternoon's sitting may be occupied in the receiving and disposing of reports of committees, and in completing the business of the morning hour; at the expiration of which the House will again take up the orders of the day. SEC. 36. REPORTS. Reports of committees may be signed by any member in behalf of the committee, and may be made to the House by any member of the committee in person, or by laying the same on the Speaker's table during the afternoon hour. The signer of such report shall be held responsible for the accuracy of its statements, and the propriety of its language, and when the same shall be under consideration, he shall be further liable to answer all proper calls of any member of the House for additional statements of facts. SEC. 37. All bills and other matters reported to the House by committees, requiring the action of the House, shall be taken up and considered in the same order in which they are reported, unless the House should otherwise direct. SEC. 38. All incidental questions of order, arising after a motion is made for the previous question, and pending such motion, shall be decided, whether on appeal, or otherwise, without debate. SEC. 39. After the second reading of all bills of a public character, the Clerk shall cause not less than three hundred copies of the same to be forthwith printed for the use of the members of the General Assembly. SEC. 40. All messages from the House of Representatives to the Senate, shall be transmitted by its Clerk, or one of his Assistants. SEC. 41. At eight and one-half o'clock on the morning of the first day of the session, and before the House shall be called to order, the Clerk shall place, in a box prepared for the purpose, ballots, designating by name the several towns in the State; and shall proceed to draw therefrom, impartially, one ballot at a time until all are drawn. And as each ballot is drawn the member from the town designated by such ballot shall personally, if present, or may by proxy if absent, select his seat. If any member from any town so drawn should not be present either personally or by proxy at the time of such drawing, the town next drawn shall have preference. And the report was adopted. The hour for the Joint Assembly having arrived, the Senate appeared in the Hall of the House. The Joint Assembly having concluded its session, the Speaker resumed the chair. Mr. Wells offered the following resolution: Resolved, That the Committee of Ways and Means be instructed to inquire what legislation is necessary to equalize taxation, and compel the various property holders of all property within the limits of this State to bear a just and equal proportion of all taxes legally assessed thereon, and report by bill or otherwise; Which was read and adopted. Bills of the following titles were severally introduced, read the first and second times, and referred, as follows: By Mr. Reed, H. 6. An act to incorporate the West Pawlet Cemetery Association; To the Committee on Corporations. By Mr. Fairman, H. 7. An act to incorporate Gillett's Cornet Band of Wolcott, Lamoille County; To the Committee on Corporations. The Speaker laid before the House a communication from his Excellency, the Governor, as follows: STATE OF VERMONT, EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, Montpelier, October 8th, 1874. Š To the Speaker of the House of Representatives : SIR: I have the honor to inform the House of Representatives that I have appointed William P. Dillingham, Secretary of Civil and Military Affairs, and that I propose to transmit the Biennial Executive Message at half past three o'clock this afternoon. ASAHEL PECK. A message from his Excellency, the Governor, by Mr. Dillingham, Secretary of Civil and Military Affairs, as follows: MR. SPEAKER: I am directed by the Governor to deliver to the House of Representatives, the Biennial Executive Message to the General Assembly. The Speaker laid before the House, the Message of his Excellency, the Governor, which was read by the Clerk, as follows: Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives: It is matter of congratulation that the period which has called us together to discharge the public trusts reposed in us under the Constitution, is marked by the general health and prosperity of the people; that the earth has yielded its abundance, and industry is generally reaping its accustomed reasonable reward. These, and the numerous blessings which we individually, and as a people, enjoy, should excite in us feelings of thankfulness and gratitude to the Giver of all good. . Your powers and duties are so comprehensive and varied, that it would be neither practicable nor useful to attempt, in the accustomed executive communication, to embrace all the subjects that may properly engage your attention, and require your action. It is gratifying to find the finances of the State in the healthy and satisfactory condition indicated by the Treasurer's report, to which you are referred for a more full and detailed statement than is necessary to be here repeated. It appears from the account of the Treasurer, commencing August 1, 1872, that at that date he credits the State by balance in treasury, August i, 1872, $178,179.14, and by sinking fund in treasury, $184,351.02; and also during the year commencing at the above date and ending July 31, 1873, credits the State numerous items, mostly from the ordinary sources of revenue, including $4,386.80 received from Hon. J. S. Morrill, U. S. Senator, and $7,836.74 received for interest on balances, amounting, exclusive of the two items first above mentioned, to $506,504.08, making credit for the year above mentioned, $869,034.24 Against this for the same period he chargesFor extra State pay of $7 per month, $5,404.84 "allotted United States pay, 1,165.72 For the year ending July 31, 1874, he credits the State by the last two items of charge in the account of the preceding year, that is Balance in treasury August 1, 1873, Sinking fund in treasury August 1, 1873, And also by other items in detail from the usual sources, including $6,328.98 received from Quartermaster General for military stores sold, amounting, exclusive of the first two items, to Making the credit to the State, $240,772.57 101,851.02 460,380.26 $803,003.85 For the year last named, ending July 31, 1874, the Treas urer debits the State For extra State pay of $7 per month, "allotted United States pay, "Auditor's orders, "court orders, "United States surplus fund paid towns, "interest paid on allotment acc'ts, $181.93 "interest paid towns on U. S. sur plus fund, 649.64 For interest paid on registered loan, 11,145.00 "interest paid on coupons, For discount on taxes, $2,764.22 608.90 216,722.94 66,099.60 167.91 15,495.00 $27,471.57 12,353.06 |