council of revision. The commissioner, however, was practically responsible for the work, at a compensation of $150 per quarter-$50 per month-and such further compensation after his final report as the legislature might prescribe. Such further compensation proved to be the munificent sum of three dollars per day for superintending the publication. And such a man as Sanford M. Green rendered such services for such compensation. This may be deemed an instance of patriotic, self-sacrificing devotion to the public welfare, but it looks more like arrant robbery on the part of the State.. This revision, from the year of its issue, is known as the Revised Statutes of 1846.

One thing that particularly frightened the State and made it look askance at revisions was the length of time the legislature had to remain in session, in each case, to enact the code prepared for its consideration. All these considerations made the constitutional convention of 1850 determine to prohibit future general revisions, a thing of doubtful advantage in view of present conditions, when the general statutes fill three ponderous volumes and are still growing.

The first compilation made under the present constitution was that of 1857. The legislature passed an act approved February 2, 1857, providing for a compilation, and Thomas M. Cooley of Adrian was elected as compiler in joint convention, by a vote of 84 to 12 for Joseph Miller of Kalamazoo county. A compensation of only $1,400 was provided for the compiler, with $250 apiece for the commissioners, who were Hovey K. Clarke of Detroit and Albert M. Baker, of Adrian. As it was further provided that 5,000 copies of the compilation were to be deposited with the secretary of state by the 1st day of November, 1857, the time allowed was limited. The character of the compiler, and not the time or compensation allowed, is what gave the State so good a work as the Compiled Laws of 1857, which has been the basis of every compilation since.

An attempt was made at the session of 1869 to pass an act for another compilation, but it failed. In 1871, however, Governor Baldwin earnestly recommended one. An act was passed, approved January 25, 1871, providing for a compensation of $2,000 for the compiler and $350 for each of the commissioners. Ten thousand copies were to be deposited with the secretary of state by March 1, 1872. The legislature elected James S. Dewey of Pontiac, by a vote of 64 to 28 for Thomas M. Cooley of Ann Arbor, 22 for Andrew Howell of Adrian, 9 for Lyman D. Norris of Ypsilanti, and 3 for Benjamin F. Graves of Battle Creek-Judge Dewey having just enough votes to elect him. The governor appointed as commission

ers Charles Upson of Coldwater and Ezra L. Koon of Hillsdale.

At the time of his election, James S. Dewey was judge of the sixth judicial circuit. Inasmuch as the constitution provides that circuit judges "shall be ineligible to any other than a judicial office during the term for which they are elected, and for one year thereafter," and also that "all votes for any person elected such judge, for any office other than judicial, given either by the legislature or the people, shall be void," grave doubts arose as to the legality of the election of compiler. The senate asked the opinion of the attorney general, Hon. Dwight May, and he, after a careful consideration of the question, concluded that the compiler is an officer within the meaning of the constitution; that Judge Dewey, being a circuit judge at the time of his election, was not eligible to the office; and that all votes cast for him were void. No action in the permises, however, was ever taken, and Judge Dewey prepared the Compiled Laws of 1871. Judge Dewey, who was then in the prime of life, being 38 years of age, had already prepared much of the work required in the compilation and was strongly endorsed by all the attorneys of his circuit, without regard to party.

STATE BOARD OF CORRECTIONS AND CHARITIES.

An important innovation in the management of public institutions was made by the legislature of 1871. This was the creation of a "Board of State commissioners for the general supervision of charitable, penal, pauper, and reformatory institutions," the name of which board was afterward shortened to its present form of "The Board of Corrections and Charities."

The first board appointed under the act creating it consisted of Charles I. Walker of Detroit, William B. Williams, of Allegan, and Henry W. Lord of Pontiac, with Charles M. Croswell of Adrian as secretary. No power was given the board to make any changes in the actual management or mode of conducting State and county institutions, but its design was, by inspection, suggestion, and comparison, to aid in making them more effective for the purposes for which they were intended.

The board commenced operations in September, 1871. The few State institutions then in existence were found to be in a satisfactory condition generally, their construction, equipment, and management being fairly good. The board was impressed with the need of a reform school for girls and urged its establishment even at that early day, though many years passed before such recommendation was acted upon.

But the best work of this board has been done among the county institutions, which were then found, with a few exceptions, to be in a deplorable condition. The jails appeared to have been constructed simply for the safe keeping of prisoners, and even in that respect frequently proved to be failures. Neither cleanliness, health, nor comfort had been considered, except in a very few cases. Foul odors from closets filled the buildings; ventilation had not been thought of, and moral conditions therein were even worse than the sanitary conditions. Little or no thought was given in those days to the classification of inmates in jails; little girls were locked up with notorious prostitutes, and truant boys were placed in forced companionship with degraded and desperate characters. These conditions have been almost entirely changed for the better. Jails are better constructed, ventilated, and managed, and prisoners are properly classified and separated. Very few county poorhouses were found to be what they were intended for and should be. They were poorly planned, with no provision for the separation of the sexes, or, indeed, for any proper classification and separation of inmates. They were without proper heating, ventilating, or bathing facilities; and generally the inmates were huddled together and maintained in any but a charitable way. The board entered upon the correction of these evils, with patience, but with a determination which has resulted in marked improvement. Few of the old houses remain. In their places have arisen houses better adapted to the purposes for which they are intended, arranged so that a good system of classification and separation can be maintained, with fair ventilating, heating, and bathing facilities.

