Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-06-03
CONGRESSIONAL.
ADMISSION OF WISCONSIN.

the debate in the H. of r., or the admission
Wisconsin. 1t is subject interesting to all
Badgers a.w
On the motion of Mr.. Smith, of Indiana,
the House resolved itself into Committee of
the Whole on the state of the Union, Mr..
Cobb, of Georgia, in the chair,) and pro-
ceeded to tho consideration of the special
order, being the bill for the admission of the
State of Wisconsin into the Union.
The bill having been read through, was
taken up by sections for amendment. The
first section is in the following words:
BE IT enacted by the Senate and House 81
Representatives Of the United States of IL
n,erica an Congress assembled, That the
State of Wisconsin be, and is hereby, adj
mitted into the Union on equal footing with
the original States, in all respects whatever.
Mr.. Smith, of Indiana, moved to amend
ii by adding at the end thereof the follow
ing:
| With the boundaries prescribed by the act
of Congress approved August 6, 1916, en-
titled g An an act to enable the people OF
Wisconsin Territory to form Constitution
and State Government, and for the admis-
sion of such State into the Union"
He said the Committee on Territories, in
reporting this bill, had conformed to the
boundary fixed by the act of Congress of
August 6, 1916, making the ST. Croix river
to be the starting point, to which the con-
vention of Wisconsin had given its assent,
though preferring another some fifteen or
twenty miles further east.
An explanatory conversation ensued be-
tween MIR. Smith and Mr.. Thompson OF
Mississippi, in relation to the conformity OF
the proposed line with that fixed by the con-
stitution of Wisconsin, which Mr.. Smith
affirmed.
Mr.. Smith, Of Illinois, then moved to a
mend by striking out all after the word
"wth,s in the first line of the amendment,
and inserting the following as the bounda-
ny of the State:
Beginning at the northeastern corner OF
the State of Illinois, that is to say, at point
! in the centre of Lake Michigon, where the
Il line of forty-two degrees and thirty minutes
of north latitude crosses the same; thence
running with the boundary line of Michigan,
Through Lake Michigan and Green Bay, to
the mouth of Menominee river, thence up
said last mentioned river to Lake Brule;
in direct line, to the centre of the channel
between Middle and South Islands in the
Lake of the Desert; thence, in direct line,
| to Trout Lake; thence, in direct line
southwesterly, to the highest peak Of Noun
tain Island, which, according to Nicollet's
map, is about where the forty fourth degree
of latitude crosses the Mississippi; thence
down the main channel of said river to the
northwestern corner of the State of Illinois;
thence due east, with the northern bounda-
ry of the State of Illinois, to the place of be-
ginning, as established by an act TO enable
the people of Illinois Territory to form a
constitution and State government, and
for the admission OF such State in the Union
on an equal footing with the original States.
approved April IS, 1918.
Mr. Bowlin said the boundary proposed
by the gentleman from illinois was neither
the boundary fixed by the constitution of
Wisconsin, nor that fixed by act of Con-
gress, nor yet that recommended by the
convention of Wisconsin; and he could see
no reason for such reduction in the size of
the new State. 1t was not disproportoned
with other States Of this Union as Congress
had agreed TO bound it. Ii differed but little
from New York or Pennsylvania, and was
much smaller than Missouri. There was
nothing, then, that he could see to recon-
mend the line of the gentleman from Illinois,
which, if adopted, would establish an un-
natural boundary, and for some time keep
the State of Wisconsin out of the Union
He proceeded to point out the different pro-
positions for the division of the Territory
of Wisconsin, cited the act of Congress au-
lthorizing the adoption of certain boundaries,
reminded the House that Wisconsin, in pur-
suance of the assurance which Congress had
given, had proceeded to elect her State Off
GERS: and he hoped, therefore, that she would
not be repulsed by the adoption of this "a
mendnent.
Mr.. Smith, of Illinois, defended his pro-
position to amend, on the ground that 1t
was a convenient line, and woGld avoid the
objection to the others that they brought
people into the new State who had no in
terests in common with those who live in
the State as he defined il. From ST. Croix
TO Madison, the capital Of the State, was a
distance offve hundred miles, which the in
habitants of the vally of the ST. Croix would
have 10 travel to get to the seat of Govern
ment TO compel them to endure these
hardships would be gross injustice, to which
/ they should not be subjected.
Mr.. Tuck could readily perceive that
this was an important matter to the people
living on the ST. Croix river. and therefore
the House should pause before il committed
an act that might injuriously effect those
people for several generations. He exam
ined the propositions presented to the COM
mffee, and expressed his preference for the
gentleman from Illinois. If this amend
ment were adopted, the Convention of Wis
consin could conform 10 it in few weeks,
and no great inconvenience would be sus-
tanned by them until the new line was rati-
fed.
Mr.. Tweedy expressed great surprise that
such an amendment shonld have been offer
ed. He contended that this House had no
right to entertain and discuss such an a
mendment, and that it was insulting to the
dignity of Wisconsin. He recaptulated
the ordinance Of 1877 and the act for the
division of the Indian territory, defining the