SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That the sum of thirty-seven thousand dollars be, and the same is hereby, appropriated for the completion of the State-house in the city of Little Rock: Provided, that if the commissioner shall be of opinion that the work done upon the penitentiary and State-house has not been performed according to the specified con. ditions and stipulations of said contract, he shall refer the matter to the Governor, who shall cause an investigation to be made by six competent persons, four to be chosen by the Governor, and two by the contractor, to judge of such work, who shall make their report, or a majority of them, to the Governor, in writing; and if it be reported to him, after such investigation, that said contract has not been complied with, or that the work is not such as contracted for, then, and in that case, it shall be the duty of said Governor to deduct such amount from the original sum agreed upon, as may be just and equitable, having reference, at the same time, to the special provisions of said contract: And provided further, that if said work shall be considered of no value to the State, no portion of the money appropriated to pay for the same shall be drawn from the treasury. SEC. 3. To pay members and officers of the present $15,000 00 To pay contingent expenses of the Senate and House of Representatives, 2,000 00 To pay for printing the Acts and Journals of the present General Assembly, 3,000 00 To pay salary of the Governor, 5,000 00 To pay salary of Judges of the Supreme Court, 10,800 00 To pay Judges of the Circuit Court, 16,800 00 To pay Prosecuting Attornies, 4,200 00 To pay Secretary of State, Auditor, and Treasurer of the State, 5,200 00 To pay contingent expenses of the Executive Department, Auditor, and Treasurer, and rewards for fugitives from justice, 5,500 00 To pay Prosecuting Attornies pro tem., for services hereafter to be rendered, or heretofore rendered, the sum of 2,000 00. To pay Registers of land offices, and Auditor for list 2,000 00 To pay for printing, binding and distributing the second volume of the reports of the Supreme Court, To clerk hire in the Secretary's office, To pay Reporter of the Supreme Court, To pay Adjutant General, To pay for advertising lands forfeited for taxes, And that the foregoing appropriation shall include the unexpended balance of former appropriations. To pay Samuel H. Hempstead for holding a special term in Pulaski county, of the Circuit Court, in To Messrs. Budd & Colby for a balance due them on To Wm. E. Woodruff for a balance due him for • printing done for the House of Representatives at the General Assembly, held in November and December, 1838, To Nathan Haggard, for holding five terms of the Cir- To Wm. E. Butts, for holding one term of the Circuit To atives, for postage on election returns, the sum of To pay the door-keeper of the House of Representatives for chopping wood, To pay the door-keeper of the Senate for wood for the To pay Wm. K. Inglish for furniture for the Senate, Το $100 00 7.00 410 12 500 00 400 00 200 00 477 25 8 50 10 00 148 00 5 50 19 25 And that the Secretary of the Senate be authorized to certify accounts or claims to be paid for contingent expenses of the Senate. Be it further enacted, That the Governor be, and he is hereby, authorized to borrow of the Real Estate Bank the sum of fifty thousand dollars, according to the provision of the 10th and 34th sections of the charter of said Bank; and that he be further authorized to borrow, in like manner, from the Bank of the State of Arkansas the sum of fifty thousand dollars. SEC. 4. This act to take effect, and be full in force, from and after its passage. G. HILL, Speaker of the House of Representatives. M. W. IZARD, President Approved: 28th December, 1840. of the Senate. A. YELL. RESOLUTIONS AND MEMORIALS. Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas, That the select joint committee, appointed to investigate the situation of the several branch banks of the state of Arkansas, have leave to sit during the sitting of the two houses of the present general assembly, or in case the two houses should think proper to take a recess after said committee shall have entered upon the discharge of the duties assigned them, that said recess shall not prevent the said committees, or either of them, from the full and complete discharge of their duties. Resolved, That said committees shall have power to call for all books and papers belonging or appertaining to the accounts and business of the said banks; to compel the officers or other persons concerned in the keeping of the said books and accounts of the said banks, or the conducting or management of the same, to come before them and give any and such information, or answer such interrogatories as the said committees, or either of them may think fit to demand or propound to them, touching the conducting or management of the said banks, or either of them, and that the said committees, or either of them, may may be clothed with full and complete authority to make a full and complete investigation into the conducting and managing the business of the said banks, or either of them; they shall have power to cause to come before them, any person or persons, to give information touching the conducting and management of the said banks, or either of them; and shall have power and authority to administer oaths to any person or persons. The said committees, or either of them, shall have free access to the books, papers and accounts of the said banks, or either of them; and at all seasonable hours to inspect the funds of said banks, or either of them, and to ascertain the amount, whether bills, notes, or specie. To ascertain the amount discounted to