PREAMBLE AND JOINT RESOLUTION. Whereas, It appears that in the organization of the legislature of the State of Louisiana, a minority of the members of the house of representatives holding credentials to seats in said house, in a violent and revolutionary manner pretended to elect a temporary speaker before the completion of a roll of members, and to vacate the seats of certain members holding certificates, and to admit certain parties who contested such seats preliminary to a regular organization; and Whereas, When their disorderly proceeding were about to culminate in riot and bloodshed, the pretended speaker of the house aforesaid called in the aid of the United States military forces to preserve order; and Whereas, The action of the commanding officer of the federal troops in insisting upon the retirement from the house of all outsiders and all claiming to be members, but not holding certificates, until a legal organization of the said legislative body could be had, has been made the pretext of an unwarranted and unjust assault upon President Grant and General Sheridan, who have, as in duty bound, assumed and indorsed the action of General De Trobriand by sundry state legislatures, and sundry members of congress, and a portion of the political press; therefore, Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Nebraska, That we heartily endorse the position of the president and the course of General Sheridan in assuming the responsibility of securing to the State of Louisiana a republican form of government by their prompt suppression of an attempted revolution. Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the president of the United States and to each of the presiding officers of the two houses of congress. Approved, February 25, 1875. MEMORIAL AND JOINT RESOLUTION. n relation to the opening and improving the channel of the Missouri river. To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled: We, your memorialists, the legislature of the State of Nebraska, would respectfully represent to your honorable body, that the State of Nebraska is yet in her infancy, but is a great and rapidly increasing community, closely united in interest with the east and south with a large and extensive territorial domain, the proper development of which requires the aid and fostering care of the general government; and Whereas, It is eminently desirable and absolutely necessary to the material prosperity and advancement of the State of Nebraska that our products shall have the advantage of competing transportation ; and, Whereas, Experience demonstrates that transportation by water is of far greater benefit to an agricultural community than by rail; therefore, Be it resolved, That our senators and representatives in congress, are hereby requested to use all honorable means to secure the opening out and improving the channel of the Missouri River. Resolved, That the secretary of state be and is hereby instructed to transmit a certified copy of this memorial and joint resolution to our senators and representatives in congress. Approved, January 28, 1875. JOINT RESOLUTION. Declaring a vacancy in the board of regents of the state university. Whereus, The Honorable D. J. McCann was elected to the office of regent of the state university on the first day of March, 1871, to serve for a period of six years; and Whereas, The said D. J. McCann has removed from the State of Nebraska, and has not attended any meeting of the board of regents for a period of eighteen months, last past; therefore, Be it resolved by the Legislature of the State of Nebraska, That the office to which he, the said D. J. McCann was elected, be and is hereby declared vacant, and that the legislature in joint convention elect a suitable person to fill said vacancy. Approved, February 16, 1875. JOINT RESOLUTION. Declaring vacancy in the office in regent of the university, elected from the second judicial district in the year 1871, and providing for the filling of said vacancy. Whereas, J. B. Maxfield, elected as a member of the board of regents of the state university in the year 1871, from the second judicial district, has since moved, and is now living in the first judicial district; therefore, Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives, That a vacancy in said office is hereby declared, and that the same shall be filled by an election in the same manner and at the same time as other regents are elected at the present session of the legislature to fill other vacancies. Approved, February 16, 1875. JOINT RESOLUTION. Authorizing the publication of a legislative manual for the year 1875. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Nebraska, That three hundred copies of a legislative manual for the year 1875, comprising the rules of the senate and house, joint rules, names of members and officers, standing committees, and other useful statistical information concerning Nebraska, be compiled by the state librarian, and printed under his direction by the contractors for public printing, for the use of the legislature. Two hundred copies shall also be printed and distributed by said librarian, among state officers and county clerks of each county. Approved, January 21, 1875. JOINT RESOLUTION. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Nebraska, That the governor and board of state prison inspectors, be required to examine into the sufficiency of the bond of the contractor for building the state prison, and if said bond shall be deemed by them to be insufficient for the protection of the interests of the state, they are hereby authorized and required to demand such additional bond with sureties as they shall deem necessary to make the bond secure, as provided for in section three of an act entitled an act supplemen. tal to an act to provide for the erection of a penitentiary, and for the care and custody of prisoners, approved, February 24, 1873. Approved, February 11, 1875. JOINT RESOLUTION. Whereas, It is publically charged that certain drawings, plans, and specifications, belonging to, and a part of a certain contract now existing and in force between the State of Nebraska on the one part and W. H. B. Stout, of the other part, are not on file in the office of secretary of state, as required by law, nor in the possession of the inspectors of said penitentiary. And, whereas, Charges are publically made that such plans and specifications, have been unlawfully and fraudulently altered and changed for the purpose of defrauding the State of Nebraska in the construction and completion of a penitentiary for the State of Nebraska; therefore, Be it resolved, That a joint committee from the two Houses, consisting of two from the Senate and three from the House, be appointed to investigate the truth of such charges and make their report to the legislature without unnecessary delay. Approved, February 20, 1875. JOINT RESOLUTION. Relative to the manner of applying the appropriation for the construction of the state prison. Be it resolved by the Legislature of the State of Nebraska, That the board of state prison inspectors are hereby instructed to apply so much of the appropriation provided for in the tax of one mill, in an act entitled “An act supplemental to an act entitled an act to provide for the erection of a penitentiary," as may be necessary to the completion of the cell-house of the state penitentiary, as per the contract and plans now on file, and that said work shall take precedence of all other work under said contract until said cell-house is finished. Approved, February 24, 1875. JOINT RESOLUTION. Concerning lands received by the Brownville, Fort Kearney and Pacific railroad from the State of Nebraska, Whereas, The Brownville, Fort Kearney and Pacific railroad, a |