selves a sum not exceeding $1500 per year for the

ing lots and building school houses thereon, and also for authority to borrow a sum not exceeding in all $5000, for the same purpose. And your petitioners will ever pray, &c.

ADW. T. McREYNOLDS, Pres't,

GEORGE ROBB, Sec'y,

SAMUEL BARSTOW,

ROLLIN C. SMITH,

L. BISHOP,

EDWARD V. CICOTT,

ALFRED A. DWIGHT,

HENRY LEDYARD.

Resolved, That we, the officers of the Wayne County Education Society, will co-operate with the Board of Education of this city and others of our fellow citizens, in obtaining the passage of a law authorizing the freemen of the city to vote, and the Common Council to levy and collect a tax not exceeding $1500 per year, to be expended in purchasing lots and erecting upon the same school houses for the use of the public schools of this city; and authorizing the Board of Education to borrow money to an amount not exceeding $5000 for that purpose.

I certify that a resolution, of which the above is a true copy, was unanimously adopted at a meeting of the Wayne County Education Society, held on the first of February instant, at which meeting were present Doct. Z. Pitcher, Rev. George Duffield, Rev. James Inglis, Geo. E. Hand and E. C. Walker.

SAMUEL BARSTOW, Sec'y.

No. 15.

1847.

Report of Committee on State Affairs relative to the papers and propositions of James Seymour for the location of the Capitol.

Your committe, in obedience to your resolution of enquiry and instruction, report in writing:

First, The papers submitted to the present legislature by James Seymour, consist first, in a general proposition signed by him, in which he declares himself to be the owner of a tract of land in the township of Lansing and county of Ingham, in the State of Michigan, and that said land is situated in a central position in the state, with a condition that if the present legislature will permanently fix the seat of government on said land, he will deed to the state such suitable building site as may be selected for the public buildings, free of charge, and erect at his own expense on an adjoining lot to the one proposed to be conveyed, sufficient and suitable buildings for the accommodation of the legislature and public officers, and lease them to the state without charge, until permanent buildings are erected. This instrument bears date, Detroit, January 18th, 1847, signed James Seymour. In addition to this proposition, is a deed executed by said James Seymour, and Mira A. Seymour, by her Attorney, Alfred Pond, of twenty acres of land on section nine in said township of Lansing. The deed is a warranty deed, without the covenant that the land is free of incumbrance. The deed bears date February 10th, 1847.

The 3d instrument is the bond of James Seymour to erect and have in complete readiness suitable buildings for the accommodation of the legislature and state officers by the first day of January, 1848. The buildings to be of wood or brick, and to be as large, commodious and well finished as the present capitol and state offiThe rooms are to be, the legislative halls, governor's room,

ces.

supreme court room, library room, auditor general and state treasurer's, adjutant general's, and clerk of the supreme court, rooms; each and all to be as large, and the style of finish as good as those now occupied by the above respective officers. The penalty of this bond is ten thousand dollars, signed by said James Seymour, and dated 10th February, 1847,

In addition to the above obligation, is another bond in the penalty of five thousand dollars, conditioned that if the state are not or shall not be satisfied with the lot deeded as aforesaid, that if the proper authorities will before the first day of April next, request the said James to deed to the state such other tract of twenty acres of land for the purposes for which it may be selected, being at least forty rods distant from his mill dam on said section nine, and not interfering with the water privilege, he, the said James, is to execute such deed to the state. This bond is signed by the said James Seymour, and dated at Detroit, February 14th, 1847.

In the opinion of your committee, the above instruments are all properly executed, and they are sufficient to bind the said Seymour to the performance of his several covenants, if the said Pond had a proper power of attorney to make said conveyance on the part of said Mira A. Seymour.

With regard to the integrity and responsibility of the said James Seymour, your committee have made diligent enquiry, and from the best means of knowledge in their reach, your committee have become fully satisfied that he is an honest man, and able to comply with the propositions and covenants made and entered into with the state as aforesaid.

Your committee, in relation to that part of the resolution which directs them to report their opinion with regard to the sufficiency of the buildings proposed to be erected by the said Seymour, say they have no doubt that the buildings will be adequate to the immediate wants of the state in that behalf, and probably for the purposes designed, for four or five years to come, but of this fact the Senate have as ample means of judging as your committee.

The proposition is that the buildings shall be as capacious, and finished in a style as good as the buildings now occupied by the legislature and state officers. Of course, if so constructed, will satisfy

the wants of the state as well and as long as the buildings now occupied.

Your committee further report, that they have since writing the above, examined the power of attorney executed by Mira A. Seymour to Alfied Pond, and believe the same to be sufficient to authorize him to execute the deed aforesaid, and that all the papers aforesaid are properly executed, and if accepted by the state according to the conditions, will be sufficient for all temporary purposes.

And in conclusion, your committee say, that it would have been more satisfactory to have had an official certificate from the register of deeds for the county of Ingham, that the land deeded belonged to the said Seymour, and that the same was free from incumbrance, but your committee have not had sufficient time to obtain such record evidence, and therefore report the papers back to the Senate, and respectfully ask to be discharged from the further consideration of the subject.

By order of the Committee on State Affairs.

N. A. BALCH.