NUMBER 8.

JOINT RESOLUTION, agreeing to an amendment tó section four of article seven of the constitution of the state of Wisconsin.

WHEREAS, The legislature of this state, at its annual session for the year 1871, proposed and adopted, by a vote of a majority of the members elected to each of the two houses, n amendment to the constitution of this state in the following language:

"Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That section four of article seven of the constitution be amended so as to read as follows: Section 4. The supreme court of this state, with the jurisdiction and powers prescribed in this constitution shall consist of one chief justice and four associate justices, to be elected by the qualified electors of the state at such times and in such manner as the legislature may provide, and such court so constituted shall not be changed or discontinued by the legislature. The chief justice and associate justices of the supreme court now in office shall hold their offices for the remainder of the terms for which they were respectively elected, and until the election and qualification of the two additional associate justices herein provided for, shall constitute the supreme court of this state. The legislature shall at its first session after the adoption of this amendment, provide by law for the election of the two additional associate justices hereby required and their successors, and for the election of the successors of the chief justice and associate justices now in office, and for classifying the two additional associate justices first elected, so that the term of office of one of them shall be four years, and of the other six years. The term of office of the chief justice and of each associate justice of the supreme court elected after the adoption of this amendment, except as herein otherwise provided, shall be six years."

Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That the foregoing amendment to the constitution be, and the same hereby is agreed to by this legislature.

Approved March 7, 1872.

NUMBER 9.

JOINT RESOLUTION requesting our senators and members in congress to use their efforts to procure the connection of telegraph with postal facilities.

Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the senators and representatives from the state of Wisconsin, now in congress, be and they are hereby respectfully requested to urge the passage of an act by congress providing for a complete system of telegraph connected with the post offices and postal facilities of the several states, and so organized as to bring readily within the means of the people generally that desirable means of communication.

Resolved further, That the governor be requested to forward a certified copy of these resolutions to each of the senators and representatives from this state now in congress. Approved March 7, 1872.

NUMBER 10.

JOINT RESOLUTION instructing our representatives in congress to take certain steps in relation to the affairs of the North Pacific Railroad Company, and Superior and Mississippi Railroad Company.

Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the members of the house of representatives in congress from this state are requested to bring to the immediate notice of the congressional committee now investigating the management and affairs of the North Pacific Railroad Company, the contract recently made between the said company and the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad Company for the purchase of the road of the latter company from St. Paul to Duluth, and especially whether the said contract of purchase is conditioned on the defeat in congress of the bill to renew the grant of land to the state of Wisconsin in aid of the construction of a railroad from St. Croix river or lake to Lake Superior.

NUMBER 11.

JOINT RESOLUTION to amend section three (3) of article eleven (11) of the constitution.

Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That section three (3) of article eleven (11) of the constitution of this state be amended by adding at the end of said section the following words: No county, city, town, village, school district, or other municipal corporation, shall be allowed to become indebted, in any manner or for any purpose, to any amount, including existing indebtedness, in the aggregate exceeding five per centum on the value of the taxable property therein, to be ascertained by the last assessment for state and county taxes, previous to the incurring of such indebtedness. Any county, city, town, village, school district, or other municipal corporation, incurring any indebtedness as aforesaid, shall, before or at the time of doing so, provide for the collection of a direct annual tax sufficient to pay the interest on said debt as it falls due, and also to pay and discharge the principal thereof within twenty years from the time of contracting the same.

Approved March 22, 1872.

MEMORIALS.

NUMBER 1.

MEMORIAL to congress for the renewal of the grant to aid in the construction of a railroad from Saint Croix river, or lake, to the west end of lake Superior and to Bayfield.

To the honorable, the senate and house of representatives of the United States, in congress assembled: .

The memorial of the people of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, respectfully showeth:

That your memorialists most earnestly urge the renewal to the state of Wisconsin of the grant made by the acts of congress, approved June 3, 1856, and May 5, 1864, for the purpose of aiding in building a railroad from the Saint Croix river, or lake, to the west end of lake Superior and to Bayfield;

Because its passage would secure the speedy development of a large portion of this state, which must otherwise remain for a long time sparsely settled;

Because its passage is demanded by justice to the present settlers within the limits of said grant, who have entered their land at $2.50 per acre in the belief that said road would soon be constructed;

Because a renewal of said grant would be of great benefit to all who wish to make homesteads upon that portion of it which is fit for agricultural purposes;

Because if said grant should not be renewed, the pine lands embraced within it would scon fall into the hands of large lumbering companies, or be taken under pre-emption or homestead laws only to be despoiled of timber, and abandoned, and Because, while the renewal of said grant would involve no loss to the national treasury, it would bring a large region into actual cultivation and settlement, and very greatly promote the prosperity of this state and the whole northwest.

The governor is requested to transmit copies of this memorial forthwith to the president of the senate and to the speaker of the house of representatives. Approved February 2, 1872.

NUMBER 2.

MEMORIAL to congress, relating to the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers Improvement.

To the honorable, the senate and house of representatives of the United States, in congress assembled:

The memorial of the legislature of the state of Wisconsin respectfully represents:

That the award of the board of arbitration in the matter of the cession to the United States of the rights and property of the Green Bay and Mississippi Canal Company, which was concluded at Madison, in said state, on the 15th day of November, 1871, was just and fair to all parties concerned, and your memorialists would therefore respectfully ask that the said award be accepted on the part of the United States.

And your memorialists further respectfully represent, that a ship canal by way of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, by which steamboats of the Mississippi can reach the harbors and unload into the vessels of the great lakes, is of such importance to so many states east and west, that it has become a matter of national importance.

Resolved, That the governor of this state be directed to transmit the foregoing memorial to the two houses of congress, and to send a copy thereof to the governors of the several north

western states.

Approved February 2, 1872.