Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1859-01-20

! "1'Vle WIN the State, without deductino
Ihe amount OF pretended claim against
'he state, growing out of diversion of
portion OF the lands granted to the
territory of Wisconsin to aid the buila.
ing OF the Milwaukee and Rock River
canal, oy the Territory, and appropria-
ting the proceeds of those lands to the
use ofthe Territory. Some further leo.
islation by Congress is necessary before
the State can realize anything from this
source. l recommend that the Legisla.
ture distinctly call the attention of oul
Senators and Representative in Con
gress to this subject, and authorize then
to prosecute the demands of the State
both before Congress and the Depart
ment. There is no good reason in my
Judgment why this money is withheld
unless it is the want of money to pay
am satisfied that nothing can be gained
by any more agencies, or mourning fur
Their expenses.
| t.l HI STATUTORY AMENDMENTS.
In the revision of the laws, section "a
of chapter Is of the old statutes, fixing
the time at which County Treasurers,
shall pay over to the State Treasurer
the sums collected for State taxes, has
been omitted. The omission should be
supplied. The section belongs between
sections ITO and Ill of the new Statu-
ties. <4
Section 10 and Is of chapter 1s1 con-
flict and are entirely incensistant with
each other.
There is no authority either in the old
statutes or new for filing vacancies in
the Office of Sheriff by appointment.
More discretionary power should be
given to courts, upon convictions for
minor offences in Furnishing offenders.
The pardoning power is too often re-
sorted to in small cases for relief. In
some cases it becomes a necessity to
avoid manifest oppression.
The assessment law of the last ses-
sion requires some alteration in its ma
ehinery. s5
The principle of the law is correct,
and when thoroughly enforced, will
show a vast increase in the value ofreal
and personal property in the State, and
more efectually equalize the burthen OF
taxation. 1t needs simplitication in or
der to bring about uniformity of con-
struction all over the State. The char
acter and objects of the law invite great
scrutiny and care.
Either the time for holding town
meetings must be changed, or the time
for the election of Judges, so that they
may be both held on the same day.
In the confusion arising from extra
ordinary exigencies Of the last session,
numerous errors Of the kind before
mentioned may have occurred beyond
those suggested.
LAND GRANTS FOR RAILROAD PURPOSES.
The La Crosse and Milwaukee Rail
road Company, which by an act Of the
Legislature, approved Oct. IL, A. ID.
1858, was authorized, upon certain con
ditlOns, and under certain restrictions,
to receive the benefits Of portion Of
the lands granted to this State for Rail
road purposes, by an act of Congress
approved Jan. Sd, 1853, has failed to
comply with the law, and the subject of
the disposition Of the grant, the course
of the company i'll regard to it, and the
important interests involved, make it
necessary that your attention should be
particularly called to their consideration
and that you exercise in their settlement
great deliberation and care. In the
early part of my official term my atten-
ton was called to the subject Of these
Railroad grants. My predecessor, on
the 28th day Of December, 1856, gave
to the Railroad company a certificate
that 40 miles of road had been compile
ted according to the terms of the act
granting land to that company, for
which the company claimed three hun
dred and sixty sections, or two hundred
and thirty thousand four hundred acres
of land. The portion Of Railroad SO
certified to have been completed is on
the line of the La Crosse & Milwaukee
Railroad, and runs from Portage City
in north westerly direction. My ex-
animation Of the subject satisfied me
| that the company was not complying
with the law, and in a letter to the Com
missioner of the Land Office at Wash
ington, requested that all action by
that Department in regard to the grant
be suspended until further information
from the Executive Department of this
State. Subsequently | had frequent in
terviews with the President and Direc-
tors of the company and informed them
fully of my views on the subject; and
my construction Of the law, and Of the
course should pursue to- compel full
compliance with the law, and to protect
of tlo Gtofa
On the 31st day of May last, a formal
request was made, by resolution OF the
Board of Directors of the La Crosse d
Milwaukee Railroad Co., upon certain
proofs furnished, that another twenty
miles of Railroad had been completed
by that Company, for a certificate that
! such further twenty miles had been so
completed. l was further requested, at
the same time, to execute deeds Of con-
veyance of the lands to which the com
pany claimed it was entitled, under the
certificate which had been made by my
predecessor. Irefused to give any such
certificate as was requested, and also
refused to execute any such deeds OF
conveyance.
The reasons Of my action were stated
in letter to the President of the Rail
road Company, dated June 28th, 1858
and in a letter to the Commissioners Of
the Land Office, copies Of which will be
furnished to the legislature.
The company claims to have built
sixty continuous miles of railroad wes
from Portage City, and that it is emit
tied to receive therefor three hundred
and seven thousand two hundred acres
of land, and to make up this amount II
asks two hundred and forty sections OF
, land for the first twenty miles OF road