Remonstrance against seeking to confirm title on lands that remonstrants have settled on and improved

Remonstrance of inhabitants of Milwaukee County-

Mr. Ray.

Read & Laid on the table Dec. 22d 1840-

Referred to [Allpsers?]

Presented by W. [Learand?] 8th [Jornig?-Illegible] [JH?] Read & Laid on the table on motion of the [Vineyard?]

Referred to [Amold?] Bullen & Martin

To the Hon. the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Wisconsin

The undersigned your remonstrants residing on Lots one, two & three section thirty two Town seven Range twenty two East in the Township of Milwaukee respectfully represent that the Hon. Johnathan E. [Huold?] of the Council presented a petition of inhabitants of Milwaukee praying that title to be confirmed to certain lots in said Milwaukee and your remonstrants believing that said petition refers to the said three lots upon which your remonstrants reside and have valuable improvements.

The matter of ownership and possession of said lots have been subjects of legal investigation the last three years, and during that time the letters on said lots have not applied to the Legislature for the weight of its influence but have been satisfied to represent their case to the Congress of the United States by whom alone a decision can be made.

But on the other hand the petitioners have three times applied to the Territorial Legislature to pass a Memorial to Congress to have titles confirmed to said lots and as often have the petitioners failed to have it so confirmed.

And your remonstrants do further represent that to them it is a matter of vital importance for should title be confirmed they would loose their all they have believed for the last three years that the said land belonged to the United States and have built and improved on said land as is and has been-

customary on lands belonging to the Government.

Your remonstrants do further represent that the settlement on said Lots, commenced in the year 1834 and has continued to this day and under that settlement the settlers have allways had the possession and are now in possession of said lots and have built thirty three dwellings, ware houses & shacks estimated to be worth twenty five thousand dollars. On the other hand the persons named in the petition have not made the least improvement and but five buildings have been erected by persons claiming under them valued at five thousand dollars. Your remonstrants do also further represent that were your Honorable bodied vested with power to decide to whom the land rightfully belongs your remonstrants would long since have laid their case before you as they have before the Congress of the United States.

But as your Hon. bodies cannot ultimately decide the question we view it highly wrong for the petitioners to ask the passage of said memorial for the purpose of having the weight of influence of our local Legislature in the scale of the petitioners and against your remonstrants. In view of the foregoing considerations, your remonstrants pray that the prayer of said petitioners may not be granted and that no memorial on the subject of said lands, may be passed. And your remonstrants, as in duty bound will ever pray Milwaukee Dec. 18th 1840.

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