Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1848-02-02
LETTER FROM THE CAPITAL. :.

Mr.. Editor:-
i No<n,easures of great iinpor-
lance hayeyet passed the Legislature. Much
business, as spsual at the early part of the SEES
sion, has been intredisced and appropriately re-
ferred. The seyeralccsnitiees viii soon have
matured and presented the necessary bills for
the actiono of the two Houses. The bill for
EchangIng thename of the Capital has not be-
come law. The House, by a.v0te.of 56 to 8,
insists ppou Lansing, the Senate, are equally
determined on calling it Okeema. The result
| think, will be to leave the name " Michigan. ..
The contested Election from Chippewa, at,
ter having occupied the attention of the House
for five days, is decided in favor of Mr.. Dodge.
against his contestant Mr. Harvie, by verv
decisive vote. The Report of the select Com
mittee on the subject, and the debates of mem
bers in the House. were of some Interest,".
Among those who thought that neither of the
applicants was entitled to a seat, was Mr.. FL.
Stone of Monroe. Mr. Stone is methodicaI.
clear, and concise speaker. He took the ground
that certain errors, OF negIects of duty. on the
part of the Board of Inspectors, vitiated the F.
lection, rendering it null and void, SO that nei-
Their applicant was entitled TO a seat.
Mr. Lawrence of avashtenaw fofIoweEin re-
ply. lie vas very happy in his remarks, touch
ing what he conceived to be the ncorrectness
OF AIR Stones positions. He dwelt forciblv
upon the Improperly and injustice Of suffering
tbs wall aud purpose of the voters, in the exer-
else OF The elective franchise, to be defeated biz
reason Of some error orimproDer conduct on the
part of the Inspectors. When q legal vote is
legally in the ballot-box, it should be counted
for the candidate tor whom it was deposited:'
no matter what the Beard may do or saw
Mr. Lawrence advocated the right of Mr.. D.
TO seat His Speech throughout was inter
esting. and listened TO with marked attention.
Mr. Ltiejohn, aise, sl.o6o at length and with
his accustomed ability. lie was in favor Of
Mr. Harvie's claim TO seat. This gentleman
| is ready and fluent debater, on any subject
that comes before the Hoase ard is always
listened TO with attention. His remarks went
! to sustain the Report of the select COMMITTEES,
of which he was Chairman. This Report you
| have seen.
Judge Kingsley, Of Washtenaw, followed
Mr. Littleiobn, in a speech, sui geaeris in
which he dwelt principally upon the Constitu-
tional question involved in the matter: That
is, what State Officers are, as such, excluded
from seats in the Legislature. He seemed to
pay very little respect or regard to The Consti-
tuition, or its trainers. Il was, in his opinion,
very difficult to tell what was intended by some
of the provisions Of the Constitution And it
seemed to him matter of no great Importance
any how. We could settle the matter to suit
ourselves and it would be all right. 1t would
make no great difference. as be could see, wheth
er we had any Constitution or not. He guess
ed we could get along well enough without
Constitution. His speech was heard with much
glee and ,nerrirnent.
After the Bill had passed, another Bill was
brought in TO pay Ar. Barvie his mileage and
per diem allowance, while contesting his seat.
There was considerable opposition to paying
Dir. Earvie. The frequent contests from that
County Tor seats in the Legislature, in which
both applicants always get mileage &C., have
induced some jealousy in the minds of members,
against keeping up the precedent. Besides.
there were some things that led to the opinion
tha! Mr. Harvie did not intend to return to Chip
pewa, and that possibly he did not, at the time
fhis election, inteId to stay there Under these
circumstances, Mr.. Lawrence. of Washtenaw.
moved that the Bill be re-committed to the COM
mittee, with instructions to enquire into the re-
sidence of Mr. Harvie. 1t was voted down. &
after debate the Bill passed--Ayes 81: Noes 26
The Senate Bill to refund the military psll-tax
! is before the House. There is much debate as
TO how the money shall be disposed of. Some
want il returned; some want it to go for the sup
port of Township Libraries, and some to aid
the Agricutui al Interests. Mr.. Spencer, at an
early day of the session, gave nolice that he
should ask leave to introduce Bill to repeal the
law imposing a military poll-tax.
The business Of Legislation, and the inter
course of members, all passes along, SO far as
have discovered, tremendously. There was
little fare op in the Free Press, about Ger
tain Resolution, and debate, thrown in the
House, calling for information touching the dis
bnrsement Of the ten thousand dollars raised
last year for volunteers &c. Ihaye, however,
perceived nothing at the Capitol to warrant it,
The Resolutions passed unanimously, and the
Gov. reported upon it the neat day. You will
sec, by the Journals, that the sum of FIVE thou
sand dollars has been appropriated this session,
for expenses in raising volunteers.
SPECTATOR.
Slavery Ira the Hsiss rFct-Tfse House,