Resolved by the Senate, the House concurring herein, That the governor be and is hereby authorized to appoint a "State Board of Managers," consisting of seven members, two of whom shall be the U. S. Centennial Commissioner, and alternate, heretofore appointed to represent the interests of this state at the International Exhibition to be held at the city of Philadelphia in 1876, and the governor is also hereby authorized to require the State Board of Managers, annually, to report to him their proceedings on or before the first of January, to be by him submitted to the general assembly: Provided, that such Board of Managers shall not incur any expenses, personal or otherwise, on behalf of the state.

Charitable Institutions.

WHEREAS, there is a prevailing opinion in the minds of many of the members of this general assembly that the various charitable institutions of this state are unnecessarily expensive as now managed; and, whereas, it is asserted that in many of said institutions supplies are purchased at retail prices, at greater expense to the state than is absolutely necessary; and whereas, it is the duty of this general assembly to protect the interests of the people, who pay the taxes for the support of said institutions; therefore,

Resolved by the House, the Senate concurring herein, That there be a joint special committee appointed, to consist of three members on the part of the house, and two on the part of the senate, whose duty it shall be to thoroughly investigate the affairs of said charitable institutious, to ascertain the manner and principle of their management, and inquire into the expediency of putting the control and management of all said institutions under the control of one board of commission

ers.

Resolved, That if said committee cannot get the necessary information from the State Board of Public Charities, and the several departments of state, that they are hereby instructed to visit said institutions for the purpose of collecting such information, and that they report the result of their investigation during the present session of the general assembly; that if the interest of the state requires it, said committee report a bill revising the law governing said institutions, and as far as may be to remedy the evils complained of.

Condition of Treasury.

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring therein, That the joint committee on finance of the house and senate be and they are hereby instructed to ascertain and report, at their convenience

1. The amount of money in the state treasury.

2. The amount of appropriations made heretofore and yet unex

3. The amount of state revenue required for the next two years for all purposes, and from what sources to be derived.

4. The amount of the outstanding indebtedness of the state, and the times when the same matures.

5. The condition as to security of the vaults and safes in the office of the state treasurer.

6. Any other information deemed of value to the general assembly in relation to the finance of the state.

Copying Laws and Journals.

WHEREAS a certain newspaper has charged the former secretary of state with overcharging for copying the laws and journals of the 27th general assembly; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring herein, That a special joint committee of five, two from the senate and three from the house, be appointed by the respective chairmen, to investigate said work, and to report the result by resolution or otherwise, as early as possible; and that it be the duty of said committee to inquire into and report how much paper and what kind of paper has been furnished by the secretary of state to the public printer since the session of the legislature, and the cost thereof.

County Commissioners.

Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring herein, That the secretary of state be requested to send certified copies of senate bill No. 485 to the clerk of the county court of each county in this state, not under township organization, at as early a day as practicable.

Election Returns.

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring therein, That the two houses meet in joint session in the hall of representatives, on Friday, the 10th day of January, inst., at 11 o'clock A. M., for the purpose of canvassing the returns of the election for governor, lieutenant-governor, secretary of state, auditor of public accounts, treasurer, and attorney-general.

Enrollment of Laws.

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring herein, That the chief enrolling and engrossing clerk of the house of represen tatives and the senate, be and they are hereby instructed and directed to allow no enrolled bills to be laid before the joint committee on enrolled bills of this general assembly in which there has been an erasure of a word, words or sentence, or in which there is an interlineation of a word, words or sentence, and that all enrolled bills laid before said committee as correctly enrolled, shall be in a fair, legible hand-writing and without such interlineation or erasure; that in case any law shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state not in accordance with the provisions of this resolution, it shall be the duty of the secretary of state at once to notify the house in which such law originated.

Governor and Lieutenant-Governor.

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring herein, That a joint committee of three on the part of the house and two on the part of the senate, be appointed to wait on the Hon. Richard J. Oglesby, and inform him of his election to the office of governor of this state, and that they also inform the Hon. John L. Beveridge of his election to the office of lieutenant-governor of this state, and inquire of them at what time they will meet the two houses for the purpose of taking their oaths of office.

