The bill was referred to the committee of the whole, and placed on the general order. By the committee on engrossment and enrollment: The committee on engrossment and enrollment report, as correctly enrolled, signed, and presented to the Governor, the following: Senate bill No. 63 (file No. 22), entitled A bill to amend section 12 of an act entitled "An act to incorporate the village of Three Rivers," approved February 13, 1855, as amended by act number 338 of the session laws of 1879, approved April 3, 1879; also to amend section 14 of said act, entitled "An act to incorporate the village of Three Rivers," approved February 13, 1855, as amended by act number 390 of the session laws of 1867, approved March 22, 1867; also to amend section 30 of act number 205 of the session laws of 1873, approved February 28, 1873; also to add 28 new sections to an act, entitled "An act to incorporate the village of Three Rivers," approved February 13, 1855, to stand as sections 39 to 66 inclusive; Also, Senate bill No. 101 (file No. 106), entitled A bill to repeal act No. 58 of the session laws of 1853, approved February 12, 1853, being compiler's sections 4956, 4957, 4958 and 4959, of the compiled laws of 1871, relative to completing the judicial organization of the State; Also, Senate bill No. 66 (file No. 81), entitled A bill to confirm the title to certain real estate in the city of Lansing, in the Central Methodist Episcopal church of said city of Lansing, and to authorize the trustees of said church to sell and convey the same; Also, Senate bill No. 120 (file No. 82), entitled A bill making appropriations for buildings, repairs, and other improvements at the State house of correction and reformatory, at Ionia. Report accepted. W. E. AMBLER, Chairman. By the committee on State capitol and public buildings: The committee on State capitol and public buildings, to whom was referred the petition of Prudence Cook and other taxpayers, as follows: To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives: We, as taxpayers, pray your honorable body to enact a law prohibiting the sale of tobacco in our beautiful capitol. We do not wish to deprive our law-makers of the luxury and benefit, if they so consider it, of the smoke or extract of the pretty plant, when growing, but vile when dried. The danger of such a calamity is not imminent, as it can be procured at not less than one hundred places in the city of Lansing. Therefore we consider it an outrage on the taxpayers to appropriate any portion of our capitol, costing us nearly two millions of dollars, to the sale of tobacco. We believe "consistency is a jewel," and if you will not prohibit the sale of tobacco, why not convert the State house into one grand salesroom and allow every known commodity to be retailed, including the sale of that "poisonous fluid" that the people of Michigan, 70,000 strong, are pleading to have manufactured for sacramental, medicinal, and mechanical purposes only. In behalf of many taxpayers. Respectfully report that they have had the same under consideration, and are exceedingly happy to report the accomplishment of the desired object, instead of a flaming resolution setting forth their condemnation of the filthy habit and the high resolve of each individual member of the committee to swear off and be forgiven. Your committee hovered around the gentleman who had charge of this branch of legislative business (by request of many members), and brought their pathetic eloquence to bear upon his susceptible nature,-pointed out to him the everlasting ruin of which he was the unwitting promoter and abettor; painted in glowing colors the enormity of his action, and the fearful retribution that was liable to burst upon him at any time with the power and rapidity of an earthquake. To the momentum thus acquired we added our united moral persuasion, and at last the genial gentleman, who had been the humble cause of offense to the petitioners (while contributing to the comfort and satisfying the desire of those members of the legislature who inhale the smoke and extract the juices of the weed that is "pretty when growing, but vile when dried "), graciously informed us that the bright rays of the god of day and the moonbeams on the waters should no longer be polluted with the aroma of tobacco sold by him. Acting under the noble inspiration of which your committee was the humble originator, the said gentleman has removed his tobacco case from "our beautiful capitol," and with smiling and serene countenance meets the frowns and sneers of persons inquiring for cigars; with erect front and tight-drawn underlip announces the reformatory measure he has taken, and, if they insist, politely refers them to the "not less than one hundred places in the city of Lansing where they can be accommodated." We fully indorse the sentiment of the petition that "consistency is a jewel," and would gladly accept this opportunity to belabor our fellow-Senators upon the error of their ways, and exhort them to heed lest they fall, as the subject is immense and our capacity to dress it up and dress it down almost unlimited; but our great respect for the honor and dignity of grave and reverend Senators and the personal privileges that they possess checks our impulses and prevents chastisement. This, however, does not deny the right of individual petition to be addressed to each member who takes and partakes, and your committee suggest to the petitioners that the field is large and the harvest ripe. That the cause is gaining ground is manifest by the thousands of cigar stubs that lie in windrows on either side of the main walk, where they have been thrown by the smokers ere they entered the portals of "our beautiful capitol." Your committee therefore recommend that the petition be filed in the archives of the State, together with the report of your committee, in order that the vigilance of the taxpaying petitioners and the great victory of your committee may be properly perpetuated. JOHN