and therefore pray an act of incorporation for the purpose of facilitating their transactions. The committee would respectfully refer to the precedent afford ed, by the incorporation of the sacred music society, as an evidence that the exercise of this power may be productive of benefit. That institution, since invested with corporate powers, has prospered in a high degree, and contributed in a great measure to elevate the scale of sacred music. The committee believing the request of the present applicants reasonable, have directed their chairman to ask leave to bring in a bill in conformity to the prayer of the petitioners. IN ASSEMBLY, March 21, 1833. REPORT Of the select committee on the petition of the inhabitants of the village of Sherburne, relative to the alteration of their act of incorporation. Mr. Hyde, from the select committee, to which was referred the petition of the inhabitants of the village of Sherburne, for an alteration of their act of incorporation, REPORTED: That the petitioners pray that the act of incorporation of said village may be so amended, that the trustees of said village shall be authorised to grant licenses to grocers to retail strong or spirituous liquors to be drank in their groceries. This part of the prayer of the petitioners your committee are of the opinion ought not to be granted. The petitioners further pray, that they may be authorised to appoint or elect a constable for said village. This part of the prayer of the petitioners your committee believe is just, and ought to be granted. They have prepared a bill in conformity thereto, and now ask leave to introduce the same. IN ASSEMBLY, March 25, 1833. REPORT Of the Comptroller on the petition of Perkins COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, The Comptroller, on a reference from the Assembly of the pe tition of Perkins Nichols, respectfully submits the following REPORT: The petitioner asks for an extension of the privilege granted by an act passed in 1830, permitting him to redeem two tracts of land which had been sold for taxes in 1826, and bid in for the State by the Comptroller. The act passed for the relief of Mr. Nichols in 1830, (Chap. 82 of that session,) authorised him to redeem the southwest quarter of Township No. 15, in Great Tract No. 1, in Macomb's Purchase, in the county of Franklin, and also the southeast corner of Township No. 12, in Great Tract No. 2, in said purchase, in the county of St. Lawrence, on condition that the said Nichols, by the first of May, 1830, paid into the treasury the whole amount paid by the State for the lands, and the taxes from 1822 to 1829, inclusive, except for the year 1828, (which probably was omitted in the law by mistake,) and the usual charges thereon, together with the interest on the whole of those amounts, at ten per cent per annum. The act for the relief of Mr. Nichols was passed on the 18th of March, and he was allowed until the first day of the May followThis he was unable to do for the ing to comply with its terms. [Assem. No. 269.] 1 causes set forth in the petition. In consequence of his failure to comply with the law, the Comptroller on the fifteenth day of February, 1833, released the two tracts before described, containing together 15,291 acres of land, to the people of the State: and on the 15th of February, 1833, the Commissioners of the Land-Office directed the Surveyor-General to advertise and sell the two tracts of land referred to in the petition of Mr. Nichols. The minimum price fixed by the Commissioners of the Land-Office is six cents per acre, amounting to $917.46 for the two tracts of land. The Surveyor-General has advertised the lands to be sold on the 29th day of April next. If Mr. Nichols is to be allowed to purchase the lands referred to in the former act for his relief. at the price which he was by the terms of that act to pay for their redemption, there should now be added the interest to the present time, as well as the expense of advertising, and all other expenses to which the State may have been subjected in relation to the said lands. The petitioner seems not to have presented his application until a movement was made by the Commissioners of the Land-Office, to sell the land in order to indemnify the State for its advances, and which he ought to have repaid three years ago. If a law is passed for his relief, it would be proper to require some guaranty that the payment of the taxes on the land in question which were due prior to 1822, will not be again deferred for an unlimited period. After the indulgence which has already been given, the petitioner cannot reasonably expect that the sale should be stopped, until he pays up the amount due the State. When this is done, there is no objection to giving up the lands to the former owner. If such an act is passed, it should provide that the Commisioners of the Land-Office be authorised to grant a patent, instead of authorising the petitioner to redeem according to the terms of the former act for his relief. This is rendered necessary in consequence of the release of the land by the Comptroller to the people of the State. All which is respectfully submitted, A. C. FLAGG, Comptroller. |