The Fourth Legislative Assembly of the Wisconsin Territory convened from December 5, 1842, to April 17, 1843, from December 4, 1843, to January 31, 1844, from January 6, 1845, to February 24, 1845, and from January 5, 1846, to February 3, 1846, in regular session.[1][2][3][4][5]
The first session of this Legislative Assembly was effected by a dispute with the Governor over whether or not the session was legally sanctioned by Congress. The session was adjourned twice, and finally came back into session on the governor's request in March 1843, when they finished their business.[1] This Legislative Assembly was also unusually long, spanning four general elections (1843, 1844, 1845, & 1846).
Major events
May 22, 1843: The first major wagon train departed from Missouri with 1,000 settlers on the Oregon Trail to the northwest.
May 24, 1844: The first electrical telegram was sent by Samuel Morse from the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., to the B&O Railroad "outer depot" in Baltimore, saying "What hath God wrought".
January 23, 1845: The United States Congress established a uniform date for the holding of federal elections—the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, on even-numbered years.
March 1, 1845: President John Tyler signed a bill approving the annexation of Texas.
March 4, 1845: Inauguration of James K. Polk as the 11th President of the United States.
April 8, 1845: Henry Dodge appointed 4th Governor of the Wisconsin Territory.
December 2, 1845: President James K. Polk announced to Congress that the Monroe Doctrine should be strictly enforced, and that the United States should aggressively expand into the West.
December 29, 1845: Texas was admitted to the United States as the 28th U.S. state.
March 23, 1843: An Act fixing the time of holding the annual sessions of the Legislative Assembly, and for other purposes.[2]
April 10, 1843: An Act to repeal an act incorporating the State Bank of Wisconsin.[2]
April 17, 1843: An Act to abolish certain offices therein named. Abolished the offices of "district attorney" which were previously multi-county officials. County governments were instead empowered by this act to each appoint a prosecuting attorney.[2]
April 17, 1843: An Act to provide for completing a new roof upon the capitol, and for other purposes.[2]
April 17, 1843: An Act concerning removals from office. Required the Governor to make written notification when removing a person from office. The act was originally vetoed by the Governor, but the veto was overridden by the Assembly.[2]
January 24, 1844: An Act prescribing the time of holding the annual session of the Legislative Assembly. Set the start of the legislative session as the first Monday of January.[3]
January 26, 1844: An Act to submit to the people of Wisconsin the question of the expediency of forming a state government.[3]
January 30, 1845: Resolution to declare the name of the Territory, "Wisconsin."[4]
January 31, 1846: An Act in relation to the formation of a State Government in Wisconsin.[5]: 5–12
