Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1848-01-12

The suggestions of the Auditor General in
relation to this part of the state Indebtedness :
commend to yeur special attention: the whole
subject is carefully considered and ably discuss
ed in his report which will be laid before you.
have only to add, that in whatever meas
ures you may think proper to adopt, for the ac
complishment of The great object in vlew-tbe
payment of the annual interest and the; Ultimate
absorption of the principal Of the Whole public
debt, as speedily as the ability of the State viii
permlr-I shall most cheerfuIly cooperate.
The contingent debt OF the State, remains in
remains in much the same condition, in which
it was stated to be, by the last report of Audi
tor General and seems not to require legislative
action at present. Its liabilities consist Of the
bonds of the State to the amount of 100000
loaned to the Detroit and Pontiac Rail Road
Company similar loan, and of the same amount
to the University-and of the instalments of
the surplus revenue deposited by the United
States In the state treasury amounting to 1926,
l5l,49.
The report of the Commissioner of the State
Land Office, shows the total receipts onaccount
ut sales of all classes of pnblic lands, during
the past year to be Sll0,5S9,53, of which a
mount there was received on account of School
lands S63,634 10
University Lands 21,S90 l8
State Building Lands 1900 IA
Internaa Improvement Lands 2O.OS7 O6
Salt Springs Lands S6S ID
The whole number of acres Of school lands
sold down to the 3Oth November lS47 is nine
ty-foHr thousand nine hundred and thirty-seven,
OF which Eighteen Thousand nihe hundred and
ninety and 30-lO0 acres have been sold during
the last year. The school section, on which
the present seat of government is located, has
been laid out by the commissioners into town
lots, the appraised va e II which, exclusive of
the tract selected for the Site of the Capitol, is
$95,527. OF these town lots, sales have been
made during the year to the amount Of SlS,-
233.
OF the University lands, to which the state is
entitled, forty four Thousand four hundl ed aud
sixteen and 3l-l0O acres have been selected
of which nineteen thousand six hundred and six
and 80. 100 acres we're sold prior to the close of
the last fiscal year.
OF the half million acres Of Internal Improve
ment lands, appropriated ny Congress, four
hundred and four and 4I-I00 acres have been
selected. Of which there have been sold two
hundred ard siyty-three thousand and fiftv four
and 2l-l00 acres. The Legislature approprIa-
ted twenty seven thousand acres for the erec-
ton of bridge across the Grand River at Lv-
ons and the construction Of canal around the
Grand Rapids, npen the same river: two hun
dred and two Thousand four Hundred AMI fifty
and 20-lO0 acres remain unscid.
The balance of the grant is seven THOUSAND
four hundred and ninety-iive and 59-l00 acres,
most of which was, by the direction of my pre-
decessor. selected i'm the mineral region OF Lake
Superior, in pursuance of law.
To this selection, the Secretary of the Trea-
sury at Washington refuses to give his assent
or approval. of which this department has been
officially Notified by the Commissioner Of the
General Land Ofiice.
Whether such approval is made necessary
By the laws of the United States, to vest in the
State the title to the lands selectej-ana if So,
whether the discretion hes been exercised IN
this case c0nicrmably 90 those laws, are qne>-
tons requiring careful investigation. That the
action OF tiiat high frnctGaary has been in
strict accordance with his views of official du
ty, there is no reason to doubt; but as the sub
ject is on, in which important interests of the
state are involved, it Is submitted 10 the legis-
lature with view to the adoption Of such nIea-
sures as may seem expedient in the premises.
Under the src of Congress, giving its consent
to tie sale Of the Sd!t Spriae Lands, previ
ouSly selected by the State, portion Of those
lands, were, for the first time, brought into
market and offe ed at public sale. during the
part yCti1 putSucnl 10 1'iNo VI titt
.ating thcreto-seven hundred ard seventy-sev-
en- and 4S-l00 acres were thus sold at the mini
mum of 81 per acre.
The original selections of these lands a.
mounted to forty-fve thousand three hundred
and forty-eight and 55-i00 acres, twenty four 1
thousand two hundred and sixty four and 10
100 acres of which, it Is understood, have re- |
ceived tie approval of the Secretary of the !
Treasury; from the remaining selections the |
approval Of that officer Is Withheld.
Of the lands granted by Congress in aid of
the erection of public buildings for the State,
there remain unsod, twenty-seven thousand |
eight hundred and five and 5l-100 acres. Ger
tain lands were received in payment of debts |
Tue from the Michigan State Bank, and other !
icbts of the State, valued on appraisal, at $685.
1854. of which sales have been effected to the |
amount of S5,605,62, leaving balance unsold
Of So, 566,79.
The report of TIE Commissioner Appointed
Under the act providing for the removal of the
seat of government, to select and designate
ute in the township of Lansing, in this Connty,
IN which to erect the Capitol, and other State
herewith transmitted. Various pro-
positions were submitted by, and in behalf, of
individuals DESTROYS of having the location made
lpon their own lands. All lands, connected
With such propositions, were carefully explored
md examined, and each proposal maturely con-
dered by the Commissioners they finally
however, unanimously concurred in the opinion,
hat the interest of the State would be best sub
erved, by placing the public buildings upon s
he sixteenth section in the Townshi pmention-
d in the at referred to, and they accordingly Il
part of that section for such pur- {
,ase.
There is no subject. paramount in Importance,
o that of common school edacaton-none that
las higher claim to the fostering care of the
government. am not aware that further leg I
Station is necessary in relation to our common
chool system, unless it be deemed expedient T.,
'rovide for theestablishment of Normal schools, {
or the education and qualification of teachers.
,nch institutions, when properly con lucted,
ave been productive of great good, and no 1oub
S entertained but snch world he the result #
heir introduction into our state, ani being M c
o form part of our educational system. Bv y
joint resolution Of the Legislature approved I
1areh, 4, 1917, the Superintendent of Public
Instruction was required to compile much of
lis annual reports for the wears eighteen hun
red and fortv-five and eighteen hundred AMI {
as he should deem necessary for the