Mr. Agry, from the judiciary committee, to which a petition and remonstrance were referred, reported bill No. 18, (H.) which was read the first and second times, to wit:

"A bill to empower the president and trustees of the village of Southport to discontinue a strect."

Mr. Agry, from the same committee, to which the petition of Webster Pease was referred, reported the following bill, to wit: No. 19, (H.) "A bill to divorce Webster Pease from his wife Lucinda Pease."

Mr. Darling, from the committee to which the subject was referred, made the following report, to wit:

"The committee on territorial affairs, to whom was referred a resolution of the house of representatives instructing the committee to inquire into the expediency of levying a tax for the purpose of building a penitentiary, and for taking measures for that purpose, have attended to the duty assigned them, and report:

That however desirable it may be speedily to have a well regulated penitentiary in the territory, still your committee do not feel it their duty to recommend the erection of one by a special tax, at the present time. It will be recollected that the territory is already, to some considerable extent, involved in debt, to cancel which it has no other means than a resort to direct taxation, Under these circumstances, they are of the opinion that provision should first be made for the payment of its honest debts, before it should engage in any new projects which it is possible to dispense with,

They are further strengthened in this conclusion by the belief that congress will yet grant aid to the territory in accomplishing so desirable an object, and thus prevent the necessity of resorting to direct taxation.

With these views, they repectfully ask to be discharged from further consideration of the subject.

Respectfully submitted."

On motion of Mr. Hunkins,

The said report was accepted and the committee discharged from the further consideration of the subject.

Mr. Darling, from the judiciary committee, to which a petition. was referred, by leave reported

No. 20, (H.) "A bill for the relief of the town of Sharon, in Walworth county,"

Which was read the first and second times."

Mr. Hunkins gave notice that he should, on a future day, by leave, introduce a bill to amend an act of the statutes entitled "an act regulating marriages."

Mr. Graut gave notice that he should, on a future day, by leave, introduce a bill to change the time of holding annual town meetings. Bills on their passage being announced,

The undermentioned bills were severally read the third time, passed, and their titles agreed to, to wit:

No. 9, (C.) "A bill to amend the act to provide for the election of sheriffs, judges of probate, and justices of the peace, and for other purposes;"

No. 4, (H.) "A bill to change the time of holding the annual meetings of the several boards of county supervisors."

On motion of Mr. Agry,

The message from the council was taken up, when

The amendments made by the council to bill

No. 12, (H.) "A bill for an act amendatory of an act entitled an act to prescribe the mode of proceeding in chancery,'" Were read and concurred in.

No. 20, (C.) "A bill to repeal an act to establish the University of Wisconsin,"

Was read the first and second times.

On motion of Mr. Hicks,

The house resolved itself into the committee of the whole house, for the consideration of bill

No. 18, (H.) "A bill to establish a ferry across the Mississippi river,"

Mr. Parsons in the chair.

And after some time spent therein, the committee rose, and by their chairman reported the said bill without amendment.

On motion of Mr. Hicks,

Ordered, that said bill do lie on the table.

Mr. Hopkins moved that the house do now adjourn until half past two o'clock, P. M., when

Mr. Hunkins moved to adjourn;

And the question of adjournment being privileged, was first put on the motion of Mr. Hunkins,

And passed in the affirmative.

So the house adjourned.

FRIDAY, January 5, 1844.

Mr. Long, a member from the county of Iowa, appeared and took his seat.

The undermentioned petitions were severally presented and referred, as fallows, to wit:

By Mr. Hunkins, the petition of inhabitants of the town of New Berlin, praying for the construction of a bridge across the Milwaukee river, at Walker's Point;

Referred to the committee on internal improvements.

By Mr. Elmore, the petition of Ira Blood, G. W. Yearly, and one hundred and four others, praying for the same object; Referred to the same committee.

By Mr. Birchard, the petition of fifty-three inhabitants of Wisconsin, praying for the same object;

Referred to the same committee.

By Mr. Tripp, the petition of inhabitants of the town of Geneva, praying for a division of said town;

Referred to the committee on corporations.

By Mr. Trowbridge, the petition of Seth Warner, and other citizens of school district No. 1, in the town of Rochester, praying for an act to enable said district to raise money to pay the debts of said district;

Referred to the committee on the judiciary.

