Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1858-03-20

TCES-EEH0 IsIS ABOUT BAEAEURD LIE
CIRCUIT JUDaEsHP
SENATE CHAMBER, MADISON, Wis.,,
March 9Th, 1858.
| FRIEND CovER.-My last letter SO ems
to have righted The mail arrangements
between here and Lancaster, for your pa
per of the 9th, strange to say, was received
yesterday noon, three Or four days earlier
than usual.
! l have posted you, up to the 9th ult.
Saturday was quite interesting in the
Senate. Mr.. CRoMB1E, agent Of the State
to prevent tresspasses on swamp lands
made his report of the timber steals there
from which had come to his knowledge,
and bis action in relation to them. Prof
DANIELS sent in q communication, through
the Governor in reply to one from Prof
CARR, in regard to the Geological survey,
giving the origin Of the bill and the his
tory of action under it, sustaining very
oonclusiyely, think, the fairness and
rirhtness of his course III relation to the
survey, aud fully refuting charges made
against him. The Committee on elections
made their port il favor Of allowing ".
CHAPpElL to retain the seat as Senator
from the l4th district, reciting the facts
of the case at length, and failing to find
any evidence strong enough to invalldate
Chappefs claim TO the seat, though the
elections in some towns seem to have been
very carelessly conducted and q number Of
witnesses called up could not tell for whom
they voted. The resolutions, in favor of
the passage, by Congress, Of an act giving
$50 acres to actual settlers, were discussed
denounced as buncombe and unanimously
agreed to.
The Assembly adopted a resolution for
a committee of five to investigate W. G.
WEBB, the Chief Clerk of the Assembly
at the last session. 1t is as we'll to give
tho whole history of the proceedings ID
this case right here. On Monday the
committee we've further instructed to in
quire into the alleged misconduct Of said
Webb as chairman Of the Committee Gin
enrolled bills. On Thursday the Com
lnittee reported that Mr.. Webb was
charged with three offences as follows:
1st. The alteration of an appropriation
Till while acting as Chief Clerk Of the last
Assembly.
%. 0v5rdrawing his per diem, and
appropriations for services as Chief Clerk
Iof the last Assembly.
3D. Substituting one b;il for another,
though Of the same purport, while acti g
as chairman Of the committee on enrolled
bills during the present session.
AS to these charges the Committee re-
ported that it appeared that he had altered
Ia bill to appropriate to Z. 2. PERRY, icon
testant Of a seat from Waupacca Co. last
winterl the sum Of 1857 SO, by substi-
tuting therefor $lS7 so and that Webb
Ihad retained $50 for himself in drawing
: the money as Mr.. Perry's agent. AS y
justification Mr. Webb affirmed that 1t
; was .sagreed" that he should have a Ger
tain amount as extra compensation for ser
4 vices and that he sought TO obtain il in this
way. The committee thought there was
"A fraud and deception practlced upon the
Legislature and the State. As to the sec
Iond charge no foundation was found for IL.
AS to the third charge the committee
thought it was true, and, though no bad
intention appeared, there seemed cuipa-
bic disregard of parliamentary law and the
rights Of the legislature. Therefore The
passage Of the following resolution was rec
Commended:
i Resolued, That w. G. Webb be no
longer considered a member Of the Legis-
Ilature of Wisconsin.
| On Friday the matter was made the
special order and q long discussion ensued
lon the report aud the evidence, after which
1.-THE subject was re-committed 10 the COM
Imittee, with instructions to summon a new
witness, to report more defii tie resolutions,
&c. During the forenoon Nj. Webb re-
qucsted immediate action on bis case, aud
"a motion was made that the committee re-
port instanter. Pending this motion re-
Icess was taken and in the afternoon there
was considerable hot debate on the sub
Iiect. Webb's friends, who had been seek
ing delay, suddenly changed front, (tbe
house being thin) and demanded immedi-
late action. Tho matter was finally post-
poned till Tuesday. On yesterday MIR.
Webb sent in his resignation rs member
of the Assembly, assigning as reason that
!, the report of the committee did him injas-
Itice and that usefulness as a member was
: destroyed. To day a resolution sustaining
the committee was introduced and It's con-
sideration postponed till Thursday.
A large majority Of the Assembly were
/, lin favor of Mr.. Webb's expulsion and will
! not let the matter pass, without some en-
i Iphatic expression Of their opinion Of such
conduct as that Of Mr.. Weeb, for the guilt
4 .-L;al, th, s,ralInnSs of tha steal makes