Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1849-02-16
EXTRA LEGISLATION

The Legislature OF Wisconsin, alter being in
session for several weeks and seeing complaints in
nearly every paper in the State that they were do
ing nothing in order to satisfy the people that they
can do business in a hurry went at it short time
since, coats off and sleeves rolled up, presume,
like men working by the job. We copy the par
ticulars from the Argus, and leave readers to
make their own comments:
At the last session of the State Legislature,
several thousand dollars Of claims, mostly due
to mechanics for hard labor performed for the
public, w ere laid over, and an act was passed
giving them priority of payment In the order
Of tt cir presentation to the Treasurer. 1t was
designed that the first funds arising from tax
alton should be applied to hquldate these
claims. No sooner. however, did the present
Legislature understand this fact, and that the
sum of some six thousand dollars had actually
reached the Treasury, than bill was intro
duced, repeating the priority act, and appropri-
ating it to themselves. This bill, crowded
through both branches under a suspension of
the rules, and passing in a day when week
is commonly required, was vetoed by the Gov
ernOr Oh the ground of unconstitutlonallty.-
The veto, although plainly in accordance with
the express words of the constitution, was
promptly rode over by a two-thirds vote, and
the contents Of the Treasury transferred at
once into members pockets.
When this was safely accomplished, some
of the public creditors INDUCED a faint hope
that their long-defered claims would receive
attention, but their expectations were doomed
to receive a sudden check. A bill was intro
duced into the Senate, entitled, "A bill pre-
scribing certain duties to be performed by the
State Treasurer These sIcertain duties"
were, an order for the Treasurer to set aside
the sum Of SIT, 900 for members, and 50 200
to cover all Incidental expenses. This bill
went through the Senate under whip and spur,
jumping over all rules In it's progress. " hen
it reached the Assembly that body recoiled.-
1t was little too steep, and as one of the
members remarked, 1t was too open and bare
faced and he thought better course, if any
action was had, was to refuse to pass any ap-
preparations during the session, which would
Indirectly accomplish all the object desired
to wit: chisel the public creditors out of their
dues. On the question being taken, 1t was
indefinitely postponed-not man being found
so poor as TO do 1t reverence. Daring the in
terval, however, between Thursday night and
Friday morning, systematic effort was set
on foot to carry it, and the Observation-Disclosures
argument prevailed over the dictates of Justice
and common decency.
The following were the proceedings and
vote upon THIS Dill IN senate:
On motion of Mr.. Kinney, all rules were
suspended in regard to Bill No. SO, S. and it
was read third time and passed.
And the ayes and noes being called for,
those who voted in the affirmative were
Messrs- Botkin, Boyd, Chase, Cothren,
Dennis, Fisher, Gardner, Goodell, Kinney,
Lakin, Merrill, Murphy, and Sprague-l3.
.Noes-Messrs. Sholes, Smith, and Will
liams-3.
The proceedings in the Assembly were as
follows:
Thursday evening, Feb. 8.-Mr. Clark
moved that all rules be suspended and that
No so, S. bill, be read the third time, now
which was agreed to, and said bill was read the
third time. And the question being, shall the
bill pass, Mr.. Burns moved that the further
consideration thereof be indefinitely postpon-
ed; which was agreed to.
Friday morning.-Mr. Wells moved that
the vote by which the Assembly indefinitely
postponed No. so, S. bill, be reconsidered;
which was agreed to-ayes 81, noes II.
Mr.. Roys moved to refer the bill to the COM
mite On Legislative expenses. Lost.
he bill was then passed as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative were.
Messrs Brown, Cooley, Clark, Crandall,
Crawford, Daugherty, Pagan, Flynn, Gill
ian, Hastings, Hazard, keuhn, King, Lown,
Martin, Mute, O'Neal, Page, Phelps, Pratt,
Sugden, Thompson, Thorp, Toland, Towns
end, Nasson, Wells, White, and Hobart
20.
Noes-AIessrs. Barber, Bird, Briggs, Bow
ron, Chase, Cotton, Cross, Delany, Hill, W.
II. Johnson, Kerr, Kimble, Leland, Pierce,
Pike, Richerson, Rockwell, Roys, Strong,
Willard, and Young.-2I.
1t would seem, as far as can be ascertained.
that a careful estimate Of the amount of money
that would be received was made, and the
precise amount was then reserved for the
members. Further than this, the sum is fixed
and the Legislature is to set az out-kit or miss.
We believe this is the first time in our history
that such proceeding has been known and it
will lead to some novel results The Cover
nor and State Officers, the Revisors, Public
Creditors of all grades who have advanced
labor or capital TO the public-the creditor of
a month or for years, are all put upon par
are all expected to wait, because the Iegisla-
ture must have their pay in advanced
THE PACHFCO SLAVE CASE