The Rhode Island Republican

From the Tiverton Patriot.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Concluded their winter session on Saturday last, having completely disposed of a docket of 236 petitions, most of which were for the benefit of the insolvent act, in the following manner: 85 were granted, 61 rejected, 43 withdrawn, 5 referred to other tribunals, and 42 continued. In addition to this mass of perplexing business, much other of considerable interest was transacted.

An important act was passed, providing that the master or any other person having the charge of a vessel arriving at any port in this State with passengers, coastwise, shall, within 24 hours after the arrival of such vessel, make report in writing of all such passengers, their names, nation, age, character and condition, so far as shall have come to his knowledge, to the Overseers of the Poor of the town at which such vessel shall arrive under penalty of fifty dollars for each and every failure, or for making a false report.

An act passed reducing the damages on bail bonds from 30 to 12 per cent.

Acts passed, protecting petitioners to the General Assembly from arrest, for debt, two days before, during, and two days after the session at which their petitions shall be presented:--and liberating insolvent debtors from jail, whose petitions were granted, on giving bonds to appear at the next session after the rising of the present, and if they fail to comply with the insolvent act.

An act passed directing Courts of Probate to assign appraisers shall be appointed to determine the value of intestate estates, and to set off one full third part to the widow of each deceased.

The committee on the State Prison received further instructions in regard to the information
Information and estimates required by the Assembly, to act understandingly on the subject.

Appropriations were made for the purpose of painting the State House in East-Greenwich, and for defraying expenses already incurred in painting the State House in Bristol.

A joint committee was appointed to inquire into the expediency of enlarging the jail bounds in this town.

The Legislature released from imprisonment several convicts, intruders from other States, on condition that they leave this State, and appear no more within its limits.

A Charter was granted to Christ's Church in the village of Chepachet.

Charters were granted to the following Banks, viz: Merchants' Bank and Eagle Bank, in Providence; New England Commercial Bank, in Newport; Eagle Bank, in Bristol; Warwick Bank, in Warwick; Agricultural Bank, in Burrillville; Franklin Bank, in Gloucester; Cranston Bank, in Cranston; Landholders' Bank, in South Kingstown; and Smithfield Bank, in Scituate.

Charters were also granted to the Ocean Insurance Company in Newport, and to the Providence and Columbian Fire Insurance Companies in Providence.

A very important act, modifying the Bank Process, so called, and extending its privileges to individuals, in certain cases, and containing some restraining provisions in regard to Banks, was passed, after much deliberation and discussion.

It originated in the House, and was taken up in the Senate on Saturday morning, where several amendments were debated and finally adopted.

About noon it was returned to the House, who concurred in the amendments, with the candid declaration of its framers and supporters, that the bill was materially improved, and much better than the original draft.

During the session, a resolution was introduced, which was finally adopted, directing the deposit of the records of the late Council of War in the office of the Secretary of State. These records have been retained in the hands of private individuals since May last, and ought long since to have been placed in the proper repository of official documents and public papers.

Another resolution, on a similar subject, was negatived in the House. This was for the appointment of a committee to wait on the late Governor Jones, and receive from him all the official correspondence in his possession, to be deposited in the Secretary's Office.

This resolution was rejected on the ground, that it would be a direct impeachment of a respectable citizen, as it would imply a belief that he had withheld papers belonging to the State; it was also said, that it would be without precedent.

Now, the facts are, that resolutions of a like nature have been heretofore adopted by the General Assembly, and that but few traces of an official correspondence exist, in the Secretary's office, although it is notorious, that many letters were written and answered, during the war, else, wherefore the necessity of employing and paying two Secretaries, in addition to the one selected by the people?

We have some facts on this point, acceptable to much animadversion, which the public will probably be made acquainted with hereafter.