Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1842-12-21

last item was omitted, the chairman OF Inc |
committee Of ways and means, declaring
his intention of introducing bill for the
purpose Of providing for the payment of
such arrearages as were properly charge
able to the treasury Of the United States.
Accordingly, on the 29th day of Aug. last
Congress passed law, " for the settle
ment Of certain accounts for the support
Of the government of the territory of Wis
consin."
T, By this law, no definite sum was ap-
proprated, but the accounting officers
Of the Treasury Department were directed
TO audit and settle those accounts. By the
act 18th May, 1912, the sum of So, 125
was appropriated to defray the expenses of
Of the Legislative Council Of the Terrific.
ry of Florida, and by the act of 29th Aug.
the accounts and arrearages Of expenses
Of that territory were directed to be audit
ed and settled, in the same manner as those
Of the territory of Wisconsin.
Yet, so far as has come to the knowl-
edge of your committee, no doubt has ever
been entertained in either Of the territories
Of Iowa or Florida. but that ;heir legisla-
lures have an undoubted right to hold their
annual sessions without any further act
or appropriation by Congress. BY refer
encc to that part Of the act of 18Th May,
making appropriations for the Territory of
Iowa, it will be seen that no part Of the
sum appropriated Cor arrcarages shall be
used for any other purpose, than for the
payment Of those arrearagcs. Now If, as
possible the governor suppose, the $50, 900
last appropriated, was for arrcarageS OF
expenses" why was il not limited and re-
stricted to that specific object, as was done
in the appropriation FOR Iowa.
No money shall be drawn from the trca-
sury Of the United States, but in conse-
quencc Of appropriations made by law, and
in such must be expressed the precise ma
ture and object of such an appropriation.
And your committee believe that since the
organization Of the government, 10 ms
lance can be found, where Congress has
made an appropriation Of airearages Of
expenses in any branch or department Of
the government, unless it be SO expressed
in the law making such appropriations
Had such been the object OF the appropra-
ton, now in question, your committee can
not but think it would have been SO ex-
pressed
The mere fact that Congress has every
year since the organization of our Territory
appropriated what they thought would be a
sufficient amount to defray the annual ex-
pcnses of the Legislature, previous to the
holding ofthe annual session Thereof, is con-
elusive evidence to your committee that the
appropriation of $50, 900 contained in the
: act of 10th May, was inten ded to defray the
expenses ofthe present session of tn Legs-
lature. But if any doubt could exist it would
be removed by reference to the act of goth
August, the object and intention Of which
was to pay and discharge all arrearages of
expenses of the Of the Legislature of Wis
consin, owing to the Legislature having in
Cured an annual debt, greater than the
annual appropriations of Congress.
The object of tho act last referrod to was
to relieve the Territory from its pecuniary
embarrassments, not to crush it, by depriv-
ing it of the Invaluable privileges of Legis-
latiOn.
1t cannot be supposed by any honest and
rational mind, that il was the intention OF
Congress to deprive the People of Wiscon-
sin Of all the ghts of Legislation, or that
having failed to include, as it is possible the
Governor may suppose, an appropriation
to detray the expenses ofthe present Legis-
lature, in the usual law, they would after
wards, on the last day of the session, pass
another law prohibiting session, of the
Legislature because they had failed, Or
neglected to make such appropriation.
In looking at the usual course Of Congress
in delraying the expenses Of our Legsla-
ture, no doubt exists in the minds of your
committee, that in passing the act Of both
August it was their belief that the appro-
priation of 20, 900 previously made, was to
f cover the expenses of the present Legis-
lature.
By the llth section Of the Organic Act,
there is to "be appropriated annually a
sufficient sum TO defray the expenses OF the
Legislative Assembly," and by the act Of
the Territory already quoted, ''the regular
sessions Of the Legislative Assembly shall
commence on the LIST Monday of Decem-
Der in each and every year"
These acts are plain, explicit and unre-
pealcd, and if it be true that Congress have
not "appointed annually, sufficient sum
to defray the expenses of the Legislative
Assembly," and if true, that for that req
son, ''the regular session Of the Legislative
Assembly," cannot " convene on the LIST
Monday of December" then are both those
laws TO that extent repealed. But can it
be believed that Congress ever intended
by, to say the most of it, so strained and
remote an inference, 10 repeal laws which
lay at the foundation Of our political exist
ence! Such a construction would be an
insult to the understanding and the good
faith Of the Congress Of the United States.
FRANKLIN LYCEUM.
THE FRANKLIN LYCEUM will meet at the new