Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1858-02-27
Madison Correspondence.

HOW THE WORK IS NOT DaNE-REc0RD OF
The LEGISLATURE FOR THE WEFK-THE
HABEAS CORPUS CASE IN THE SUPREME
CGURT-THE DECISION.
SENATE CHAMBER, MADISON, Wis,
February %, 1858.
FRIEND CovER:-Nearly six weeks have
"the Honorable, the Senate and Assembly
of The, Statefof Wisconsin" been in session,
and the nett result of their 'ardderons
labor" is as yet extremely small. They
have set on foot an investigation into the
corrupt conduct of their predecessors, which
it is to be hoped will serve as a warning
against such wholesale corruption II the
future and set about looking after various
suspicious matters. The Senate has spo-
ken out for Wisconsin on the slavery ques-
ton; the Legislature have extended the
time for paying taxes, in number OF
counties and towns; passed few score OF
appropriation and Incorporation bils;-
changed ths time for holding several Cir
cult Courts; provided for laying out few
State roads; vacated few alleys; petit
toned for few mail-routes, legalized the
acts of some careless town officers, and
done some other equally important work
but have not thus far passed single gen
eral law of any Importance, nor hardly
even considered one. Yet both houses
have kept quite constantly at work, there
seemed to be little disposition to SNAKE
speeches." Except at evening sessions, sci
apart for that purpose and why no more
has been done, is hard to tell. Let us be
thankful that some things have been left
undone.4
OF the last weeks work few para
graphs will suffice to inform you.
On the 10th the Senate instituted al
inquiry after the lumber purchased for the
original Lunatlc Asylum; made some
further amendments to Byron Kilbourn's
wonderfully generous University ll,some
what weakening its effect as device tc
exemp. property from taxation. Virgin
introduced till to provide for the care o
INDECENT insane, at the expense of the
State.
The Assembly passed variety of 10
cal bills, and then spent considerable time
in discussing a resolution to instruct the
investigating Committee to summon Ger
tain persons and make special inquiry in
to the alleged1purchase of Gov. Ba,hfod,
signature to the La Crosse Land Grant
The resolution to Investigate" "Jin
Knowlton" was indefinitely postponed, by
vote of 40 to 81.
On the 18th the Senate discussed ;
bill appointing Commissioners to cree
county buildings in Buffalo County, which
was pushed with such suspicious
eagerness by outsiders that it was lost
The Assembly bill for extending the time
for collecting taxes with substitute of
fered by Sutherland, came up, its pripci
pie and policy were discussed, the fac
shown that It could benefit scarcely any
one but spectators, and it was now so late
in the day that it could only create con
fusion without doing any corresponding
good. The bill was referred to Finance
Committee ard subsequently voted down
by 81 to 6.
In the Assembly some stir was created
by the bringing up of his ex-excelency
BARsTow, for contempt liz refusing to an
swer questions before the decision of the
ruit in the Supreme Court. Judgemen
was deferred for time and was afterwards
put off till the l 18th of March on Barstow'
giving $4,000 bail. Those who know
him say that he has grown old very fas
within. the last two years. A bill by Mr.
Dean, (Which l should think to be mos
excellent in its main features,") 'for al
act to inspect and ana we all spirituou
liquors used as a beverage, manufactured
or kept for sale within the State" wa
discussed somewhat and ordered printed.
At the evening session the Kansas reso
buttons were discussed by the Senate ii
able speeches by Wheeler, Chase an(
Tucker, the two former earnestly opposing
the Administration, the latter sustaining.
On the 18th, the bill introduced b,
Senator Bennett, being bill to provide
for the assessment of taxes after the Ohio
manner, was taken up in Committee 10
the Whole, some amendments propos ed
and the further consideration made the
special order for every day at II o'clock
The bill seems an excellent one, vast i'm
provement on the present system, but it.
passage is very doubtful. At the evening
session the Kansas resolutions and the pro
test were further discussed by Hanchett
Simpson and others and then passed by 6
vote of Is 10 s. The resolutions are a.
| follows:
Resotrcd, by the Senate, the Assembly concurrinp
mat slavery Is most fragrant violation of the naiiena
Die rights OF mankind, and exists only bv the power
ana force OF might right it cannot therefore be es
tabished and maintained in any national territory with
out violating the spirit and letter of the Constitution
the United States.
Resotced That the extra judicial opinion expressed in
the lred Scott decson, is in papabe violation of the
provisions OF the Constitution of the United States and
OF the rights of the States and civil be
6esolrea, hat the Lecempton Constitution is aros:
ana infamous fraud conceived in the councils of tyranny
only by the spirit of despotisln advocated
oniy oy vilanypressed upon the people only by the
hand OF intoxicating power and designed subvert the
inherent rights of the people of Kansas
hesotced That the Governor of this State be- and he
hereoy authorized to forward copy of the foregoing
to the President of the United States and
each OF Senators and Representatives. in Congress.