individuals, and the several amounts to each; the different periods of discounting individual paper, and the length of time allowed on paper discounted, and the total amount discounted at each period of discounting; the amount due to said banks, or either of them, from the directors thereof; and the amounts to each director individually. The said committees shall ascertain the amount of funds owned by the said banks, or either of them, commonly denominated the exchange fund, and whether the same consists in bills purchased by the said banks, or either of them, or specie; how said exchanges were disposed of, and to whom, and for what premium, and what kind of funds were received in exchange for said exchanges, whether the notes of the State bank of Arkansas or branches, or what kind of money or funds. The said committees shall ascertain the amount of liabilities of the said banks, the amount of paper in circulation, and also the amount of suspended paper in said banks, and the names of persons whose paper is now under protest, and the course that has been pursued for the collections; also to enquire if at any time during the time of suspension of specie payment by said banks, the officers, or directors thereof, have used, sold, or disposed of any portion, or part of the specie of the said banks; to whom it has been disposed, and what amount has been so disposed of; and whether exchange has been, or was purchased during suspension; if so, of whom, at what rates, and to whom sold, at what time and times sold; the amount apportioned to the several counties in their respective districts, and the amount discounted to each county in their district. Resolved, That the committee on each branch banks be instructed to inquire into the true situation of the different banking houses, and whether or not a number of lots have not been purchased, and out houses built thereon unnecessary for the use of such banks, and whether or not, such banking houses are safely and eligibly situated; and said committees shall not be restricted by the enumeration of particulars in the foregoing resolution. Resolved, That the joint select committee to whom was referred the subject of examining into the condition of the branch bank of the State of Arkansas at Fayetteville, be instructed to examine into the cause of the diminution of specie in its vaults, after the suspension of specie payment, from the sum of $79,843 75-100 to the sum of $60,550 75-100, as appears from the reports made by that branch bank, on the twenty-sixth day of April, and by the report made 7th November, 1840, and report at length to this general assembly, the result of their investigation; and that the enquiry upon what contract it is that the cashier in his report expects to receive $20,000 in specie; with whom that contract was made; and upon what authority said contract was made; and what consideration was given for said expected sum of $20,000; and all other facts deemed important by said committee, and that they report the facts to this general assembly. G. HILL, Speaker of the House of Representatives. M. W. IZARD, President of the Senate. Approved: 30th November, 1840. A. YELL. To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, in Congress assembled. Your memorialists, the general assembly of the State of Arkansas, would most respectfully represent unto your honorable body, that the Washita river, heading near the western boundary of this State, and emptying into Red river in the State of Louisiana, is a stream of considerable magnitude, and passes through an extensive country of great fertility. From the mouth of the Caddo, in Clark county, of this State, the Washita to its mouth is a very large and fine stream, affording most of the year, ample water for steam-boat navigation. But there are in its channel, and on its banks, rafts and other obstructions, rendering its navigation dangerous and almost impracticable. These obstacles cause the river to overflow its banks and inundate much rich and valuable land, principally owned by the United States government. By their removal, this public land, now totally worthless to the government, would be reclaimed, and find ready market at prices yielding tens of thousands to the general government. Besides this pecuniary advantage, the free navigation of this river is of essential importance to the government in a military point of view. It would much facilitate the transportation of troops, and munitions of war, to and from the great military highway leading from Memphis through Little Rock, to our south-western border. But a small amount would be requisite to complete this desirable object. It is believed that twenty-five thousand dollars would be ample. This trifling sum, expended in the manner solicited, would doubtless yield to the national government a profit of at least four fold, and redound greatly to the commercial advantage of the people. Your memorialists therefore pray, that your honorable body will pass a law, for the appropriation of twenty-five thousand dollars, to be expended in improving the navigation of the Washita river; and your memorialists will ever pray. G. HILL, Speaker Approved: 3rd December, 1840. of the Senate. A. YELL. Whereas, it is made the duty of the General Assembly to examine into the true condition of the State Bank of the State of Arkansas and its several branches, and whereas, it is recommended by the Governor in his message, that committees be appointed to examine into, and report the condition of said Bank and branches, and the several branches being located at so great a distance from the seat of government as to render it inconvenient, if not impracticable, for the standing committee on banks to examine the condition of said branches by |