ported that the committee had performed the duties assigned to them, and were informed by his Excellency that he would address the two Houses, in person, on to-morrow, at 12 o'clock, M. in the Representatives' Hall. On motion of Mr. Cruson, The House adjourned until to-morrow, at 10 o'clock, A. M. Tuesday, August 4, 1840. Messrs. Longstreet, Shew and Story, from the county of Milwaukee, and Mr. Bracken, from the county of Iowa, appeared and took their seats. Mr. Childs moved that the House dispense with the regular order of business, as prescribed by the rules for to-day, and that the House now proceed to the election of officers; Which was agreed to. On motion of Mr. Childs, Ordered, That two tellers be appointed to canvass the votes. Messrs. Childs and Story were appointed. On motion of Mr. Brunson, The House proceeded to the election of a Sergeant-at-Arms. Mr. Childs nominated Daniel M. Whitney. The ballots having been taken and counted, it appeared that D. M. Whitney had received 21 votes, 1 vote. D. M. Whitney was thereupon declared to be duly elected. The House proceeded to the election of a Chief Clerk. Mr. Catlin was thereupon declared to be duly elected. Mr. Bracken moved that the House suspend farther action in relation to the election of officers, for the present. And the ayes and noes having been called for on this motion, it was decided in the negative-ayes 5, noes 17, as follows: Ayes-Messrs. Beardsley, Bracken, McGregor, Shackelford and Sutherland-5. Noes-Messrs. Billings, Brunson, Childs, Conroe, Craig, Cruson, Dewey, Hoyt, Jenkins, Longstreet, Newman, Ray, Shew, Sholes, Stevens, Story and Whiton, speaker-17. Mr. Street, from the county of Grant, appeared and took his seat. On motion of Mr. Childs. The House proceeded to the election of Door-keeper and Assistant Door-keeper. Mr. Ray nominated F. D. Weld, for Door-keeper. Mr. Shew nominated Thomas C. Horner, for Assistant Doorkeeper. The ballots having been taken and counted, it appeared that 19 votes, and F. D. Weld had received Thos. C. Horner 66 7 Messrs. Weld and Horner were thereupon declared to be duly elected; the former to the office of Door-keeper, and the latter to the office of Assistant Door-keeper. On motion of Mr. Cruson, The House proceeded to the election of two Transcribing clerks. Mr. Cruson nominated Wm. G. Thompson for the said office. Whereupon Messrs. Thompson and Smith were declared to be duly elected. On motion of Mr. Childs, The House proceeded to the election of Messenger.. Mr. Longstreet nominated Stephen B. Kellogg. And the ballots being taken and counted, it appeared that Stephen B. Kellogg received 20 votes, and was thereupon declared to be duly elected. On motion of Mr. Billings, it was Ordered, That the House proceed to the election of Speaker. A call of the House was had, and absent members sent for. On motion of Mr. Sholes, The several officers elected were sworn to the true and faithful discharge of their duties in office. The Sergeant-at-Arms appeared and reported the attendance of absent members; whereupon, the House proceeded to ballot for a Speaker. Charles Bracken, 1 66 Neither of the persons voted for having received a majority of the votes given, the Speaker declared that no choice had been made. The Secretary of the Council being introduced, delivered the following message: "Mr. Speaker-I am directed to inform you that the Hon. William A. Prentiss, of Milwaukee, has been elected President of the Council." Mr. Sholes declined being a candidate for the office of Speaker, and moved that the House proceed to a second ballot; Which was agreed to. Mr. Shackelford also declined being a candidate for Speaker. The House then proceeded to a second ballot, and the votes having been taken and counted, it appeared that— Nelson Dewey received Charles Bracken William Shew 21 votes. 1 vote. 1 66 Mr. Dewey having received a majority of the votes given, was declared to be duly elected. On motion, Messrs. Billings and Childs were appointed a committee to conduct the Speaker elect to the chair. The Speaker having taken the chair, returned his acknowledg. ments to the House, in the words following: "Gentlemen of the House of Representatives-Be pleased to accept of my unfeigned thanks for this mark of your distinction. It is with diffidence that I enter upon the discharge of the duties which your partiality has imposed upon me, and still greater would be my embarrassments did I not entertain the hope that the same co-operation on your part, which has been heretofore extended to the occupants of this chair, would still be continued. Believing that that co-operation will not be withdrawn from the present incumbent in performing his duties, I accept of the place to which you have elevated me. On motion of Mr. Childs, it was Ordered, That seats be prepared to receive the Governor and Council, preparatory to the delivery of the Governor's Message, and that the clerk inform the Council thereof. The clerk having performed this duty, the members of the Council appeared and took their seats. On motion of Mr. Whiton, it was Ordered, That a committee of two on the part of each House be appointed to wait upon the Governor, and inform him that the two Houses had assembled in the Hall of the House of Repre sentatives, and were ready to receive his message. Messrs. Martin and Learned of the Council, and Messrs. Whi. ton and Cruson of the House, were appointed said committee. The Governor appeared and delivered his message in person, as follows: Fellow citizens of the Council and House of Representatives: You are assembled in pursuance of a special legislative act, of the 11th day of January last, for the purpose of making the apportionment of representation for the House of Representatives in the several counties in this Territory. In conformity to the above entitled act, I entered into a contract, on the part of the Territory, on the 17th of February last, with the United States Marshal, for a full and complete transcript of the enumeration of all persons residing in the Territory, agreeably to the forms of returns prescribed in an act of the Congress of the United States, entitled "An act to provide for taking the sixth census or enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States." The Marshal has filed with me the transcript of the enumeration as made by him, which is herewith submitted to the Legislative Assembly for their action. It is a subject of vital interest to the people of the Territory that the representation in the several counties should be made as equal as practicable. The elective franchise is the foundation of our inestimable privileges as freemen; and so long as the people are |