MEMORIALS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS. MEMORIAL AND JOINT RESOLUTION Relative to school lands in the Indian reservation, in Richardson county. Be it resolved by the Council and House of Representatives of the Territory of Nebraska, That our delegate in congress be requested to use his influence in procuring the passage in accordance with the prayer contained in the following memorial: To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled: Your memorialists, the legislative assembly of the territory of Nebraska, respectively represent to your honorable body that in consequence of the provisions of the treaty made with certain tribes of Indians at Prairie-du-Chien in 1830, and also in consequence of the Sac and Fox reservation, the people of Richardson and Nemaha counties, Nebraska territory, are deprived of a large portion of valuable school lands which would, save for the reservation above mentioned, have been set apart for educational purposes, under the provisions of the organic act of this territory. Your memorialists therefore pray that your honorable body may appoint commissioners to select lands in lieu thereof in said county, equal in amount to the number of acres that would have been reserved for school purposes, had the Indian title been fully extinguished. And your memorialists will ever pray, etc. Approved December 22d, 1859. JOINT MEMORIAL AND RESOLUTION. To the Honorable Secretary of the Interior: Your memorialists, the legislative assembly of the territory of Nebraska would most respectfully represent that for two years past the Pawnee Indians have been committing depredations upon the settlers residing along the Platte and Elkhorn rivers and other places in this territory; that in June last they went in armed bands to their work of plunder, breaking open houses and rifling them of their contents, shooting and driving off cattle, taking money and other articles forcibly from the persons of the settlers, by which large numbers of the frontier population were frightened from their homes; indeed to such excesses did they proceed that the governor of the territory was compelled to call out the military to protect the inhabitants and their property. Your memorialists would further represent that these settlers, like the first settlers of all territories, were all of them poor and could, under no circumstances, meet with such losses without very seriously impairing their means of procuring a livelihood. But these depredations were especially disastrous, as just at this time the lands of that section of the territory were being brought into market, and the settlers needed every dollar they could possibly spare, to prevent their lands from being sold at the public sales; indeed many of these very settlers were forced to procure the means to save their homes by agreeing to pay interest thereon at the rate of from thirty to one hundred per cent per annum, and at the same time, although said tribe of Indians is under the protection of, and receiving an annuity from the United States, none of the bills for damages presented to their agent, although properly proven, as is believed, have ever been adjusted, or, so far as we know, examined, although some of them were presented more than eighteen months ago. Your memorialists therefore most respectfully ask that either a special commissioner be appointed, or the agent of the aforesaid Pawnee Indians be specially instructed to speedily examine into the merits of the claims which have or may be presented against said Indians, in order that those which are just may be speedily paid. And be it further resolved that the secretary of the territory be, and hereby is most respectfully requested to forward certified copies hereof to the honorable secretary of the interior, and our delegate in congress, as soon as practicable after the same shall have received the approval of the governor. Approved December 22d, 1859. JOINT RESOLUTION AND MEMORIAL Praying for an appropriation to complete the capitol building. To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled: Your memorialists, the legislative assembly of the territory of Nebraska, beg leave most respectfully to lay before your honorable bodies the following statement and petition relative to the capitol building of this territory. An appropriation of fifty thousand dollars was made for the purpose of erecting a capitol, but under a degree of mismanagement, wholly unpardonable upon the part of the then executive, Mark W. Izard, whose plans for the building were much more extensive than the sum appropriated; the whole amount was expended, and the building only just begun. The common council of the city of Omaha then took the matter in hand, and by an ordinance gave sixty thousand dollars towards the completion of the building. Under the direction of the city authorities the sum was entirely expended and the building completed to its present state. The dimensions of the capitol are as follows: The rooms upon the second floor are finished as follows: One used by the House of Representatives. Ante room to the same.... One used by the council, One room. 22 by 34 feet. 10 by 24 It is respectfully represented that by careful estimate made by competent architects, the sum of thirty thousand dollars is required to complete the building. We therefore earnestly petition your honorable bodies to appropriate the said sum of thirty thousand dollars for the completion of the capitol building of Nebraska territory. Resolved, That the secretary of the territory