quired, Representative from Virginia, during the Session of Congress 1837-8, proposed that a quantity of land equal to that bestowed upon the new States for the promotion of Education, should be distributed to the old for a similar purpose. Even this poor boon was not gran ted. In the opinion of your committee, Vermont should not thus lower her claim. She should insist upon her right, andher whole right. One of our sister States bas, through her legislature, expressed the opinion that "the appropriation of the proceeds of the public lands to the support of the Federal Government best effectuates their true pur. pose as a common fund." It is believed that under a prosperous state of our commercial affairs, the revenues derived from customs alone, even after the final reduction which will soon take place, will be more than sufficient for the economical administration of the government. No friend to our agricultural and manufacturing interests can desire to have these duties still farther reduced-an increase may be required for their protection. If therefore we would preserve the country from the evils of an overflowing treasury, and preserve the expenses of gov ernment within reasonable limits, we must dispose of the proceeds of the public lands. Either the price must be first lessened and the whole be finally surrendered to the States in which they are situated, or the proceeds be divided equally among all the States. It being therefore in conformity with the letter and the spirit of the deeds of cession, not repugnant to the provisions of the constitution, and sustained by considerations of expediency, your committee believe it to be the duty of the Representatives of the people of Vermont to instruct their Senators and request their Representatives in Congress to urge the distribution of the proceeds of the public lands among the States, doing equal justice to all. They accordingly recommend the adoption of the following resolutions. R. GOWDEY, for Committee. Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives, that our Senators in Congress be instructed and our Representatives requested to use their influence to procure the passage of a law which shall provide for a just distribution among the several States, of the proceeds of the public lands, agreeably to the terms of the deeds of cession," which provide that the lands so ceded, shall be considered as A common fund for the use and benefit of all the United States, meinbers of the Federal alliance" "and shall be faithfully and bona fide disposed of for that purpose, and for no other use or purpose whatsoever" -and to oppose any meastire calculated to promote the eventual surrender of these lands to the States in which they are situated, which would be entirely repugnant to the condition of these grants and contrary to that principle of equal and exact justice which should characterize all the dealings of the general government with the several States of the Union. Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives, that the Governor be requested to transmit copies of the foregoing resolution to each of our Senators and Representatives in Congress, and to each of the Governors of the States, with the request that they present it to the legislatures of their respective States. REPORT OF THE AUDITOR IN THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT. To His Excellency, SILAS H. JENISON, Governor of the State of Ver mont: SIR: The undersigned, Auditor in the Treasury Department, agreeably to the provisions of an act passed October 30th, 1797, has attended to the duty of auditing and examining the accounts of Henry F. Janes, Esq. Treasurer of Vermont, from the time he entered on the duties of Treasurer, on the 18th day of October last to this 30th day of September, A. D. 1839, and reports the following to be a correct statement of the fiscal operations of the Department for the time aforesaid. September 30th, 1339. STATE OF VERMONT IN ACCOUNT WITH H. F. JANES, ESQ., TREASURER OF VERMONT, To cash paid Debenture of General Assembly, constable of St. George over payment of taxes, Dr. $14,468 50 1.00 140 82 Supreme and County Court orders other than to 17,828 97 trustees of Insane Hospital, 2,000 00 auditor's orders, 8,921 95 Supreme and Co. Court orders to state's atty's 2,576 97 fox certificates, 1,195 75 151 00 280 00 14 80 54 66 salaries, deduct fees in civil suits, $5,214 09 1,293 84-3,920 25 C. L. Knapp, Sec. of State, half year's salary, 150 CO one year's salary, 200 00 G. B. Shaw, Law Reporter, balance of salary up 641 66 To cash paid N. Williams, Sec. of Senate, two half year's salary, 275 00 J. A. Vail, Librarian's salary, 66 87 50 62 50 attendance on Legislature, postage, 46 Bank of Montpelier, interest on advances, Bank of Bellows Falls, Vergennes, interest on Surplus, 15 32 4.04 12 51 196 75 By cash rec'd of A. Wardner, former Treasurer, of Pike Davis, for safety fund, of several State's Attorneys, of Clerks of Supreme and County Courts, for taxes, principal, for interest on arrearages of taxes, of A. B. Young, Sup. State House, balance, Cr. $12,853 36 9.00 3,175 26 2,749 11 33-2 91 45,967 39 587 32 301 11 of Farmers' Bank, 603 56 ferred to Safety Fund, 484 00 11,557 40 By Bank Commissioner's fees included in Auditor's orders, trans By cash received of quartermasters in militia, 180 00 151 00 $77,863 86 The Auditor further reports, that the amount of taxes now in arrear, exclusive of $1,016 of old arrearages, supposed to to be unavailable, and exclusive of interest, to be thirty-nine thousand three hundred and thirty-five dollars and seventy cents. Your Excellency's most obedient servant, |