gressives were opposed to banks, but every month threw them further into the minority on this item, and they all wanted statehood. Their chief organ wrote, "The instrument is better than we expected from the body that framed it,''89 and urged its ratification. Criticism faded away, and though the vote was small the majority was overwhelming in favor of the constitution.90 It was, after all, factional politics that defeated the former document, fomented but not created by the extravagant attack upon the banks. Tweedy's election revealed to the Democrats the dangers of internecine feuds. They patched up their differences, elected a compromise governor in 1848, in the person of Nelson Dewey, "a thorough radical and consistent Democrat," and retained for a time their partisan control of the state and its representation. But their control was weakening; not again until 1893 had Wisconsin two Democrats in the United States Senate.92 Their constitution marks the high water mark of Democracy in the Northwest, before the tide began to ebb. FREDERIC L. PAXSON. Wisconsin Democrat, March 11, 1848. A. M. Thomson, Political History of Wisconsin (Milwaukee, 1900), 56; Strong, History of the Territory of Wisconsin, 556. "Wisconsin Democrat, April 22, 1848. PROCEEDINGS IN WISCONSIN On January 6, 1846, the day on which the territorial legislature convened in annual session, Governor Dodge submitted his annual message to the two houses in joint session. Aside from certain introductory remarks the first subject treated by the Governor was that of statehood, the message recommending the passage of a law for the submission of the question to a popular referendum on the part of the voters.1 To this invitation the legislature responded by creating a joint committee composed of two members of the Council and four members of the house of representatives for the consideration of the Governor's recommendation.2 In accordance with this resolution the speaker of the house appointed as members of the joint committee Elisha Morrow, Thomas P. Burnett, Benjamin H. Mooers, and Orson Sheldon; while the Council chose Moses M. Strong and Michael Frank. On January 12 Moses M. Strong reported to the Council "A bill in relation to the formation of a state government in Wisconsin," which was read the first and second times; similar action occurred in the house of representatives a few days later (January 19).5 On January 16, Michael Frank, from the joint select committee, laid before the Council the committee's report on the subject of state government and, on motion of Moses Strong, 500 copies were ordered printed. Similar action with respect to printing the report was taken by the house of representatives on 1 For the pertinent portion of the message see post, 59. 'Journal of the Council, 1846, 24; Journal of the House of Representatives, 1846, 29-30. House Journal, 33; Council Journal, 32. 'Council Journal, 44. 'House Journal, 96, 101. •Council Journal, 77-78. For the report, taken from ibid., 333-42, see post, 60. |