The appropriations which have been made, or are proposed
during this session of the Legislature, and which the com-
mittee think necessary and proper, and that the fact that a
special committee have reported the State Penitentiary em-
barrassed with debt, and an extension or a new building, al-
most unavoidable, are additional reasons for the course of
the committee.

The committee have thought it advisable to endeavor to
supply the deficiency soon to be made by the termination of
the lottery grant, and partly with this view have introduced
bills, regulating licenses to foreign insurance agencies and to
ordinary keepers and traders. These bills, if they should
pass the two Houses, will, in the opinion of the committee,
produce an additional revenue at least equal to the amount
received from the lottery grant, and whilst bearing oppres-
sively on no class, accomplish other important results. The
license act of 1856, reduced the lowest grade of traders'
license from twelve dollars to six. While the provisions of
that act increased in the aggregate, the revenue from licenses,
this particular feature caused a reduction of revenue from
that class of licenses which was uncalled for and unnecessary.
The bill of the committee restores the charge to twelve dol-
lars. The other additional features are a more gradual ad-
vance of the rate of license, proportioned to the amount of
stock in trade, and a difference in rate of charge between a
license to sell liquor in quantities less than a pint, granted
to ordinary keepers with tavern or boarding house accomoda-
tion, and that granted to the keepers of mere drinking
houses. A higher grade on the latter, protects the bona fide
hotels, particularly in the country, while it incidentally af-
fords a security against the evils of grog shops.

The committee have also provided in the act itself, penal-
ties for its violation, instead of leaving the penalty to be de-
termined by prior acts of Assembly, many of which are obso-
lete or inapplicable.

The many important and exciting questions, which have
crowded with unusual pressure on this General Assembly,
have prevented an earlier introduction of the bill regulating
the traders and ordinary license, and the committee fear
that this delay may endanger its passage. They earnestly
hope however that it may pass into a law. The bill in re-
gard to licenses of foreign insurance agencies, which has al-
ready-passed the House of Delegates, gets rid of the imprac-
ticable tax on premiums, imposed by the law of 1846, and
substitutes a license of $200, with provisions to prevent eva-
sions, which the committee think will increase the revenue

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