Masters, Meeker, Parsons, Platt, Tripp, Walker, and Ellis [Speaker]-13.

Mr. Elmore moved to amend the resolution by inserting after the word "assembled" the words pursuant to his proclamation." And the question was determined in the negative.

And the ayes and noes being called for
Those who voted in the affirmative, are
Messrs. Bartlett and Van Vleet-2.
Those who voted in the negative, are

Messrs. Agry, Crossman, Darling, Elmore, Hamilton, Hicks, Hopkins, Hunkins, Judson, Long, Masters, Meeker, Olin, Parsons, Platt, Price, Thompson, Tripp. Trowbridge, Walker, and Ellis (Speaker.)-21.

Mr. Hamilton moved to amend by inserting after the word "assembled," the words "again pursuant to adjournment," which was negatived.

And the ayes and noes being called for,
Those who voted in the affirmative, aro

Messrs. Hamilton, Long, Parsons and Walker-4.
Those who voted in the negative, are

Messrs. Bartlett, Capron, Crossman, Darling, Elmore, Hicks, Hopkins, Hunkins, Judson, Masters, Mecker, Olin, Platt, Price, Thompson, Tripp, Trowbridge, Van Vleet and Ellis [Speaker-]

-19.

The question was then put on the passage of the said resolu tion and determined in the affirmative.

The Speaker appointed Messrs. Meeker and Elmore of the committee on the part of the House under said resolution. Ordered, That the Council be requested to concur therein. And then the House adjourned until 2 o'clock, P. M.

TWO O'CLOCK, P. M.

Mr. Meeker, from the committee appointed to wait upon the Governor and to inform him that the two Houses are ready to receive any communication he may be pleased to make to them. reported that they had performed the duty assigned them and were informed by his Excellency that he would send a written message to each House, at 2 o'clock, P. M.

Mr. Palmer, from the county of Dane and the counties attached, appeared and took his seat.

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

"Mr. Speaker:-I am directed by the Governor to deliver to the House of Representatives a message in writing.

The message of the Governor was then read by the Clerk, and is as follows:

Gentlemen of the Council

and House of Representatives,

The Legislation of Congress having prevented this Legisla. ture from holding its annual term in December last, and believ ing that the public interest will be promoted by a session, I have deemed it my duty, an appropriation being now made by Con. gress to pay the expenses, to appoint a SPECIAL SESSION to be held at this time. This duty has been performed in conformity to the provisions of the act of Wisconsin, entitled "An act relative to the sessions of the Legislative Assembly," to enable you to legislate upon those subjects upon which the people are now anxiously expecting legislation.

I therefore meet you on this occasion, being informed by your committee that the two Houses are now convened, for the pur

pose of holding a special session; and I respectfully solicit your attention to the following, as some of the objects of "public interest" which in my judgment require legislative action.

A change, or modification, of the present form of government, by restoring to the people the right to elect their officers, and thus rendering the county and territorial officers responsible to them, for the performance of their official duties, is a measure of great interest and importance. If the bills lately pending before Congress, granting this privilege, and for the passage of which, we have all been solicitous, shall not have become laws, I would again recommend the submission of the question to the inhabit ants of the 5th division of the North-West Territory, who by the ordinance of 1787, and subsequent acts of Congress, are authorized" to form a permanent constitution, and state government," whether they will now exercise this right, and ask admission into the Union.

For the purpose of bringing this question to the notice of the people, that the relative merits of the Territorial and State Gov. ernment might be investigated and discussed, and their opinion known, I deemed it my duty, both to the United States and to Wisconsin, to suggest to the electors the propriety of casting a vote upon it at the annual election in this territory, held in Sep. tember last. In several counties few votes were given, and the returns from others were imperfect. No result can therefore be stated, except the apparent satisfaction of the people with the present government, and with its administration from the period of its institution.

But as this government was not established by the inhabit. ants of the Territory, and as the power has been conferred on Congress to admit a state with a population less than sixty thousand, it is desired that a law should be passed, authorizing a vote to be annually taken upon the question "whether a permanent constitution and state goveanment shall be formed?"

The DEBT which has been created to defray the expenses of the Legislature and the charges upon the Territorial Treasury, for the payment of which no provision was made by those by whom it wes incurred, demand your immediate consideration. The holders of Bonds and Scrip, and indeed all of the public creditors have a right to their money; and the people have also a right to know by whom and for what objects, this debt has been created. I ask also that it may be adjusted and paid, and that the STATE of Wisconsin may enter the Union FREE FROM

DEBT.

Sixty.one "Canal Bonds" have been returned to this office: Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 57 to 100 by the late Agent, and 37 to 51 by the cashier of the Bank of Vernon, and I recommend that they bo cancelled.

From every quarter of the Territory we learn from the people, that a more rigid economy in the public expenditures than has heretofore prevailed, is expected by them.

The fees of officers the expenses of the courts, and of the town and county governments,are much greater than in many of the most respectable states in the Union, and every body admits that they greatly exceed the value of theservices rendered. So long as the public are taxed to pay the expenses of litigation,parties will be found to institute suits, and the terms of the courts, protracted to an unreasonable length.

The present SYSTEM OF TAXATION is acknowledged to be unequal in its rates, defective in its details, and in its operation most grossly unjust. By many it is regarded as unconstitution. al, and therefore void; whilst others view it as nothing less than a system by which the estates of the property holders are forfeit. ed to office holders, and tax.title speculators.

The PRINTING for the Legislature, it appears, has cost about fifty thousand dollars-a sum which must appear very extrav agant, to those at least, who are acquainted with the value of

the work performed. There was paid to one establishment the enormous sum of eleven thousand dollars for the ordinary print. ing of the two Houses for the session of 1838-9. I would respectfully, recommend the passage of a law to provide for the appointment of a territorial printer, and to fix the rate for which he shall be paid for his work. Heretofore the printing has been performed under a resolution of one or both of the Houses, at indefinite rates, and without the concurrence of the Executive. That it has been done in a very loose and irresponsible manner, without supervision, is proved by the errors which have been detected in the journals and laws, and by the fact that a printer, on a bill for printing for one session, was able to charge and receive twelve hundred and seventy dollars more than he was entitled to, of which he was afterwards convicted.

The distributive share of Wisconsin, of the nett proceeds of public lands, remains undrawn, in the treasury of the United States. Its amount, to the 30th of June last, was one thousand and eighty-two dollars and forty five cents. The territorial roads leading west from Astor, Milwaukee, Racine, and Southport, would be greatly benefitted by the application of this fund to the repairs which are required upon them; and I have no doubt that the inhabitants along each route, would be willing to give an equal amount of labor to the same object, that these im portant thoroughfares may be rendered more useful to the public. I should be glad to see this sum appropriated to this or some other beneficial object, before it is drawn from the treasury of the United States.

The extensive and valuable trade, which is prosecuted upon the Wisconsin river, and the rapidly increasing settlements upon its borders and tributaries, demand that such means should bo employed as are within the control of the Legislature, to im prove the navigation of this stream. An appeal to Congress by a memorial, if sustained by the delegate, would undoubtedly in.