Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-05-06
ANTI-DIyIsIoN.

On Saturday, the 2sth of April, pursuant
to notice, a Convention was held in Potosi
10 consider the subject of the division of
Grant county. ARMsrEAp c. Brown Esq,
was chosen Chairman aud A. A. PARKER,
Secretary. The object of the meeting was
explained and the following gentlemen were
appointed a Committee, to report on the
expediency of division, Col. James Nj.
Goodhue, Q. Cole, Esq, and Capt. ]. Craig,
who, ly their chairman made the following
report:
NouR Committee, after an examination of
the grave question submitted to their con-
federation, report, that in their judgement,
n division of the county Of Grant would be
unwise and deeply detrimental to the inter.
ests OF its inhabitants.
The following are some Of the reasons
which have led your committee TO this con-
Icluson.
We find by examination, that our county
CONTAINS less territory and far less wealth
and fewer inhabitants than many of the
most flourishing and populous counties in
the United States. The same reasons which
prevent division of the county of Lancas-
ter in Pennsylvania, or the county of Wor-
cester in Massachusetts, containing more
than 90 times the population and taxable
property, of the county of Grant, operate
with yet greater force, when applied TO the
county of Grant. That taxes would be
greatly increased by division, is very obvi-
Gus, since the same organization of County
government which now rests upon the whole
county, would then press down upon each
division of It. At this particular crisis, es-
pecially, when we IRE about to assume, for
the first time, a heavy burden of taxation,
to maintain state government, nothing but
the most overwhelming necessity ought to
induce the taxpayers of this county to en-
large the roll of their taxable property and
invite the taxgatherer TO levy an excise up
on their cattle, their horses, their tools,
and utensils, their stock in trade and even
the furniture in their houses. Your Com
mittee cannot shut their eyes to the sad ex-
perience of other counties which have been
rashly divided. The new county of La Fay
cite, late part of Iowa, without having
expended solitary dollar for bridges, roads,
schools or public buildings, rs ALREADY
$4,000 IN DEBT!
A division of the county, would also give
origin to many perplexing questions as to
the disposal of the property now owned by
the county; the lands, town lots and public
buildings, tho pauper farm and the tax GER
tificates and deeds of the County; also as to
the disposal TO be made of the present LA
bilities of the County, incurred, for the
greater part, as your committee win pres
emily show, in the construction of roads and
bridges for the more especial benefit of the
Eastern part of the county. Nor can we
lose sight of the fact, that there is now pen
ding in Court, suit against the County of
Grant, growing out of the division of Grant
from Iowa, by which the county of Grant,
in case of recovery, will be liable to pay TO
Iowa several thousands of dollars, by way Of
contribution toward the payment Of share
of the debts due by Iowa nj the time of the
division. Shall the Eastern part of Grant
county, by division and separation from
us, exonernte itself from liabilities to pay
its share Of the judgment, in case Iowa re-
covers judgment' Or are the people of the
proposed new county, prepared to make
themselves liable to the county Of Grant in
contribution suit hereafter, such as Iowa
has already instituted against Grant,
In point Of influence, our county, which
! from its size and position Mt the western ex-
tremity of Wisconsin, aow ranks only sec
ond 10 Milwaukee and has potential voice
| in the politics Of the State, would, If dyi-
ded, no longer be looked upon as the cham
pion and chief representative of Western
| Wisconsin, whose voice should be always
Authoritative and often decisive in the selec-
ton of State officers and in the directing Of
State affairs.
But let ms examine now the reasons urged
/ in favor of division. II IL said that division
would make the Courts more convenient to
some localities; but waving now, the very
debatable question, whether people are BEN
Gifted by multiplying the temptation and fi-
cilities for going 10 law and placing every
man who gets exasperatod within instant
reach of the lawyer, the writ and the sher-
Iiff', let Us see if this argument Of the divis-
lionists, does not prove Too much, for their
lpurposcsi Why stop at d single division
Of the county, Why not accommodate at
least every populous precinct, with Court
House and separate county organization,
but especially, why not make such divis-
ion Of the county rs would best promote
the convenience Of the peoples The pro-
posed division, If Plaueyille should he made
county seat,, would actually remove The
northern extremity Of The ne,c county farth-
err from the county seat than IL nop is from
| Lancaster. Halle Green, place NJ least
equal in importance 10 Platteyille and des-
tined, with equal advantages, soon to sur
pass il, wonll, even then, be about MS far
from their new county seat, PlattevilIe, as
PIaueville now is from Lancaster. Your
committee believe that nearly all the people
10 the northern balfof the proposed new Co,
aud a majority Of the people at the southern
extremity Of II, are opposed TO division. Is
the will and the interest Of these extreme
parts Of .the county, which alone can suffer
by their reinoteness from Lancaster, to be
disregarded; Shall their rights be yielded
to appease the clanor Of those who live