viction by presentment or indictment, pay a fine to the state, in double the amount of the excess of interest above ten per cent. so received.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.-In any civil cause to be tried before a justice of the peace, where the sum does not exceed $20, at the request of either party, the justice shall direct the constable to summon and cause to come before him six citizens of the proper county, having the qualifications of jurors, who shall be empannelled to try such cause. Justices of the peace are to have the same jurisdiction, in all cases where executors, administrators or guardians are plaintiffs, that they might of right exercise if such executors, &c. were suing in their own right; but where any defendant shall plead any matter of payment, set-off, or other special matter, in bar to such executor's, &c. cause of action, the plaintiff may, after such plea shall have been filed, require the justice to certify all the proceedings to the proper probate court; and on filing an affidavit for that purpose, may require the defendant to enter into special bail to appear before the probate court, to answer to the suit.

LIBRARY.-By a joint resolution, the secretary of state was instructed not to make any expenditures of the library fund in the purchase of novels or romances.

MILITIA. Any person subject to perform militia duty, commissioned officers excepted, shall be annually exempted from the fines which may be imposed on him by law for each annual failure to perform such duty, except in case of war, invasion, insurrection, or in aid of the civil authorities, who shall pay for each such annual failure, the sum of one dollar to the officer of his county,

who may have the legal charge of the seminary fund of such county, for the use and benefit of said fund, or to the school commissioner of such county, at the option of the person paying the same; and every person conscientiously scrupulous, may avail himself of the rights and privileges secured by this act to persons subject to perform militia duty, on making the payment above mentioned, to the officer of his county having charge of the seminary fund of such county.

NOTARIES PUBLIC.-Every notary public in this state shall be authorized to take and certify all affidavits and depositions, all proofs of deeds, &c. and all other instruments in writing authorized to be taken and certified by justices of the peace; and his certificate and attes tation, with his official seal, shall be taken and received in all cases, to be of equal verity and validity with the certificate, attestation and seal of a clerk of the circuit court.

PRACTICE IN SUITS AT LAW.--An act was passed regulating the prac tice of the law in the courts of the state, &c.

RIVERS.-A memorial and joint resolutions were passed, soliciting congress to appropriate land or mo. ney sufficient to defray the expense of removing the various obstructions to a safe steam-boat navigation in the Wabash and White rivers; and whilst dilating on the acknowledged advantages of improving the navigation of those rivers, the memorialists beg leave further to represent the importance of improving the navigation of the St. Joseph of Lake Michigan, a beautiful river which runs through a part of the territory of Michigan and Indiana.

ROADS.-This memorial represents to congress, that the memo

rialists deem an additional appropriation of $150,000, for the construction of the national road through Indiana, during the session of congress, to be of vital importance to the state.

By, another memorial and resolution, the legislature solicits of the United States an ample appropriation of public lands or money, to im. prove the great western thoroughfare and mail route through the state, leading from Louisville, Kentucky, to St. Louis, Missouri.

Two turnpike road companies were incorporated. Acts were passed providing for the establishment of fifty-two state roads. An act was also passed, appropriating $500 out of the three per cent. fund, to each county in the state, for the purpose of opening and improving state roads, constructing bridges, &c.

SCHOOLS.-An act was passed, consisting of two hundred and five sections, incorporating each congressional township in the state, and providing for public schools therein.

A memorial was also addressed to congress, on the subject of such sixteenth sections (reserved in such congressional township for the purpose of establishing common schools) as may be unproductive; in which the legislature, on behalf of the citizens of townships in which such unproductive reservations may be situated, ask, that congress will provide by law, for a grant to them of a section of good land, in lieu of such unproductive sixteenth sections, or land scrip to the amount thereof, at the rate of one dollar twenty-five cents per acre, at the option of the inhabitants of such townships; and a similar grant or privilege to the inhabitants of any township or fractional part thereof, which is now

destitute of any sixteenth section or fractional part thereof, reserved for the purpose of common schools, to be located or entered in any of the unsold public lands of this state, in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct.

SEMINARIES.-Two county seminaries were incorporated. The Western Union Seminary was also incorporated. The act declares, that whereas the object of the snbscribers to the above institution is to establish a seminary of education for youth, purely scientific, and entirely free from sectarian influence, no religious creed, catechism, dogmas, or confession of faith, shall ever be taught in said seminary.

The following resolutions were also passed on the 9th of January, 1833, on the subject of nullification:

Resolved, That we deeply deplore the political heresies, and threatened disorganization recently promulgated by a portion of our brethern of South Carolina.

That we cordially concur in the persuasive appeals of our venerable chief magistrate, to the people of South Carolina, to pause ere it be too late to save themselves from ruin.

That the sentiment, "our union must be preserved," meets with a hearty response from the people of Indiana, bound as they are by interest and honour, to that confederacy into which they voluntarily entered, and from which they will never willingly be severed.

That we regard the present juncture of our national affairs, as involving the preservation of our liberties, and as scarcely inferior in importance to that in which they were achieved.

That as regards the important question, all minor differences should

be forgotten; that devotion to party should be lost in devotion to country, and that the great contest among Americans, should be as to the means best calculated to prevent the temple of our union from crumbling into ruins.

That the constitutional doctrines advanced, and views of policy em. braced in the president's proclamation on the present difficulties in

ELECTIONS-1832.

Congressional.

South Carolina; the patriotic spirit pervading that able document, and the prompt and decisive manner in which he has rebuked the pernicious doctrines and unjustifiable course, recently adopted by a portion of that state, command our entire approbation, and have crowned with new laurels the defender of his country.

