People ex rel. Board of Supervisors v. Loomis

98 N.W. 262, 135 Mich. 556
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 2, 1904
DocketDocket No. 250
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 98 N.W. 262 (People ex rel. Board of Supervisors v. Loomis) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People ex rel. Board of Supervisors v. Loomis, 98 N.W. 262, 135 Mich. 556 (Mich. 1904).

Opinion

Hooker, J.

At its T903 session the legislature passed a law providing for the appointment by the governor of three persons, to constitute a provisional board of county auditors for the county of Kent; their successors to be elected at the general election in the year 1904. On June 15, 1903, such appointments were made, and the respondents have since assumed to hold such office. This proceeding is in the nature of a quo warranto, instituted by one De Grraaf, by authority of the board of supervisors of the county, under leave granted by the circuit court, to inquire into respondents’ right to hold such offices; it being claimed by the relator that the law is in conflict with section 10 of article 10 of the Constitution. At the same [558]*558(i. e., the 1903) session the legislature adopted a joint resolution submitting to the electors of the State an amendment to section 10 of article 10 of the Constitution, reading as follows:

‘ ‘ The board of supervisors, or, in the counties of Saginaw, Jackson, Washtenaw, Kent, and Wayne, the board of county auditors, shall have the exclusive power to fix the compensation for all services rendered for, and to adjust all claims against, their respective counties, and the sum so fixed and defined shall be subject to no appeal.”

This was submitted to the electors at the April, 1903, election, and adopted, after which said act (being Act No. 521 of the Local Acts of 1903) was passed and approved. The constitutionality of both the amendment and the act is attacked, and it is upon this question that the case must turn. The circuit court sustained the validity of both amendment and law, and the respondents’ authority and title to the office, and the relator has brought the proceeding before us.

Did the action of the legislature authorize the submission of the proposed amendment ? Section 10 of article 10 of the Constitution, as it theretofore existed, provided for a board of county auditors in the county of Wayne, and that county only. Counsel for relator assert that the resolution was offered on February 12th in the house of representatives, and that it provided for a board of county auditors for the county of Saginaw. On February 20th the committee on towns and counties reporte^ the resolution, with amendments to include Jackson and Washtenaw counties. The resolution was then agreed to by two-thirds of the members elected to the house of representatives, and the resolution, as amended and passed, . was then entered in full on the house journal, with the yeas and nays taken thereon. Kent county was not included. It was then transmitted to the senate, and referred to the committee on constitutional amendments, which committee, on February 26th, reported it by its title, “ with certain amendments, recommending that the [559]*559amendments be concurred in, and that, when so amended, the joint resolution pass. ” The resolution was then agreed to, and entered at length in the senate journal, with Kent county included. It is noticeable that the only substantial change made from the resolution as entered in the house journal was the inclusion of Kent county. Counsel contend that the senate journal does not show what amendment was made by the senate.

The house journal contains an entry, dated February 26th, to the effect that the joint resolution was returned to the house by the secretary of the senate, informing the house that the senate had amended the same so as to include the county of Kent, and that the same had passed the senate by a two-thirds vote; and it also shows, under date of March 4th, that the senate amendment was concurred in by the house by a two-thirds vote, the title as amended by the senate, to include Kent county, agreed to, and the resolution referred to the clerk of the house for printing and presentation to the governor. It was at no time entered in full in the house journal as finally passed.

It is contended that the senate journal fails to show what amendment was made in the senate, and that the house journal cannot be relied upon to show the senate’s action; also that the house journal fails to show what resolution finally passed the house, and that it was not entered upon the journal of the house, as required by Const. § 1, art. 20:

“If the same shall be agreed to by two-thirds of the members elected to each house, such amendment shall be entered on the journals respectively.”

The following is a verbatim copy of the proceedings of the house:

“The following message from the senate was received and read:
“‘Senate Chambee, February 26, 1903.
“ ‘To the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
‘Sir: 1 am instructed by the senate to return to the [560]*560house the following joint resolution: House joint resolution No. 275, entitled:
“ ‘ “A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of this State by so amending section 10 of article 10 as to provide for a board of county auditors in the counties of Saginaw, Jackson, and Washtenaw—
“ ‘And to inform the house that the senate has amended the joint resolution as follows:
“ ‘ (1) By inserting in line 2, section 10, of article 10, after the word “ Washtenaw,” the word “ Kent.”
“ ‘ (2) By striking out of line 21, section 10, of article 10,rthe words “and Washtenaw,” and inserting in lieu thereof the words “Washtenaw and Kent.”
“ ‘ (3) By striking out of line 23, section 10, of article 10, the words “and Washtenaw,” and inserting in lieu thereof the words “Washtenaw and Kent;” and by amending the title to read as follows:
“ ‘ “A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of this State by so amending section 10 of article 10 as to provide for a board of county auditors in the counties of Saginaw, Jackson, Washtenaw, and Kent—
“ ‘And now to inform the house that in the passage of the joint resolution the senate has, by a two-thirds vote of all senators-elect, concurred, and has also concurred in ordering the joint resolution to take immediate effect.
“ ‘Very respectfully,
“ ‘ Elbert V. Chilson,
“ ‘ Secretary of the Senate.’
“ The question being on concurring in the amendments made to the joint resolution by the senate, Mr. Anderson moved that the joint resolution be laid on the table. The motion prevailed.”

On the 4th day of March, 1903, the following proceedings, took place in the house of representatives, to wit:

“Mr. Sanderson moved to take from the table house joint resolution No. 275, entitled ‘ A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of this State by so amending section 10 of article 10 as to provide for a board of county auditors in the counties of Saginaw, Jackson, and Washtenaw.’ The motion prevailed. The question-being on‘concurring in the amendments made to the joint resolution by the senate, the amendments were concurred [561]*561in, two-thirds of all the members-elect voting therefor by yeas and nays as follows: [Here follows the vote by yeas and nays.]

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
98 N.W. 262, 135 Mich. 556, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-ex-rel-board-of-supervisors-v-loomis-mich-1904.