also returned for amendments; in the 7th and 12th lines of the 6th section. The acts of Congress prohibit to the council any right to interfere with the primary disposed of soil. It may be recommended, but not ordered-add as a last section, Be it further enacted, That the times, places, and mode and manner of holding militia elections, as directed by the act of 1829, be and the same is repealed. JOHN H. EATON. The House took under reconsideration a bill entitled, an act to incorporate the St. Joseph insurance company," and refused to amend said bill in conformity with the suggestions of the governor: messrs. Downing and Duval were appointed a select committee to announce to the governor this determination of the House. mr. Downing from said committee, reported that, the committee had performed the duty assigned, and that they were authorized by the governor to say, that he withdrew his objections to said bill, and approved it. The yeas and nays being taken on a bill entitled, "an act to incorporate the bank of St. Joseph," in opposition to the objections of the governor; were Yeas mr. President, messrs. Berthelot, Blount, Brown of Columbia, Burritt, Dennis, Downing, Duval, Hunter, Kenan, Macon, M'Cants, M'Neil, Morton, Ramsey, Tabor, Walker and Wood-18. Nays messrs. Brown of Jackson, Higginbotham, Johnson and Smith-4, And said bill is passed by the majority required by law. The yeas and nays were taken on passing certain resolutions charging payments on the Tallahassee Fund, in opposition to the objections of the governor; and were Yeas mr. President, messrs. Berthelot, Blount, Brown of Jackson, Burritt, Downing, Duval, Morton, Ramsey, Smith, l'abor and Wood-12. Nays messrs. Dennis, Higginbotham, Hunter, Johnson, Kenan, Macon M'Cants M'Neil and Walker-9. Said resolutions not being passed by the required majority of two thirds of the members of this House, are lost. The House refused to reconsider the bill "more effectually to provide for the defence of the territory, &c." whereupon messrs. Burritt and Smith were appointed a committee to make that announcement to the governor: mr. Burritt from said committee reported that they had performed the duty assigned them, & were authorized by the governor to say, that he withdrew his objections to said bill and approved the same. mr. Berthelot from the committee on Enrolments reported as correctly Enroled: A resolution requesting an appropriation of $20,000, for the making a road from Holmes' Valley [post office] to a byou at the head of Chactawhatchee bay, also A resolution concerning the tax on sales at auction, of lands or produce of this county. mr. Blount offered the following resolution: Resolved, That Charles Austin, be authorized to take care of the capitol and the public square during the present year, and that he be allowed the sum of $200, and that the commissioner of the Tallahassee Fund, pay the same quarterly to the said Austin. And the rule being waived, said resolution was read and adopted. mr. Blount having taken the President's seat, mr. Downing offered the following resolution: Resolved, unanimously, That the thanks of this House, be and they are hereby tendered to the Honourable Richard Fitzpatrick, for the able, dignified and impartial manner in which he has presided over their deliberations, during the present session. Which was read and unimiously adopted. 127 mr. President again resumed his seat and made appropriate acknowledgments to the House. mr. Downing offered the following resolution : Resolved, That the thanks of this House, be and they are hereby tendered to Joseph B, Lancaster, Secretary of this House, for the ability and fidelity, with which he has discharged the duties of secretary, during the four last sessions. Which was unanimously adopted. mr. M'Cants offered the following_resolution: Resolved, That the thanks of this House, be and they are hereby tendered to John G. Gunn, for the fidelity & ability with which he has performed the duties of Enroling and Engrossing Clerk, during the five last sessions of the council. Which was put on its passage and unanimously adopted. ATTEST JOSEPH B. LANCASTER, CLERK OF THE COUNCIL. APPENDIX. Report of the Commmittee on Finance by Mr. BLOUNT: The commi'tee on Finance to whom was referred the annual reports of he auditor and reasurer, also the report of the commissioner of the city of Talabasse, a dhe message of the executive of the 4th instant wih he accompanying re, ort of the auditor, showing the present si uation of the Tallahassee Fund--REPORI': That they have had the same under consideration and have examined the accounts of the audito ad treasurer, and find that they are all properly sustained by vouchers, and that the fisical concerns of the terr tory so far as those offc rs are conc.rned, have been conduc ed with fidel ty. y reference to the account current of the reasurer, i will appear that the disbursem nis on account of the territory for the fiscal year ending on the 30th November last, amounted to $9.05 28, and the receip s into the treasury for the same period amount do $9,312 01, leaving a balance of $5 724, in the treasury on that day. The committee from an examination of the reports, perceive that but few of the tax collectors have settled their accounts for the last year, and that there is s il a large amount remaining in their hands. From some of the counties there has been no return of the assessors. This want of punctuality on the part of that class of officers cails loudly for correction. The citizens of the territory pay their taxes and the amount is frequently retained