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Cruson, Dewey, Longstreet, McGregor, Ray, Shackelford, Shew, Story, Street and Sutherland--15.

Noes-Messrs. Billings, Conroe, Hoyt, Jenkins, Newman, Stevens and Whiton-7.

The Speaker appointed Messrs. Bracken, Street and Whiton said committee.

On motion of Mr. Ray,

The House adjourned.

Thursday, August 6, 1840.

Mr. Childs presented the petition of Jas. G. Edwards praying to be remunerated for services and expenses incurred in printing the laws of 1837-8.

Read and referred to the following select committee, viz:
Messrs. Childs, Street and Brunson.'

Mr. Whiton, from the judiciary committee reported bill No. 1, entitled "A bill to amend an act of the statutes of 1839, entitled 'An act concerning the Supreme and District Courts ;' Which was read the first and second time.

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Mr. Shackelford called the attention of the House to an article in the "Miner's Free Press," a paper published at Mineral Point, dated August 3d, 1840; charging him with improper conduct as a member of this House at the last session of the Legislature.

The article having been read by the clerk, was referred, on motion of Mr. Childs, to a select committee of three, with power to send for persons and papers and to administer oaths, for the purpose of investigating said charge.

The Speaker appointed Messrs. Childs, Whiton and Story the said committee.

On motion of Mr. Billings,

Ordered, That bill No. 1, entitled "A bill to amend an act of the Statutes of 1839, entitled An act concerning the Supreme and District Courts,' be committed to the committee of the whole.

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The House then resolved itself into the committee of the whole on said bill, Mr. Billings in the chair.

After some time the committee rose and reported the said bill with amendments, which were agreed to by the House, and the bill ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.

On motion of Mr. Shew,

Ordered, That bill No. 2, entitled "A bill to divide the town of Lake, and to organize the town of Oak Creek," be committed to a committee of the whole house.

The house then resolved itself into a committee of the whole on said bill, Mr. Shew in the chair, and after a short time spent therein, rose and reported the same without amendment.

The bill was then ordered to be engrossed and read a third time. On motion of Mr. Childs,

The House adjourned.

Friday August 7, 1840.

Mr. Wells, a member of this House from the county of Mil. waukee, appeared and took his seat.

Mr. Longstreet presented a petition of inhabitants residing on the canal lands, to stay the interest on said lands until a loan shall be effected for the completion of the Milwaukee and Rock river canal, and moved that it be referred to the committee on Internal Improvements.

The petition was so referred.

On motion of Mr. Bracken,

The following resolution was adopted:

Resolved, That the select committee of three who were author. ized to inquire into the propriety of giving the incidental printing of the House to the editors of the Wisconsin Enquirer, in addition to the other powers conferred on them by that resolution, be fur. ther authorized to administer oaths.

On motion of Mr. Shackelford,

The following resolution was passed:

Resolved, That two thousand copies of the documents accompanying the Governor's message be printed for the use of the members of this House.

Mr. Whiton, from the committee on the Judiciary, reported bill No. 3, entitled "A bill concerning taxes in Iowa county for the year 1840;"

Which was read the first and second time.

Mr. Conroe, from the committee on engrossed bills, reported bill No. 2, to be correctly engrossed, entitled "A bill to divide the town of Lake and to organize the town of Oak Creek,"

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

"The committee on corporations to whom was referred so much of the Governor's Message as relates to the Bank of Mineral Point, report, that, in their opinion, there is not sufficient time to send a committee of investigation to the bank and obtain a report during the present session, as recommended by His Excellency the Go, vernor, and therefore do not recommend the appointment of such committee. They however think that some provision should be made to procure an examination of the bank, and to obtain some legislative control over it; and have embodied their views upon these subjects in a bill which is herewith submitted to the House, entitled A bill relative to the Bank of Mineral Point.'"

The report was accepted, and the said bill (No. 4,) read the first and second time.

Mr. Childs, from the select committee to which the subject was referred, reported bill No. 5, entitled "A bill to attach the county of Portage to the county of Dane ;"

Which bill was read the first and second time.

Mr. Jenkins moved that bill No. 2, entitled "A bill concerning taxes in Iowa county for the year 1840," to be printed;

Which motion was disagreed to.

Engrossed bill No. 3, entitled "A bill to divide the town of Lake and to organize the town of Oak Creek," was announced for the third reading, and was read the third time, passed, and the title thereof agreed to.

Ordered, That the Council be requested to concur in the said bill. Mr. Childs, from the select committee to which was referred the petition of James G. Edwards relative to printing, obtained leave to make the following report:

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The select committee, to whom was referred the petition of James G. Edwards, who was employed by the Legislative Assem

bly, as per contract, bearing date June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and thirty-eight, to print the laws of 1837 and 1838, after examining all the papers laid before them on the subject, have come to the conclusion, that said James G. Edwards is justly entitled to a fair compensation for such services as have been rendered, being all he could do under the circumstances, and to cover the amount expended by him in prosecuting the work, and would recommend that the said James G. Edwards be allowed the sum of two thousand dollars.

Your committee entertain the belief that if Mr. Edwards had been furnished with a copy of the laws which he was employed to print, the work would have been executed in due season. The Legislature omitted to make it the express duty of any public officer to furnish Mr. Edwards with a copy of these laws, which were selected from the Michigan code, from which fact arose the non-fulfilment of the contract by Mr. Edwards. It appears, also, that Mr. Edwards used every exertion to obtain said copy, by applying to the Secretary of the Territory, and adopting every other method by which he could expect to obtain it. While your committee are fully aware of the great evil existing to the com. munity from the failure in having the laws printed and distributed, at the same time they feel that it would be doing injustice to attach any blame to Mr. Edwards.

Your committee would submit the following resolution :

Resolved, by the Council and House of Representatives, That James G. Edwards be allowed the sum of two thousand dollars, to be paid out of any money appropriated for defraying the expenses of the Legislative Assembly.

The report was accepted and the committee discharged.

On motion of Mr. Bracken,

The House resolved itself into committee of the whole, on bill

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