teen thousand square miles north of this line, and somewhat less than one hundred and forty thousand square miles south of it. Congress has already formed three states in the region south of that line, with an average apiece of forty-five thousand square miles of surface. Now, as the ordinance restricts the right of Congress from forming more than two States north of that line, if we allow to Michigan the liberal extent of forty-five thousand square miles (and I believe the Peninsula of Michigan contains much less than this area) it must be evident that Wisconsin contains more than one hundred thousand square miles-enough to constitute four states of reasonable dimensions! If Wisconsin is permitted to enter the union with its present limits, and in all human probability it will, it is destined to become a State of enormous power and overshadowing dimensions. Such power cannot fail to be dangerous to ourselves and dangerous to our republican institutions. Fifty or one hundred years hence, with a population of fifteen or twenty millions, Wisconsin would groan under the pressure of its own weight.

But again, the design or wish of the parties to the compact aforesaid, by which the country north-west of the Ohio river became the property of the Federal Government, evidently was, that Congress in the division of this Territory, should have a proper regard to the natural advantages of the country. The last clause of the 4th article of the celebrated ordinance provides that "The navigable waters leading into the Mississippi and St. Lawrence (mark this-St. Lawrence) and the carrying places between them, shall be common highways, and forever free as well to the inhabitants of said Territory as to the citizens of the United States and those of any other states that may be admitted into the confederacy without any tax, impost, or duty therefor." For this reason, the desire of Ohio to have jurisdiction over the mouth of the Maumee river, was supposed to be reasonable by Congress in 1812 and in 1832.

But upon this part of the subject, I cannot do better than repeat the eloquent appeal made to the House of Representatives of the United States, by the committee of that body, which reported upon the late vexed controversy between Michigan and Ohio-a controversy which liked to have endangered the tranquility of the Union

"When Congress had authority to fix the limits of Alabama and Mississippi, would it have done justly, if it had given to Mississippi jurisdiction over the mouth of the Mobile? If Congress had power to form States on the Atlantic border, would it do right to give New Jersey jurisdiction over the mouth of the Hudson, and compel the State of New York to strain every nerve to pour into the city of nother State, countless wealth for ages? Would it be just to give Maryland jurisdiction over one or all of the harbors of the James river, and compel the citizens of Virginia to enrich another community by their labors?"

The common sentiments of humanity and justice will not suffer us to answer these questions in any other manner than the negative.— And all who so decide must grant in a parallel case, that the state of Illinois cannot upon any principle of equity or justice be deprived of a port on lake Michigan.

I will not turn aside to inquire what may have been the design of His Excellency the Governor in incidentally calling the attention of the Legislature and people of Wisconsin to the subject of annexation, nor will I inquire into the views of politicians in agitating this absurd question, nor will I calculate the amount or share of the enormous debt of Illinois, which will in all probability fall to the account of the Disputed district," nor whether the impending dread of taxation may not possibly be the reason why the people of that district may wish to be divorced from the State of Illinois and annexed to Wisconsin, for I have no reason to believe that upon this subject politicians can be actuated by any other sentiment than pure love for their country, and I presume I would be doing injustice to the people of the "Disputed District" to suppose for the moment that they had any intention of saddling npon the young and growing Territory of Wisconsin any portion of the enormous State debt of Illinois, for I doubt not they will pay up honestly and promptly whatever portion of said debt may justly fall to the share of said district.

But believing as I do, that the agitation of the questions of annexation and State government did not originate with the people of this Territory, and

That we have not been called upon by the great body of our fel

low citizens of Wisconsin to act or pass upon this subject, and

Believing further that the Territory of Wisconsin has not a particle of right, or a shadow of title to the so called " Disputed District," upon any principle of law or equity-of moral or distributive. justice—and even upon principles of political expediency, and

Further that this Legislature has no right without the consent of Congress first had, to take so important a step as the adoption of measures with a view and preparatory to the formation of a State Government, previous to having the number of inhabitants required by the organic law to give us this right, and

Regarding the proceedings had, and the resolutions adopted at said meeting, which have been referred to this committee, or at least so much of said proceedings and resolutions as have a tendency to encourage or induce the citizens of the "Disputed District" to violate the laws of their country and swerve from their allegiance to the State of Illinois as highly improper and seditious, and

That the agitation of this question can do no good, but is calculated to embroil the frontier, and disturb the tranquility of our happy country.

