Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1858-02-06
Madison Correspondence.
DOings Of the LegisIature-inves-
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS sur
vey, Militia.
SENATE CHAMBER, MADISON, Wis.
Feb. I'd, 1858.


vey, Militia.
SENATE CHAMBER, MADISON, Wis.
Feb. I'd, 1858.
FRIEND Covert find myself again at
nv task, which promises this week to be
ong one, as the doings of the Legislature
have been of more interest than any pre-
ceding week, and has been Hard at work
holding two sessions daily, since Thursday
will take as little space as possible, con-
sistent with full record Of such action Of
your servants, as concerns you. On the
25th, at the time to which the adjourn
ment on Friday was made, there was no
quorum present in the Assembly.
In the Senate there was nothing done
worth men iioning.
On the 26th, in the Senate several res
olutions were adopted-one requesting the
Secretary of State to report the
number of inhabitants and the amount of
taxable property in each of the counties OF
the State, Ito which he afterwards replied
by sending up the last census and the e.
quallzed assessment); one of inquiry OF the
Governor in regard to the Geological Sur
vey, whether its functions had been dis
tributed and arranged according to the law
Of last winter, whether the 3 Commission
ers had all been engaged. .&c.; one requir-
ing the committee on Public Lands to see
whether any alterations were necessary in
theSwampLand Act,and one or two others.
A bill was passed extending the time for
collecting taxes 80 daps, and one to pre-
vent distractions in the Wisconsin river,
providing for height of so feet above hig'l
water and a span of ITO feet for bridges
In the Assembly the memorial ofDodge,
Washburn and others, for $50, 900 to be ex-
pended in searching the lower magnetism
limestone for lead and copper ores. Also,
bv Mr.. Dean memorial to Congress for
change in mail route from Dunleith to
Boscobe and tri.weekly service thereon,
which has passed the Assembly and will
pass the Senate. Speaker Lowell, who,by
the way makes an, admirable presiding Of
ficer, announced Messrs. Knowlton, Mason
Earle, Vinton and Catshausen, as members
of the Joint r. r. Investigating Commit
tee on the part of the Assembly. The
committee on printing reported in favor Of
printing 5000 copies of the Governors
Message, 1000 in English, 5000 in Ger
man and 100 in the Norwegian. TheAs-
semby were informed that the revsers of
the statutes would be ready to report this
week.
On the 9th, Mr.. Virgin introduced ir
the Senate a Memorial to Congress, for a
mail-route, with tri-weekly service from
Platteville to Dunleith, which has passed
both Houses. Resolutions were adopted
instructing Committee on Printing to re-
port bill if they think proper, for procur-
ing Assessors blanks, &C., by the Clerk OF
the Board of Supervisors in each county
also, instructing the committee on Legis-
lative expenditure 10 ascertain the cost OF
printing public documents last year,and to
see whether the printing of some docu-
ments could not be dispensed with and to
make other inquiries having for this object
diminish the expenses ofipublic printing in
the state. There is room for an immense
reduction in printing as to which / may
give you some items hereafter.
There was some discussion of the post
age question in both Houses and charges
made Of over charge on the part of the
Madison P. NJ, from which he was after
wards exhonerated), and as the expense oil
postage had been very great, the r.solu-
ltion authorizing the Transmission of print
ed matter, at the expense of the State was
rescinded ard S. of stamps voted to each
member. The Legislature was put to some
trouble for a few days as the P. NJ. was
disposed to be indignant, refused to deliv-
er newspapers, DC, but things are all right
now. In the Assembly the opposition to
R. r. investigation was developed in de-
bate on resolution that no one who was
a member of the Legislatures of SO and
81, designed to deprive the committee of
two of those who would he its best mem
bers, "Jim Knowlton' and Mr.. Mason. A
long and spirited debate ensued which
knowlton and P. H. Smith were promin-
ent, and the resolution was indefinitely
postponed.
| On the 25th, in the Senate, inquiries
were instituted in regard to stationery, the
State University and upernumeraries A.
bout the Capitol. Mr. Wheeler, on behalf
of the r. R. Investigating Committee, off
cred stringent bill in regard to ''evidence
and witnesses" which passed under sus,
pension of the rules. Mr.. Joiner intro
duced bill to repeal the act of last win
ter raising the salaries of Circuit Judges
which will not pass; and MIR. Cook one to
repeal the personal Liberty Bill" Some
time was spent in Committee of the Whole.
AT the afternoon session the Governor sent
in communication recommending H.
Robbins as one of the Normal School Re-
gents, in place Of n. H. Virgin, resigned.
Some amendments were passed to the
charter of Madison city. In the Assem-
bly, an act was passed for the punishment
OF the crime of perjury in tesifying before
Legislative committees by six months i'm
prlsonment. Also, resolution iustructing
committee Oh Public Lands to report what
action is needed to prevent the sale of the
State Lands, except in limited Quantities