JOINT RESOLUTIONS.

RESOLVED, by the Council and General Assembly of this State, That the Clerk of the Court of Chancery, and the Treasurer of this State, be authorized to fit up the room formerly occupied by the Council, for the future sittings of the Court of Chancery, and of the Prerogative Court, and as an executive office, for the use of the Governor; and the south ante-chamber of said room, as an extension of the state library room; and also, to remove the present doors of said former Council Chamber to the front arch on the same floor, replacing them with sash doors, similar to those in the present Council Chamber.

Passed, February 10, 1836.

WHEREAS, the claims of the United States on France, for depredations wantonly committed by her, upon our commerce, after having been the subject of negociation for a quarter of a century, having at length been acknowledged as just, by all the branches of that government; by the king and his ministers, in the solemn formalities of a treaty signed and ratified; Preamble by the Chamber of Deputies, in voting an appropriation of the indemnity; and by the Peers, in concurring in that vote: And whereas, the French Government have, since the ratification of the treaty, while enjoying all the benefits which it secured to France, refused to execute it, and has demanded and dictated in terins, as a preliminary to its execution, an apology from the Government of these United States, for the statement of truth, and the performance of duty, on the part of the President, in his message to Congress; and persists in this demand, notwithstanding the frank and repeated

Approval of the course of the President

in relation to France.

disavowal by him of any intention to injure the feeling, to wound the honor, or to impugn the national character of the French Government or people : And whereas, while it becomes the genius and character of a free, enlightened, and conscientious people, to ask of Foreign Governments, nothing but what is clearly right, it is no less a sacred duty, due to ourselves, and to posterity, to the memory of the past, and to the hopes of the future, that we submit to nothing that is as clearly wrong; therefore,

1. BE IT RESOLVED, by the Council and General Assembly of this State, That the course adopted by the Governiment of the United States, in reference to France, is justly entitled to, and receives our entire approbation; that we approve of the firm, dignified, and national spirit which has been displayed by our venerable President, and accord to him this testimony of our confidence; that the sentiments and views expressed by him in his recent special message on the subject, meet our warm and decided approbation; as Americans, we are proud of our character, and that of our state and country; and while we ardently desire the continuance of peace, and trust that every proper measure to preserve it may be resorted to, yet if it cannot be preserved without national degradation, we are prepared, and pledge ourselves, to stand by and sustain the Government of our choice. We cordially respond to the patriotic sentiment of the Executive, that if France wants a degrading apology or explanation, "in terms which she shall dictate, and which will involve an acknowledgment of her assumed right to interfere in our domestic councils, she will not obtain it.” "Come what may, the explanations which France demands, can never be accorded."

2. Resolved, That we freely and entirely concur in the resoConcurrence lution unanimously adopted by the House of Representatives, in resolution of at the last session, declaring, "That the treaty with France of House of Re- the fourth of July, eighteen hundred and thirty-one, should be maintained, and its execution insisted opon."

presentatives

Instructions

3. Resolved, That while we approve of the pacific recommendation of the President, in relation to the exclusion of French goods and vessels from our ports, we do hereby instruct our Senators, and request our Representatives in Congress, to sustain, by their votes and exertions, every measure necessary to increase our naval forces, to put our seaboard in a complete state of defence, and to maintain the interests, vindicate the honor, and enforce the rights of the nation.

4. Resolved, That the Governor of this state be requested to transmit to the President of the United States, to the Vice President, to each of our Senators and Representatives in Congress, and to the executives of each of the states, and territories, a copy of the foregoing preamble and resolutions. Passed, February 12, 1836.

WHEREAS the repeated and extensive losses of life and property, occasioned by the navigation of that part of the Delaware Bay, known by the name of Cape May Roads, render it necessary that measures should be taken to decrease, if they cannot entirely remove the evil.

