REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES. By the committee on the judiciary of the Senate and House jointly: The judiciary committees of the Senate and House of Representatives, to whom was referred jointly the following resolution; "Resolved (the Senate concurring), That the judiciary committees of the two Houses be and are hereby instructed to jointly consider and report upon the most advisable method of submitting to the people the proposed amendments to the Constitution," Have considered the same and respectfully beg leave to submit the following report: The method of submitting amendments to the State Constitution is clearly pointed out in Article XX., Sec. 1, of that instrument. It provides that "Any amendment or amendments to this Constitution may be proposed in the Senate or House of Representatives. If the same shall be agreed to by two-thirds of the members elected to each House, such amendment or amendments shall be entered on their journals respectively with the yeas and nays taken thereon; and the same shall be submitted to the electors at the next general election thereafter, and if a majority of electors qualified to vote for the members of the Legislature, voting thereon, shall ratify and approve such amendment or amendments, the same shall become part of the Constitution." It seems to the committee clear, from the reading of this section, that more than one amendment may be submitted to the people for ratification, and be adopted by a majority of electors voting a single proposition therefor. The section repeatedly speaks of submitting an amendment or amendments, thus showing the intention to permit the submission of a number of amendments together as well as separately. If two amendments may be submitted at a time, and be adopted by a majority of electors voting for that proposition, as seems to be the clear intent of this section, there can be no reason why twenty or more amendments may not be thus submitted with like effect. All that is requisite is that such amendment be agreed to by two-thirds of the members elected, and entered at large on the journal of the two houses, with the yeas and nays thereon. If, therefore, either House should pass the amendments proposed by the Commission, or made by the body itself, by the required vote, we apprehend, and are of opinion that it may enter the present Constitution at large on its journal, and follow the same with a statement that such House has, by a majority of two-thirds of the members elected thereto, agreed to submit the following amendments to the Constitution, so that the same shall read, if ratified by a majority of electors at the next general election, as follows: (giving or entering there at large, on the journal, the Constitution with the several amendments proposed thereto.) The committee would also recommend that in considering the proposed amendments to the Constitution, each House adopt the following course: After the different articles have been considered in committee of the whole, and reported back, that the question on ordering said articles to a third reading be taken by yeas and nays, and be regarded as a test vote for obtaining the sense of a majority of the members, and that no article be ordered to a third reading without a majority of the members elect to the House considering the same, vote therefor; that after a vote has been taken on an article and the same ordered to a third reading, the proper officer inform the other House that such article has been so ordered, at the same time giving a statement of the amendments, if any have been made to the article as reported from the Con stitutional Commissional; that after so many of said articles as can be, shall have been ordered to a third reading, and the amendments perfected in accordance with the sense of the body considering the same, we recommend that the articles be grouped together in their proper order, and the question on agreeing to all the amendments be taken by a vote of two-thirds of the members elect, as required by the Constitution. J. H. MCGOWAN, Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate. Report accepted and committee discharged. The report was laid on the table. By the committee on the judiciary: The committee on the judiciary, to whom was referred Sec. 7 of Article II. of the proposed amendments to the Constitution, would respectfully report that they recommend that said section be amended so as to read as follows: The right of trial by jury shall remain, but shall be deemed to be waived in all criminal cases, in all courts other than courts of record, and in all civil cases, unless demanded by one of the parties in such manner as shall be prescribed by law. The legislature may authorize, in all civil and criminal cases, a trial by jury of a less number than twelve men." They further report that they have considered the proposed amendment to said section providing that in civil cases two-thirds of the jury may return a verdict which shall stand as the verdict of the jury, and have determined to report the same back to the Senate without recommendation, and ask to be discharged from the further consideration of the same. J. H. MCGOWAN, Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary. Report accepted and committee discharged. Mr. DeLand moved that the report be recommitted to the committee on the Judiciary, with instructions to report an amendment providing that two-thirds of the jury may render a verdict in civil cases. Mr. DeLand called for the yeas and nays. The motion prevailed, by yeas and nays, as follows: By the committee on the judiciary: Wells, 26 The committee on the judiciary respectfully report that they have had under consideration Sec. 4 of Art. İV., which was referred to them, and recommend the following amendment: That there be added to said section the words" unless otherwise provided by law," And ask to be discharged from the further