Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-02-17
PLEBIAN.
Correspond ence of the Sentinel.
Detroit. Feb. Is.


PLEBIAN.
Correspond ence of the Sentinel
Detroit, Feb. Is.
EDITOR OF THE SENTINEL THE House on
Saturday passed their bill to locate the Capitol
in the woods somewhere in the Northwest part
of Ingham Co. All the State officers and their
clerks, are in no small perturbation at the pros
quitoes. The place is, as yet, entirely without
accommodations, and accessible by no tolerable
roads. What good reason exists for going to
camp down in such place is not easy to con-
ceive. James Seymour binds himself in bond
of ten thousand dollars, to build Stats House
by the first of January. What if he don't do it /!
The Capitol is permanently located that is
if the Senate concur.
Numerous petitions are coming in for single
Representative Districts. 1t is thought that
bill for this purpose will pass the House by
large majority, but will not get through the SEN
ate. Constitutional scruples stand in the way
there. There are Resolutions before both hou-
ses for amending the Constitution so that both
by single districts. Isee nothing in the way
of these amendments, as they arc evidently de-
manded by a large majority of the people
Nothing at least, has been heard as yet, of any
Constitutional scruples against amending the
Constitution in this respect; for when the peo-
pie can be truly represented in the Legisla-
ture, and every member made directly response
bic to his immediate constituents, the caucus
machinery will no longer work well, and the
trading politicians will find their occupation is
gone.
The Senate to day adopted resolution to ad-
journ on the first of March. Early in the ses-
sion, when the pay bill was under consideration,
some leading members of the majority express
ed the opinion that the session need not last
over 80 days. The old story was told over again
that the people DO not care for the reduction of
pay, if we will make short session-that will
be the same in point Of economy as reducing
the pay. But unhappily, high Pay and short
sessions don't agree together.
In the House to day the Committee on State
Affair reported adversely on an amendment of
the Constitution for reducing the pay of MEM
beos, and for biennial sessions. They argue
that the pay of the Legislature is but small
item in the aggregate amount of taxes paid by
the people. Well, the whole half million is
made up of small items. If the argument is
good for anything, it is good against any & all
retrenchment. If the salary of our Governor
was $4,000 that would be small item com
pared with the total amount of our taxes.
| Mr.. n. w. Taylor hoped the report would
not be accepted. 1t was contrary to the wish
es and interests o. the people. The people were
in favor of biennial sessions. Many thought a
session in three OIL four years would be better
than annual sessions. We have been cursed
with much bad legislation and with perpetual
changes of the laws, so that the beople often
have great difficulty to know what is the law to
which they are responsible. This session has
already cost the State fifteen thousand dollars
what has been done that is worth fifteen cents
This House has passed one just act, but that lies
on the table, or under the table, of the Senate:
yet there never was session in which the op-
position raised fewer obstacles to the regular
course of business. Mr.. Chubb hoped that the
Report would not be accepted. 1t treats with
contempt the judgment of the people on the SUBJ
ject of retrenching Legislative expenses. MIR.
Edmunds saw no objection to taking the subject
out of the hands of the Committee. He did
not agree with the Committee that the reduc-
ton of the Legislative expenses was matter Of
little consequence-it would give us shorter ses-
sions, less legislation, more stable laws, & open
the way to salutary retrenchments in other pla-
ces. He approved that part of the report which
calls attention to the extravagant expenses o.
townships and Counties. The Report was &C,
cepted.
The Homestead exemption bill coming upor
its final passage, on motion of Mr. ]. d. Pierce
it was re-committed to the Committee on state
Affairs with instructions to make certain amend
ments. VOX POPULI.
A Mr. Starke White, of Fulton, S. Car
olina, murdered his wife and two children, tn,
other day, while under the influence of detirun
tremens.