in the hands of the collectors for their own private purposes, and there it has been pern itted to remain, witho t any at empt on the part of those whose duty it is to see that the laws are properly executed, o make them account. The commitee reiterate but the opinions of former committees of the council, when they say, that the system of territorial taxation ought never to have b en resorted to. Situated as the people of this territory were at that time, there was no necessity for its adoption-With all the expenses of the execn ive, legislative and judicial departmen's of the government, paid by the United States it would seem that a small coun y tax for county purposes, would have been all that was required. The system was no doubt adopted by our predecessors with a view to promote the general welfare, and although the ends for which it was established, have not been attained, and the most iniqu tous practices have been pursu ed under it, yet as the public faith has been plighted by this nd previous councils for the payment of money, i would be impolitic and unjust to abolish it at the present time, notwithstanding it has been earnes ly called for from different parts of the territory. The committee have endeavoured to remedy the d. fec s in the mode of assessment and collection, and also to reduce the taxes for the present year, by the Lil reported herewi h. In regard to the Tallahassee Fund. the committee cannot agree with the executive. that the labours which have been b sowed by the auditor on the books of the commissioner of Tallahassee have “brought out of great confusion a valuable fund to the teritory, and which, until now, has been considered scarcely worthy to be looked after" Every thing that app ars in he report of the audifor accompanying the xe u ive message of the 4th instant, has long sincecen nown. The comm.it ee is satisfed that the balance reported by the auditor in avour of the fund is erely nominal, that it is où of the qn sun at any such sum as $17.9 59 will ever be r alized-and hat he position assumed by the executive in rela ion to he lien exi ti g upon the lots that were sold for less than the a mount agreed to be paid by the first purchasers, is no tenable n law or equity--The facts in el ion to the sale of thos los, as collected by the commitee, are, tha the lots were sold by the commissioner of the city of Tallaha see, payable in three i stalments, hat to secure the payment of the purchase money, the pu chasers were required to execute deeds in trust upon the lots. The instalments became due and were not paid--under an ac of the une la the Ionds were placed in the hands of a former district a torney of te Uni ed States for Midd e Florida, with directions to collect them without delay. The district attorney, as the no es were within the jurisdie in of a justice of the peace, placed them in the hands of a magis rat who is ned the necessary process either by summn or at ac ment, en ered judgment in favour of the commissioner, i sued executi ns, had the lots levied upon and sold for the purpose of sa istying he claim for the original pur hase money. The commissioner was present at the time of sa e, representing the erri ory, and dis netly saed that he lo s wer su for he purpose of sa is y ng he original purchase money and that the teri ory would not el im any fur ber lien. I he presen holders came forward and bid what was considered the value of the lots at the time, which was not sufficient in most cases to discharge the amount due, but the highest price the proper y won d.bring at that period Now, when these lo s having advanced in en equence of the ar preciation of all kinds of property, produc d by the general prosperi y of the coun ry, it is suddenly di covered the present owners of the lots, sold as aforesaid, are able for the Ea ance dre and unpaid by the first prchasers!! notwithstanding too, they paid at the time of their purchase, the high st price that cou'd be obtained for that species of pro er y!! he committee are of opinion that the purchasers obia ned a legal tile o the los at the time of sale Lut if by any teachnicality they should not hav acquired a legal title, the committee subnii whether it would be consonant with those principles of equity & justi e, which a governm nt shou d manifest towards its citizes, to held them liabi⚫ for iens upon their property which were declared by the representa ive of the territory, at the time of sale did not exist? The commit ee de m it unnecessary to enter into any furthef examination of the fund, it is too apparent that the munificence or the general government in making the dona ion of land for the purpose of erec ing pub ie buildings, in the city of alahassee has been defeated, and it only remains for the council to endeavour to preserve the small portion of land now unsold, so that, at some future period, it may contribute to erect suitab e public bui'dings at the seat of govern ent. The committee have examined the books and accounts of he present e minissi ner, and found them to be corect, and all the cliarg s sus ained by a proper voucher; by reference to the account current of the commissioner, there appears to have been a balance in his hands on the 4 h instant, of $1370 33. The commi tee recommend that the duties of the com missioner of the city of Tallahassee be performed by the treasur er, as the fund is inadequate to allow a salary. The paper marked A together with the accompanying documents No. 1. 2, 3, and 4, comprises the annual report and exhibits of the auditor for the year 185, that marked By with the exhibit |