portions in the general charge and expenditure, and shall be faithfully and bona fide disposed of for that purpose and for no other use or purpose whatsoever; and,

WHEREAS, West Virginia until the twentieth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, was a part of the commonwealth of Virginia, and upon said twentieth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, was formed into the state of West Virginia; and,

WHEREAS, The United States after said grant went into effect expressly recognized that said grant was not absolute in its terms, but was upon conditions; and,

WHEREAS, The conditions of said grant were not carried out as specifically set out in the act of the general assembly of Virginia and in the deed of cession, and said land was not used for the benefit of all of the states as expressly provided for in said act of cession, but congress appropriated 38,868,212 acres of land and practically three millions of dollars derived from the sale of these public lands to the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, and the same were used entirely and absolutely for local purposes within said states for the construction of schools, canals, roads and other local purposes therein, thus in no manner carrying out the reservations in said deed of cession. The value of said land so donated to local uses at the price at which said lands were fixed per acre would make the value of said donation for local purposes for said states, contrary to the terms of said deed of cession, amount to $80,695,078; and by the action of the United States, in reference to said conditional cession, one-fifth of the land conveyed by Virginia under such conditional cession has been disposed of and Virginia has derived no use and benefit for the same, Virginia's proportion in the general charge and expenditure being about one-seventh of the whole, giving her interest in the lands not applied as directed by the deed at about one-seventh of the whole; and,

WHEREAS, Senate bill six thousand two hundred and forty-seven, to provide for the bringing of suits against the United States by Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Rhode Island, has been introduced in the senate of the United States by William E. Chilton, a senator from West Virginia, for the purpose of allowing each of the said

states to institute a suit in the court of claims in and about the matters arising from said cession; and,

WHEREAS, West Virginia being part of the original commonwealth of Virginia is directly interested in the adjustment of Virginia's reserve interest in the lands ceded to the United States March first, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-four; therefore, be it

Resolved, by the Senate of the State of West Virginia, the House of Delegates concurring therein:

That the congress of the United States be memorialized to enact said bill into law, allowing an adjustment of the sums of money due the state of West Virginia derived from the disposition of the lands ceded by Virginia to the United States March first, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-four, in contravention of the terms of the said cession to the government of the United States, and that the just proportion of the amount justly due the state of Virginia be held for the use and benefit of the state of West Virginia, and that the senators and representatives of the state of West Virginia in the congress of the United States be requested to use all honorable efforts to bring about the action of the congress of the United States, so that the rights of West Virginia in the premises may be protected, and that her part of the sums of money above set out shall be paid to her under and according to the terms of the convention aforesaid between Virginia and the United States.

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 16.

(Adopted February 21, 1913.)

Proposing an amendment to the constitution of the state of West Virginia, by adding an additional section creating the office of lieutenant-governor, defining his qualifications, prescribing his functions and duties, providing for the succession to the office of governor and for the presidency of the senate.

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia, two-thirds of the members elected to both houses agreeing thereto:

That the constitution of the state of West Virginia be amended by adding thereto a section as follows:

The office of lieutenant-governor is hereby created. The lieutenant-governor shall possess the same qualifications that are or may be prescribed for the governor. He shall be elected at the same time and for the same term as the governor.

The lieutenant-governor shall be ex officio president of the senate, but shall have no vote therein, except in case of a tie. The senate shall have the power to elect from its own body a president pro tempore, who shall preside over the senate in case of a vacancy in the office of lieutenant-governor, in case of the absence or inability to act of the lieutenant-governor, or in case the lieutenant-governor is acting as governor; and in any of these events, at the commencement of the first session of the senate next after a general election, or at the commencement of any session where there is no lieutenant-governor, or president pro tempore to preside, the oldest member of the senate. shall call the senate to order, and shall preside over the same until a president pro tempore shall have been chosen and taken his seat, or until the removal of the disability, or the return of the lieutenantgovernor.

The oldest member of the senate and the oldest delegate, where that expression is used in the constitution, shall mean the one oldest in continuous service in his respective house, and if two or more have had the same continuous service, then the one of those who is oldest in years shall be meant.

In case of the death, conviction on impeachment, failure to qualify, resignation or other disability of the governor, the duties of governor shall devolve upon the lieutenant-governor who shall act as governor for the balance of the unexpired term, and until a successor is elected and qualified, or until the disability of the governor is removed; and if the lieutnant-governor for any cause shall become incapable of performing the duties of governor, the same shall devolve upon the speaker of the house of delegates who shall act as governor until a successor is elected and qualified, and in case the duties of governor do so devolve upon the speaker of the house when more than one year of the term of the governor remains unexpired, a special election shall be called to be held within four months to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term as shall be provided by law.

In all other cases, where there is no one to act as governor, one shall be chosen by a joint vote of the two houses of the legislature, who for the purpose of choosing some one to act as governor shall at the earliest possible date be summoned in extraordinary session by the secretary of state, and in case a governor is so chosen by joint vote of the two houses, his tenure of office and the election of his successor shall be governed by the same rules as are above provided in cases where the duties of governor devolve upon the speaker of the house of delegates. The lieutenant-governor shall receive such salary as may be fixed by law.

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 18.

(Adopted February 6, 1913.)

Providing for the printing of additional copies of journals and bills of the two houses of the legislature.

Resolved, That in order to supply the demand for journals and bills of the house and senate, created by the passage of the recent bill providing for the distribution of the same to the people throughout the state, that the public printer be instructed to increase the number of house and senate journals delivered for the use of the legislature to two thousand of each; and to increase the number of house and senate bills to a like number of two thousand whenever any such bills are ordered printed by either house, or any committee thereof; provided, however, that in giving out bills to the public printer the clerk shall not direct the additional number of copies printed in cases of bills concerning the charters of towns and cities, independent school districts and other bills of a purely local character.

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 22.

(Adopted February 12, 1913.)

Raising a joint committee to investigate bribery charges against certain members of the senate and house of delegates and persons unknown who are alleged to have offered said bribes; be it

Resolved by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring therein:

That a committee of five, composed of two members of the senate, to be appointed by the president of the senate, and three members of the house of delegates, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of delegates, be appointed, which committee is authorized and instructed to proceed, with all reasonable diligence, to make a thorough investigation of all matters and things concerning certain bribery charges against certain members of the senate and house of delegates, and other persons unknown at the present time, who are alleged to have offered bribes to the aforesaid members, and to investigate all matters and things concerning charges that certain members aforesaid have been offered and paid certain sums of money for their votes in the joint assembly for the purpose of electing a United States senator to the congress of the United States for the term beginning March four, one thousand nine hundred and and thirteen, thirteen, which said committee is authorized and empowered to employ proper assistance, to summon and compel the attendance of witnesses, to administer oaths, and, generally, to send for persons and papers. Said committee shall have all the authority and power conferred on committees by section seven of chapter twelve of the code. Said committee shall have full power and authority to act after the adjournment of the senate and house of delegates, to the end that all the charges may be fully investigated, and to report their finding to a future meeting of the legislature, if unable to complete said investigation before the expiration of the present session.

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 23.

(Adopted February 17, 1913.)

Requesting the attorney general of the state of West Virginia to assist the committee raised by senate joint resolution No. 22, for the purpose of investigating bribery charges against certain members of the senate, and house of delegates and persons unknown, who it is alleged have offered bribes, as set out in said resolution; be it

Resolved by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring therein:

That the attorney general of the state and his successor in office