A. Maroutate, D. Cruickshank, James M. Sanborn, W. G. Hill, J. B. Farrand, C. G. Meisel, E. G. Spalding, C. F. Harrington, H. G. Barnum, John Mettan, M. V. Elliott, S. L. Boyce, Mayor, E. W. Harris, C. W. A. Rhodes, Wm. Shorn, H. C. Hope & Co., John Riggs, J. F. Batchelor. Jacob Roberts, James L. Gustin, F. A. Weyers, H. A. Weyers, Chas. Stoddard, R. S. Patterson, W. I. Bartholomew, Maitland & Wallace, Thos. Walsh, I. Springer, J.T. Whitney, J. P. Edison, John G. O'Neill, Daniel Ryan, J. Corbishley, J. H. Haslitt, L. S. Penney, R. W. Mathews, Wm. F. Atkinson, P. M. Wright, Frank Whipple, CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, City of Port Huron, July 30, 1870. To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Michigan : The following preamble and resolutions were this day unanimously adopted by the common council of this city: Whereas, The Supreme Court of the State of Michigan did, in a recent decision, declare certain bonds issued in aid of railroads to be void; And whereas, The city of Port Huron did issue several thousand dollars of such bonds, which have passed into the hands of bona fide holders; And whereas, The citizens of Port Huron desire to pay said bonds; therefore, be it Resolved, By the common council of the city of Port Huron, that the Legislature of the State of Michigan, now in session, be and they are hereby requested to submit to the people of this State such an amendment to the Constitution as will, if carried, authorize and empower the payment of such of the railroad bonds already issued by the townships and cities of this State, as have passed into the hands of bona fide holders thereof; and be it further Resolved, That the Clerk of this city be and he is hereby directed to forward a certified copy of the foregoing preamble and resolutions, under his hand and the seal of this city, to the Hon. Cyrus Miles, our Representative, requesting him to present the same to the Legislature of the State. The above preamble and resolutions are a true copy of the same passed and adopted by the common council of this city this day. LEWIS ATKINS, City Clerk. By Mr. Owen: the memorial of the Mayor and Common Council of the city of St. Clair, asking the Legislature to submit to the people such an amendment to the Constitution as will validate bonds issued in aid of railroads. On motion of Mr. Owen, The memorial was ordered printed in the journal, and referred to the committees on the judiciary and internal improvements, jointly. The following is the memorial: To the Honorable the Legislature of the State of Michigan: We, the undersigned, mayor and common council of the city of St. Clair, respectfully petition and request your honorable body to submit to the people at the next general election, an amendment to the Constitution of our State, legalizing, authorizing, and permitting the city of St. Clair to pay the St. Clair city railroad aid bonds which have already been issued, and now on deposit in the office of the State Treasurer. Or in other words, to submit such an amendment to the people as shall validate and authorize the payment of all municipal bonds issued in aid of railroads, whether the same be already delivered or still in the hands of the State Treasurer. JNO. E. KITTON, Mayor. D. D. O'DELL, FRED. S. STEELE, SAM'L BENDIT, G. STRAUSS, Aldermen. I, J. Ward Hill, clerk of the city of St. Clair, in said county, do hereby certify that at a regular meeting of the common council of the said city, held on the first day of August, 1870, the said council did adopt the foregoing, and that the signatures to the same are genuine. Witness my hand and the seal of said city, on the 1st [L. S.] day of August, A. D. 1870. J. WARD HILL, City Clerk. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES. By the committee on State affairs: The committee on State affairs, to whom was referred so much of the Governor's message as relates to the compilation of the social statistics of the State, and also Senate bill No. 2, entitled A bill to provide for the collection of the social statistics of Michigan, Respectfully report, that as to the importance of the statistics mentioned, there can be no question that is not readily apparent. Correct and extensive statistical information is not less necessary to the mass of the people, in order that they may desire, appreciate, and understand correct legislation, than it is for the legislator to comprehend and to promote the best interests of his constituents. England, France, Austria, Prussia, Russia, Sweden, Belgium, and the smaller powers of Germany and Italy, have, in some mode or other, and under various designations, long possessed the advantage of correct official information upon their several national statistics. The United States, in this respect, are far behind the nations referred to. The federal census act of 1850 failed to be amended in the spring of 1860, in the disturbed condition of public affairs, and during the session of Congress just closed a new and carefully prepared bill, which supplied and remedied the defects of the act of 1850, failed only by reason of a dis agreement between the two Houses of Congress on the mode of appointing district superintendents. In thirty-one out of the thirty-six States of the Union, legislative enactments have been passed from time to time, requiring the collection of the social statistics of the State by town, county, and city officials, and the same are made matter of public record. Michigan, hitherto, has failed to take the necessary action to place herself in harmony with other States in this matter, and is now sadly deficient in that statistical information, which the bill now before this body will remedy. Unless this bill becomes a law, the interests of Michigan will be greatly sacrificed in the comparative statistics that are now being gathered by her sister States, as the census law of 1850 (now in force) is based on the theory that the State has already in its possession the information comprised in schedule number five of that act,-popularly known as social statistics,-and in the failure of this bill to become a law, the United States deputy marshal (Mr. H. H. Smith of Washington), having the matter in charge, will be obliged to collect the social statistics of Michigan as best he may with the limited means at his command-being less than five hundred dollars, and of which sum at least one-half, as your committee are assured, has already been expended without obtaining anything reliable toward the end desired. The amount appropriated by the bill is simply sufficient to cover the actual expense in economically gathering the needed information, though it is possible that it may be accomplished for $4,500. But, of course, no more of the sum appropriated will be expended than may become absolutely necessary. The basis of compensation, as will be seen by the bill, is that of population, which experience has shown to be the only fair and correct principle, as the greater the number of inhabitants the greater will be the information as to schools, churches, libraries, newspapers, newspaper circulation, pauperism, crime, &c., &c. It is especially important that there |