Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-04-21
To the Voters OF the original County of
Du Buquc.

FELLOW CITIZENs:
In permitting my name
to again go before you as candidate for re.
election, conceive it duty which owe to
lyou to freely state, as we'll as acknowledge
your right to ask me the cause OF my resign.
ing the post in which your kindness had pla.
ced me, and again to seek to be re-insta,ed by
your suffrage.
1t will be recollected that at an early part Of
our last session charges were preferred against
Mr.. McGregor, upon the following affidavit:
''THE DEPOSITION OF JOHN WILSON.
81, John Wilson, being duly sworn, deposs and
tsay that previous to the election of Alaxande,
McGregnr, as 4 representative from the county OF
Dubuque in the Legislative Assembly of Wiscon-
sin Territory, held conversation with said Nc
Gregor, in which stated to him that was dasi-
Of obtaining from the Legislature grant of =
ferry privilege from Davenport iii said county OF
Dubuque. to Stephenson, in the state of Illinois.
upon which the said McGrsgor proposed 10 me that
should uss my influence 10 procure his election,
and stated that, if elected, he would exert himself
to procure for me the grant from the Legislature.
After the said McGregor was elected, and the Fri
| day previous to the commencement of the session
Of the Legislature, conversed with him and re-
peated my request that he would use his influence
for me, and promised him that would pay him
one hundred dollars if the law passed. He then
gave me his promise that he would lend me his in
tuence, and drew up for me petition al my re-
quest. 10 this petition procured signatures, and
on Thursday after the commencement of the sas-
sion, presented to him the petition and other pa
pers, at this place, when he again promised me his
influence. than proceed 10 ST. Louis OH bus.-
ness, and returned 10 this place Tuesday last,
the 18th inst. On the evening of Tuesday, call
cd upon Mr. McGregor, aa1 enquifed concerning
my petitions He stated to me that he had not
presented them; that his for not doing so,
was that he had received another petition for the
same purpose from company; tina: he had not pre-
sen,ed this petition from the company, (Which
ascertaned the next morning to be false, and TIL,
he had presented IT'D but that he felt bound 10 pre-
sentit, it came from his friends, and his brother
was Interested l repeated my Offer to pay him
500, if he ,ys.nld getmy grant from the Legisla-
turs he replied that it was not enoush, bat that il
| would pay him $500, he would presen, the petit
TO, of the company, Qor he felt bound to DO so
much for Them and permit their bill to be lost, and
exert his influence fol me. 10 this lrepIied, that
! thou-ht he asked too much. lie then answered
that I was o.'ner of some fe:!y boats, mi that
had better pay him = aoJ, than to have the compn
ny get charter, and run the VISA Oh selihs OF h''
selling my boats. | told him woa., ..,'nA Oh II,
and see him in the morning. ! saw him inc -
morning, and informed him that would comply
with his demand. He then ad.isad me to get some
Other person to present my petitions and papers,
AID stated that he would le. his bill be lost, and
support nine He then drew up a note for $3.50,
ahd annexed 10 it stipulation that he wished me
10 sgn. signed them and requested me 10 give me
copy OF them. He then wrot: a copy Of them,
add handed them TO me. The following is a copy
verbatim OF the note and stipulation.
$500. Burlington, Nov %, 1896
ihIrtY DAYS aftar tlatn | Urpm!se to nav Alex.
andes w. McGresor, OF order. the sum Of tnree
..(signed) JOHN WILSON.
The above note is not given in considerable OF
any account said McGresof may have against me
uto this date for pro ess.oAa services, nonher on
any settlement between he and l but the accounts
shall stand unsettled.
's(SgnetD JOHN WILSON"
Deposition signed siOuN WILSON.n
ssIersonally appeared before me, the undersign-
ed, an acting justice Of the peace ia and for the
comfy OF Dssnones, John Wilson, known to me
to he tins Identical peson who signed the insr;i-
menl, and upon his outh say thai the foregoing in
strument above to be substantially tue. ;swo.n 10
and subscribed before me, this second day Of de-
cember, lS37--Bulinston; Desmones county, Ter
rito.y of Wisconsin,
sisignad) DAVID HENDERSON,.
ssJu,ti:a Of the Peace, t.. ). -
On this alfidavta committee was appointed
TO investigate the charges, and after a long and
laborious investigation, the committee reported
that il, heir opinion A. w. McGregor was
guilty Of receiving, and that John Wilson was
gully Of Altering and actually gtuing to Nc
Grcgor a Jr be and concluded their report with
the following resolutions:
Resolred, That the conduct of John Wilson,
in offering to a member Of this House bribe
for the performance Of certain Legislative servi-
ces, is highly reprehensible, and that the said
John Wilson be brought 10 the bar of this
House 10 be repnmanded By the Speaker
ResolveJ, That in the opinion otthis House
A. w. McGregor, member Of this body, has
been guilty ofreceiving bride IN the shape of
a note drawn for 800, from John Wilson of
Stevenson, Illinois, for services to be perforu,-
ed in legislative capacity, and that in con-
sequence thereof, the said A. w. McGregorI
ought 10 he. and is hereby expelled from lis
seat in this House"
After several days delay, given for the pur-
pose to enable MIR. McGregor 10 obtain certain
evidence, the question was brought before the
House for trial. Mr.. McGregor did produce
written affidavit TO the House, which proved
sufficient TO satisfy majority Of tina, body tina.
the resolution respecting him should not then
pass, but that his case should be postponed
until the extra-session. Ofthat majority was
one.
With respect TO the different opinions Of the
members at the time about the propriety, or
Of the committee, making such
report, or their right to attach resolutions Of
he above nature 10 their report, shall not |
now stop to examine. did not then, nor do
now think that we should decide the ques.
ton upon these grounds; the question to me
was plain one; resolutions were before tho
House, offered by committee Of its own body.
which they certainly had the constitutional
hit to offer, and the House were to decide
,aon he bestevidence they could get as 10 the
p'oprey oadopins; rejecting o, altering re ing them;