Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1846-01-17
VOL. III.
Governors Message.
FelloU-citizens ofthe Council
and House of Representative,

and House of Representatives.:
You are assembled in conformity to
law of this Territory, to perform
the responsible duties that devolve up
on you as the Representatives of the
people.
We have abundant cause to be
thankful to the Almighty dispenser oil
all good, for the very abundant har-
vests with which he has been pleased
to reward the husbandman during the
past year. Our citizens who cultivate
the soil, are rapidly developing the ag-
ricultural resources of the Territory.
Our prairies are being converted into
luxuriant fields. We have inexhausti-
Bile stores of mineral wealth. Our
climate is of the most salubrious char
acter, and our soil suitable to the pro-
duction of every thing necessary to
the comfort Of man. We have the
great lakes, Michigan and Superior,
Tour inland season the east and north,
and the Father of Waters on the west ;
with several large rivers passing thro'
our Territory in different directions.
With population intelligent. industri-
Gus and enterprising, the growth and
prosperity Of Wisconsin must be on
ward; and the time is not far distant
when she will form one of the most
populous States of the Union.
respectfully recommend the pas
sage Of law, submitting to the peo-
pie of the Territory the expedien-
cy of determining by majority Of their
votes, whether they are for or against
a State Government. If they are in
favor Of that measure, the preparato-
ry steps to carry into effect their wish
es on that subject should be taken
without loss Of time. If they deter
mine by their votes against that mea-
sure, their will will be ascertained and
the public mind put to rest on that i'm
portant subject.
The people are the source of all
power, under our form of government,
and are competent at all times to de-
termine for themselves what will best
promote their political interests.
Their will, when known and ex-
pressed, should always be obeyed.
l respectfully invite your attention
to the existing laws of the Territory
regulating Common Schools. 1t is
believed that revision of them would
have salutary effect. The present
has been denominated an age of i'm
provement. The human mind is seiz-
ing and carrying out to practical re-
suits the momentous truths which re-
spect the relations of men to each
other, and the appropriate means Of
accomplishing the purposes of human
society and government. At the
foundation Of this vast movement lies
the work OF educating the great mass
of the people. The elective franchise
is the foundation of our liberties; and
the permanency and perpetuity of our
republican institutions must depend
on the intelligence Of the people, who,
knowing their rights, will maintain
them.
The Territorial debt is a subject o!
great interest to the. people. | have
not had the means of ascertaining the
precise amount of the Indebtedness Of
the Territory, nor the amount of the
tax created by the Legislature for its
payment. 1t is. certainly not large
debt. AS an act ofjustice to the cred
itors of the Territory, their demands
should be paid as early as possible; a;
wei as to sustain the standing Of the
Territory abroad in meeting properly
the public engagements.
The situation of the Territory for
want of Penitentiary, is a subject
worthy of the consideration of the
Legislative Assembly. BY the laws O
the Territory, criminals convicted Of
crimes of high grade, are sentenced
to confinement in the State Prison for q
term of years, and are committed to
the county jails for safe keeping, for
want of Penitentiary, where they are
confined at the expense of the Terrific
ry. have no means by which to
make an estimate of the amount paid
by the people of the Territory for the
maintenance and safe keeping of con.
victs in jails, since the organization Of
the Territorial Government. have
no doubt, however, that the amour,
paid would have been sufficient to have
erected a suitable Penitentiary for their
safe keeping, and giving profitable en-
ployment TO them. With our increas.