20

3d

Edwards 2078

Breeze

1771

Dunn

1020

Webb

557

Archer 2168

Kitchell 1593

Duncan 8093 elected

Pugh 2318

1832-3.-The legislature passed a resolution approving the sentiments expressed by the president of the United States, relative to the future disposition of the public lands; and soliciting such a reduction of the price of public lands to actual settlers, as will meet the views of the presi. dent.

It also passed resolutions, declaring that whereas the president of the United States, in his proclamation of the 10th instant, has exhibited a just view of the origin of our free constitution, and of the powers confided by that sacred instrument, to the states and the general government : And whereas, by the said proclama. tion, the assumed power of a state to annul a law of congress is con. clusively shown to be incompatible with the existence of the Union, contradicted expressly by the letter

most ably and unanswerably refuted, and the dangerous and treasonable doctrine of the right of secession combated by the clearest reasoning, is denounced in a spirit of devoted attachment to the Union : And whereas, also, the executive has expressed a confident reliance on the undivided support of the nation, in his determination to execute the laws, to preserve the Union by all constitutional means, and to arrest, if possible, by moderate but firm measures, the necessity of a recourse to force :

Therefore resolved, by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the general assembly, That we highly approve the sentiments contained in the said proclamation, and the avowed purpose of repelling the unconstitutional and dangerous designs announced in the disorganizing edict of the South Carolina convention.

Resolved, That whilst we admire the firmness that would resist the

mad project of disunion, we cordially approve the spirit of moderation which deprecates any offensive act on the part of the United States.

Resolved, That disunion by armed force is treason, and should be treat. ed as such by the constituted authorities of the nation.

Resolved, That whilst we deplore the spirit of disaffection manifested by our South Carolina brethren, and should hail with unmingled satisfaction their return to the first great principles of our Union, we hold it to be the duty of every citi. zen of the United States, without distinction of sect or party, to rally to the support of the great charter of American freedom.

Resolved, That, should the pacific invitation and solemn warning of our illustrious president fail to recall the disaffected to their duty; should

the anti-republican doctrine of nullification be persisted in, and treason rear its polluted form within the bosom of our prosperous, patriotic, and peaceful republic; we do hereby instruct our senators in congress, and request our representatives, to unite in the most speedy and vigorous measures on the part of the general government for the preservation of the peace, integrity, and honour, of the Union; and we hereby solemnly pledge the faith of our state in support of the administration of the laws and constitution of our beloved country.

Resolved, That a copy of the foregoing resolutions be transmitted to the president of the United States, to the heads of the several departments at Washington, and to our senators and representatives in congress.

Jefferson, November 19, 1832, 96 public and 37 private acts were passed.

Amendments were proposed to the constitution for the purpose of changing the tenure of judicial office, and to make the three judges of the supreme court elected by the legislature for six years,—one judge to vacate his office every second year.

The circuit judges and clerks of courts are to be elected by the people, also for six years.

Also, an amendment proposing to extend the boundary of the state with the consent of congress, so as to include all north of the Missouri, and west as far as congress shall consent; also all the lands lying in the fork of the Mississippi and Des Moines rivers.

APPORTIONMENT.-An act ap. portioning the members of the legis. lature among the several counties, and 22 senatorial districts, sending 24 senators.

CIVIL OFFICES.-Clerks of courts shall not keep their offices out of the county, and the minutes of each day shall be read and signed by the judge, at the rise of the court.

Any civil officer addicted to drunkenness, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and removed from office.

CONVEYANCES.-Married women within the state are authorized to convey the real estate belonging to them-the husbands joining in the conveyance, and the wife acknowledging before a proper officer that she executes the deed voluntarily. Similar provisions are made for the conveyance of lands in Missouri, by married women residing out of the state. The deed is to be acknowledged before a court of record.

SLAVES. No keeper of a tavern, dram shop, &c. shall permit any slave to be at his tavern, &c. unless expressly sent by his master, or overseer, under the penalty of not less than $5, nor more than $50. Any slave or person of colour disturbing any religious congregation, may be ordered by any sheriff or justice to forthwith disperse; and upon refusing, any justice of the peace, after conviction by a jury, may order him to be whipped not more than 20 lashes.

DEPOSITIONS.-The official character of a magistrate before whom a deposition is taken out of the state, is to be proved by the certificate of a clerk of some court of record in the state where the magistrate resides. DIVORCE.-Extreme cruelty, or conviction of an infamous crime, is declared to be a good cause of

divorce; and when a person shall be thus divorced, it shall be lawful for the other party to marry again after two years. No divorce is to be granted by the legislature, unless two months notice be given to the opposite party, if residing in the state; and five weeks notice in the newspaper, if residing out of the state, and the cause of divorce must have taken place more than two months preceding the meeting of the legislature, and be without relief in the courts.

EVIDENCE.-Printed copies of ordinances, &c. of any town in Missouri, published under authority of the town, or copies certified under the hand and seal of the proper officer, are made evidence in the courts.

Mayors of cities are authorized to take acknowledgments of deeds, &c.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT.-The 3 per cent. fund received from the United States, was ordered to be divided rateably among the several counties of the state, to be applied under the direction of the county courts to making and repairing roads and bridges, and making canals, and the courts are to report annually to the legislature the mode in which it has been expended. The courts however are authorized by a subsequent act, to loan the same on bond and security, at 10 per cent. interest, and the interest is to be appropriated to the same purpose.

INTEREST.-Where the interest named is not greater than 10 per cent., the interest on judgments is to be the same as that named in the contracts on which they are founded.

IMPRISONMENT.-County courts are authorized to discharge persons imprisoned for non-payment of fines or costs; but their property is to be liable for payment of the same.

MILITIA.-The militia are to be