JOINT RESOLUTION AND MEMORIAL Praying congress for an appropriation, to defray the expenses of a geological survey. 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, respectfully represent, that the interests of this territory require that a geological survey should be made without delay; it is believed that extensive coal fields underly large portions of our fertile prairies, where timber is too scarce to admit of dense settlement unless coal can be procured for fuel; that there are also extensive beds of rich iron, lead and copper ore, and recent discoveries render it certain that gold and silver exist, at and in the eastern portion of the Rocky mountains, to an extent equal to the famous placers and mines of California. Your memorialists believe that a geological survey, by demonstrating the mineral wealth of this territory, would tend to facilitate the settlement and sale of the public lands by an industrious population, who would speedily develop the hidden resources of our western prairie plains, which have hitherto been regarded as a barren waste. We therefore pray your honorable body to make an appropriation for a geological survey of this territory, and as in duty bound, they will ever pray, &c. Resolved, That our delegate in congress be requested to use all honorable means to secure an appropriation for the purposes set forth in the foregoing memorial. Approved January 2d, 1861. JOINT RESOLUTION AND MEMORIAL Relative to school lands in the fractional townships in Nebraska territory. 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, respectfully represent, that in accordance with the provisions of the organic act of said territory, two sections in each full township, are reserved for the support of common schools, but no provision is made for the fractional townships in portions of either sections sixteen or thirty-six exists, or where the said sections are fractional in quantity, and less than the full proportion of two sections to a township: Except, by the act of the 20th of May, 1826, by which a proportion of one section to each township is allowed for fractional townships. Your memorialists, therefore, respectfully ask, that there may be set apart and reserved of the public lands of the United States, for the sup port of schools, a quantity of lands, for said fractional townships, equal to a proportion of two sections for a full township, similar to the grant made by "An act to appropriate lands for the support of schools, in certain townships and fractional townships in the territory of Minnesota, not before provided for," approved March 3d, 1853. Resolved, That the secretary of the territory be requested to forward a copy of this memorial to the speaker of the house of representatives in congress, and also to furnish a copy to our delegate in congress. Resolved, That the delegate from the territory of Nebraska, be, is hereby requested, to make every honorable effort to secure the object sought by this memorial. Approved January 2d, 1861. and JOINT RESOLUTION AND MEMORIAL. Praying for an appropriation to complete the Capitol building and to build a Penitentiary. 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 position relative to the capitol building of this territory. An appropriation of fifty thousand dollars was made for the purpose of erecting a capitol, but as the plans for the erection of 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 toward 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: Extreme length,.. 66 width,. ..137 feet. 66 The rooms upon the second floor are finished as follows: One used by the House of Representatives,... ... .22x34 feet. It is respectfully represented that by careful estimates 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. Your memorialists further ask your honorable bodies to make an appropriation for the early erection of a penitentiary, at or near Bellevue, Sarpy county, in said territory, Therefore, Be it resolved by the legislative assembly of the territory of Nebraska convened, That our delegate in congress be, and he is hereby requested to use his influence to procure the objects 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, and request him to lay the same immediately before the congress of the United States, and request immediate and favorable action on the same. Approved January 4th, 1861. JOINT RESOLUTION AND MEMORIAL FOR AN ASSAY OFFICE. 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, would respectfully represent to your honorable body, that an assay office in Nebraska territory would greatly advance the interests of many thousands of citizens of the United States, and be conducive to the material prosperity of the entire country. It would hasten the development of the resources and capacities of that section known as the gold region of western Nebraska and Kansas, and would aid in revealing the hidden treasures and vast mineral wealth of those mountains upon our western border. Without aid, encouragement or protection from the general government, in advance of science and scientific explorations, a few bold pioneers, at the very base of the Rocky mountains upon our western boundary discovered, two years since, the richer metals. These discoveries, of doubtful value perhaps at first, subsequent investigation, exploration and research have demonstrated to be of untold value in augmenting the material wealth of this country. Those mountainous regions gave employment the past season to up wards of fifty thousand men, whose labors and prospectings have been rewarded by millions of dollars in gold dust and no inconsiderable amount of the richest of silver ore. The experience of the past season's mining, justifies the belief that the amount of gold dug from the mountain gulches and canons during the summer and autumn months of the year 1861, will not fall short of fifty millions of dollars, and that the silver ore procured from the same period will reach fully to the sum of ten millions of dollars. Upwards of one million dollars in gold dust has found its way to different points on the Missouri river in this territory during the season just closed, and shipped by express to the assay offices of eastern cities, at a heavy expense to the owners and purchasers. All this expense would be avoided by the establishment of an assay office at some suitable place in this territory, in accordance with the prayer of this memorial. With these hopeful indications and an appreciation of the great results attending the accomplishment of the desires herein expressed, may we not ask with confidence that your honorable body will grant our prayer, and as in duty bound your memorialists will ever pray &c. Resolved, That the secretary of this territory be requested to forward a copy of this memorial and joint resolution to our delegate in congress, who is hereby requested to use all honorable means to secure the objects herein expressed. Approved January 4th, 1861. MEMORIAL AND JOINT RESOLUTION Relative to a mail route. To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled: Your memorialists, the Council and House of Representatives of the Territory of Nebraska, would respectfully represent that the establishment of a tri-weekly mail route from Dakota city to Fort Randal, in said territory is greatly needed by the citizens living on and along the present weekly mail routes between those points, and that the establishment of a tri-weekly mail route, as prayed for in this memorial, would add much to the comfort and business convenience of a large district of country, well settled and prosperous, but suffering at present from irregular and inadequate mail facilities. The establishment of such tri-weekly mail route would supply eight post offices between said Dakota city and Fort Randal, and the Ponca reservation and garrison at Fort Randal. Your memorialists would therefore respectfully request your favorable and prompt consideration of the claims for the establishment of said mail route, and in duty bound would ever pray. Resolved, That the secretary of the territory be requested to forward a copy of the above memorial and accompanying resolution to our delegate in congress, who is hereby requested to use his influence to secure the establishment of a tri-weekly mail route between Dakota city and Fort Randal, as above proposed, and to have service placed thereon, at as early a day as practicable. Approved January 4th, 1861. MEMORIAL Relative to a tri-weekly mail route from Columbus to Fort Kearney. To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress assembled: Your memorialists, the Council and House of Representatives of the Territory of Nebraska, would respectfully represent, that the nearest route from the Missouri river to Fort Kearney, is the route from Omaha via Columbus and Grand Island city to said fort, that the country along this route is well settled, and that from Omaha to Columbus a tri-weekly, from Columbus to Fort Kearney a weekly mail service only exists on this route. And they would further represent, that the interests of this territory demand that a tri-weekly mail service be established, from Columbus to Fort Kearney, via Monroe and Genoa. They therefore respectfully pray that a tri-weekly mail service may be ordered between the last named two points. Approved January 7th, 1861. MEMORIAL AND JOINT RESOLUTION Relative to a mail route. To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled: Your memorialists, the Council and House of Representatives of the Territory of Nebraska, would respectfully represent, that the interests of a large portion of the people of this territory would be greatly promoted by the establishment of a daily mail from St. Joseph, Mo, by way of Highland, K. T., and Falls city, Nemaha city, Brownsville, Nebraska city and Plattsmouth, to Omaha city in said territory, and respectfully pray that the same may be established. Resolved. That the secretary of this territory be requested to forward a copy of the above memorial and this resolution to our delegate in congress, who is hereby requested to use his influence to secure the object of the same. Approved January 9th, 1861. |