Page 192 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

188 WISCONSIN IIISTORICAL COLLECTIONS.

gation lodged in one room, about fifteen by twenty feet, and
our lobby friends roomed with us. Our beds were all full, and
the floor well-spread with blankets and over-coats for lodging
purposes. The session lasted till the 9th of December, At
that session a, bill passed locating the seat of government at
Madison; but the Legislature appointed Burlington, in lowa,
as the place of the meeting of the next session, until proper
buildings could be erected at Madison.
A majority of the members from Wisconsin proper were
opposed to making, at that time, a permanent location of the
seat of government; we contended for a temporary location at
Green Bay or Milwaukee, or any other place, until the country
should become more settled. We contended that the members
representing the region west of the Mississippi, though they
had a legal right, yet they liad no just right to vote on and
determine the permanent seat of government for Wisconsin
Territory, as they expected soon to be set off into a separate
Territory of their own-as they were in 1838. I labored
hard to prevent a permanent locatiori at that session; but those
who favored the measure from Wisconsin proper had some
interest in Madison, and the members from the west side of
the Mississippi mere bought up to go for Madison. Thus the
measure was carried by a small majority. As soon as the
Governor signed the bill, there nas a great rush for the Land
Office at Mineral Point, to purchaso land in the neighborhood
of the newly located capital. The town plat of Madison was
divided into t~enty shares; I was offered one share for the
small sum of two hundred dollars--I presume that was done,
thinking, if I accepted it, that I ~lrould vote for Madison for
the capital; I rejected the offer with disgust, and felt better
satisfied than I should to have sold myself for the twentieth
part of Madison. When I returned to Green Bay, my friends
were well pleased with the course that I had taken.
The year i837 brought with it a large increase to the popu-
lation in all parts of the Territorg. Early in November the
Legislature met at Burlington, and held a session of some ten