State Legislature

ItfTHE Sf.natk Jan. 8. -The Sennte reso'ved itself into a coinmitíee of ihe who'e. Mr. Green in ihe chair, on ilie bill ïo próvido for ihe pay ment of members and offices of the Legislature. [While o committee, t'ie blanks n the bil) were so filled as to illow the presiding nfiïcers of each branch 6 per doy - Uio members and officers of ench branch L3, und tho firemen tl 5d per day ] The comm.ttce hoving roportod the bilí back. the question waa pon conctirrinir in the nmrndment, fiUttig'tho blank in the bil! 'or the pa y ment of members at $; per day and ihe quesiion heing taken on tiiree dollars per duy, was cunicd, veas 1L nays 6, as fullows: Yi:vs - Scua'tors Chipmnn, Danforth, Fonlou, Green, IIi wel), Ki!)lico, LiUÍejohn, Mnynard, Ilobiuson, Smiüi, 'J'liurber, and VVilliams - 12. Nays - Senator AJlrn, Bush, Dentón, Hale, Rix, and Videto- C. The quosiion then beinrr on fillinrr ihe blank lor Ihe pay of the Lt. Governnr and Speaker of thp House wilh G ptr dny, il was opposed by Air. Dentón, nlio deniod the con&liiutional power of the Lcgislature to give the latler officer doublé, or any olher pay greatcr llian !hatof nny other mernber. Air. Ilowell replied: He ihought the Senator vou!d have done as uell to have made his attucks upon the pay of nicmtiers, instead of silently recording his vote against it, and reserving his remarks to the pay of the presiding officere. He (Mr. II.) thoughtas the cry of reform had beon raibed, the swarm of useless township oificere sbould be cut off. Each township has three school directors; ullowing that each only charges $5 per annum, one can perform nll the duty and thus $10 can bc soved to each township, and in the state of bptwfen S and 4000 per annum. Mr. H ehovved the saving in other township oíficois which might be cíTecíed and ihe costs whicli might be saved by a niodificaiion ofthe Judiciory'systern. Mr. H. then proceeded to reply lo the conotitutiorial objection of Mr. Dentón, differing entirely m his riews of the constitution from the lotter senator. Mr. Dentón replied. Wheri the time for oction came lic would bé foünd in favor of all kinds of practical retrenchment. Mr. D. theo replied to the argnments of Mr. H. on the right of the Legislature to g:ve membera doublé pay. The question was then taken on agreeing to fill the blank with $6 an'd carried, yeaa 12 nays 6. Mr. Bush oifered an, amendmont to the seconl seclión.providingthat the President pro tempore 6hould only receve the pay of a bresiding ofl:cer in the absence of the Lt. Governor.The question involved in tho amendment was debated by Messrs, Bush, Howell and Green, and the quostiun bèing taken woi dcided in the negíitive, yens 4 naya lfl. Ykas - Senator?, Bush, Dentón Hale, and Smith - i. Navs - Senators Allen, Chipman; Panforlh, Fcnton, Green, Howell, Kibbeé, Maynnrd, Rix, Robinson, Tluirber, Williams and1 Videto- 13. Mr. Allen moved lo recor.sider the vote by which the bl;ink for the payment of membera was filled at )f:l per day. Mr. Allen brisfly advoented llienmendment He thought ihe pay of nll iho officers should be reduced, in consequence of the present reiluccd price of lubor and produce. Mr. Smith biic-ñy ' explairurd fhe vote he was obout to give. He had voted ugainst allowing the President, pro tem. jï.6 per Uy, becaiiftí he feit convinced, under a fair cow- ptruction, lliat seuntor could alo receive .d additional, tlms m.iking $9 per day. In tho state of Vermont, where lic formerly lived, the prnctice wos not to select a meniber oflhO l.i ture for tlioir talento, but for tho weallh he possessed - becausc he was able to stand the shot. This was consequent upon the eystem of pavinr members oí' the legislature less for their services tlmn was sufiïcieHt to support thetnselves and