be requested to forward a copy of this memorial to Hon. Experience Estabrook, our delegate in congress, and request him to lay the same immediately before the house and senate of the congress of the United States. Approved December 22d, 1859. JOINT RESOLUTION For the relief of George A. Graves. Be it resolved by the Council and House of Representatives of the Territory of Nebraska, That the territorial auditor be and is hereby authorized to issue warrants upon the territorial treasurer, in favor of George A, Graves, for the sum of seventy-two dollars, as compensation for services as engrossing clerk, during the session of the legislature of 1857-8. Approved December 31st, 1859. JOINT RESOLUTION Requesting the governor to negotiate with the governors of the several states and territories relative to an exchange of laws and journals. Resolved by the Council and House of Representatives of the Territory of Nebraska, That the governor of the territory be and he is hereby requested to correspond with the governors of the several states and territories of the Union, relative to an exchange of the laws and journals of their respective states or territories, and that he be authorized to make such exchange for the purpose of securing the objects of this resolution. Approved December 31st, 1859. JOINT RESOLUTION AND MEMORIAL Asking an appropriation to construct a bridge over the Loup Fork river. To the Honorable the Senate and House of Repreresentatives of the United States in Congress assembled: Your memorialists, the legislative assembly of the territory of Nebraska, respectfully represent that a military or public road beginning at Omaha city, and extending westward to Fort Kearney, Laramie and Utah, has been opened and located under the direction of the national government, and has become a great thoroughfare, whereon military supplies may be expeditiously transported westward. It also affords an avenue of trade of great advantage to the inhabitants of this territory and others, and is now one of the prominent mail routes in said territory: but your memorialists further represent that the interests of the national government, as well as the interests of this territory would be greatly advanced by the construction of a bridge over the Loup Fork river at Columbus; the point where said road reaches and crosses the same. This river constitutes an almost impassable barrier between Omaha and Fort Kearney, separated by it, and on account of the great difficulty, and very often imminent danger in crossing the same by means of a ferry travel and the mails are much impeded and at times are altogether stopped. Your memorialists would represent that in the immediate vicinity where said road crosses the river, there is an abundance of stone or rock of excellent quality for building purposes, also large quarries of limestone, and extensive wood lands of large growing timber, which will afford ample material of that character for the construction of said bridge close at hand. Your memorialists would further represent that the cost of construction of said bridge will be such as entirely precludes any attempt or ability on the part of this territory to accomplish a work of such magnitude and expense, and hence they respectfully and earnestly pray that a sufficient appropriation may be made at as early a day as possible for the purpose aforesaid; therefore Be it resolved by the council and house of representatives of the territory of Nebraska, That our delegate in congress be and is hereby requested to use all honorable means to bring this subject to the favorable consideration of congress, and obtain an appropriation of eighty thousand dollars for the purpose aforesaid; and be it further Resolved, That the secretary of this territory be and is hereby requested to transmit, properly authenticated, two copies of the foregoing memorial and resolution in our delegate in congress. Approved December 31st, 1859. JOINT RESOLUTION For the relief of Justin Davis. Be it resolved by the Council and House of Representatives of the Territory of Nebraska, That the territorial auditor be, and he is hereby authorized and required to draw his warrant on the territorial treasurer for the sum of eighty dollars, in favor of Justin Davis, as compensation for his services as page to the council during the fourth session of the territorial legislature. Approved December 31st, 1859. JOINT MEMORIAL AND RESOLUTION Asking for an appropriation to build a penitentiary for Nebraska territory. To the Congress of United States: Your memorialists, the legislative assembly of the territory of Nebraska, most respectfully ask your honorable bodies to make an immediate appropriation for the early erection of a penitentiary at or near Bellevue, Sarpy county, in said territory. Be it resolved by the legislative assembly of the territory of Nebraska, convened, That Addison R. Gillmore of Douglas county, Christian D. Keller of Sarpy county, and Samuel H. Elbert of Cass county, in said territory, be, and the same are hereby appointed commisssioners to select a site for the location of said penitentiary, and to receive donations, &c., to aid in the construction of the same. Be it resolved by the legislative assembly of the territory of Nebraska, convened, That our delegate in congress be, and is hereby requested to use his influence to procure the object indicated in the above memorial and resolution. Resolved, That our secretary be instructed to forward an attested copy of the above memorial and resolution to our delegate in congress, |