[SEE JOURNAL, Page 151.] REPORT Of the Auditor of the Territory, for the year A. D. 1843. AUDITOR'S OFFICE, March 11, 1843. To the Honorable the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Wisconsin: IN compliance with the law of the Territory, I have the honor to present my second annual report to your honorable body. Since making my report to the legislative assembly of last year, the following warrants have been drawn by me upon the treasurer, in accordance to the various laws authorizing the payment of their several sums from the treasury of the territory: J. A. Noonan, do Feb'y 18, 1842 10 00 In lieu of No. 17, returned and divided at request, Quarters' salary as attorney general, Rev. stat. p. 94 62 50 36 Edward McSherry, Appropriation, Feb'y 18, 1842 59 00 37 John Bracken, 38 39 J. T. Clark, do Part do Feb'y 18, 1842 17.50 Feb'y 18, 1842 66 00 40 J. T. Clark, Part salary for the year 1842, Rev. stat. p. 81 30 00 41 John Delany, $10 by act of Feb. 18, 1842; $72 print'g for ad. gen. 82.00 42 John Blunt, Services as constable, Rev. stat. p. 395 6.00 43 Wm. R. Smith, Half year's salary as adjutant general, Rev. stat. p. 79 75.00 Residue of appropriation, Quarter's salary as attorney general, Taking census, Feb'y 19, 1841 78 00 Rev. stat. p. 94 62 50 Feb'y 18, 1842 40 74 47 A. A. Bird, do Feb'y 18, 1842 69 48 48 M. M. Jackson, Quarter's salary as attorney general, Rev. stat. p. 94 62 50 49 M. M. Jackson, Half quarter's salary as attorney general, Rev. stat. p. 94 31 25 The fourth section of the act in the revised statutes, relative to to the office of auditor, imposes a duty upon that officer which it is impossible for him, under the existing regulations, to per form. He is required to exhibit to the legislature annually, a complete statement of the funds of the territory; yet, while he is called upon to give this information to the legislature, there is not the least provision made, by which he can obtain it himself. There is, by law, no returns coming into his office, which show the amount due from the several counties to the territory, from the five per cent. fund, which is the only source of territorial revenue. It is, of course, only from a knowledge of these sums, that the auditor can determine what to charge to the treasurer, in keeping the debt and credit between that officer and the territory.Besides, payments have been authorized by law to be made by the treasurer without the intervention of a warrant, which leaves it uncertain how much to place to his credit on the books of the auditor; and no instance having yet occurred where the receipts. for money paid into the treasury have been taken to the auditor to be countersigned, as is required by the fifth section of the act above alluded to, he cannot, consequently, know how much to charge to the account of the treasurer. These facts, it is true, I could obtain upon application to the treasurer; but as that of ficer also presents an annual report to your body, I deem it unnecessary to do so. All that I can do with certainty is to report the amount of warrants which have been issued from my fice, and that list is given above. of. The laws relating to the territorial revenue are vastly defective. Some of these defects I pointed out in my report of last winter, to which I would respectfully refer. There are others besides those which I mentioned, one of which is the inequality with which the five per cent. tax weighs upon the different counties owing to the different methods of taxation, and the different forms of county government. I cannot but regard the early attention of the legislature to this subject, and the establishing of the territorial revenue on a surer and more certain and equitable basis, as imperiously called for in this department of the territorial government. All of which is respectfully submitted, J. T. CLARK, Auditor Wis. Ter. [SEE JOURNAL, Page 166.] REPORT Of the Joint Select Committee to whom were referred the Baxter papers. THE joint select committee to whom were referred the communication of Daniel Baxter and the report of the building commissioner, together with the contract with said Baxter, and all other papers in relation to said contract, as well as to the bonds issued by the legislative assembly for the completion of the capi- . tol, report: That the subjects submitted to their investigation, viz: "the reasons why said contract has not been completed—also, whether the said Baxter has been overpaid for the amount of work done also, that they report what amount of indebtedness there is on the part of the territory in relation to said bonds, or to any work done on said contract-what measures (if any) are necessary to be taken for the completion of the capitol-and further, what provisions can be made by the assembly for the redemption of said bonds," have received their attention and patient consideration. A very minute and full exposition of all the reasons or causes which have retarded and prevented the completion of the capitol, would require so voluminous a dissertation that the committee |