Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1844-04-10
For the Ypsilanti Sentinel.
Our Legislature has at length, after an
almost fruitless session of ten ,ceeks
adjourned.
WHAT HAS THE LEGISLA-
TURE DONE

WHAT HAS The LEGiSLA-
TURE DONE?
Is heofi repeated inquiry of those who
feel that they have an interest in the gen.
eral veal of the affairs of State. and the
actings and doings Of their agents. The
answer, in the opinion of those who have
traced the extraordinary course of that
body to whose guardian care the fate Of
matters for the time being have been COM
mi,ted, may be given with propriety, in
tine laconic reply of very little, except 10
make bill of expense of some thirty
five thousand dollars to be paid out of the
hard earnings ofthe taxpayers Of this
Safe. And were the question varied, so
as to ask wha, that body has done that
the interest Of the state required it to do,
| candidly believe nothing, would be
full answer. Perhaps in no session of
.s.~ LrSistururu vi uIrUn'gan. sruvo tHv
organization Of our state government has
less of real business been done than this.
There is not, in fact, single act the
fruits Of this session, in the shape and
form that il has passed and been vet pub.
Iished Of general utility, or that will be
likely to remain long. upon our statute
books.
The act for the punishment of seduc.
ton IN its design is well no doubt. But
what enlightened man can peruse that
bill but with feelings of disgust with the
illogical vague and unintelligible manner
in which it is framed, to say nothing of
the low and vulgar language in which it
is clothed.
This however, is the principal bill the
pride and boast of this noble session.
The bill making appropriation upon
the Central Rail Road were i, not upon
principal even worse than thatsof rObbing
Peter to pay Paul, would be beyond all
doubt in accordance with the best inter.
est of the People as well as the finances
Of the State. But it may, in my opinion,
be well asked, how can the Legislature
after all the net proceeds of our works
of Internal Improvements have been ap-
propriated up to July AS, and even more
than in any rational view Of the subject.
can be anticIpated-make an appropria-
lion Of SIS, 900 out of the net proceeds of
the Central Rail Road for the continual
lion of that road. This bill is inconsis.
tent with and in contravention of the acts
of the last session above referred to, and
must operate upon the common law rules
as repeal of those acts so far as those
two acts are inconsistent with this
Now this would no doubt be well e.
nough if it had been done without any
infringement upon vested rights that have
accrued under these acts. This how
ever is not the case. Rights have &C.
crued and became the subject oflegal re.
gard by means of the appropriation made
by those acts, aud there is no way for
the state to extricate herself from these
obligations except through the base and
Infamous position that she is sovereign
state and therefore possesses within her.
selfthe power Of reputation. Bnt this
objection is sought to be removed by an
other act which provides in substance
that the proceeds Of the Road shall not
be so appropriated unless those who have