which shows any improper conduct in the former board of commissioners, relating to the discharge of their official duties, as commissioners of public buildings?

Answer to the 1st interrogatory:

I do not know that the former commissioners of public buildings were in partnership in the contract to erect the Capitol with James Morrison.

Answer to the 2nd interrogatory:

I do not.

Answer to the 3rd interrogatory:

I do not. A. A. Bird, the acting commissioner, superintended the erection of the American Hotel, at the same time he superinEended the crection of the Capitol, and I don't know whether there was any distinction made in the accounts.

Answer to the 4th interrogatory:

I was at St. Louis, Mo., in the summer of 1838, and in a conversation with Mr. Burrows, of the firm of Burrows & Jennings,. I understood him to say that Mr. John F. O'Neill had purchased of them a store of goods, which had gone to Madison, for, or on account of the commissioners of public buildings, and whether he included the contractor with the commissioners, I do not now recollect. From that conversation and other circumstances, which had come under my observation, the impression was left on my mind that a partnership existed, but to what extent I was never able to determine.

Answer to the 5th interrogatory:

Soon after the contract to complete the Capitol was let to James Morrison, the acting commissioner advertised the public property for sale at Madison, consisting of two log buildings, one frame dwelling-house, one frame, three wagons, five or six yoke of cattle, chairs, blankets, blacksmith's tools, cooking stove, &c. &c. The notice which was given of the sale, as near as I can now recollect, was one week; which I thought was too short, as it would prevent bidders from coming from a distance, and there was but little money in town, and but few inhabitants. The sale of said property was for cash, but it was understood that what the con

tractor should bid off, might be applied on his contract. The shortness of the notice was a subject of remark at the time, and I could not but think there was an evident design to sell the property to the contractor at a low price.

.

Gentlemen of the Committee:

JOHN CATLIN.

Above you have my answers to the questions which you have propounded. There may be other facts within ny knowledge which the committee might deem material, and which, if any, I am willing to answer, if my attention is particularly directed to

them.

MADISON, Dec. 26, 1839.

Very respectfully,

Your ob't serv't,

JOHN CATLIN.

Document C.

Col. ABNER NICHOLS SWOгn:

Question-Did you ever hear any of the commissioners say that they were in partnership in the store kept by James Morri son, at Madison?

Answer-I heard Doty and O'Neill say they and Morrison were in partnership. O'Neill said, "here were the articles of agreement." I saw what he said were the articles of agreement, but did not read them.

Document D.

Mr. WILLIAM N. SEYMOUR Sworn:

Question-Do you know any thing in relation to the manner in which the contract was let for the building of the Capitol, whe ther the commissioners and contractor were in partnership in the taking of the contract of not?

Answer-I know nothing of the commissioners and the contractor being in company from personal knowledge, nothing more than supposition. I have supposed that A. A. Bird was interest.

ed with Morrison, and that O'Neill was concerned in the store, and that goods come marked, to the store, "James Morrison & Co.," and O'Neill frequently sent goods with bills of freight in hist clerk's hand-writing.

Question-Have you seen any thing during the past season to convince you that a partnership existed in the store?

Answer-Soon after Mr. Delaplaine left, Mr. Bird came after me to go and help Morrison take an inventory of the goods in the store. I did so; during the time, Doty and O'Neill were here in Madison waiting-were frequently in the store, and asked if we had got most through. Bird expressed himself to me that he wanted us to get through, so that he could get a settlement with Morrison, for he could not get a settlement till the inventory was through.

Document E.

A BILL to amend an act, entitled, "An act in addition to an • Act to establish the seat of government of the Territory of Wisconsin, and to provide for the erection of public buildings,' approved Dec. 3d, 1836, and for other purposes," approved March 8th, 1839.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Council and House of Repre. sentatives of the Territory of Wisconsin, That so much of section second of the act to which this is an amendment, as requires the election of three commissioners of public buildings, to be made at cach regular annual session of the Legislative Assembly, be and the same is hereby repealed; Provided, That such repeal shall not in any manner affect the acts or proceedings of the commissioners elected under the provisions of the said act, but the same shall be and remain of the same force and effect as if this act had not been passed.

SEC. 2. There shall be one commissioner elected by joint ballot of the Council and House of Representatives, on

the

day of January, 1840, at 12 o'clock M., who shall hold his office until the next regular annual session of the Legis. lative Assembly, and until another election shall be had who shall

be styled commissioner of public buildings, and an election shall be made, at each regular annual session of the Legislative Assem bly, by the Council and House of Representatives in joint ballot, of commissioner of public buildings; and sail commissioner, so elected, shall hold his office until the termination of the next regu. lar annual session of the Legislative Assembly after his elec tion.

Suc. 3. It shall be the duty of the commissioner appointed under the provisions of this act, to perform all the duties required by the act to which this act is amendatory to be performed by the said three commissioners, and he is hereby invested with the same powers to carry into effect the provisions of said act, as are by law given to the said three commissioners, and he shall qualify and give bonds in the same manner.

Document K.

REPORT OF MINORITY OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

I, the undersigned, member of said committee, beg leave to re port: That, having had the subject under consideration, deem the report of a similar committee, at the last session of the Legisla. ture, is amply sufficient to satisfy the most sceptical that the for mer board of commissioners of public buildings had not acted in conformity to law in the discharge of their duties, and that any further investigation could in no way change the results of said former report.

And I object to the report of the majority of your committee, First, Because, on the suggestion of the former report, a new

board of commissioners were elected, authorized to settle and ad. just the accounts of the old board; and, acting under that authority, have commenced suit or suits against the old board in the name of the Territory.

Secondly, That the majority of your committee assumed the powers of a grand inquest, and went into the forms of an ex parte trial, all of which I deem a work of supererogation, and one calcu lated to act prematurely and improperly on the prejudices of the public whilst such suit or suits are pending.

And further, that the investigation of the majority of your com mittee, of matters anterior to the report of a former committee, (before alluded to,) with the accompanying documents, would, in the opinion of the minority of your committee be too apparent of a design for effect, rather than for any beneficial results to the best interests of this Territory.

The minority of your committee cheerfully concur in that part of the majority report of your committee, which approves of the doings of the present board of commissioners of public buildings, and, also, in the principles of the bill submitted for the consideration of the Legislature.

JAMES MAXWELL.

Document L.

REPORT OF SELECT COMMITTEE ON MEMORIALIZING THE SECRETARY OF WAR, &c.

The select committee to whom was referred that portion of the Governor's message, which recommends the propriety of memo