“MINERAL Point, Oct. 18, 1839.

"SIR,-In reference to the file of bonds, approved by the Governor, I find that yours executed on the 7th of August last, was approved on the 9th of the same month, notice of which it is presumed was neglected to be given, probably through the hurry of business at that time. There is, therefore, nothing in the way of the performance of your duties as Treasurer.

"I requested Mr. Noonan, after auditing my account and presenting it to you, to say, that a warrant on the Treasurer of Crawford county, would be received therefor, and in case no returns should have been made by the Treasurer of that county, on notification of the fact by you the warrant would not be presented until the money was placed to the credit of the Territorial Treasurer.

Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

GEO. BEATTY.

To R. L. REAM, Esq., Territorial Treasurer;"

And propounded

Question:

Do you know of the approval by the Governor, of the bond mentioned in this letter?

Answer by Dr. Beatty:

I examined at request of Mr. Ream, his bond alluded to, and found it had been approved by the Governor, as stated in this letter. Mr. Ream then submitted a second letter:

"EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
January 6th, 1840.

"SIR, I have this day examined and approved your bond as Treasurer of the Territory.

I am with great respect,

Your obedient servant,

HENRY DODGE.

To R. L. REAM, Territorial Treasurer."

And asked

Ques. Do you recognise this as the hand writing of Governor Dodge?

Ans. It is.

Ques. Was the bond of Mr. Ream placed in the file of bonds, in the Executive office, with those of other Territorial officers, which required the approval of the Governor?

Ans. The first bond approved on the 9th of August, 1839, and one approved the latter part of February, 1841, for $10,000, were so placed on file.

Ans. They were handed over to Mr. Shackelford, as agent of Governor Doty.

Ques. Why were not those bonds deposited in the Secretary's office?

Ans.

Because there was no place known as the Secretary's office at that time.

Ques. Why was not the approval of the bond made to it by the Governor, on the 6th of January, 1840, entered upon the Executive Journal?

Ans. At the time of the approval of that bond, it was not the practice of the Secretary to note approvals of bonds upon the Executive Journal.

Ques. Were not all bonds of Territorial officers, which required the approval of the Governor, kept in a file in his office?

Ans. They were so kept after September, 1837.

GEO. BEATTY.

Sworn and subscribed to, this first day of February, A. D. 1842, before me. D. M. PARKISON, Ch'n.

Mr. Ream wished the following named witnesses examined, to wit:

ALBERT W. PARRIS,

WILLIAM N. SEYMOUR,

BERRY HANEY,

ABNER NICHOLS,

JOHN CATLIN.

On motion, Ordered, That subpoenas be issued for the above persons, to be examined before the committee.

And the committee adjourned.

January 15, 1842.

A. G. ELLIS, Sec'y.

TUESDAY, January 25, 1842.

Committee met by order of the Chairman.

Present-Messrs. D. M. Parkison, Chairman, Whiton, Bond,

Mills, and Ellis.

Mr. Catlin appeared for Mr. Ream.

ABNER NICHOLS introduced as witness.

Question by Mr. Catlin:

Did you sign any of Mr. Ream's bonds as Treasurer of Wisconsin? Ans. I did.

Ans. Two-one two years ago this month or last, I do not know the date; and I signed one afterwards last winter, required by the act for the completion of the Capitol.

Ques. Who else signed the bond with you two years ago.

Ans. I believe Berry Haney signed with me as surety.

BARLOW SHACKELFORD, introduced as witness.

Ques. What did you with the Executive papers, handed over fo you last summer by Dr. Beatty, as agent of Gov. Dodge.

Ans. I delivered to Gov. Doty, all the papers handed to me by Dr. Beatty, as papers of the Executive office.

Questions by Mr. Whiton:

Did you examine these papers, to know what they were?
No, I did not.

No, I did not. Dr. Beatty made an inventory by files, and I gave him a receipt; he boxed them up, and I called for them the next morning. They were brought in the stage, under my eye, and delivered here, at Mr. Morrison's, to Gov. Doty.

