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And the question having been put on the adoption of the said resolution,

It was decided in the affirmative.

And the ayes and noes having been called for,
Those who voted in the affirmative, were

Messrs. Babcock, Botkin, Cass, Cothren, Drake, Gibson, Hanraran, Holliday, Jackson, Kinney, Martin, Mooers, Newell, Patch, Reed, Stewart, Virgin, Wakeley, Walker, Walworth, Williston, and Burns, (Speaker,)—22.

Those who voted in the negative, were

Messrs. Burt, and Pole,-2.

The several officers elect appeared at the speaker's desk, and were sworn into office.

Mr. Kinney introduced the following resolution, which was adopted, to wit:

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Resolved, That the sergeant-at-arms be directed to prepare seats for the reception of the honorable council, preparatory to the delivery of the message of his excellency, the governor."

Mr. Cothren introduced the following resolution, which was adop ted, to wit:

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Resolved, That the clerk of the house be directed to furnish the post master of this town with a list of the names of the members of this house, and that the postage of the members during the session be paid out of the money appropriated for the expenses of the legislative assembly."

Mr. Pole introduced the following resolution, to wit:

"Resolved, That each member of this house be authorized to order for his own use, during the present session, any number of newspa pers printed in the village of Madison, not exceeding thirty per week, and that the same be audited and settled as other incidental expenses."

Mr. Mooers moved that the said resolution be laid on the table for the present;

Which was agreed to.

On motion of Mr. Kinney,

The house took a recess of fifteen minutes.

The house having been again called to order,

Mr. Kinney moved that the chief clerk be directed to inform the council that seats had been prepared for their accommodation in the representatives' hall, preparatory to the reception of the message of his excellency the governor.

Which was agreed to.

The honorable council appeared in the representatives' hall and took their seats.

Mr. Turner moved that a committee of two from each house be appointed to wait upon his excellency the governor, and inform him that the two houses were now assembled in convention, and ready to receive any communication that he may have to make to them,

Which was agreed to.

The president appointed Messrs. Whitesides and McCartney of the committee on the part of the council.

The speaker appointed Messrs. Holliday and Cothren of the committee on the part of the house.

The said committee having retired for a short time, returned, when His excellency the governor was announced, who appeared in the representatives' hall, and communicated to the two houses the following

MESSAGE:

Fellow citizens of the Council,

and House of Representatives:

Since the organization of this territorial government, her legislative assembly have never convened under circumstances more highly calculated to excite feelings of gratitude to Him who holds the destiny of nations in his hand, and exalts or depresses them at his will. The great agricultural resources of Wisconsin are being developed; abundance has been the reward of the husbandman the past season, and in no portion of the United States have the people been more exempt from disease.

Twelve years ago, Wisconsin's fertile plains lay almost untouched by the hand of agriculture. Where then stretched wild and unbroken prairies, now can be seen waving fields with every variety of grain. Where the wigwams of the savage smoked, now are to be seen popu lous towns and villages. The savage war dance is changed to the song of civilization and its blessings; and the music of the stream on whose banks the Indian sought repose, is now lost in the hum of machinery. While millions in other countries are suffering for bread and trembling at the approach of death, we have an abundant supply for all our wants, and a surplus to alleviate the wants of others. Wisconsin, in a few years, will be one of the great granaries of the

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The people of the territory will be called on, at an early day, to vote for their acceptance or rejection of the constitution submitted to them by the late convention. The preparatory steps having been taken for the early organization of the state government, I have not deemed it proper to submit to the legislative assembly any subjects of general legislation. Under the state government, the first legislature will no doubt appoint a board of revision, to condense and revise the existing laws in force.

From the great accession to the population, the last two years, it may be necessary to pass laws during the present session, of a local character, suited to the present wants and condition of the people of the teritory. "The chief end and tendency of all legislation should be to protect each citizen in his person, his property, and his individual rights, giving to every man and every interest, protection under the laws, but exclusive privileges to none." "Showering its favors as Heaven doth its rain, alike on the high and the low, the rich and the poor."

Harbors located at suitable points on the western shore of lake Michigan, for the protection of the greatly increased commerce of the lake, as well as for the security of the lives of thousands engaged in its navigation, is a subject of vital importance to the people of Wisconsin.

Congress having appropriated ninety thousand dollars for the commencement of harbors at the towns of Milwaukee, Racine, and Southport, and the amount appropriated for that object having been expended, under the direction of the war department, by the established usage of the government, additional appropriations for the prosecution of the works on the harbors commenced, were expected until their completion.

