▁and ▁a ▁thr ong ▁of ▁follow ers , ▁and ▁announced ▁to ▁Mac Ar thur ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁come ▁to ▁claim ▁his ▁office . ▁Upon ▁Bash ford ' s ▁threat ▁that ▁force ▁would ▁be ▁used ▁if ▁necessary , ▁Mac Ar thur ▁and ▁his ▁supp or ters ▁quickly ▁left . ▁ ▁Despite ▁initial ▁opposition ▁by ▁the ▁Democr ats ▁in ▁the ▁State ▁Assembly , ▁both ▁houses ▁of ▁the ▁Wisconsin ▁State ▁Legisl ature ▁soon ▁recognized ▁Bash ford ▁as ▁the ▁new ▁governor . ▁ ▁Term ▁as ▁governor ▁and ▁rail road ▁sc andal ▁As ▁governor , ▁Bash ford ▁appointed ▁the ▁first ▁Black ▁office holder ▁to ▁Wisconsin ▁state ▁office ▁when ▁he ▁made ▁bar ber ▁and ▁entrepr ene ur ▁William ▁N ol and ▁a ▁not ary ▁public ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 7 . ▁ ▁Bash ford ▁decl ined ▁ren om ination ▁from ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party ▁and ▁left ▁office ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁term ▁on ▁January ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 5 8 . ▁▁ ▁M ere ▁weeks ▁later , ▁an ▁investigation ▁was ▁launched ▁regarding ▁b rib es ▁that ▁he ▁and ▁members ▁of ▁his ▁administration ▁had ▁accepted ▁from ▁the ▁La ▁C ros se ▁& ▁Mil w au kee ▁Rail road ▁Company ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁appro val ▁of ▁a ▁major ▁land ▁grant . ▁Bash ford ▁himself ▁had ▁received ▁the ▁largest ▁pay off ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁$ 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁stock s ▁and ▁$ 1 5 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁c ash ▁from ▁the ▁rail road ▁company ; ▁state ▁legisl ators ▁and ▁a ▁Wisconsin ▁Supreme