Year: 1859

eh"o ehSA Ohiy dOSCSo W Vic iCoe VI oiiS
world,


THE SAULT STE. MARY CANAL,
should be securely fortified against
threatened dangers of entire destruc-
ton, or long interruption of its short
season of navigation. For this the
Legislature provided by loan to be
paid out of the revenues of the canal.


This whole system of measures for
the development of our State, have
been matured and passed by the Legis-
lature within the short space allotted by
our constitution to its sittings, yet we
fail to find in any of these acts the
marks of hasty and crude Legislation,
and they will stand as proofs, not only
of the .judicious honesty and wisdom
of that body, but of the singleness OF
purpose, energy and industry with
which the members in both branches
have devoted themselves to their oner-
Gus duties. Even the hostile minority
cannot but bear witness to their up
rightness Of purpose and uniting zeal.


In the appropriations for the next
two years, following the recommends
tions of the message of the Executive,
they have exhibited commendable
boldness and regard to the real and
true interests of the State, tempered
by an earnest desire to make the bur-
den of taxation as light as possible
upon the people. No appropriation
was passed without careful examina-
ton of the object by the Legislature
itself or its committees, and the amount
was cut down in every case where a
less sum would not have subjected the
State to the charge of parsimony.
THE ASYLUMS,


those most deserving charities, are to
receive Just so much, and no more, as
will put them in actual operatlon-to
the extent and demands already knosc1a
to exist for the relief of mental ills,
and for the education of the speechless
and blind, which they afford.


THE UNIVERSITY,


which bids fair to be the crowning
glory of our State, has again been re-
leased from the payment of interest on
its debt to the State, as has been done
by former Legislature since 1853. That
successful institution,


THE NORMAL SCHOOL,


has received the little that it needs.
The sum appropriated to the


AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE


is much less than its wants demand:
yet it will be sufficient, with great econ
emy, to sustain the the institution for
two years to come-by which time ii
will have fully demonstrated, that the
rapidity with which other States have
followed the lead Of Michigan in estab-
fishing such an institutions owing,
not to spirit of imitation only, but to
the fact that it has high and peculiar
intrinsic merits, which commend it to
the people generally, and especially to
the agricultural population. A new
educational system cannot be brought
forth perfect-like Minerva from the
head of Jove-yet our short experience
to this time, has convinced those who
know best, and are best able to Judge
that this school, if generously fostered
by the State, will in few years tell Oh
the system of tillage throughout the
State-elevate farming as profession
and swell the census returns of oul
productions. The act which has lately
nasse,a, the Congress of the United
States orantil." land to similar institu
tions. Will. if signed nv the President
soon release the State from i.s support


Adequate, but no slayish provls.1'
has been made for the State Prison, in
view of its increasing wants, keeping
pace with the growth Of our popula,
ton. Also, for the present and enlarg
ing usefulness of the


HOUSE OF CORRECTION,


the purposes and management of which
have elected unanimous and unquali
fed praise from all who have visited
the institution, whether in or out O.
the Legislature.


This committee have no doubt thai
the very prompt and efficient manner
in which an appropriation was made
for the relief of the suffering, in some
of the Northern Counties, will mee
with unanimous appreciation of the
people of the State.


Aside fsom the leading measures O
Legislation, tending to shape the gen
eral policy of the State, the Legislature
have been required to pass upon al
usual amount of subjects, some o
which have been special. personal, o.
local in their character. Others have
been of general interest and import
ance. Among the latter, have beer
the


! AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION,
which have embarrassed every Legis
lature that has sat since the instrumen
was adopted, without ever, until tn,
present winter, having reached th'
point of submission to the people
j Under the joint resolution of the ses
sion now closed, the people will b.
called to answer at the ballot box, ye;
or nay, to proposition for calling o
juries in highway cases, for the remova
of the limitation upon Legislative bien
NAL sessions, and as to a modification
of the individual liability clauses o
i bank stockholders. The list of act
passed, alone viii show to any citizel
, that a hard acorking and assiduou
!. body of Legislators have gone hom
to meet the approval of their constitu
ents. The passage of


REGISTRY LAW,


for the purpose of protecting the purit
of the elective franchise, has been a
lor Il. l.