I feel bound to recommend the adoption of the following resolu tion, to wit:

Resolved, That it is inexpedient and unnecessary at this time, to take any legislative action whatever upon the questions of annexation of the "Disputed District," and of the formation of a State Government in Wisconsin.

THEOPHILUS LA CHAPPELLE, Minority of Select Committee. The majority of the committee were discharged from the further consideration of the subject.

Mr. Gray moved that the minority report do lie on the table.

Mr. Ellis moved to amend as follows: add to the motion, "and that 500 copies be printed."

Mr. Shepard moved to amend the amendment so that 200 copies should be printed.

And on this question the ayes and noes were called for, and were as follows:

Those who voted in the affirmative are,

Messrs. Brown, Burt, Dewey, Eastman, Giddings, Gray, Hackett, Mills and Shepard, 9.

Those who voted in the negative are,

Messrs. Batchelder, Bond, Brazelton, Ellis, Jenkins, La Chappelle, Ogden, Parkison, Ray, Rockwell, Sutherland, Tripp and Newland, Speaker, 13.

So the amendment to the amendment was disagreed to.

The question was then taken on agreeing to the amendment offerred by Mr. Ellis, and it was determined in the affirmative.

The motion as amended was then adopted.

Mr. Ellis from the committee of conference to which the subject was referred made the following report:

"The committee of conference on bill No. 1, 'a bill to amend the act of the revised statutes entitled an act concerning the writ of attachment," report that they reccomend to the House of Representatives to recede from their disagreement to the amendment of the Council to the amendment of the House made on the 4th section of the bill and that the House agree to said amendment as amended by the Council.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the committee."

Febuary 14, 1842.

Which was adopted.

Ordered, that the Council be accquainted therewith.

Mr. Shepard moved a reconsideration of the vote taken on Thursday last, by which bill No. 41 was negatived on the question of ordering the bill to be engrossed and read the third time, entitled "a bill to establish a ferry within the military reservation of Fort Snelling."

The Speaker decided the motion to be out of orer under the rules as there had been two sessions since the vote was taken.

On the motion of Mr. Jenkins,

The House resolved itself into the committee of the whole House, Mr. Shepard in the chair, for the consideration of the following bills and memorial of this House, of the following titles, to wit:

No. 42, a bill in addition to an act entitled an "act to provide for the completion of the capitol at Madison."

No. 43, a bill in relation to certain moneys in the Territorial treasury, and

No. 4, memorial praying Congress to amend the act of Congress creating the Territorial Government, so as to shorten the term of service of the members of the Legislative Assembly and to allow the people to elect all civil and military officers.

And after a short time spent therein, the committee rose and reported the said bills and memorial back to the House without amend

ment.

On motion of Mr. Ellis,

Ordered, That said bills No. 25 and 44 do lie on the table.

The said memorial was then ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.

On motion of Mr Batchelder,

Ths House resolved itself into the committee of the whole House, Mr. Ellis in the chair, for the consideration of the bill No. 33,(C.F.) entitled "a bill to amend the act to incorporate the village of South port;" and

After a short time spent therein, the committee rose and reported the bill without amendment.

Which was then ordered te a third reading.

On motion of Mr. Shepard,

The House resolved itself into the committee of the whole House, Mr. Batchelder in the chair, for the consideration of bill No. 25, (C. F.) entiled "a bill declaratory of an act entitled an act prescribing the terms of office of certain county officers, and for other purposes;" and after a short time the commitee rose and reported the bill without amendment.

On motion of Mr. Rockwell, it was

Ordered, That the said bill do lie on the table.

On motion of Mr. Brown,

The House was resolved into the committee of the whole House, Mr. Barber in the chair, for the consideration of bill No. 29, (H. of R. file) entitled "a bill to establish the country of Richland;" and after some time spent therein the committee rose, reported the progress made therein, and asked leave to sit again, which was granted.