GREUSEL, W. E. AMBLER, J. S. TOOKER, Committee. Report accepted and committee discharged. On motion of Mr. Ambler, The report was adopted. Mr. Edsell asked and obtained leave of absence for himself until Tuesday evening. Mr. Ford asked and obtained leave of absence for himself until Monday evening. Mr. Stanton asked and obtained leave of absence for himself for next week. MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR. The President announced the following: To the President of the Senate : EXECUTIVE OFFICE, } The Governor directs me to return to the Senate A bill to amend an act entitled "An act to incorporate the city of Owosso," approved February 15th, 1859, and acts amendatory thereof, As requested by resolution of the Senate of this day. On motion of Mr. Kilpatrick, The bill was laid on the table. E. G. DONALDSON, MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS. Private Secretary. Mr. Dickerman moved that when the Senate adjourn to-day it be until Monday evening next at 8:30 o'clock; Which motion prevailed. Mr. Ambler asked and obtained leave of absence for himself until Tuesday evening next. On motion of Mr. Patterson, The Senate adjourned. Lansing, Monday, April 18, 1881. The Senate was called to order by the President at 8:30 o'clock P. M. Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Badger. Roll called: a quorum present. Absent without leave-Senators Gibson, Russel, and Swift. Mr. Caplis asked and obtained leave of absence for Mr. Gibson until to-mor row noon. Mr. Kilpatrick asked and obtained leave of absence for Mr. Russell for the evening. Mr. Chandler asked and obtained leave of absence for Mr. Swift until Thursday morning. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES. By the committee on the judiciary: The committee on the judiciary, to whom was referred Senate bill No. 301, entitled A bill to amend sections 33, 51, and 54, of chapter 196, of the compiled laws of 1871, being compiler's sections 6298, 6316, and 6319, relating to partition, Respectfully report that they have had the same under consideration, and have directed me to report the same back to the Senate without amendment, and recommend that it do pass, and ask to be discharged from the further consideration of the subject. JOHN C. PATTERSON, Acting Chairman. Report accepted and committee discharged. The bill was ordered printed, referred to the committee of the whole, and placed on the general order. By the committee on the judiciary: The committee on the judiciary, to whom was referred Senate bill No. 300, entitled A bill to amend sections 4 and 5 of an act entitled "An act authorizing the formation of partnership associations, in which the capital subscribed shall alone be responsible for the debts of the association except under certain circumstances," approved May 22, 1877; Respectfully report that they have had the same under consideration, and have directed me to report the same back to the Senate, without amendment, and recommend that it do pass, and ask to be discharged from the further consideration of the subject. JOHN C. PATTERSON, Acting Chairman. Report accepted and committee discharged. The bill was ordered printed, referred to the committee of the whole, and placed on the general order. MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE. The President announced the following: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, To the President of the Senate: SIR,-I am instructed by the House to return to the Senate the following bill: Senate bill No. 220 (file No. 100), entitled A bill to amend the charter of the village of St. Louis; And to inform the Senate that the House has adopted the accompanying substitute therefor, entitled A bill to amend the charter of the village of St. Louis, In the passage of which as thus amended the House has concurred by a majority vote of all the members elect, and has ordered the same to take immediate effect by a vote of two-thirds of all the members elect. Very respectfully, DANIEL L. CROSSMAN, Clerk of the House of Representatives. Mr. Caplis moved that the Senate concur in the substitute adopted by the House; Which motion prevailed, by yeas and nays, as follows: Lansing, Tuesday, April 19, 1881. The Senate was called to order by the President at 10 o'clock A. M. Prayer by Representative LaDu. Roll called a quorum present. PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS. By Mr. Brown: Petition of A. Bennett, J. Kingman, and 139 other voters, of Gratiot county, for the submission of a prohibitory amendment in 1882; By Mr. Farr: Petition of 50 voters of Ottawa county, same object; By the same: Petition of E. D. Potter and 216 other voters, of Berlin, Ionia county, same object; By Mr. Dow: Petition of 35 voters of Southfield, Oakland county, same object; By Mr. Morrison: Petition of 19 voters of Detroit, same object; By the same: Petition of A. Collar and 50 others, of Nankin, Wayne county, same object; By the same: Petition of 24 voters of Detroit, same object; The petitions above named were referred to the committees on constitutional amendments and liquor traffic jointly. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES. By of the committee on canals and river and harbor improvements: The committee on canals and river and harbor improvements, to whom was referred House bill No. 30 (file No. 71), entitled A bill to amend section 15 of chapter 85, being section 2730 of the compiled laws of 1871, relative to the improvement of rivers for the purposes of navigation, Respectfully report that they have had the same under consideration, and have directed me to report the same back to the Senate, with amendments thereto, recommending that the amendments be concurred in, and that the bill when so amended do pass, and ask to be discharged from the further consideration of the subject. Report accepted and committee discharged. On motion of Mr. Greusel, JOHN GREUSEL, Chairman. The Senate concurred in the amendments made to the bill by the committee. |