fumilies. To pre- vent a similar state oi'things in this state, hor had voted ag.iinst rpducinnf the pay of momberp, becaupo he believed Í3 per day not more ifiari sufiicient ecuiicmirully to support a member here nnd his fainily at Imni0, Mr. I .it ttcjohn roplicd lo .Mr. Allen, and in1 oppositinn to ihe reconsideration. Tnat eenntor had prpssed this nvitter incêT firet hr come into the Senate, and he having,with all his jndiistry fdled, was aufficient to convince him (Mr. L.) that the plicy of re ducing the pay o. membörs was not just 'm i'aelfor popular with the peoplé, or ölso, why lias it not passpcd, or why have not the peop'p sent up their petitions in its favor. Whetï that senator places the iutëllectua) labrtr' af the Sonate and the preparation necessary te fit him for that stntion, in the scale with the' man who labor?, of hinj who doea a day' work, and to pay them alike, he strikes (snid Mr. L..) a subterramn cliord of democrcyr which enn fnid no response in my bosom. The quDtiol) was taken on the recontideration and lost - Yeas 5 Nays 12, as follo.wp :Yeax - Senators Allen, Dush, Dentón, Halo, Rix- 5'. J"iys - Senators Chipman, Fenton, Green, Ilowell, Kibbee, Ljulejóhp, Muynard, Ribinson, Nmi:b, Tlmrber, Willinms Vidoto - 12 The bill was then to bo engroused for n ihird rea duig. In ihe House Jnn. 3, petitions were presented from 1 13 citizens of' Monroe Co. and from others in St. Jo.eph Couniy for extensión of the electiva franchise to colored persons, The House resolved that H. C. Walter was duly elected a mamber of the House. In the Serrote, Jan. 10, Mr. Dentón presenieri pundry ptitions from citizens of Wath-' tènnw, nnd olfier countie6, thnt negroes may have certain rio hts gnaninteed to them by law; referred to JncHciary cotnn ittee, Mr. Littlejohn ofTered tho following reolution which was &opted: Resolved, That the committeo on Incorporal ions be instructeá to inquire info and report upon nny nlfpcrpd violutions of tls charncter by the O.ikland Coynty Bnk. Mr. Dentón offered the following resolution which wos adopted : Resolved, Tlint the comrnittee on lncorporntions be inslncted to inquire into tho propriety of ennciin; laws on the followinfj subjeets, nnd thnt the comrnittee bc required to report by bil i or otherwise; viz: Whether o)l bank bilis ofsinall denomina tions should not be baniehed from circulation in the Htnie of Michigan? Whe'-her all collcctini,'' nnd disbursing officers fur township, connty and state purposes should not be prohibiled from receiving1 of payinr? out nnything os money except whtt in made a lepnl tender by 'ihe constitution and laws of ihe United Stntes? What banlia in Michigan havo violated ibeir'cliorterï VVhat banks in Michigan are Hable to havt their'chnrters repcaled by the legislature? Whal banks in Michigan are üable to have their cliartera nmended by the legislatura, nnd if nny, '.vhether such should not be rq-iired to give security for iheir bil! in circulotion? Mr. flowell oftbred the followiiig resolution whicli was odopled: Resolved, Tlut it bo referred to the Jodiciary comtnittee to enquire and report wht township, connty, :and state officera 'can b abolished without detriment to the public interest, and what salaries can with propriety be reduced. Mr. Allen moved to reconsider the yole respecting the Oakland County Bank, for tbe purpose of sending for persons and papera.- Lost. In the House. Mr. Rice presented a ptition from 34 cilizens of Leaawee county for the abolition of Capital Pnnishmcnt. After a debate on committing th question of selling the Rail Roads to a committeeof scven, the Senate bill for payinjj the members three dollars a day came up, and was passed, yena 31, nays 21. In the House, a debate aróse on a joint resolution instructing the members