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3 O'CLOCK, P. M.

Mr. Engle presented the petition of inhabitants of Dubuque concerning the Miners' Bank of Dubuque.

Also, an affidavit and sundry documents on the same subject. Referred to the following select committee, viz:

Messrs. Engle, Quigley, and Nowlin.

The house then resumed the consideration of the resolution relative to the conduct of John Wilson, in giving a bribe to a member of this house.

Mr. Starr concluded the defence of Mr. Wilson.

Pending the question on the adoption of the resolution, the secretary of the Council was introduced, and delivered the following message:

"Mr. Speaker,—The Council have concurred in a bill, No. 78 of this house, entitled "A bill concerning costs and fees," with amendments;

"In which amendments I am directed to ask the concurrence of this house.

"The Council have also concurred in the several amendments made by this house to bill

"No. 42, entitled 'A bill to incorporate the Marquette and Kentucky City Canal Company.'

"The Council have passed a resolution requiring the secretary of the territory to deliver the number of copies of the pamphlet laws therein mentioned to the several clerks of the boards of county commissioners within this territory,

"In which resolution I am directed to ask the concurrence of this house :"

And then he withdrew.

The house resumed the consideration of the resolution concerning Mr. Wilson, and while Mr. Quigley was speaking, Mr. Starr, counsel for Mr. Wilson, pronounced a statement made by Mr. Quigley to be false; whereupon it was

Ordered, that the sergeant-at-arms do arrest W. Henry Starr, and take him into custody to answer for a contempt. The order of the house having been executed by the sergeant-at-arms,

Mr. Quigley concluded his remarks.

Mr. Teas called for the previous question.

And the main question was unanimously ordered to be put. A call of the house was then ordered, and absent members sent for.

The absent members having appeared,

Mr. McWilliams moved that the vote ordering the main question to be put, be reconsidered;

Which motion was decided in the affirmative.

Mr. Teas then withdrew his motion, calling for the previous question.

Mr. Childs then moved to reject the resolution, and the previous question being again called,

The main question was ordered to be put.

The yeas and nays being called for on the main question,. were as follow:

Yeas:-Messrs. Blair, Box, Boyls, Brunet, Childs, Cornwall, Chance, Cox, Jenkins, M'Knight, Nowlin, Parkinson, Reynolds, Smith, Shanley, Teas, and Leffler, speaker—17.

Nays:-Messrs. Brunson, Engle, M'Williams, Quigley, Sheldon, Sholes, and Wheeler-7.

So the resolution was rejected.

On motion of Mr. Sholes,

The following resolution offered by Mr. Engle, was taken up:

Resolved, That the further consideration of the charges, preferred by John Wilson against Alexander W. M'Gregor, Esq., a member of this house, be postponed until the first day of the next session of the legislative assembly (being an extra session) in consequence of the absence of Wm. H. Eades, an important witness, as is alleged, on the part of the accused.

The yeas and nays were called for on the adoption of the resolution.

Mr. Childs was excused from voting. The

yeas and nays were as follow:

Yeas:-Messrs. Blair, Boyls, Brunson, Brunet, Cornwall, Cox, Engle, M'Knight, M'Williams, Nowlin, Parkinson, Quigley, Reynolds, Sheldon, Smith, Shanley, Sholes, Teas, Wheeler, and Leffler, speaker-20.

Nays:-Messrs. Box, Chance, and Jenkins-3.

So the resolution was adopted.

On motion of Mr. Childs,

Mr. Starr, who was in custody, had leave to explain; whereupon,

Mr. Starr stated that he did not intend to insult the dignity of this house; that in an unguarded moment, he pronounced a statement made by the Hon. member from Dubuque to be false, which he then believed to be so, but he now admitted that he was imprudent, and hoped this explanation would be satisfactory to the house.

Mr. Nowlin offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That W. Henry Starr be discharged from the custody of the sergeant-at-arms.

Mr. Engle offered the following as a substitute to the resolution:

Resolved, That the conduct of W. Henry Starr, Esq., in interruping a member in debate, and pronouncing what he said to be "false," was a gross contempt and disrespect to this house, and that he be brought before the bar of this house, and be imprisoned for twenty-four hours, and fined one hundred dollars.

