OF REGISTER AND RECEIVER OF MIL. R. R. CANAL LANDS,

To the Honorable the Council and House of Representatives of Wisconsin Territory:

The Register and Receiver of the Milwaukee and Rock River Canal Lands, in conformity with the requirements of the law, do make the following

REPORT:

That in accordance with the law past last winter, we received our commissions from the department, and severally took and subscribed the oath prescribed, and delivered bonds to the Governor for the faithful discharge of our duty; said bonds were approved by the Judge of this district, and filed in the office of the Treasurer of the Territory.

We opened our office in the town of Milwaukee for receiv ing the ten per cent. as required by the act of last session, to be paid on or before the first Monday in July, 1845.

We are sorry to inform your honorable bodies that through the bad advice of designing men, all the settlers have not complied with the law. Those who are ever ready to support the laws, and understand them best, came forward at once and paid their instalments; and we are now of the opinion. that many others are sorry that they too did not comply, so as to secure to them the cancelling of the interest due, as they now see they are bound according to law to pay it all unless the Legislature will yet interfere, and that would not be doing justice to those who in good faith have taken the benefit of the act passed specially on their account.

According to the books and papers in possession of the Re

gister belonging to the canal office, the following statement

appears:

Original purchasers of canal lands,

Number of acres sold from July 2d, '39, to
August 18th, 1840,

Amount of moneys received from original
purchasers,

Number that paid ten per cent. per last act, 158; amount paid in all,

Five persons paid for redemption of 829 acres sold for taxes for 1840, and redeemed by the Territory,

Out of the above amount received] by the present Receiver, the following bills have been paid according to this act :

Increase A. Lapham,

$350 501

277

44,740 acres

$13,604 40

2,230 75

50 83

$2,281 58

J. F. Brown,

135 50

Leaving a balance in the hands of the Receiver of $481 71, to be disposed of as the Legislature may determine.

In relation to the thousand dollar bond, No. 31, which was desired to be paid with the interest out of the proceeds of the 10 per cent., the Receiver being requested to take up the

bond and cause the holder's receipt to be endorsed on the back-not having the amount to pay all the bond, and to act according to law, the Receiver declined paying over the small amount in his hands, without the action of the Legislature.

The Register, on the 16th December, received a letter from Hon. M. L. Martin, our Delegate in Congress, in which he was joined by the holder of bonds, desiring the Receiver to forward to the Hon. M. L. Martin a draft for the amount of the bond, together with the interest due bond and interest, in all $1280; and complains very hard that the interest is not paid on the six bonds he holds against the canal lands.

To this letter, the Register, according to the instructions of the Receiver, answered in substance, that he had no authority for paying part of the bond, but that in our report to the Legislature we would lay the subject before that body for their action, and that we had no doubt but permission would be given to pay over to the bon holder any moneys that may be in his hands. And we would most respectfully recommend to your honorable bodies to give your attention to this matter, and for the honor and dignity of our young and flourishing Territory, to permit the amount on hand to be forwarded immediately, or at least as much as will pay the interest due the holder of the bond. What prouder boast for our people at home and abroad, than the fact that our Territory is able and willing to pay her just debts?

It is with pain and regret we have heard that attempts are being made by some of the settlers on the canal tract, assisted by others for political effect, to get up a respectable opposition to the law of last winter in relation to the canal lands.

In our opinion, and this opinion prevails to a great extent amongst those interested, a more liberal or just law in the wisdom of our Legislature could not have been passed, particularly for the benefit of the settlers; and it is to be hoped that our Legislature, this present session, will not disturb the law, or retard the final settlement of the canal lands, so that this canal question, that has from time to time so much disturbed. our Legislature and the people, and has afforded an excuse for political demagogues to enter into and disturb the peace. and harmony that ought to exist among us, may be put an

end to before we take upon ourselves the responsibility of a membership in that blessed family of our beloved country. If there is any alteration we would wish to see made in the law as it now is, it is the 17th section, which reads that if Congress does not approve the law, the lands will be sold at $250, one-half in cash, and a mortgage for the balance shall be given to the Territory, for the use of the future State of Wisconsin. We would suggest to have that part of the section repealed, and our Territory take the bold and independent stand of doing at once justice to the settlers on the canal tract, by giving to them their lands at ten shillings per acre, and give them a good title. The Territory is able to take the responsibility, and stand between the settler and Congress, or the General Government.

In the act of last session, the Receiver was not required to examine the county records to see if any of the canal lands were sold for the non-payment of taxes- -a subject that should be looked into; and we would suggest the propriety of having the Legislature make, or cause to be made, the necessary search, for if not, much valuable land may be lost to the Ter ritory.

Respectfully, your ob't servants,

JOHN WHITE, Register.
DAVID MERRILL, Receiver.

CANAL OFFICE, December 31st, 18:5.

[SEE JOURNAL, page 50.]

REPORT

OF THE SECRETARY OF THE TERRITORY, IN ANSWER TO A RESOLU TION OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

To the Hon. the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Wis consin:

In accordance with a resolution passed by your Hon. body, on the 8th inst., I have the honor of presenting the following report, shewing the manner in which the appropriation made by the act of Congress approved 17th July, 1844, to defray the expenses of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Wisconsin, for the sum of seventeen thousand two hundred and fifty dollars, has been disbursed, to wit. :