Even if the legislature of 1871 had done nothing else but create and set in operation this board, its existence would have been a blessing to the State.

THE INSURANCE BUREAU.

Another work of great practical benefit to the people was the creation of the State insurance bureau. Prior to this time the State had exercised but a nominal control over insurance companies doing business within the State, and that was done in the state department, whose numerous other duties overshadowed this important work. Now a separate bureau was organized, with a commissioner of insurance at its head, vested with extensive discretionary powers of supervision

and control. Samuel H. Row of Lansing, who had long had charge of insurance matters in the state department was appointed the first commissioner and held the office until January, 1883. He entered upon his duties May 1, 1871, and brought all his skill and experience to the difficult and important work of laying the foundations of the future work of the new department. The practical results attained have proved the wisdom of the legislature of 1871. Irresponsible "wildcat" companies have been banished from the State, reliable companies well regulated and controlled, the people protected and the revenues of the State largely increased by the closer attention to the collection of specific taxes.

COMPULSORY EDUCATION.

Another important principle, that was engrafted upon the policy of the State by this legislature, is that of compulsory education. The preceding legislature had made our primary school system a free one, in every sense of the word; and the conviction had now become settled in the minds of those interested in educational matters, that, if the education of children was of so much importance to the people as to warrant the State in offering the means of education free to all, then there was a reciprocal duty on the part of parents and children to accept such offer. If the state was bound to furnish free schools, the child was equally bound to go to school. This idea found expression in an act "to compel children to attend school;" and the foundation was thus laid of our present policy of compulsory education. In this act the responsibility for the non-attendance of children was laid altogether upon the parents; but, in the system as since developed and now subsisting, the truant pupil shares in the responsibility and may be punished as a juvenile disorderly.

LEGISLATIVE APPORTIONMENT.

The federal census taken in 1870 required, under the provisions of the State constitution, a re-arrangement of senatorial districts and a re-apportionment of representatives among the several counties. The legislature of 1871 was elected under the apportionment of 1865, based on the State census of 1864. That apportionment has been given on a preceding page, and I now give the apportionment of 1871, to show how the relative population was shifting among the counties and how the newer counties were encroaching on the older ones.

This apportionment of representatives gave Wayne nine; Lenawee and Kent each four; Allegan, Berrien, Calhoun, Genesee, Hillsdale, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Oakland, Saginaw, St. Clair and Washtenaw each three; Barry, Branch Cass, Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Ionia, Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Ottawa, Shiawassee, St. Joseph, and Van Buren each two; Bay, Gratiot, Houghton, Huron, Marquette, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Sanilac, and Tuscola each one. The district groups with one each were as follows: Manistee and Mason; Benzie and Leelanau;-Grand Traverse, Wexford, Missaukee, Kalkaska, Crawford, and Manitou; -Isabella, Midland, Gladwin, Clare and Roscommon;-Iosco, Ogemaw, Alcona, Oscoda, Alpena, Montmorency, Presque Isle, and Cheboygan;-Mackinac, Emmet, Charlevoix, Otsego, and Antrim;-Chippewa, Schoolcraft, Delta, and Menominee;-Keweenaw and Ontonagon;-Mecosta, Osceola, and Lake.

The first three senatorial districts comprised the same portions of Wayne county as in the last arrangements, although in the description of the third the city of Wyandotte is mentioned. The other senatorial districts are as follows: 4thWashtenaw; 5th-Monroe; 6th-Lenawee; 7th-Jackson; 8th-Calhoun; 9thHillsdale; 10th-Branch; 11th-St. Joseph and Cass; 12th-Berrien; 13th-Van

Buren; 14th-Allegan; 15th-Kalamazoo; 16th-Barry and Eaton; 17th-Ingham and Clinton; 18th-Livingston and Shiawassee; 19th-Genesee; 20th-Oakland; 21st-Macomb; 22d-St. Clair; 23d-Lapeer, Sanilac, and Huron; 24th-Tuscola and Bay; 25th-Saginaw; 16th-Iosco, Alcona, Roscommon, Alpena, Gratiot, Midland, Isabella, Clare, and the unorganized counties of Ogemaw, Oscoda, Montmorency, Gladwin, and Presque Isle; 27th-Ionia and Montcalm; 28th-Kent; 29th-Ottawa and Muskegon; 30th-Newaygo, Oceana, Mecosta, Mason, Lake, Os. ceola, and Manistee; 31st-Wexford, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Manitou, Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet, Cheboygan, Mackinaw, Missaukee, and Kalkaska, and the unorganized counties of Crawford and Otsego and the islands in the straits of Mackinaw; 32d—Chippewa, Delta, Menominee, Marquette, Houghton, Keweenaw, -Ontonagon, and Schoolcraft (with its islands and attached territory), the islands of Lake Superior, Green Bay, and River Sault Ste. Marie.