Immigration.

WHEREAS, the number of immigrants daily landing on our shores has been and is growing more and more; and whereas, the wealth and prosperity of our country is thereby being enriched and developed :

Resolved, That the house of representatives, the senate concurring, do recommend to our members of congress the necessity of their creating and supporting some general law, which will tend to better protect and encourage immigration, and which shall particularly look to the protection of immigrants while on their passage across the Atlantic and over the railroads, on their way to the western and southern part of this republic.

Improvement of Navigation.

WHEREAS, the governor of this state, complying with a request of a convention held at Cincinnati, February 20, 1872, did, in joint action

ginia and Pennsylvania, appoint five commissioners to represent Illinois, and act with a like number of commissioners from each of the other states above named, to the end that a board of commissioners might thus be established through and by the exertions of which the government of the United States should be induced to enter, with the least possible delay, upon the work of making the Ohio and its navigable tributaries safe, cheap and reliable highways; and whereas, the seven states represented by this commission, and the seven other great states bordering on the Mississippi valley, contain one-half of the whole population of the nation, and produce quite sixty per cent. of the farm products of the whole country, and to which cheap transportation is therefore a necessity; and whereas, in consequence of the high rates of railroad transportation, the profits of the agriculturist have been destroyed, while the value of farming lands has been greatly impaired, and capital has thus been discouraged from engaging in agricultural development: therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring herein, That the improvement of the great water lines of the country cheapens the cost of transportation, contributes to the agricultural and mineral resources of the country, and adds to the general prosperity.

Resolved, That we recognize the authority of the joint commission for the improvement of the Ohio river, and its tributaries, created by joint action of the governors of the Ohio valley states, and indorse and sustain its action to obtain the sufficient and proper support of the government of the United States in the great public work committed to the charge of said commission.

Resolved, That to give said commission greater efficacy in its labors, we hereby request our senators and representatives in the congress of the United States to give the suggestions of this joint board of commissioners for the improvement of the Ohio and its tributaries their combined and earnest support.

Resolved, That the governor of this state is hereby requested to forward a copy of this preamble and resolutions to each senator and representative in the congress of the United States from Illinois.

Inauguration of State Officers.

Resolved, That the senate, the house concurring herein, will meet in joint session with the house, in the hall of the house of representatives, on Monday, January 13, at 2 o'clock P. M., for the purpose of witnessing the inauguration of governor, lieutenant-governor, and the state officers elect of the state of Illinois.

Increased Pay of Congressmen.

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring herein, That we emphatically condemn the law passed by the 42d Congress

increasing the pay of members of congress and other officers of the government, and instruct our senators and respectfully request our representatives in congress to use their best endeavors to secure the unconditional repeal of said law; and we hereby declare our conviction that the constitution of the United States should be so amended as to prevent any future congress from increasing the pay of its own members, and we hereby express our earnest request that immediate measures be instituted by congress to secure this end.

International Exposition.

WHEREAS the United States commissioner to the international exposition, to be held at Vienna, Austria, in the year 1873, have made application to his excellency, John L. Beveridge, governor of the state of Illinois, to furnish said commissioner with a drawing of the coat-of-arms of this state, in colors; also, such flags and banners as he may see proper to spare, said articles to be returned to the state; and whereas the state of Illinois should be represented at said exposition; therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring herein, That the governor be and is hereby authorized to furnish to said commissioners said coat-of-arms and such flags and banners as he may deem expedient to properly represent this state at said exposition.

International Prison Reform.

Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring, That the Rev. E. C. Wines, D. D., LL. D., of New York, Secretary of the National Prison Association and President of the International Prison Commission, Commissioner of the United States to the International Prison Congress, at London, be and hereby is invited to address the members of this general assembly on the subject of "Prison Discipline and Reform," in the hall of representatives, on Wednesday evening, the 21st inst., at 71⁄2 o'clock.

Joint Rules.

Resolved by the Senate, the House concurring, That the joint rules of the senate and house of the last session be the joint rules of the senate and