On motion of Mr. Teas,

WILLIAM MORGAN was appointed Sergeant-at-arms, pro tem.

On motion of Mr. Engle,

JOSEPH T. FALES was appointed Doorkeeper, pro tem.

On motion of Mr. Cox,

JOSEPH PAYNE was appointed Messenger, pro tem.

On motion of Mr. M'Williams,

Ira B. Bronson, elected to supply a vacancy in Crawford county, having been sworn into office by the Governor, was admitted to take his seat as a member of the House.

On motion of Mr. Engle,

A. W. M'Gregor, elected to supply a vacancy occasioned by the death of H. T. Camp, of Dubuque county, was admitted to his seat, and the oath of office was duly administered to him.

On motion of Mr. Leffler, the following resolution was adopted,

nem. con.:

Resolved, That the use of this house be tendered to the Territorial Convention, which meets this day, for their use at all such times as may not interfere with the business of the House. On motion,

Messrs. Teas and Childs were appointed a committee to inform the Council that the House is now temporarily organized, and ready to proceed to such business as might be deemed necessary. The committee reported that they had discharged the duty assigned them, and that the Council had organized temporarily and adjourned.

On motion of Mr. Childs,

The House adjourned until to-morrow at 10 o'clock, A. M.

Tuesday, November, 7, 1837.

The House met pursuant to adjournment. The roll was called, and a quorum of members being present, the journal of yesterday was read.

On motion of Mr. Leffler, it was

Resolved, That a committee of two be appointed, in conjunction with a similar committee to be appointed by the Council, to wait upon his Excellency, the Governor of the Territory, to inform him that the members of the two houses of the Legislative Assembly are now convened and in organization, pro tempore, and ready to receive any communication that he may see fit to make to them.

Whereupon, Messrs. Leffler and Engle were appointed by the

Chair.

On motion of Mr. Teas,

Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to draft rules for the government of the House, and that said committee report as early as may be convenient: Whereupon, Messrs. Teas, Engle, and Childs, were appointed said committee.

On motion of Mr. Engle, it was

Resolved, That the standing rules of the House, of last session, be adopted, until others are prepared and adopted.

Mr. Engle then arose, and announced in the following terms, the death of his late colleague, H. T. Camp:

I rise, Mr. Speaker, to announce to the House the decease of my colleague, Col. CAMP, late a member of this body, from the county of Dubuque, who died since the adjournment of the Legislative Assembly. In announcing this melancholy event to the House, I would be doing injustice to my own feelings, if I did not embrace the opportunity of offering a few words upon the life and character of my deceased friend and colleague. These few words, a voluntary tribute from one who esteemed him while living, and regrets his untimely death as a public loss, cannot now reach the ears or understanding of him who now

lies mouldering in the grave, yet they may serve the purpose of awakening some serious reflections in the minds of those who are now flushed with the confidence of robust health, and of bringing to the recollection of the friends of the deceased, now present, some of the prominent traits of his life and character. At the close of the late session, he parted from his fellow members, most of whom are now here, in the full possession of health, vigour, and activity. In returning to his home from the town of Dubuque, after night, in the month of February last, his horse fell, threw him, and put a period to his existence. Col. CAMP died in the full vigor of manhood, leaving a widow and a large family of children. He was one of the earliest and most enterprising of the pioneers, who established themselves on the western banks of the Upper Mississippi, and he was always prompt and efficient in the discharge of the duties of a good citizen. In defending our frontier from the incursions of a savage foe in the war of 1832, he bore a highly honourable and useful part; he acted as a captain of a company of mounted riflemen under General Dodge, at the battle of Wisconsin Heights, and received the warmest encomiums of his commanding officer, for his determined bravery evinced on that occasion. Col. CAMP was a native of Georgia, lived many years in the state of Illinois, and established himself at Dubuque's Mines before the Indians had left the country, and before a hut could be seen where the thriving and populous town of Dubuque now stands. As a citizen, Col. CAMP was public-spirited, liberal and enterprising; as a soldier, he was brave and honourable; and as a legislator, he was honest and intelligent. His death was deeply deplored by the community amongst whom he had made his home, and this house lost the services of a useful member.

of

I therefore move, that as a token of respect to the memory Col. H. T. CAMP, deceased, late a member of this House from the county of Dubuque, the members wear, as a badge of mourning, crape on the left arm for thirty days.

The resolution was adopted.

On motion of Mr. Childs, it was

Ordered, That the remarks of Mr. Engle announcing the

death of his colleague, Col. Camp, be entered on the journals of the House.

On motion of Mr. Teas,

Resolved, That each member of the House be at liberty to order for his use, at the expense of the territory, any number of copies, not exceeding twenty, each week during the session, of any paper published in the territory.

On motion of Mr. Cox,

John W. Teas was appointed Messenger pro tem., to supply the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Mr. Payne.

Messrs. Arndt and Teas, of the Council, were announced, and communicated to the House that the Council are now organized and prepared to proceed to business.

Mr. Arndt, of the Council, was again announced, who reported that Messrs. Smith and Terry were appointed by that body a committee to unite with the committee of this House, to wait upon the Governor, and inform him that both Houses of the Legislative Assembly are now organized, and ready to receive any communication which he may have to make to them.

The committee appointed in conjunction with the committee of the Council, to wait upon the Governor, reported that they had discharged that duty, and that the Governor would communicate with them in person, at 12 o'clock, A. M.

• On motion of Mr. Engle, it was

Ordered, That seats be provided within the bar of the House, for the members of the Council, when the Executive shall meet the Legislature.

On motion of Mr. Teas,

Resolved, That the United States officers of the Territory be invited to take seats within the bar of the House at pleasure.

The hour of twelve o'clock having arrived, and the Council having met the House in the Representative Hall, his Excellency, the Governor, was introduced, and delivered the following message:

Fellow Citizens of the Council,

and House of Representatives:

By a law of the last session of the Legislative Assembly we

are convened to legislate for the people of this Territory, under the organic law of Congress, creating the Territory of Wisconsin, and prescribing its form of government,

As the Representatives of the people, you will bring with you a knowledge of the wants and wishes of your constituents. I trust a spirit of harmony and good feeling will govern your deliberations, to enable you to proceed with that despatch necessary in all legislative bodies; and you will have my most cordial co-operation in support of all measures that have for their object the public good.

By the organic law of Congress, the laws of the late Territory of Michigan are in force until altered, modified, or repealed. There has been a great accession of population to this territory within the last four years, from every part of the United States: the state and condition of the people has been greatly changed, and the existing laws now in force (many of them) are not suited to the habits and wants of the citizens of this territory. I recommend for your consideration, at an early day of your session, the propriety of selecting three or more competent persons to report a code of laws to be submitted to the action of the Legislative Assembly during their present session.

Owing to the present embarrassed state of the currency in this territory, I recommend for the consideration of the Legislative Assembly, the passage of a law granting a stay of execution for one year on all judgments that may be obtained in the different courts of record. The enactment of a law to that effect would prevent the ruin of many whose property will be liable to sale at great loss. Debts have been created when bank notes of different banks were in general circulation in this territory, by many of the most industrious and enterprising citizens, who, no doubt, believed they would be able promptly to meet their engagements. A forced sale of their property under the existing execution laws, would not only deprive the debtor of the means of support, but, in many cases, would prevent the creditor from recovering his debt.

At the last session of the Legislative Assembly, I called your attention to the propriety of memorializing Congress, asking the