By Mr. Platt, the petition of B. R. Sanders, and other citizens. of the county of Grant, praying for the appointment of new commissioners to lay out a territorial road;

Referred to the committee on roads.

By Mr. Darling, the petition of Elbert Dickason, and two hundred and fifty other citizens of Wisconsin, praying for the passage of a memorial to congress, asking remuneration for property destroyed by the Winnebago Indians, accompanied by a letter from the secretary of war;

Referred to the judiciary committee,

The undermentioned petitions were severally presented, and ordered to lie on the table, to wit.

By Mr. Hicks, The petition of Thomas F. Dudley and others, of the county of Grant, praying for a ferry across the Mississippi river, at Boat-yard Hollow.

By Mr. Platt, the petition of citizens of the county of Grant, for the same object.

A message from the council, by their secretary:

"Mr. Speaker: The council have passed

No. 5, (C.) Memorial to congress for a donation of land to improve the Grant river slough;' also,

No. 15, (C.) A bill to repeal 'an act entitled an act for the relief of insolvent debtors,' approved January 13, 1840;' also,

No. 23, (C.) A bill to define the boundaries of certain counties therein named, and for other purposes; also,

No. 19, (C.) 'A bill to amend an act entitled 'an act respecting judgments in criminal cases and the execution thereof.""

Mr. Long, from the committee on enrolled bills, reported the following to be correctly enrolled, which were signed by the speaker, to wit:

"An act to amend an act entitled 'an act to prescribe the mode of proceeding in chancery;'

"An act to authorize the village of Racine to borrow money, and for other purposes."

The message from the council was taken up, when the undermentioned bills and memorial were severally read the first and second times, to wit:

No. 5, (C.) “Memorial to congress for a donation of land to improve the Grant river slough;"

No. 15, (C.) "A bill to repeal an act entitled 'an act for the relief of insolvent debtors,' approved January 13, 1840;"

No. 19, (C.) "A bill to amend an act entitled 'an act respecting judgments in criminal cases, and the execution thereof;"

No. 23, (C.) "A bill to define the boundaries of certain counties therein named, and for other purposes."

On motion of Mr. Ellis,

Ordered, that bills Nos. 15 and 19 aforesaid, be referred to the committee on the judiciary.

On motion of Mr. Platt,

The house took up preamble and resolution

No. 13, (H.)" Preamble and Resolution relative to the formation of a state government."

Mr. Platt moved to amend said resolution by striking out the first, second, third, and part of the fourth lines in the resolution, and substituting the following in lieu thereof, to wit:

"Resolved, by the house of representatives, that the committee on territorial affairs, to whom was referred the petition of the inhabitants of Milwaukee county in relation to a state government, be requested, if in their judgment they deem it proper, to report a bill, in which the following provision shall be incorporated."

Pending the question thereon, a message from the governor, by his private secretary, Mr. Charles Doty, was received, to wit: "Mr. Speaker: I am directed by the governor to deliver to this house a message in writing."

Mr. Ellis moved that the said preamble and resolutions, and the amendments proposed by Mr. Platt be referred to the committee on territorial affairs.

Mr. Hunkins moved that the said preamble, resolutions and amendments, do lie on the table.

Mr. Elmore moved to amend the motion made by Mr. Hunkins, by adding thereto the words, "until the 4th day of July next;"

Which amendment was accepted by Mr. Hunkins.

And the question being put on the adoption of the motion made by Mr. Hunkins, it passed in the affirmative;

And the ayes and noes having been called for by Mr. Platt,

Those who voted in the affirmative were,

Messrs. Agry, Bartlett, Birchard, Crossman, Darling, Ellis, Elmore, Grant, Hunkins, Long, Masters, Meeker, Olin, Parsons, Price, Trowbridge and Walker (speaker)-17.

Those who voted in the negative were,

Messrs. Capron, Hicks, Hopkins, Messersmith, Palmer, Platt, Thompson and Tripp-8.

On motion of Mr. Hunkins,

Ordered, that the majority and minority reports of the select committee relating to the accounts of Daniel Baxter, be now taken up.

On motion of Mr. Hunkins,

Ordered, that the said reports with the accompanying documents be printed.

The speaker laid before the house the message of the governor this day received, to wit: