amendments to the Constitution of the State, decided upon by the Constitutional Commission, and submitted to the Legislature by the Governor, Have made some progress therein, but not having gone through therewith, ask leave to sit again. Report accepted. On motion of Mr. Sutton, CHILDS J. WEBSTER CHILDS, Chairman. Leave was granted the committee to sit again. By unanimous consent, Mr. McGowan asked and obtained leave of absence for himself until Monday morning. Qn motion of Mr. Neasmith, The Senate took a recess until 2 o'clock this afternoon. AFTERNOON SESSION 2 o'clock P. M. The Senate met and was called to order by the President. Roll called a quorum present. On motion of Mr. Brewer, The Senate resumed business under the Mr. Childs in the chair. GENERAL ORDER. After some time spent therein, the committee rose, and through the chairman, made the following report: The committee of the whole have had under consideration the proposed amendments to the Constitution of the State, decided upon by the Constitutional Commission, and submitted to the Legislature by the Governor; Have directed their Chairman to report Article VI. of the same back to the Senate, with the recommendation that it be referred to the committee on the judiciary, with instructions to re-arrange the same so as to provide for an elective judiciary. The committee have made some progress in the consideration of the remaining articles, but not having gone through therewith, ask leave to sit again. J. WEBSTER CHILDS, Chairman. Report accepted. On motion of Mr. Sparks, the Senate concurred in the recommendation of the committee, and Article VI. was referred to the committee on the judiciary, with instructions to re-arrange the same so as to provide for an elective judici ary. On motion of Mr. Dewey, Leave was granted the committee to sit again for the further consideration of the remaining Articles. Mr. DeLand moved that two members be added to the committee on rail roads; Which motion prevailed. By unanimous consent, Mr. Beattie asked and obtained leave of absence for himself until Monday noon. By unanimous consent, Mr. Gray asked and obtained leave of absence for himself until Monday at 2 o'clock P. M. Mr. DeLand moved that when the Senate adjourn it stand adjourned until Monday next at 12 o'clock. On motion of Mr. Dewey, The Senate adjourned. Lansing, Saturday, March 7, 1874. The Senate was called to order by the President at 9 o'clock A. M. Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Sisson. Roll called a quorum present. Mr. Wells asked and obtained leave of absence for Mr. Curry until Monday noon. MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE. The President announced the following: To the President of the Senate: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SIR-I am instructed by the House to return to the Senate the following concurrent resolution: Resolved (The House of Representatives concurring), That the State Printer be and is hereby instructed to transmit to the publisher of each newspaper in this State, to each of the Judges of the Supreme, Circuit, and Probate Courts, State Officers, the members of the Constitutional Commission, and to the clerk of each of the several counties in this State, one copy each of the daily journal of the Senate and House of Representatives, during the present extra session of the Legislature; Provided, there shall be no extra charge for composition. Very respectfully, The message was laid on the table. On motion of Mr. Crosby, DANIEL L. CROSSMAN, GENERAL ORDER. The Senate went into committee of the whole on the general order, Mr. Childs in the chair. After some time spent therein, the committee rose, and, through the Chairman, made the following report: The committee of the whole have had under consideration the proposed amendments to the constitution of this State, decided upon by the Constitutional Commission, and submitted to the Legislature by the Governor, Have made some progress therein, but, not having gone through therewith, ask leave to sit again. Report accepted. On motion of Mr. Richardson, J. WEBSTER CHILDS, Chairman. Leave was granted the committee to sit again. On motion of Mr. Richardson, The Senate took a recess until 2 o'clock this afternoon. AFTERNOON SESSION. 2 o'clock P. M. The Senate met and was called to order, by the President. By unanimous consent, Mr. Wells asked and obtained leave of absence for Mr. Lewis until Monday noon. By unanimous consent, Mr. DeLand asked and obtained leave of absence for himself, after to-day, until Monday next, at 11 o'clock A. M. By unanimous consent, Mr. Dewey asked and obtained leave of absence for himself, after to-day, until Monday next, at 11 o'clock A. M. By unanimous consent, Mr. Richardson asked and obtained leave of absence for himself, after to-day, until Monday next, at 12 o'clock M. By unanimous consent, Mr. Goodell asked and obtained leave of absence for himself, after to-day, until Monday next, at 12 o'clock M. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES. By unanimous consent, the committee on printing made the following report: By the committee on printing: Your committee on printing, pursuant to the following resolution, passed by the Senate March 4, 1874, "Resolved, That the committee on printing be instructed to inquire and report the reasons for delay in publishing the annual reports of the several State officers for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1873," Respectfully report that they have made the inquiry required by said resolution, and find: 1st. That all the annual reports for which complete copy has been placed in the hands of the State Printer, excepting the returns of sheriffs, are printed; 2d. That the State Printers understand that the delay in receipt of copy between September 30th and January 1st, arose from a wish to print the reports under the new contract, which did not take effect until January 1, 1874; 3d. The Secretary of State claims that there is no unusual delay in the publication of the annual abstracts, the reports from the various counties never being received in less than two months after the close of the fiscal year; 4th. The reason for delay with the Auditor General's report, General Humphrey states is lack of time from other duties. 