With regard to the Milwaukee and Rock river canal, your committee cannot but view with feelings of deep concern, the tempora. ry delay in the prosecution of this noble work, which the peculiar. ly embarrassed state of the money market appears to have ren. dered inevitable. This delay, however, it is hoped, cannot be of long duration; and your committee cannot refrain from express. ing the earnest hope that this important enterprize may continue to receive, at the hands of the Legislative Assembly, all the aid and fostering care which it so richly merits.

This projected improvement would seem to be entitled to that peculiar regard, from the Territory generally, with which a fond mother cherishes, during its helpless infancy, her first-born. It is the commencement of a system, which, if Wisconsin is only true to herself, and her best interests, will be so carried out as to secure to her, at no distant day, a place in the Union, second in rank to none of her older sisters.

It is, in reality, a Territorial work; and one which we cannot but all feel justly proud of having undertaken; and whose comple. tion must be anticipated with emotions of peculiar gratification and delight.

In connexion with the subject of this work it may not be im. proper for your committee to suggest the general benefit that would arise to the Territory, by procuring the construction of a rail-road from the western termination of the canal, to the Mississippi river, which night, afterwards, if desirable, be extended through to Lake Michigan; and the peculiar advantages that will be derived from the canal by the residents along the valleys of the Rock, Pekatonica and River of the Four Lakes, when the con. templated improvements of these streams shall have been effected; which will far exceed, in number and importance, any estimate, however flattering, that could now be made by the most sanguine and enthusiastic friends of our flourishing Territory.

Your committee respectfully endorse the recommendation of the Executive, that the Legislative Assembly should so amend the "Act to provide for aiding in the construction of the Milwau kee and Rock river canal," "as to authorize the payment of the

salaries of the chief engineer and commissioners of the canal, out of the proceeds of the sales of canal lands."

Your committee, also, respectfully recommend, that so much of the act of the twenty-second section, approved February 26, 1839, as relates to the members of the canal company, be repealed; said act, in the opinion of your committee, being unjust, inope rative, and unnecessarily restrictive in its provisions and detrimental to the successful prosecution of the canal.

Your committee would, also, further recommend the passage of a law authorizing the Governor to issue bonds in the name of the Territory for the additional sum of fifty thousand dollars to aid in the prosecution of this work, a such time as the state of the money market will permit, pledging the faith of the Territory for the redemption of the same, and in case said bouds shall not be negotia. ted previous to the first day of September next, then all money which shall belong to the canal fund, or which shall thereafter come into the hands of the canal commissioners in payment of interest on sales of canal lands, shall be applied to the construction of the canal, in the same manner as any money to be obtained by loan is authorized by law to be applied until a loan shall have been ob. tained.

Your committee would respectfully recommend, that the sala. ries of the officers employed on the part of the Territory in the prosecution of said work, be reduced to a fair and reasonable al. lowance for services rendered.

In conclusion, your committee trust they may be pardoned for fondly cherishing the hope, that this, our first great enterprize, may receive at the hands of the Legislative Assembly, that fostering care and protection, to which its importance as a Territorial mea. sures, so justly entitles it.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

On motion of Mr. Childs,

The report was accepted.

Mr. Shew, from the "select committee to which was referred several petitions praying for the right to construct a dam across the outlet of Pewaukee lake, together with sundry other docu.

ments relating to the same subject," made the following report:

"That having had the matter under consideration, they would respectfully recommend that the first prayer in said petitions be not granted, as the subject matter is now pending in a court of chancery, and therefore any legislative action upon the same, your committee think would be traveling from the strict path of duty. But as the petitions pray for a general law regulating wa ter powers, your committee would respectfully recommend the passage of the following resolution :

Resolved, That the committee on the judiciary be instructed to bring in a bill making general provisions relative to water powers. in this Territory, and to provide for the assessment of damages when lands are flowed.

On motion of Mr. Cruson,

The report was accepted, and the committee discharged from the further consideration of the subject.

