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State Legislature

State Legislature image
Parent Issue
Day
27
Month
January
Year
1845
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Gen. Williams, of Washtenaw, has introduced the fuHowing resolution iiito the House. w hich was referred to the Commirtee on the Judiciary. Resolved, That the following nmendment to section four, nrticle f'our of llie constitution of tlie slace, be proponed, to wit: strike out the word "annually," and insert the worde'bienniaily, or once in every two years," so that the section will read, the "representatives shall be cho en bienniaily, or once in every two years, on the rirst Tuesday of November, by the electors of the severa! counties or districts, in wln'ch the stote éhall be dividedibrthatpurpo.se." And that section twenty -one of the fourth arlicli; be amended 60 as to read as foífdws: "The Lepislature shall meet on the first Tuesday in January, bienniaily, or onoe in every two years, and at no other time, unless o'herwise directed by law, or provided for by this constitution." We are aware that biennial sessions have been favorobly regarded by a portion of our citizens; but we apprehend that the present resolution wiü 'ai). It is proposed that the Legislature shall meet every other year only, becnuse tliereby a considerable expense will be sa ved annually lo the State: becuuse it will grea'Jy check, if not preclude, excessive and unnecessary lcgislation; and because it will tend to prevent that frequent aheration of important general laws, which has become one of the greutest evils of our legi&latin. - The two last objects, it appears to lis, can be nttnined without biennial eeesions. We know of no necessity by which the present seesion of our legislature must be long, or its legislation be unnecesary, or excessive. The alleged saving of expense would be in two particulare: every other year there would be no charges incurred for iIir ses?ion of the Legislature, or for the eleclion of the members. - But to cotmterbalance thisit is to be considered that there is no surer method of sweuring a people against onjast or oppressive laws,than by making the elections of the legislators frequent. Very grriovous ennctments will not long exist contrary to the popular feeling, where the people can bring their votes tobear upon them once a year. Wc prefer annual eessions of the Legiflatnre, for a short term only, with little Iegislation, and reduced pay to the members, without franking privilegeSj without daily papers, wilhout pay for chaplains, or any sinnlar perquisites. Petitions for an altera tion of the license laws have been received ftom 103 citizens of Oakland, 92 of Lapeer, 86 of St. Joseph, 76 Oaklnnd, and sundry citizens of Washtenaw. Two petitions were received from citizens of Wayne County ngainst annexing slave territory to the U. Stafes. Also one petit ion of 76 citizens of Lena wee for the annexation of Texas, and the occu pation of Oregon. Several petitions forabolishing militia trainingvhave beer presented from different counties and referred. Mr. Cook presented a petition of certain red men, asking that the Jaw exemptiog Indi ans from taxation be repealed, and that they may be admitted to the rights and privileges of American citizens. Petitions from different counlies for expung ing the word "white" frorn tbe constitution were received and referred. A!so from 155mhabitants of Oakland coun ty for abolishing capital punisbment. Also one fromC. Joslin and others of Washtenaw County, for such an amendment of the con Btitutíon that persons betting on elections ma be'djsfranchised. In the Senate, Jan. L0, M Pratt gave notice of a bilí to prevent bettin and gfafflbljng onteIg;UonB,On the same day, on the bilí to incorpórate the Misïes Clark's Seminary at Ann Arbor, Mr. Masón moved an amendment, to the effect that where judgment was issued againnt the corporation, execution síjould be levieii on ie property of the corporation; if the proprty were insufficient, Uien on the property of' ie trustees; if the trustees had not sufficient, jen execution to be levied on the property of tockholdera. This was agreed to, provided thatno slockïolder should be holden for more than the ■ nnunt of hjs stock. ' In the House, Jan. 20, the Judiciary committee ïeported on joint resolution, proposing n amendment ïo the constitution so tliat binnial sessions instead of annual, shall be held ; ' ecommended its adoption, the com. bemg of ' sinion that the great expele of annual sesons do not produce any corre9ponding benït to the people. The House proceeded to the special order the day. being the preamble and joint resoution instructing our senators and representaves in Congress to use their exertions for ie unmediote annexation of Texas to thn Jnited States, and the question being on the mendment offered by Mr. Compton, to add, 'rovided,that tbe re-annexation shall not conravene the constitulion of the United Otates, nd shall not extend the inatitutioit of ' ery. Mr. Thompson opposed the amendment as nnecessary. Our Senators and Répresentaves had taken the oaih to supnort the con'■ i titution of the United States, and he believed hey would act under that responsibility. - On the qnesti"n of slavery, as afFected by this measure, there was a diversity of opinión.- ome contend that annexation will tend to ie extensión of slavory, whilst others contend lat it will do away with slavery. On the vhole he was opposed to the amendment and , joped it would not prevail. The queetion was taken and amendment ejected as follow9: Yeas--Messrs. Barbeau-, Bowman, Compon, Hazelton, Jones, Magoon, MacLeod, 'ease, Ranson, Ricliman, Stone, Vickery, Walker, Wood- 14. Nays - Messrs. Adams, Andrews, Arnold, Baiicroft, Blair,Cartter, Davis, Eastman, Fowler, Galloway, Groves, Harvie, Hays, Hill, Huniphrey, A. S. Johnson, D. Johnson, Mason, Menzie, Murray, Pucker, Pitcher, Pratt, Pullen, Roof, Rose, Schwartz, Shaw, Steevens, Taylor, Thompson, Williams, Wyman, Speaker - S3. Mr. Vickery offered an nmendment, to add: "Provided, that slavery or involuntary servitude shall be forever prohibited in the territory of Texas so annexed," which was lost by about the same vote. Mr. Hill ofleredthe following: Resolved, That in the opinión of the Senate and House of Representatives, a great majority of the people of this State prefer the re-annexation of Texas by having her territory divided into nonslaveholding States, but, wilS Mr. Clay, we consider the acquisition of such vast importance to these United States, that no temporary institution ought to stand in the way; therefore, we leave that question to be settled by the people who now or may hereafter occupy that territory. Lost. After several other amendments had been proposed and rejected, the original resolution was ordered toa third reading by the following vote. Yeas - Messrs. Andrews, Arnold, Bancroft, Blair, Cartter, Davis, Eastman, Fowler, Galloway, Groves, Harvie, Hays, Humphrey, A. S. Johnson, D. Johnson, Mason, Murray, Packer, Pease, Pitcher. Pullen, Roof, Rose, Schwarz, Shaw, Steevens, Taylor, Thompson, Williams, Wyman, Speaker - 31. Nays. - Messrs. Barbeau, Bowman, Compton, Cook, Hazelton, Jones, Magoou, MacLeod, Menzie, Pratt, Ransom, Richman, Stone, Vickery, Walker, Wood -16.

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Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News