1850. No. 19. [ No. 19. ] REPORT of the Committee on the State Library. The committee on the state library ask leave respectfully to report to the House an accompanying bill, providing for the better and more efficient management and preservation of the same. Under the strict attention and care of the present Assistant Librarian, the library has been kept with a creditable neatness, but with slightly different provisions of law, the committee believe that still more useful results can be accomplished. The library at present is but nominally under his control and supervision. It is believed that if he is made directly responsibible for its charge and preservation, the necessity would not arise as it has done in days past, of having important series of works of reference, pertaining to legislation and the business coming before committees of the legislature, rendered comparatively useless by the loss of a single volume. Previous to the supervision of the present Assistant Librarian, many of the best works of reference and of general reading have been lost; reference to which is constantly sought for, and the inconvenience of such deficiency very sensibly felt by committees, members, and officers of State. These deficiencies should be supplied; and although, in the past liberal appropriations for books have been made, the library is very deficient in relation to that class of works which would best secure the beneficial objects intended in its establishment. The provisions of law now regulating the State Library were passed by the legislature of 1848, and authorized the Secretary of State to appoint an Assistant Librarian, for whose acts he is made responsible, and whose appointment he may revoke at pleasure. The Assistant is placed under the control and direction of the Secretary, and it is made his duty to perform such other labor in the office of the Secretary as he may from time to time require. The act of March 25, 1836, puts the library under the control and charge of the Secretary of State. By this latter act, the first act passed, which was by the legislative council in 1828, was repealed. Under the original law a Librarian was appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the legislative council, and he was required to give bond for the faithful discharge of his duties. The principle embraced in this law is believed to be the most efficient in securing a proper attention to the duties of librarian and securing the preservation of the property under his charge. The committee beg leave, therefore, to suggest the propriety of electing the Librarian by joint vote of the legislature, and that he be made directly responsible for the faithful performance of his duties, believing that in this way, and by a small appropriation for the purchase of books annually, the library may not only be gradually increased and made valuable, but better preserved from loss, and made what it was doubtless intended to be, a valuable auxiliary to legislation, and a more efficient aid to all departments of the State governJULIUS MOVIUS, Chairman. ment. 1850. No. 20. [No. 20.] REPORT of the Committee on Banks and Incorporations, relative to the St. Joseph's Railroad Company. The committee on banks and incorporations, to whom was referred a bill to incorporate the St. Josephs Railroad Company, now ask leave most respectfully to report it back to the House, and recommend its passage, and for the following reasons: It appears to your committee, from a full examination of the facts in relation to past legislation touching the rights and interests of the people of the village of St. Josephs, that she has received great injustice at the hands of the Legislature of this State, from the fact that at an early day, and at the time the Michigan Central Railroad was chartered by the Legislature to a company, said company were bound by said charter to commence constructing said road in the city of Detroit and progress westward within a given time, and terminate at the village of St. Josephs; and further, that the State of Michigan did afterwards purchase said Central Railroad of said company, assuming all the rights and privileges of said company, and pledging to said company and to the people the faith of the State that that the terms of the original charter should be carried out to the fullest extent on the part of the State. This the people of the village of St. Josephs relied implicitly upon, and were justified in so relying; and in consequence of these pledges, so fully and explicitly given, and the prospect of the speedy completion of the road to their place, did, for the purpose of making such improvements as would be called for by the largely increased business that would flow in upon them in consequence of the completion and terminus of said road at their village, assess and collect a large amount of taxes to defray the expenses of building bridges, wharves, opening streets, |