Was taken from the table and placed among the orders of the day. According to notice heretofore given, Mr. Nicholson introduced a bill to be entitled An Act for the relief of non-residents owning property in this State, placed among the orders of the day. re. The rule was waived and Mr. Long permitted without previous notice, to introduce a bill to be entitled An Act to authorize restitution by the State to plaintiffs in error, or appellants, who have versed, or may reverse judgments in favor of the State. Also a bill to be entitled An Act to amend the laws of this State now in force, relative to the partition of real estate, which was placed among the orders of the day. The rule was waived and Mr. Perry without previous notice, permitted to introduce a bill to be entitled An Act, entitled An Act in addition to An Act, to provide for contesting the validity of wills in the Circuit Court of this State, Which was placed among the orders of the day. Mr. Myrick moved the adoption by the Senate of the 53d rule of the House of Representatives, which was agreed to. PETITIONS. By Mr. Kilcrease, the Petition of citizens of Gadsden County, which was read and laid upon the table. By the President of the Senate, the Petition of Andrew W. Garner, which was read and laid upon the table. RESOLUTIONS. By Mr. Tracy, a Resolution in reference to a naval depot on Amelia Island, Was read and adopted. By Mr. Long, a Resolution for the relief of John J. Williams, was read, and, On motion, the rule waived, read a second and third time by its title, and upon its adoption, the vote was: Yeas-Mr. President, Messrs. Brinson, Criglar, Filor, Hawes, Hopkins, Kilcrease, Long, Nicholson, Perry and Tracy-11. Nays-Messrs. Duncan, Gillis, Myrick, and Smith--4. The Resolution was adopted. Ordered to be certified to the House of Representatives. Mr. Myrick introduced the following Preamble and Resolutions relative to the public lands, which were read, and, On motion, laid upon the table and seventy-five copies ordered to be printed: WHEREAS, Notice has been brought to the Senatorial branch of the State Legislature, that the Trustees of the Internal Improve. ment Fund of this State, have thought proper to raise the price of said lands belonging to the Internal Improvement Fund at the rate of one hundred per cent. in the East, and fifty per cent. in the Western dis. trict of this State, and believing that no such augmentation of price is desired or even necessary, but on the contrary, that all experience proves that cheap lands are the greatest impetus that can be given to immigration; and feeling satisfied from past experience, that the great object to be obtained by this State is population, thereby bringing into the Treasuery of the State by a judicious system of taxation, the means so necessary to be obtained, to carry out the great scheme of Internal Improvement now so warmly advocated by the people of the whole State, can be more readily brought about and made more permanent in its character, by placing the price of the said lands within the reach of all that may desire to cast their lot among us, therefore: Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Florida in General Assembly convened, That the interest of the State requires that no augmentation in the price of the Public Lands is necessary; hut on the contrary, that the rate of prices fixed and applied to said Lands prior to the meeting of this present Legislature, was quite as high as the interest of the State demands. 2nd. Resolved further, That it is more important to the State of Florida, that our Internal Improvement, School and Seminary Lands should be sold low enough to invite to our State by a cheap and moderate sale of our public domain, the honest and industrious immigrant, than by an injudicious and exhorbitant price set on said lands, to drive away this much desired population. 3rd. Therefore be it further Resolved, That the officers of the Law having in charge the various Funds, and the right to place any higher or lower rate than existed on the Lands named in the 1st resolution, be and they are hereby required to desist in any such attempt, and that no such right should be vested in any officer of the law, but on the contrary, that the Legislature of this State shall be the sole and only judges of such necesity, and that no higher rate than the existing rate of prices be fixed on said Public Lands prior to the meeting of this present Legislature. 4th. Resolved, That in order to prevent speculation, that no larger amount of the public domain belonging to this State, than 1 three Sections shall be disposed of to any one person or company at the prices named, prior to the meeting of this Legislature. REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEES. Mr. Brinson from the Committee on Internal Improvements made the following REPORT: The Committee on Internal Improvement, to whom was referred a bill to be entitled An Act for the relief of William Sapp, of Madison, beg leave to report : That William Sapp did on the 6th day of April, 1852, purchase from the State of Florida, forty acres of land, belonging to the Internal Improvement Fund, through mistake, but since that time, the Legislature have vested the land in the hands of Trustees-if such is the fact, your Committee believe that the Legislature have no power to relieve the party, but would recommend him to the Trusters of the Internal Improvement Fund for relief. All of which is respectfully submitted, Chairman. Which was received and concurred in. Mr. Filor from the Committee on Engrossed Bills, made the following REPORT: The Committee on Engrossed bills, have examined the following and find the same correctly engrossed: A bill to be entitled An Act for the benefit of the Seminary of Learning located east of the Suwannee River. An Act to authorize the sale of 16th Sections in Escambia County. A bill to be entitled An Act for the relief of Dr. R. H. Shaffer. An Act in relation to hunting in this State by citizens of other States. Respectfully submitted, Which was read and concurred in. REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the State Treasurer's report of abstract of loans to the State of Florida from the Internal Improvement, School and Seminary Funds, beg leave to report, that they have examined the same and find the amount of indebtedness on the part of the State to these "funds" to be the sum of $86,077 11, including interest to the 1st of November last. By reference to the same officer's report upon the state of the School and Seminary Funds, it is shown that the sum of $18,690 26 was on hand the 1st of November, subject to investment according to the law of 1850, chap. 338, No. 27. Your Committee would respectfully recommend a loan of $18,000 of this money to the State at six per cent. interest for a period of two years, with the interest payable annually. Your Committee are of opinion, that by adopting this mode, the incoming revenue of the present year from all sources will be sufficient to meet the demands upon the Treasury for the same period, and that the loan above recommended will pro. vide for the expenses of the present General Assembly and the interest upon the debt of $86,077 11 for the year ending the first of November next. Loan of February 17, 1853, at 6 per cent., $10,000 00 In recommending this measure, your Committee only do so as a temporary means, to provide for present emergencies. They are fully satisfied as to the insufficiency of the present revenue system to meet the financial wants of the State, and that a new and sufficient revenue bill has become indispensably necessary. In regard to the previous appropriation made by the General Assembly to pay the interest of the debt to the several "funds," your Committee are informed by the Treasurer that no application has been made by the managers of those funds for said interest, and that the payment of it would have caused an earlier resort to the issuing of Treasury certificates a system so objectionable to the public. Your Committee recommend that the "Abstract of Loans," &c., referred to, be entered upon the Journal of the Senate. JAMES FILOR, Chairman. Abstract of Loans to the State of Florida from the Internal Improvement Fund, the School Fund and the Seminary Fund, with From the Internal Improvement Fund: interest annually to Nov. 1, 1855. |