consideration of the subject. J. H. MCGOWAN, Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary. Report accepted and committee discharged. Mr. DeLand moved to amend the report by striking out Sec. 4 of Article IV., and inserting in lieu thereof the following to stand as Sec. 4: SEC. 4. The Legislature sball, after each enumeration of inhabitants by the authority of the United States, and by this State, re-arrange the Senatorial Districts, and apportion anew the Representatives among the several counties according to the number of inhabitants, but no such changes shall vacate the seat of any member. On motion of Mr. DeLand, The report and accompanying amendment were laid on the table. COMMUNICATIONS FROM STATE OFFICERS. STATE TREASURER'S OFFICE, To Hon. H. H. HOLT, President of the Senate: SIR-In compliance with a resolution of the Senate, adopted the 4th inst., and communicated to me by the Secretary of that body, I have the honor to submit the following, viz.: The amount of money in the Treasury is $1,208,834 50, of which $523,256 26 was received during the month of February, being the largest amount received in a single month since the organization of the State. Amount deposited in banks drawing interest at four per cent, computed on daily balances, is $1,203,944 30; currency in vault, $4,890 20. Amount received for interest on deposits for the fiscal year ending on the 30th Sept., 1873, was $32,278 43. Deposits in every instance are secured by agreements (in form drawn by Hon. Wm. L. Stoughton, Attorney General in 1867), executed by banks with sureties representing many times the amount deposited, and approved by State Treasurer, Auditor General, and Secretary of State, as required by Section three, Chapter seven, Compiled Laws of 1871. Resolved (the House concurring), That a committee of two on the part of the Senate, and three on the part of the House, be appointed as a committee on arrangement and phraseology of the Constitution. It shall be the duty of such committee to recommend such changes in the arrangement and phraseology as they may think proper, either in the work of the Commission or in the amendments made by the Legislature. Such committee are hereby authorized to employ a clerk or compiler. Which resolution was adopted. On motion of Mr. Neasmith, GENERAL ORDER. The Senate went into committee of the whole on the general order Mr. Childs in the chair. After some time spent therein, the committee rose, and, through their chair-man, made the following report: The committee of the whole have had under consideration the proposed amendments to the Constitution of the State, decided upon by the Constitutional Commission, and submitted to the Legislature by the Governor, Have made some progress therein, but, not having gone through therewith, ask leave to sit again. Report accepted. On motion of Mr. Sutton, J. WEBSTER CHILDS, Chairman. Leave was granted the committee to sit again. On motion of Mr. Richardson, The Senate took a recess until 2 o'clock this afternoon. AFTERNOON SESSION. The Senate met and was called to order by the President. Roll called: a quorum present. On motion of Mr. Wells, The Senate resumed business under the Mr. Childs in the chair. GENERAL ORDER. 2 o'clock P. M. After some time spent therein, the committee rose, and, through their chairman, made the following report: The committee of the whole have had under consideration the proposed amendments to the Constitution of the State, decided upon by the Constitutional Commission, and submitted to the Legislature by the Governor, Have made sundry amendments thereto, and have directed their chairman to report the same back to the Senate, recommending that the amendments be concurred in, and ask to be discharged from the further consideration of the Eubject. J. WEBSTER CHILDS, Chairman. Report accepted and committee discharged. Mr. DeLand moved that the Senate consider the proposed amendments to the Constitution, article by article, together with the amendments reported by committee of the whole; Which motion prevailed. Article I. was read and, On motion of Mr. DeLand, The same was referred to the committee on counties and townships. Article II. was then read, and Mr. Hewitt moved to amend Sec. 9 of the same by striking out the words "attorney" and inserting in lieu thereof the words," an attorney or agent of his choice." Mr. Richardson called for the yeas and nays. The amendment was agreed to, by yeas and nays as follows: Mr. DeLand moved that Senate rule No. 26, requiring that an amendment offered upon the third reading of any bill shall be seconded by a majority of the Senate, be suspended for the remainder of the session. Which motion prevailed, two-thirds of the members present voting therefor. Mr. DeLand moved to further amend the article by striking out of Sec. 14, the following words: "But if any person shall elect to make a statement in his own behalf, he shall be subject to cross-examination relative to the matter of such statement;" Which motion did not prevail, by yeas and nays, as follows: On motion of Mr. DeLand, Article II., was laid on the table. Article III. was then read, and Mr. Brewer moved that the same be placed on the order of third reading. Mr. DeLand moved to amend Article III. by inserting after the word another," in Sec. 2, the words, "nor shall one department assume any powers reserved for or delegated to a co-ordinate branch;" Which was not agreed to. The question recurring on the motion that the article be placed on the order of third reading, The motion prevailed, by yeas and nays, as follows: Mr. DeLand moɣed to amend the same by striking out Sec. 2 and inserting the following to stand in lieu thereof: "SEC. 2. The Senate shall consist of thirty-three members. Senate Districts shall be arranged by the Legislature, and not less than two shall be formed of the territory known as the Upper Peninsula. They shall be numbered consec |