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M. Bond
Referred to Com on Judiciary Feby 1. 1841
Vernon Wis. 28 Jan 1841 Hon Joseph Bonel 25th JP. of the Madison Wis.
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To the Honorable the Council and House of Representatives of Wisconsin Territory the undersigned your petitioners beg leave respectfully to represent to your Honorable Body that a Petition having been circulated about this County and forwarded to Madison praying the Legislative Assembly to enact a Law Authorizing any Person to cut any tree he shall find on an other individuals Land if he (the finder) shall believe such tree to contain Bees or honey. Your Petitioners would respectfully remonstrate against the enactment of any such law believing such a law would be jeopardizing our rights as citizens of this Territory and giving to individuals the right of taking private property from his neighbor and converting it to his own use and depriving such a neighbor of any chance for redress.
And your petitioners would further represent that we purchased and entered upon our lands believing that the timber on such land belonged to us as well as the land and believing that the Laws of the Territory would protect us from trespassers within such trespassers appeared in the shape of a bee, [planter?] or any thing else.
And your petitioners would further represent that there are a [Set?] of Fellows who got up the Petition above alluded to some of whom own no Land and have never paid a cent of tax in the territory who are during the season that men are generally employed in securing their crops [consent?] by prowling about the woods and fields of these more industrious of [professions?] seeking to [know?] whatever advantage that would [opportunity?] [ascend?] to the owner of the Land and your Petitioners verily believe that of no law is enacted giving the guarantees above alluded to any exclusive privilege they will forget there rambling propensities and become better citizens.
Dated [New Berlin] Jan. 14th 1841
[Signature block]