MISCELLANEOUS ENACTMENTS.

It would take too much time and space to note specially all the important items of legislation enacted by the legislature of 1871; but among those meriting at least a passing notice are the following: An appropriation of $75,000 for erecting a new hall for the State university, to be used chiefly for recitation and lecture rooms for the academical department. An act for the uniform inspection of lumber. This act made each county an inspection district, except that Saginaw and Bay were united into one district known as the Saginaw district, and graded and classified all lumber into "First clear lumber," "Second clear lumber," "Third clear lumber," "First clear strips," "Second clear strips," "Third clear strips," "Common lumber," "Shipping culls," and "Mill culls." An appropriation of $10,000 for the purpose of building a chemical laboratory for the State Agricultural college. An act subjecting all persons holding office under the State to removal for drunkenness. An act providing for the appointment of commissioners for the enlargement of the St. Mary's Falls ship canal, the growing needs of commerce requiring such enlargement and the United States having appropriated $250,000 for that purpose. An act providing for the election of township drain commissioners. and the establishment and construction of township drains. An act for the more effectual prevention of cruelty to animals, which laid the foundation of our present effective regulations on that subject, the only law up to this time having been one short section in the compiled laws. An act to establish a State public school for dependent and neglected children, which was the beginning of the legislation for the foundation of the magnificent institution at Coldwater. An act to provide for the appointment of a State reporter of the decisions of the supreme court, which, with some amendments, is still in force. An act to provide for the appointment of a commissioner to prepare bills for the incorporation of cities and villages under general laws. Under this act Judge Andrew Howell was appointed and prepared two bills, which were enacted in 1873 and 1875. These general acts did away with much special charter legislation. Although they have been superseded, they laid the foundation for the general legislation of the State in the matter of municipal incorporation.

(BY MRS. HANNAH F. TAYLOR.)*

There stood, among the heavenly hosts, in ages long, long past,
One Chaos. Discontent had gained him enemies. At last

In labored conclave did his angry brothers thus devise

His banishment to earth; and, lest there might some time arise
A retinue of friends, to follow in his lonely track,

They hurled him down with mighty force beneath the cloudy rack;
To share his exile, Nature, fairest maid of heaven, sought,
And thus to all the heavenly hosts her sweet forbearance taught.
The angry God was moved in pity at her lovely face,
And swift he sent good Nature down in all her tempered grace.
Wherever Chaos roved she went, and laid her softening hand
To smooth the rugged rifted lines upon the broken land.

He builded gleaming fires that blazed and leapt, with danger fraught,
While smelted ore in streamlets ran from scablings as he wrought;
He carved in love the rocks and, hills around our gracious State,
Yet broke the peaceful land in twain, a carnival of fate.
Deep, deep, the mighty chasms yawned, the emblems of his skill,
Where in her graceful loveliness good Nature roamed at will;
Loud thunders broke o'er all the sky, the mass of moving screed
Plunged in the open Chasms and dissolved for Nature's need.
From Heaven's windows, open wide, there poured the melting rain
That drained in flood the icy heights from all the rivers' plain.
The waters wimbled through the scree, and flecked the waves with foam,
Where even yet in majesty, the Huron's billows roam.

Perchance the sign of Heaven's love was hid from Nature's eye.
The darkened, cloudy mist obscured the rainbow in the sky.
Bold fragments stared in silent awe, across the great divide
A league apart, which, once cemented, all the storms defied.
But Nature laid her kindly hand, and soil grew overhead,
Where Chaos in his fiery wrath had made a treasure bed.
The rivulets and widening rivers swiftly drained the plain;
(What Chaos loses ever is Dame Nature's lucksome gain;)
The waters filled the empty, yawning chasms, deftly curved,
For whom, that matchless nectar of Superior conserved;
The swimming fish, fowl, birds of song as ages wandered by,
Dear Nature brought to fill the lonely groves with melody.
Now mighty beasts went roaming o'er an unknown continent
Where reptiles crept among the grass and trees which o'er them bent.
As Nature, smiling, traced the footsteps of some fondling pair,

Some dreaming creatures instinct with the life upspringing there,

* Hannah C. Fowler was born in Aurelius, Ingham county, Michigan. December 14, 1845. Her father, H. Linus Fowler, was born at Pittsfield, Mass., married Clarena Nancy King of Batavia, N. Y., and settled in Aurelius in 1842. After a few years in the district schools and a few terms at the Eaton Rapids high school she began teaching in Aurelius at the age of sixteen. In 1872 she was married to Thomas C. Taylor, of Almont, a former principal of the Leslie high school, and a graduate of the University. The Taylors occupy the home farm, where Mr. Taylor, who is a lawyer by profession, was born and reared. They have a family of six living children.