The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-03-19

EEOm A0uBIuSs
-c H LANSING, March 8, 1868.
EDITOR REF. = Dear SIR The
news from Spring Hill falls with crush.
ing force upon the hearts of all of US,
SO deeply interested with the noble
10Th. Which Of those brave hearts
and how many have ceased to beat
who can tell. What is the fate of the
survivors is asked with the utmost anx-
iety as W meet the citizens of the South
Western district are questions none
can answer. Who is in the blame for
this great disaster? ??
The Legislature has fixed the time of
adjournment to be Friday next, goth
inst, and are industrionsly improving
every hour in disposing of the business
before them. Ten minutes speeches only
are allowed in the House which is very
short time for important matters.
A bill has passed the House for the
construction of thirty.three Swamp
Land Roads in the northern counties
by a union of the northern against the
southern counties, and appropriating a
large quantity of Swamp Lands for
their construction.
1t is said that the right of the Legis-
lature to appropriate those lands for
purposes other than specified in the
Act of Congress, ceding them to the
State, Will be tested in the Supreme
Court without delay. An important
question and should be decided at once.
The new Counties are determined
that no part of the proceeds of Swamp
Lands shall be used in the Southern
part of the State, and say that that
portion applied to Primary School fund
by the Law of 1853 is a misapplication
of a donation made for the purpose of
drainage, aud the opinion prevails that
the Supreme Court will settle, if posi-.
BILE, the various questions Of great i'm
portance growing out of the Swamp
Lands.
The House has also extended the
grant of Lands heretofore made TO all
Rail Roads which have completed
twenty miles of road until the time
allowed by Congress expires. But
two companies, the Amboy & Lansing
and Pere M~arquettee have any part of
their Road in use. The Kalamazoo &
Grand Rapids Road claim to have
eighty miles graded, and say they will
have twenty miles in use before their
time expires, and will claim and be en-
titled to the benefits of their extension.
The Roads if put in operation will aid
in the improvement of the county, and
will pay in that way it no other.
This City il decidedly unhealthy, a
large number of the members are sick,
some seriously. Mr.. Aldri, h, of your
county, has been confined for nearly
a week /; was out a short time to-day,
he says he shall get home as soon az
possible. Rev. Nj. Slocum, from Kali
amazoo Female College, died here to.
day after a few days illness. All are
anxious to get home and although
many important interests are yet unset
tied, they will be settled as well in FIVE
days as they would be like to be in a
longer time.
The two houses still differ as to the
amount to be expended for buildings
for the Asylums for the next two
years. The Senate favors the Deaf,
Dumb and Blind Asylum and the
House prefers the Insane and it is not
disposed 10 compromise and vote
money against their opinions to one
institution for the sake of getting the
Senate TO do what the House believe
ought to be done for the other. The
plan to make the Detroit House of Cor
~rection a State Penitentiary failed in
the House by a large vote. A Bill to
increase the salaries Of the officers of
the Prison failed by a decided vote.
A strong effort is being made to
change the School Law and authorize
Township Districts, which has many
friends. 1t will he amended SO as TO
pass the House but the Senate will, it
is said, defeat it at this time. II.
H-Col. Coburn, who had command
Of our forces in the late battle at