During the 27th and the 28th congress, bills passed the house of representatives, appropriating, at different sessions, two hundred and sixty-two thousand seven hundred dollars for these harbors; and during the 29th congress, bills passed both the house and the senate, making appropriations for the same objects. The topographical engineers who made the surveys and estimates for the three different harbor locations, reported their estimates to the war department at about two hundred and twenty thousand dollars. I have always entertained the opinion that harbors located on the western shore of lake Michigan, within the limits of this territory, were works of a national character. In that opinion I have not changed. Harbors are not only necessary for the protection of commerce and the security of the lives of thou sands, but are of the first importanee in a military point of view, to

afford protection to the citizens of the territory, should a state of war exist; and to afford that protection, safe and convenient harbors should be established by the United States, where the necessary troops and munitions of war could be landed, for the security and safety of the lake towns, as well for the protection of the lake border settlements, as the whole extent of the northern frontier. The territorial limits of Wisconsin are bounded by a British province, both by land and on the lakes. During the last war with Great Britain, she contended with the United States for the command of the lakes; and our first naval victory was gained on lake Erie by the gallant and lamented Commodore Perry. The British government has always exercised the most unbounded influence over the Indian tribes on our northwestern frontier. We are now in a state of peace, and from the great, extent of our unprotected frontier, it would seem that the necessary preparations should be made to guard against the sleepless vigilance of that government, should our present relations with it ever be chang、 ed to a state of war.

The commerce of Lake Michigan has increased in a proportion, it is believed, far exceeding that of any other inland waters in the United States. There has been exported, during the past year, from the best information I have been able to obtain, from the ports of Milwaukee, Racine, and Southport, in the article of breadstuffs alone, one million one hundred and nine thousand six hundred and twenty-seven bushels of wheat, and thirty-four thousand eight hundred and forty barrels of flour. The tonage of those ports is, as near as the same can be ascertained, 4,500 tons. When the more northern parts of the territory come to be as generally settled as are the southern tier of counties, the exports will be proportionally increased, especially from the towns of Port Washington and Sheboygan. The counties in which these growing and prosperous towns are situated, already contain a population of about twenty-four thousand souls. The northern tier of counties are settling rapidly, and from the great accession to their population, they will soon have a large surplus of agricultural products for the eastern markets.

Surveys and estimates for harbors at the mouth of the Sheboygan and Manitowoc rivers, have been made under the direction of the war department. Harbors at the mouths of those rivers would suit the present as well as the future population in the interior of the country, from the lake border in the direction of the Fox river. Port Washington is a prominent and important location on lake Michigan, that presents claims for a harbor which should not be overlooked.

I recommend that the legislative assembly take such action on the subject of memorializing congress in relation to harbor appropriations as the good of their constituents may seem to require. The United States are engaged in a state of war with a foreign power, and appropriations may not be obtained. That state of things, however, should not prevent the representatives of the people of the territory from setting forth and urging their just claims on congress for harbor appropriations. The people of Wisconsin have paid into the United States treasury near four millions of dollars for the public lands. A small per cent. on that amount, appropriated by congress, would have constructed the harbors necessary for the protection of commerce on the western shore of lake Michigan. The settlers of this territory have had all the difficulties to encounter incident to the settlement of a new country. They are the pioneers of the great west, extending the power of this republic, and have a right to expect the protection of the government, under its constitution and laws.

By an act of congress, approved June 15, 1844, granting a section of land for the improvement of Grant river, at the town of Potosi, the legislative assembly of the territory was authorized to provide by law for the sale of the land granted, and to apply the proceeds to the improvement contemplated by congress. Commissioners were appointed by law, and authorized to make sale of the land. They performed the duty assigned them, and paid over to a receiver appointed for that purpose, the proceeds of the sales.

From the receiver's settlement it appears, that after defraying all necessary expenses the nett proceeds amounted to $2,725 43. The commissioners in the performance of their duties employed a civil engineer to make a survey and estimate for the contemplated improvement. The amount of the engineer's estimate is $20,041 45: the sum required for its completion will be $17,316 02. I would recommend that a memorial from the legislative assembly be forwarded to congress, asking for an appropriation to complete this improvement. There has been manufactured during the past year thirty million pounds of lead in Wisconsin. The town of Potosi is the most accessible and convenient point for shipping lead in the mining country, and the western counties in this territory are greatly interested in the early completion of this work.

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The existing war between the United States and Mexico has -furnished a brilliant page in our nation's history. War is justly considered one of the great scourges of nations. It was a maxim of one of the most distinguished chief magistrates of this republic, in his in

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