The question on adopting the resolution reported by the committee, was then put and passed in the affirmative.

Mr. Childs, from the committee on engrossed bills, reported the following to be correctly engrossed, viz:

No. 10, “A bill to provide for laying out a Territorial road from Geneva Lake to Fon du Lac."

On motion of Mr. Dewey,

The House resolved itself into the committee of the whole, Mr. Bracken in the chair, having under consideration bills and a memorial of this House, of the following titles, viz:

No. 11, "A bill to repeal the 4th section of an act entitled 'An act to restrain unauthorized banking and for other purposes.' No. 12, "A bill to provide for recording contracts relating to lands and for other purposes;" and,

66

No. 1, "A memorial of the Legislative Assembly, in behalf of the settlers upon the even sections reserved by the United States, by the law granting a quantity of lands to aid in the construction of the Milwaukee and Rock river canal."

After a short time the committee rose, and reported to the

House bill No. 11, and memorial No. 1, without amendments, and bill No. 12, with amendments.

to.

12.

The amendments of the committee to bill No. 12 were agreed

Oh motion of Mr. Childs,

Ordered, That bill No. 11 do lie on the table.

Mr. Longstreet offered the following amendment to bill No.

Add to the bill the following section:

SEC. 4. That it shall be the duty of all grantors of bonds and contracts (given) for the conveyance of real estate, on which improvements have been made by the grantee, his heirs or assigns, at the maturity of said bonds or contracts then remaining unsatisfied, to proceed to sell the same at public auction to the highest bidder, having first given thirty days notice by advertisement in one or more of the public newspapers of the Territory, and by written notices in three of the most public places in the county where the premises are situate, such advertisement and notices containing a full description of the premises, and if the premises so specified and sold agreeably to the provisions of this act, shall bring anything over and above the amount called for in said bond or contract, and the expense attending such sale, such balance shall be paid over to the person, his heirs or assigns, making or occupying the same.

The question being put, "Will the House agree to the amend.

ment ?"

And the ayes and noes being called for, it was decided in the negative; ayes 1, noes 23.

Mr. Longstreet voting in the affirmative, and

Messrs. Baldwin, Beardsley, Billings, Bracken, Brunson, Childs Craig, Cruson, Dewey, Hoyt, McGregor, Newman, Ray, Shackel. ford, Shew, Sholes, Stevens, Story, Street, Sutherland, Wells and Whiton, speaker, voting in the negative.

The said bill and memorial No. 1, were then ordered to be engrossed for the third reading.

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Message from the Council by their Secretary:

"Mr. Speaker-The Council have passed bill No. 6, entitled 'A bill to authorize the building a bridge across the Fox river, in the county of Brown,' in which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.'

And then he withdrew.

On motion of Mr. Shew,

Memorial No. 2, entitled "A memorial to Congress relative to confirming the titles to lots one, two and three of section thirtytwo, town seven, range twenty-two east," was considered in com. mittee of the whole, Mr. Wells in the chair, and, after some time spent therein, was reported to the House without amendment.

The said memorial was then ordered to be engrossed for the third reading.

Mr. Shackelford, from the joint committee on enrolment reported the following bills, resolution and memorial, to be correctly enrolled, viz:

"An act to amend an act, entitled An act to provide for a Territorial revenue.""

"An act to amend an act, entitled An act to provide for and regulate general elections.""

"An act to divide the towns of Kinnikinick and Lisbon, and to change the name of Prairie Village."

"Resolution relating to the public printing."

"Memorial to Secretary of War, for the construction of a military road from Fort Howard to Fort Snelling."

When the Speaker signed the same.

Mr. Childs, from the committee on engrossed bills, reported the following to be correctly engrossed, viz:

No. 4, "A bill to establish certain ferries therein named." Mr. Ray, from the committee on claims, to which was referred the account of Daniel H. Richards for printing the local laws, re. ported the same back to the House, and moved that it be referred to the joint committee on the public printing.

The account was so referred.

On motion of Mr. Shew,

The House adjourned.