The yeas and nays were called on the adoption of the substitute.

Messrs. Sholes and Teas were excused from voting.
The yeas and nays were as follow:

Yeas:-Messrs. Brunson, Quigley, Sheldon, Wheeler, and Engle-5.

Nays:-Messrs. Blair, Box, Boyls, Brunet, Childs, Cornwall, Chance, Cox, Jenkins, M'Knight, M Williams, Nowlin, Parkinson, Reynolds, Smith, Shanley, Teas, and Leffler, speaker-17. So the substitute was lost.

Mr. Parkinson called for the previous question, and the main question was ordered to be put.

The main question being put, was decided in the affirmative; whereupon,

Mr. Starr was discharged.

The house adjourned.

Wednesday, January 17, 1838.

Mr. Quigley presented the following communication: "House of Representatives, W. T.,

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Burlington, Jan. 17th, 1838.

"TO ISAAC LEFFLER, Speaker of the H. of Rep's.: "Sir,-On yesterday afternoon, the house, in my opinion, refused to assert its own dignity by permitting a person, not a member, to interrupt a member in debate, and to pronounce in an insolent and boisterous tone, that what he said was 'false.' I cannot longer, with respect due to myself, retain my seat as a member of this body, under these circumstances, and I therefore do now resign my seat, and request that you will communicate the same to the House of Representatives, over which you preside.

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· PATRICK QUIGLEY:"

A message was received from the executive, informing the house that he had examined and approved "An act for the par tition of the half breed lands, and for other purposes."

Mr. Cox presented the petition of several justices of the peace of Grant county, praying for the passage of a law to legalize their acts.

Mr. Cox, by leave, introduced bills, No. 147, entitled "A bill to legalize the proceedings of justices of the peace of Grant county," and 148, entitled "A bill to legalize the acts of the supervisors of Grant county;"

Which were severally read the first and second times, and laid on the table.

Mr. Engle presented the statement of John Plumb, jr., T. S. Wilson, and others, relative to the Miners' bank of Dubuque. Referred to the same committee to which sundry documents relative to said bank had been referred; Mr. Wheeler having been added to said committee, in place of Mr. Quigley, resigned.

Mr. Parkinson offered the following preamble and resolution:

Whereas, by the law detaching the county of Grant from the county of Iowa and organizing the same, no provision was made to require said county to pay their proportionate amount of the debts due and owing by the county of Iowa, at that time. Therefore, be it

Resolved, By the Council and House of Representatives, That the commissioners of the county of Iowa and the commissioners of the county of Grant, be and are hereby required to furnish to the treasurer of the county of Grant, a statement of the proportionate amount so due and owing by said county, and that said treasurer of said county of Grant is hereby directed to pay over such amount to the treasurer of Iowa county; which was read the first time.

Mr. Cox moved to lay the resolution on the table, and on this question the yeas and nays being called for, were as follow: Yeas:-Messrs. Box, Childs, Chance, Cox, Nowlin, Reynolds, Sheldon, Shanley, and Wheeler-9.

Nays:-Messrs. Blair, Boyls, Brunet, Cornwall, Jenkins, McKnight, M Williams, Parkinson, Smith, Sholes, Teas, and Leffler, speaker-12.

So the house refused to lay the resolution on the table.

The hour for morning business being past, bills on the table, of the following numbers and titles, were taken up:

No. 120, "A bill to provide for holding elections in the several counties in the territory of Wisconsin.”

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No. 140, "A bill to establish the territorial roads herein described."

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No. 141, "A bill concerning the publication of advertisements."

No. 142, "A bill to authorize evidence by the oath of the parties."

No. 143, "A bill to establish ferries across the Mississippi river, opposite the town of Burlington, in Des Moines county." No. 144, "A bill to authorize the county commissioners of Iowa county to levy a poll tax to build bridges.”

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No. 145, "A bill to authorize the appointment of public administrators in the several counties in this territory, and for other purposes;" and

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