Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-02-19
Columbus Correspondence.

CoLuMBUs Feb. Is, 1852
Mr.. REED:--A large number of bills pend
ing before the Legislature, have been disposed
of since my last letter to you; but these were
principally of a local or. unimportaut character
The House was engaged on Wednesday last
considering bill TO allow John w. Allen to
sue the State, to establish the validity of a con.
tract with Gov Ford in 1850, 10 procuring Ca
nal and School lands, which the General Gov.
ernment had granted in former years. Many
attempts had been made to establish the claim
OF the State to such lands, but all had failed
The Legislature passed resolution empowering
the Governor TO enter into such an agreement
as he deemed expedient for the recovery of
these lands, provided that no money should be
drawn from the treasury for that purpose. Gov
Ford made an agreement with this petitioner to
give him one,fourth Of all the lands he might
recover from the General Government, After
years of toll and research and the expenditure
OF large sums of money Mr. Allen was success
full in establishing the claim of the State to
10000 acres Of land, which the State has since
sold and placed the avails in the Treasury
Just before this claim Of the State was conclu-
ded, the Legislature repudiated the contract of
Gov Ford on plea Of fraud, and to this day
Mr. Allen has never received farthing for his
years of labor, This bill simply allows him as
a citizen of the State to go into our Courts, and
test the validity Of his contract with Gov Ford
which II it b. sustained will entitle him to the
recovery of the value of one-fourlh of the lands
he obtained for the State ',s. I.#|E ~
On Thursday the House was engaged consid.
ering proposition to submit an amendment to
the Constitution, 50 as to prevent the granting
OF licenses for the sale Of intoxicating liquors
by adjournment the subject went upon the
table before any vote was taken.
The Senate discussed the House bill to repeal
the ten per cent law, and then postponed ,he
subject for some future day, to allow Mr. Slade
of Ouyahoga, to make an argument against re-
peal. We have the assurance that there is a
clear majority in the Senate, for the repeal OF
this law.
On Friday Mr. Parsons introduced resolu-
luton instructng the Finance Committee to re,
port bill providing for the redemption of the
notes Of the Canal Bank Of Cleveland and Seneca
County Bank, which was laid on the table.
Mr.. Demings bill 20 amend sections % and "a
OF the School law, so as to authorize sub-dis
tric's to levy a tax for School purposes, was re-
ported back to the House, and indefinitely post
poned.
The Committee to investigate the Treasury
delaleations, are yet engaged in their duties aud
their report is daily looked for.
Committees having in charge the appropra-
tions will soon report by bin.
Yesterday the House passed Mr.. Paines re-
solution relative To the redemption of the notes
Of the Seneca County Bank aud the Canal Bank
OF Cleveland; IT, in the opinion of the Finance
Committee the State should be holden for thest
outstanding notes
The afternoon session was consumed in the
discussion of bill to raise the salaries Of state
officers, Judges, &C.. introduced by Mr.. Leete
OF Lawrence. II fixes the Governors salary al
$4,000, other State officers aud district Judges
$4,000 each.
The proceeding Of the Senate yesterday, wsu