And whereas it is well known to all acquainted with that Preamble, portion of the state, that vessels drawing more than three fathoms water cannot approach the New England Channel, and that it is used by coasting vessels only, and the lighter craft, and to them its easy navigation is a matter of serious importance.

The coasting trade has increased within a few years to an enormous extent; the amount of it from Philadelphia eastward, and the importance of the Philadelphia market to the Eastern States, require that this branch of commerce should receive all the protection possible; for this purpose a safe harbor in the said Roads is all important.

Vessels bound up the Delaware, approaching Cape May Light, in thick and rough weather, cannot with any degree of safety, run for the Breakwater; the shoals in the mouth. of the Delaware, numerous and dangerous, prevent them. Their only course is through the Cape May Roads, and when the wind is from the south-west and north-west, places them on a lee shore. Such a wind has a fair sweep from upwards of forty miles across an open bay; it exposes all vessels at anchor to great danger, if not to certain destruction. Those that cannot ride it out, must go

requested

ashore, which is often the case; and the loss of life and property has been afflicting and extensive; complaints are frequently made, and very justly too, that vessels bound up the Delaware and running the eastern channel are lost for the want of light houses on the Jersey shore. These serious difficulties in the way of navigation of the Delaware, and the successful protection of the coasting trade, can be obviated by the erection of a stone pier from half to threefourths of a mile in length, to be placed on what is called "Crows Shoal," at a proper distance from the Bay-Shore, or at whatever other point a skilful engineer may determine; and also, a light house on Egg Island, and another on Cohansey Point-Therefore,

RESOLVED, That in the opinion of this legislature, the maters set forth in the foregoing preamble are peculiarly Appropriation worthy of the attention of Congress, as guardians of the interests of the whole community, and that a survey of the said Cape May Roads, and an appropriation for the construction of said pier and light houses, would conduce greatly to the general good.

Resolutions to

Resolved, That a copy of the foregoing preamble and reso be presented to lutions be forwarded by the governor of this state to our se nators and representatives in Congress, to be by them laid before both houses of Congress.

Senators and

Representa

tives

Passed, March 4, 1836.

BE IT RESOLVED, by the Council and General As sembly of this State, That the treasurer of this state be author ized to settle with, and make compensation, to Richard J. Bond, William M. Griggs, Samuel Lippencott, Daniel J. Blackwell, Edmund Rue, Elizabeth Henderson, Daniel Newbold, S. W. Thomas, Ezekiel Pullen, J. Arnold, James Priest, William Paul, Samuel Allison, Margaret Bodine, John Miles, Joha Meirs, Charles Dippoldt, and Abraham Woodruff, severally, the sums stated in the report of the state prison committee, for

property owned by them, and destroyed by the recent fire at the state prison; the aggregate amount so appropriated, not to exceed four hundred and ninety-six dollars and ninety-six cents.

Passed, March 5, 1836.

RESOLVED, Council concurring, That the treasurer of this state, be authorized and required to purchase two hundred copies of the Manual of Legislative Practice, printed under the authority of this Legislature, and distribute the same as follows, viz. To the Governor and Secretary of State, to each member of the present Legislature, Secretary of Council, Clerk of Assembly, State Treasurer, Attorney General, Law and Chancery Reporters, Judges of the Supreme Court, Clerks of Supreme Court and Chancery, Clerks and Surrogates of the respective counties, Senators and Representatives of this state in Congress, President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States, Law Library, of New Jersey, Incorporated Libraries of New Jersey, Congressional Libraries, one copy each; And further, That the remaining copies be placed in the State Library for the use of succeeding Legislatures.

Passed, March 9, 1836.

RESOLVED, by the Council and General Assembly of this State, That the treasurer of this state, pay unto Joseph W. Scott, esq. in payment for his revision of the Orphans' Court system, the sum of five hundred dollars from any unappropriated money in the treasury, and that the receipt of the said Joseph W. Scott shall be a sufficient voucher for such payment.

Passed, March 10, 1836.