Leave was granted to Senators Malone, Hyland and Tim-
mons to introduce a bill to amend the Act of 1868, chapter
253, relating to the removal of cases of guardianship from
the counties of Somerset and Worcester, to the Orphans'
Court of Wicomico county, and to facilitate the same.

On motion by Mr. Grove,

Leave was granted to Senators Grove, Spates and Biggs
to introduce abill to more particularly define the powers of
the Commissioners of Washington county, and enable them
to appoint a Treasurer to take charge of the sinking fund of
the county, and to appoint ad.ditional collectors of State and
county taxes.

The following Senators were granted leaves of absence :
Messrs. Clarke, Fields, Stephenson, Wilson and Sellman.

Mr. Miller presented the petition of sundry citizens of
Cecil county asking the passage of a law to distribute the
Academic Fund among certain academies therein named.

Which was read and referred to Senators Miller, Brown
and Jump.

On motion by Mr. Miller, and by unanimous consent,

Leave was granted to Senators Miller, Browne and Jump
to introduce a bill to add a new section to the Code of Public
Local Laws of Cecil county, under the title of "Schools,"
for the purpose of apportioning the Academic Fund of said
county among the several academies thereof.

Mr. Clarke, from the Joint Committee on Printing, sub-
mitted the following report and proposals

ANNAPOLIS, January 20,1870.
To the Senate and House of Delegates :

Gentlemen :—We, the undersigned, Chairmen of the Joint
Committee on Printing, are instructed by the Committe to
report the accompanying proposition to do the Public Print-
ing for the session of 1870, and to report to the General As-
sembly that, in the judgment of your Committee, sustained
by the opinions of two members of your Committee who are
practical printers, that the sum of $40,000 is a very low esti-
mate for the whole work; the above amount includes the
binding and printing of all matter which may be ordered by
the General Assembly, except the binding of the laws in
sheep, this particular item is done under the superintendence
of the Librarian, by a special appropriation for this purpose.

Your Committee desire to state to the General Assembly,
that if it shall be determined to advertise for proposals, it will
require ten days before proposals can be received and contracts