Resolutions. pense in transporting the mail, and the impracticability, if emergency should require it, of transporting troops and munitions of war to that point, at an early day called the attention of the secretary of war and congress to the subject of a military road from Detroit to the Straits of Mackinac, which was subsequently located; and although several appropriations have been made upon it, only about seventy miles of it is completed. The same reasoning, will, in a measure, apply to the military roads leading from Detroit to Chicago, from Detroit to Grand river, and from Whiteford, in Ohio, to Indiana. And likewise, the military road from Detroit to Fort Gratiot, which has been constructed, but is, for want of repairs, almost impassable. They are all of them deemed works of public utility and importance. The location, by government, of these roads, has essentially enhanced the value of the public domain on their several routes, by the inducement it has held out to our citizens, to purchase and settle along their line in advance, to considerable extent, of the present improvements, on lands which otherwise would have been unsaleable, and who are now suffering many privations for want of eligible roads. Your memorialists, therefore, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Michigan, would respectfully solicit congress for suitable appropriations of money or lands, or both, for the continuation of said roads. Resolved, (if the Senate concur,) That our senators be instructed, and our representative requested, to urge upon congress the importance of the above appropriations. Resolved, That a copy of the above memorial and resolution be transmitted by the secretary of state to each of our senators and representative. Approved February 8, 1839. Locations of [No. 7.] A JOINT RESOLUTION. Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of land in lieu the State of Michigan, That our senators and representative in of those made upon actual settlers. congress be and they are hereby requested to use their best exer tions to obtain the consent of congress, for this state to select other lands belonging to the United States, which are unoccupied, in lieu of those lands which were located upon the improvements of actual settlers, for university and state purposes; and also, that they endeavor to secure to such settlers their right of pre-emption to said lands, so that its benefits shall extend to the widow and children of any deceased settler. Approved February 8, 1839. [No. 8.] A JOINT RESOLUTION in relation to a Marine Hospital. Whereas, the establishment by the government of the United States of a marine hospital at or near the city of Detroit, would, in the opinion of this legislature, be greatly promotive of the public good; therefore, Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Michigan, That the senators and representative of this state, in the congress of the United States, be requested to use their utmost endeavors to cause a law of congress to be passed, during the present session of that body, making provision for the establishment of such marine hospital, at or near Detroit, as aforesaid. And be it further resolved, That the secretary of state of this state be and he is hereby directed to transmit one copy of the foregoing preamble and resolution to each of the senators and representative of this state in the congress of the United States. Approved February 12, 1839. [No. 9.] JOINT RESOLUTION relating to the right of expatriation. Whereas, the constitution of the state of Michigan is preeminently characterized by its spirit of liberality to the foreign emigrant; and whereas, it is just, right and proper, that no envious distinction should exist in the United States between the adopted and the native citizens; and whereas, in the various treaties made between the United States and foreign nations, the free right of expatriation is as yet unrecognized, subjecting, in case of a national war, many of our adopted citizens to the peril of being deemed and treated as traitors; therefore, Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Michigan, That our senators in congress be and are hereby instructed, and our representative is hereby requested, to use their efforts for the adoption of such measures as will ensure the recognition, by foreign powers with whom we have national intercourse, of the absolute citizenship of all foreigners naturalized by the existing laws of the United States. Approved February 14, 1839. Purchase of poor-house for marine hospital. [No. 10.] JOINT RESOLUTION. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Michigan, That it be recommended to the United States collector for the port of Detroit, to purchase the county poorhouse, together with the premises thereto attached, near the city of Detroit, for a marine hospital, inasmuch as the same will be in a few days offered for sale by virtue of an act of the legislature, passed at this present session; and in case the collector shall not feel himself authorized to make such purchase, that it be recommended to him to solicit from the honorable secretary of the treasury, authority to make such purchase. Approved February 21, 1839. [No. 11.] Secretary of state to pre laws and documents for university. JOINT RESOLUTION relative to supplying the library of the University with certain state documents. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the serve certain State of Michigan, That the library of the university of Michishall be entitled to one copy of the journals and documents of both houses of the legislature, at each session, and it shall be the duty of the secretary of state to cause copies of the same, from gan the organization of the state government, to be put up and preserved in his office or in the state library, until a building for the university library shall be completed; and it shall be the further duty of the secretary of state to procure for the university library, copies of the laws passed by the state legislature prior to the passage of the revised statutes, and copies of the laws and journals of the territorial legislatures, when more than one copy of the same may be in possession of the state, and put up and reserve the same, as herein before directed. Approved February 21, 1839. [No. 12.] JOINT RESOLUTION relative to the Tecumseh and Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the [No. 13.] JOINT RESOLUTION. Whereas, the act making appropriations for the year eighteen Preamble. hundred and thirty-eight, approved April sixth, eighteen hundred and thirty-eight, provides in section six of said act for the payment of witnesses who attended on the committee of investigation concerning the location of the northern and southern railroad, upon the certificate of the chairman of said committee; and whereas, a number of witnesses who attended did not call for their pay before the time had expired, for which their chairman could legally act; therefore, Auditor to draw!war of certain Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the rant for fees State of Michigan, That the auditor general be, and he is hereby witnesses on authorized and requested to draw his warrant on the treasurer of of location of this state for the amount due said witnesses, as will appear from investigation railroad. the statements in the hands of the late chairman: Provided, That the claims of said witnesses would have been allowed under the rules adopted by said committee for the payment of witnesses, and that the auditor general shall be satisfied thereof by a certificate of the chairman of said committee or otherwise, and that the whole amount paid shall not exceed the appropriation for that purpose. Approved February 27, 1839. [No. 14.] JOINT RESOLUTION relative to procuring certain maps of United States surveys. Whereas, by an act of congress, approved June twenty-three, eighteen hundred and thirty-six, and the acceptance of the propositions therein contained by the legislature, there were granted to the state of Michigan, twelve salt springs, situated and to be selected within the limits of said state; and whereas, five of said salt springs, together with the six sections of land granted by the aforesaid act, in connection with each of the salt springs authorized to be selected and reserved by the state; and whereas, the state geologist, appointed on the part of the state to make the selection of the aforesaid salt springs and lands, is unable from the want of access to the maps and plats of the late surveys made by the authority of the United States, in the northern portion of the lower peninsula of this state; therefore, Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Michigan, That the secretary of the treasury of the United States be, and he is hereby respectfully requested, to cause such instructions to be given to the office of the surveyor general, at Cincinnati, as will procure to Douglass Houghton, state geologist of this state, or to his special order, access to or means of procuring copies of the maps and plats of the late surveys in this state, for the purpose of enabling him to make the selection |