A MEMORIAL to Congress for the improvement of the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers. To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, The Memorial of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Wisconsin; sheweth: That the improvement of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, by the creation of slack water navigation through the Fox, and by removing the bars and other obstructions to the free passage of the Wisconsin river, is of vital importance to the growth and prosperity of the country contiguous thereto, as well as to the prosperous prosecution of an inland trade, And we again urgently press this subject upon the attention of Congress. This route is the only natural one by which a free navigation may be opened between the Lakes and the Mississippi river, and has been noted by travelers as such for nearly two centuries past. Your Memorialists believe that the time has arrived when this channel of communication so long and favorably known, and a bill for the improvement of which passed the Senate of the United States at its last session, should be regarded as of national importance; and that the appropriation made by the Senate at its last session, should be passed by both houses at the present session. APPROVED, January 24, 1845. MEMORIAL to Congress on the subject of a Penitentiary. To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, in Congress assembled: The Memorial of the Council and House of Representatives of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Wisconsin respectfully represents: That said Territory is destitute of a penitentiary, and that there are no means provided in any portion of the Territory, for the safe keeping of criminals who are sentenced to a long imprisonment, nor are there any means provided whereby criminals who are so sentenced can be employed at any useful or profitable labor. With two or three exceptions, the prisons which have been erected in the organized counties are merely temporary buildings, and it often happens that prisoners who have been guilty of flagrant crimes, are guarded by persons who are employed at the expense of the public. When sentenced to a term of imprisonment, they are kept at a great expense, their board &c., costing the county in which they are imprisoned, at the rate of three and four dollars a week. The difficulty and expense of keeping criminals, have afforded facilities for their escape, and given an impunity to the commission of crimes which can only be lessened by the establishment of a suitable penitentiary where criminals can be safely confined and profitably employed.. In the aid of this important object, the Legislative Assembly of Wisconsin, would respectfully solicit your honorable bodies to appropriate a sufficient sum to enable the Territory to erect a portion, at least, of a suitable building in which the criminals of the Territory may be confined and employed. There are numerous locations in the Territory where with a part of the building completed, the convicts can be employed in completing the whole. It is the belief of the Legislative Assembly that with the aid of thirty thousand dollars from the general government, the Territory will be enabled to complete a suitable building. If it be objected that the people of the Territory should tax themselves to accomplish the entire object, the Legislative Assembly would meet the objection by the fact that the necessary taxes in this new country, are already too burthensome. Roads are to be made, bridges built, school houses, halls of justice, and county buildings erected, and all by the money and labor of the inhabitants, a large majority of whom, after having paid the general government for their land, have but little left but their strong hands and untiring industry to help themselves forward in the path of competency. Aware that your honorable bodies have ever deemed the Territories of the Union as under your especial care, the Legislative Assembly can with confidence leave the subject of this memorial to your enlightened policy and liberality. APPROVED, February 21st, 1845. |