JOINT RESOLUTIONS.

NUMBER 1.

JOINT RESOLUTION instructing our senators and requesting our representatives in congress to oppose the passage of a bill for the remission of import duties on building material to be used in rebuilding the burnt district of Chicago.

WHEREAS, A bill now pending before congress provides, among other things, for the remission of import duties on all inaterial used in rebuilding the burnt district of the city of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, We believe that such an enactment will be detrimental to the merce ntile and manufacturing interests of many localities, and especially of the states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, where immense amounts of capital are invested, and thousands of persons are engaged in the manufacture of lumber, brick and other building materials, whose interests would be seriously crippled by the introduction of foreign competition with free duties, and that while individual capitalists of Illinois, and especially of the city of Chicago, would reap all the benefit, the mercantile and manufacturing population of the neighboring states would sustain all the damage, and an incredible derangement of their business; and

WHEREAS, We deem it to be unjust and partial to donate relief in the manner intended by the provisions of this bill, to one locality which has suffered, while it ignores other localities which have suffered as much from the same cause, and takes from the treasury of the United States a large sum of money for the benefit of one class and one locality at the expense of other classes, (even in the same city), and of other localities; and

WHEREAS, While we deeply sympathize with Chicago in her affliction, and are willing and anxious for liberal legisla tion in her behalf, we believe that legislation should be of of such a character as will not bear with undue hardship on

particular branches of industry in any part of the country; therefore

Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That the pas sage of said bill would, in our opinion, be injurious to the state of Wisconsin, and our senators in congress are hereby instructed, and our representatives in congress are hereby requested to oppose the passage of said bill. Approved February 6, 1872.

NUMBER 2.

JOINT RESOLUTION instructing superintedents and others in the matter of insuring public buildings.

Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the superintendents and trustees, and any and all persons having the charge and control of the charitable, benevolent and penal institutions of the state of Wisconsin be and the same hereby are prohibited from expending any money for the insurance of any of the buildings belonging to the state of Wisconsin.

Approved February 8, 1872.

NUMBER 3.

JOINT RESOLUTION relating to the improvement of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers.

WHEREAS, The subject of cheaper freights between the grain producing regions of the west and the markets of the east is one of paramount and overshadowing interest to the western producers, and

WHEREAS, It is clearly demonstrated that the Fox and Wisconsin rivers can be so improved at a moderate expense as to open to commerce a reliable water channel during the usual seasons of navigation, admitting of the easy and rapid transit of grain-carrying vessels, thereby tending to greatly reduce the carrying rates of western produce to eastern markets, and

WHEREAS, This subject is now before the congress of the United States; therefore,

Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That his excellency the governor of Wisconsin be and he is hereby authorized and requested to take such action in behalf of the state as will in his judgment lead to the most efficient co-operation with our senators and representatives in congress, in pressing at the present session the great importance of the interest hereinbefore referred to, and in securing early and favorable action upon the same.

Approved February 14, 1872.

NUMBER 4.

JOINT RESOLUTION requesting Hon. R. C. Schenck to solicit from the British Government for the library of the State Historical Society, a set of Historical Records of the British Army.

Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That Hon. R. C. Schenck, our American minister to Great Britain, be respectfully requested to use his kind offices in soliciting from the British government, for the library of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, a set of the Historical Records of the British Army, prepared under the direction of the adjutant general.

Be it further resolved, That his excellency, the governor be requested to forward to Mr. Schenck a properly certified copy of the preceding resolution.

Approved February 21, 1872.

NUMBER 5.

JOINT RESOLUTION instructing our senators and requesting our repre sentatives to use their endeavors to secure a grant of land for the benefit of farm mortgagors.

Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That our senators in congress be instructed, and our representatives requested to use their best endeavors to secure the passage of a bill making a grant of lands to the state of Wisconsin for the relief of the farm mortgagors in said state, as prayed for in the memorial of this legislature, passed at the session of 1871, and heretofore forwarded to congress.

Approved February 21, 1872.

NUMBER 6.

JOINT RESOLUTION instructing our senators and [requesting our] representatives in congress to use their best efforts to secure the repeal of the bankrupt law.

WHEREAS, The act of congress entitled "an act to establish a uniform system of bankruptcy throughout the United States," approved March 2d, 1867, by furnishing insolvents with an opportunity to relieve themselves from heavy burthens of debt which they were unable to pay, has met the exigency which demanded its passage, and its continued existence as a law furnishes unscrupulous debtors with a temptation to swindle and defraud their creditors, while it at the same time gives to creditors a despotic power over honest debtors that is repugnant to the sense of freedom and justice of every American citizen; and

WHEREAS, Through its provisions permiting suits to be brought by assignees of bankrupts in the United States courts for trivial sums, our citizens are compelled as a lesser evil, to pay the most unjust and fraudulent claims with large costs. rather than defend against them in distant courts at a many times greater expense; and the assets of bankrupts are thus largely consumed in fees to those charged with the execution of the law, without benefit to their creditore; and

WHEREAS, The federal courts are thus brought into great disrepute, and said act is perverted into a means for the unpunishable plundering of the people; therefore

Resolved by the assembly of the state of Wisconsin, the senate concurring, That our senators and representatives in congress be, and they hereby are, requested, and to the extent of our right so to do, instructed, to use all honorable means in their power to secure the repeal of said act, and all acts and parts of acts amendatory thereof.

Resolved, further, That the governor is requested to cause each of our senators and representatiues in congress to be furnished with a copy of these resolutions and preamble thereto, certified under the great seal of the state of Wisconsin. Approved March 5, 1872.

NUMBER 7.

JOINT RESOLUTION for the homestead law for officers, soldiers and privates of the army and navy of the United States.

Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the congress of the United States be requested to pass the following bill:

That where homestead entries have been made, or may hereafter be made, by parties who served in the military or naval service of the United States as officers, soldiers or sailors for ninety days during the rebellion, such parties shall not be required to make settlement and cultivation of the land for the full period of five years from the date of such entry before receiving their patents; but the patents shall be issued on proof of settlement and cultivation for such time as may, with the time of their service in the army or navy during the rebellion, equal five years, the time of service or enlistment to be counted as part of the five years; in all cases quantity and location of land to be as provided in section 25 of an act approved July 15, 1870. Further, that any officer, soldier or sailor having received his discharge before the expiration of his term of enlistment on account of wounds received or disability incurred while in the service of the United States, he shall be allowed credit for the full term of his enlistment. Further, that any officer, or soldier, or sailor, entitled to the above provisions, having died after being discharged, the widow, children or parents, in the order named, shall be entitled to the same privileges as the soldiers in securing credit for the length of time served in the army or navy of the United States: provided, that this rule shall not apply to any entries which may have been annulled or vacated by the commissioner of the general land office, on account of abandonment or other cause prior to the passage of this resolution.

Approved March 5, 1872.