ALBERT W. PARRIS, a witness.

Questions by Mr. Catlin:

Have you seen, among the Executive papers in the Governor's office, any of the bonds of R. L. Ream, as Treasurer of Wisconsin?

Ans. I recollect to have seen one, and but one-that one is the bond required to be given by the Treasurer under the act to provide for the completion of the Capitol.

Did you examine sufficiently to know that there was but that one on file?

Ans. I did not at the time spoken of. Subseqently, after a conversation between Mr. Catlin and myself, and since the removal of Mr. Ream, I did examine and found but the one mentioned. I have never seen any other bond.

What became of the bond you speak of?
Ans. I presume it is there still..

NOTE by Clerk of the Committee:

A few days after this deposition was taken, Mr. Parris expressed a desire to have an opportunity to correct his statement; having, as he said made a subsequent examination of the file of bonds in the Executive office, and there found two of Mr. Ream's bonds on file. Mr Parris is now absent from Madison.

Feb. 1, 1842.

A. G. ELLIS, Clerk of the Committee.

WM. N. SEYMOUR, Witness.

Question by Mr. Catlin:

Did you administer the oath of office to R. L. Ream, as Treasurer of Wisconsin, under his appointment of Dec. 14, 1839?

Ans. It is my impression that I did.

Question by Mr. Whiton:

Was you a magistrate at the time?

Ans. I was.

Was appointed Justice of the Peace on May 18,

1839, and confirmed 23d December, 1839; was Supreme Court Commissioner at the time.

MR. BOTKIN, a Witness.

Question by Mr. Catlin:

Have you examined among the papers in the Secretary's office, and if so, do you find there, any bond of R. L. Ream, as Treasurer of Wisconsin?

Ans. I have; there is no such bond among them.

MR. CATLIN, Sworn as a Witness.

Question. Did you sign any bond given by Mr. Ream, as Treasurer of the Territory?

Ans. I signed one bond, given by Mr. Ream, and perhaps two; but I have no distinct recollection of signing but one.

Ques. Have you examined the Executive journal, and what en

tries did you find in relation to the approval of Mr. Ream's bonds, given as Treasurer?

Ans. I have examined the Executive journal, and the following extract is the only entry of the approval of Mr. Ream's bonds, I could find:

"FEBRUARY 25th, 1841.

"On this day His Excellency, Henry Dodge, approved bond of R. L. Ream, Treasurer of the Territory, for $10,000, under the act to provide for the completion of the Capitol at Madison."

SATURDAY, January 29, 1842.

Committee met-present Messrs. Parkison and Ellis.
BERRY HANEY, introduced as witness.

Question by Mr. Parkison:

Please state what you know about the execution of certain bonds of R. L. Ream, as Treasurer of Wisconsin Territory?

Answer. I signed Mr. Ream's bond, as security, as Territorial Treasurer, twice; I am confident of doing so with the first bond, as such Treasurer of Wisconsin Territory; and I think, on his second one also of this I would not say positive, at any rate I went his security on two bonds at such Treasurer. I understood he gave a bond under the act for the completion of the Capitol; that bond I did not sign, agreeably to my recollection. BERRY HANEY.

The foregoing named witnesses, George Beatty, Abner Nichols, Barlow Shackelford, Albert W. Parris, Wm. N. Seymour, Botkin, John Catlin, and Berry Haney, were all sworn by me, to the truth of their respective evidence. Certified this second day of February, 1842. D. M. PARKISON, Chairman of the Committee.

GOVERNOR

HENRY DODGE,

OF THE TERRITORY OF WISCONSIN.

To all to whom these presents may come, Greeting.

KNOW YE, That reposing special trust and confidence in the integrity and ability of R. L. REAM, I have appointed him Treasurer of the Territory, and I do hereby authorize and empower him to execute and fulfil the duties of that office according to law: To have and