bill No. 3, entitled "a bill to amend an act entitled an act to authorize Webster Stanley to maintain a ferry across Fox river; approved February 18, 1842."

Pending this motion, a call of the House was moved by Mr. Hamilton, which was had and the sergeant-at-arms sent to procure the attendance of Messrs. Agry and Capron, the absent members.

Mr. Crossman moved that further proceedings in the call of the House be dispensed with.

Which was disagreed to.

Messrs. Agry and Capron having appeared and taken their seats,

On motion of Mr. Darling,

Further proceedings in the call of the House were dispen sed with.

The House then resolved itself into the committee of the whole House, Mr. Platt in the chair, having under consideration the foregoing resolution and bill.

Pending the report of the committee, the Secretary of the Council was announced, when the Speaker took the chair and the following message was received:

"Mr. Speaker-I am directed to inform this House that the Council have this day concurred in the report of the joint com. mittee appointed to revise the joint rules of the two Houses.

The committee of the whole again resumed its session, and after some time spent therein, rose and reported said bill and resolution without amendment.

Mr. Hamilton moved to amend the resolution by striking out all after the second line, and inserting "of one member from each election district, be appointed to revise the laws in relation to town and county government, and that said committee be directed to inquire into the expediency of establishing uniform

And the question being put on the said motion, it was decited

in the negative.

And the ayes and noes being called for,

Those who voted in the affirmative, are

Messrs. Agry, Hamilton, Long, Masters, Meeker, Trowbridge, and Ellis (Speaker.)—-7.

Those who voted in the negative, are

Messrs. Bartlett, Capron, Crossman, Darling, Elmore, Hicks, Hopkins, Hunkins, Judson, Manahan, Olin, Palmer, Platt, Par. sons, Price, Thompson, Tripp, Van Vleet and Walker-19. On motion of Mr. Elmore,

The House adjourned until 2 o'clock. P. M.

TWO O'CLOCK, P. M.

On motion of Mr. Platt,

The House resumed the consideration of the report of the committee of the whole on resolution No. 2, from the Coun. cil, and bill No. 3, of this House, when the question was put on the passage of the said resolution and determined in the affirma. tive.

The question then recurred ordering bill No. 3 to be engrossed for a third reading.

And the ayes and noes being demanded,

The question was put and determined unanimously in the affirmative, as follows:

Ayes-Messrs. Bartlett, Capron, Crossman, Darling, Elmore, Hamilton, Hopkins, Hunkins, Judson, Long, Hanahan, Masters, Meeker, Olin, Platt, Parsons, Price, Thompson, Tripp, Trow. bridge, Van Vleet, Walker, and Ellis [Speaker-]-23,

Mr. Darling offered the following resolution, which was a greed to, viz.

Resolved, That the committee on finances be instructed to enquire into the expedienoy of revising the law in relation to Territorial revenue, so as to provide for the collection of such revenue, by a territorial tax, levied by uniform and cqual assessment of property throughout the Territory; or by such other system as shall more fully equalize the mode of collecting taxes for the payment of territorial expenses.

The Speaker announced the appointment of the following committees, viz:

Under the revised rules-Committee on Legislative Expenses -Messrs. Elmore, Agry, Judson, Trowbridge and Tripp,

Under joint resolution relative to town and county governmentMessrs. Hunkins, Trowbridge, Bartlett, Hopkins, Masters, Agry, and Darling.

Mr. Platt offered the following resolution which was adopted, viz:

Resolved, That a select committee of three be appointed to revise the laws in relation to fees of officers, and to remove the ambiguity which in many places is found as to the amount of fees to be allowed, and report a bill for that purpose.

The Speaker announced the following as the select committee under the foregoing resolution, viz :

Messrs. Platt, Van Vleet, and Manahan.

Mr. Darling presented a communication from Daniel Baxter in relation to his contract for completing the Capitol.

Which was read and ordered to lie on the table.
And then the House adjourned.

Friday, March 10, 1843.

A message from the Governor, by his Private Secretary, Mr. Charles Doty.

"Mr. Speaker-I am directed by the Governor, to return to the House of Representatives, the resolution entitled "a resolution relative to the purchase of stationery," without his sig nature, together with a message in writing, stating his objec tions thereto."

The message of the Governor was read by the clerk and is as follows:

To the House of Representatives of Wisconsin :

A resolution to authorize the purchase of stationery, with a certificate thereon, that it originated in the House of Represen. tatives," has been presented to me for my approval. This resolution is in the following words:

"Resolved, The Hon. Council concurring herein, that the Secretary of the Council, and the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives be authorized to purchase the stationery neces. sary for the use of the Legislature during the present session."

An act of the territorial Legislature provides, that it shall be the duty of the Librarian to contract annually, for the delivery of the necessary amount of wood, stationery, and candles, required for the use of the Legislative Assembly.

I am advised by the Librarian, that this duty was performed by his predecessor, who contracted with Messrs. J. & L. Ward to deliver the stationery and candles required for the year 1842 -3, according to a bill furnished them.

That these articles were delivered to the Librarian on said

contract, and are now in the capitol, with the exception of small portions thereof, which have been delivered to the acting clerks for which their receipts have been taken.

That the quantity now on hand is the same as has been required at sessions heretofore held and as much as is permitted by the law to be delivered to the members.

And the Librarian and the contractors have each offered to deliver said stationery and candles to the acting clerks; which offers have not been accepted.

There appears, therefore, to be no necessity for the passage of this resolution, as the Librarian has performed his duty, and as there is a sufficient supply now on hand. Presuming that the purchase was made according to law, and that the Territory or the United States must be responsible for the amount of the contract, I cannot think it would be prudent to incur any fur ther liability at present, by authorizing another purchase. Fourteen hundred dollars worth of stationery is more than I think will be required for the use of the members at this session.

The resolution is repugnant to the law above cited, and may perhaps be understood to supercede or invalidate the contracts heretofore made by the Librarian.

At the same time that I return this resolution with the above objections, I feel it my duty to state to the House, that very se. rious doubts are entertained by many, whether the Territorial act of 1839, to regulate the sessions of the Assembly, so far as it authorizes the Governor to appoint special sessions, is a compli. ance with the provisions of the 19th section of the act of Congress to divide the Territory of Wisconsin, or with those of any other act of Congress; and also, whether the act of Wisconsin of 1842, entitled "an act to provide for the taking of the censug of the inhabitants of the Territory of Wisconsin, and to author. ize the Governor to apportion the members of the Council and House of Representatives," so far as it requires the Governor to