5th. The following reports have been printed and placed in the hands of the respective officers: Report of State Swamp Land Road Commissioners. Report of the Commissioner of the State Land Office. Report of the Auditor General. Report of the State Board of Agriculture. The committee believe that the delay in publishing these reports, except in two or three instances, is not longer than has been usual, although longer than contemplated by law. As the correspondence on this subject contains some additional information, it is appended to this report. All of which is respectfully submitted. HENRY S. CLUBB, Chairman of Committee on Printing. The following is the correspondence appended to the above report of the committee on printing: MESSRS. GEORGE & Co., State Printers : SENATE CHAMBER, 374 } Lansing, Mich., March 5, 1874. GENTLEMEN-Pursuant to the following resolution: Resolved, That the committee on printing be instructed to inquire and report the reasons for the delay in publishing the annual reports of the several State officers, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1873, I respectfully ask for the information required by said resolution. Very respectfully yours, HENRY S. CLUBB, Chairman of Committee on Printing.. Lansing, Mich., March 5, 1874. Hon. HENRY S. CLUBB, Chairman of Committee on Printing, Senate of Michigan: DEAR SIR: In response to your inquiry, under the Senate's resolution of yesterday, what reasons there are for "delay in publishing the annual reports: of the several State officers for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 1873," we would respectfully state that all the annual reports, for which the complete copy is now in our hands, are printed, excepting the Returns of Sheriffs, from the office of Secretary of State, This is a short report, and we expect to finish it next week. The delay in supplying us with copy between Sept. 30th and Jan. 1st we understand in some cases to have arisen from a wish to print the reports. in large pages, solid type, under the act of last session, which could not be done until the present contract we have with the State took effect on January 1, 1874. Very respectfully yours, Hon. D. STRIKER, Secretary of State: W. S. GEORGE & Co. SENATE CHAMBER, } DEAR SIR-Pursuant to resolution of yesterday, passed by the Senate, I inquired of the State Printers the reason of delay in the publication of the annual reports of State Officers for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1873. The State Printers reply that all the reports are printed for which complete copy is now in their hands, excepting the Returns of Sheriffs. I now desire such information as you possess as to the cause of the delay Report of the State Treasurer. Report of the Superintendent of St. Mary's Canal. Report of the Superintendent of the Reform School. Report of the Superintendents of the Poor. Report of the State Building Commissioners. Report of the Commissioner of Railroads. 6th. The following reports are in hand at the State Printing Office, but not completed: Report on Vital Statistics. Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. referred to. If the delay be occasioned by the non-receipt of copy from any of the State Officers, please state which officers are dilatory in this respect, that no injustice may be done to those who are prompt. I have the honor to remain very respectfully yours, HENRY S. CLUBB, Chairman of the Committee on Printing. STATE DEPARTMENT OF MICHIGAN, SECRETARY'S OFFICE, Hon. HENRY S. CLUBB, Chairman Senate Committee on Printing : DEAR SIR: In reply to your communication of this date, asking for such information as I possess touching the cause of delay in the publication of the reports of the State officers, for the fiscal year 1873, and a statement as to which officers, if any, are dilatory in respect to furnishing copy for their reports, I have the honor to state that so far as the annual abstracts and reports which are required to be published by this department are concerned, I am not aware that there is any unusual delay in their publication. I am dependent on reports from the several county clerks, boards of superintendents of the poor, and sheriffs of the State, for the information which I am required to compile and report, and I have thus far found it impossible to obtain reports from all of the counties in less time than two months after the close of the fiscal year. But little therefore can be done in the way of compilation before the first of December. Since that time in 1873, I have prepared and published my abstract of the reports of the superintendents of the poor; prepared the copy for my abstracts of the Sheriffs' reports, and placed it in the hands of the printer of the laws of the State, on the 25th ultimo; and have so nearly completed the copy for my abstract of information relative to the insane, deaf, dumb, and blind persons living in the several townships of the State, that I expect to place it in the hands of the printer on the 10th instant. A copy of the abstract of the reports of the superintendents of the poor was mailed to each member of the Legislature at the time of its publication, and I anticipate being able to lay the last two named before the Legislature during its present session. The publication of the report of births, marriages, and deaths, although nominally under my "general direction," I do not consider myself responsible for, since the passage of the law approved April 12th, 1873, making the Secretary of the State Board of Health "Superintendent of Vital Statistics." I have no information as to the causes of any delay for which other State officers may be responsible. |