USA > Illinois > Winnebago County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I > Part 38
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Governor, July 10, 1837, and adjourned July 22. An act legalizing the suspension of State banks was adopted, but the recommendation of the Gov- ernor for the repeal of the internal improvement legislation was ignored. The length of the first session was ninety-two days and of the second thirteen-total 105.
ELEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. This body held both a regular and a special session. The former met Dec. 3, 1838, and adjourned March 4, 1839. The Whigs were in a majority in both houses, and controlled the organization of the Senate. In the House, however, their candidate for Speaker-Abraham Lincoln-failing to secure his full party vote, was defeated by W. L. D. Ewing. At this session $800,000 more was appro- priated for the "improvement of water-ways and the construction of railroads, " all efforts to put an end to, or even curtail, further expenditures on account of internal improvements meeting with defeat. An appropriation (the first) was made for a library for the Supreme Court; the Illinois Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb was established, and the further issuance of bank notes of a smaller denomination than $5 was prohibited. By this time the State debt had increased to over $13,000,000, and both the people and the Governor were becoming apprehensive as to ultimate results of this prodigal outlay. A crisis appeared imminent, and the Governor, on Dec. 9, 1839, convened the Legislature in special session to consider the situation. (This was the first session ever held at Springfield; and, the new State House not being completed, the Senate, the House and the Supreme Court found accommo- dation in three of the principal church edifices.) The struggle for a change of State policy at this session was long and hard fought, no heed being given to party lines. The outcome was the vir- tual abrogation of the entire internal improve- ment system. Provision was made for the calling in and destruction of all unsold bonds and the speedy adjustment of all unsettled accounts of the old Board of Public Works, which was legis- lated out of office. The special session adjourned Feb. 3, 1840. Length of regular session ninety- two days, of the special, fifty-seven-total, 149.
TWELFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. This Legisla- ture was strongly Democratic in both branches. It first convened, by executive proclamation, Nov. 23, 1840, the object being to provide for pay- ment of interest on the public debt. In reference to this matter the following enactments were made: Authorizing the hypothecation of $300,000 internal improvement bonds, to meet the interest
due Jan. 1, 1841; directing the issue of bonds to be sold in the open market and the proceeds applied toward discharging all amounts due on interest account for which no other provision was made; levying a special tax of ten cents on the $100 to meet the interest on the last mentioned class of bonds, as it matured. For the comple- tion of the Northern Cross Railroad (from Spring- field to Jacksonville) another appropriation of $100,000 was made. The called session adjourned, sine die, on Dec. 5, and the regular session began two days later. The Senate was presided over by the Lieutenant-Governor (Stinson H. Anderson), and William L. D. Ewing was chosen Speaker of the House. The most vital issue was the propri- ety of demanding the surrender of the charter of the State Bank, with its branchies, and here party lines were drawn. The Whigs finally succeeded in averting the closing of the institu- tions which had suspended specie payments, and in securing for those institutions the privilege of issuing small bills. A law reorganizing the judi- ciary was passed by the majority over the execu- tive veto, and in face of the defection of some of its members. On a partisan issue all the Circuit Judges were legislated out of office and five Jus- tices added to the bench of the Supreme Court. The session was stormy, and the Assembly ad- journed March 1, 1841. This Legislature was in session ninety-eight days-thirteen during the special session and eighty-five during the regular.
THIRTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY consisted of forty-one Senators and 121 Representatives; con- vened, Dec. 5, 1842. The Senate and House were Democratic by two-thirds majority in each. Lieut .- Gov. John Moore was presiding officer of the Senate and Samuel Hackelton Speaker of the House, with W. L. D. Ewing, who had been acting Governor and United States Senator, as Clerk of the latter. Richard Yates, Isaac N. Arnold, Stephen T. Logan and Gustavus Koerner, were among the new members. The existing situation seemed fraught with peril. The State debt was nearly $14,000,000; immigration had been checked: the State and Shawneetown banks had gone down and their currency was not worth fifty cents on the dollar; Auditor's warrants were worth no more, and Illinois State bonds were quoted at fourteen cents. On Dec. 18, Judge Sidney Breese was elected United States Senator, having defeated Stephen A. Douglas for the Democratic caucus nomination, on the nineteenth ballot, by a majority of one vote. The State Bank (in which the State had been a large share- holder) was permitted to go into liquidation upon
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the surrender of State bonds in exchange for a like amount of bank stock owned by the State. The same conditional release was granted to the bank at Shawneetown. The net result was a reduction of the State debt by about $3,000,000. The Governor was authorized to negotiate a loan of $1,600,000 on the credit of the State, for the purpose of prosecuting the work on the canal and meeting the indebtedness already incurred. The Executive was also made sole "Fund Com- missioner" and, in that capacity, was empowered (in connection with the Auditor) to sell the railroads, etc., belonging to the State at public auction. Provision was also made for the redemp- tion of the bonds hypothecated with Macalister and Stebbins. (See Macalister and Stebbins Bonds.) The Congressional distribution of the moneys arising from the sale of public lands was acquiesced in, and the revenues and resources of the State were pledged to the redemption "of every debt contracted by an authorized agent for a good and valuable consideration." To establish a sinking fund to meet such obligation, a tax of twenty cents on every $100, payable in coin, was levied. This Legislature also made a re-appor- tionment of the State into Seven Congressional Districts. The Legislature adjourned, March 6, 1843, after a session of ninety-two days.
FOURTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Dec. 2, 1844, and adjourned March 3, 1845, the ses- sion lasting ninety-two days. The Senate was composed of twenty-six Democrats and fifteen Whigs; the House of eighty Democrats and thirty-nine Whigs. David Davis was among the new members. William A. Richardson defeated Stephen T. Logan for the Speakership, and James Semple was elected United States Senator to suc- ceed Samuel McRoberts, deceased. The canal law was amended by the passage of a supple- mental act, transferring the property to Trustees and empowering the Governor to complete the negotiations for the borrowing of $1,600,000 for its construction. The State revenue being in- sufficient to meet the ordinary expenses of the government, to say nothing of the arrears of interest on the State debt, a tax of three mills on each dollar's worth of property was imposed for 1845 and of three and one-half mills thereafter. Of the revenue thus raised in 1845, one mill was set apart to pay the interest on the State debt and one and one-half mills for the same purpose from the taxes collected in 1846 "and forever thereafter."
FIFTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Dec. 7, 1846. The farewell message of Governor Ford
and the inaugural of Governor French were lead- ing incidents. The Democrats had a two-thirds majority in each house. Lieut .- Gov. Joseph B. Wells presided in the Senate, and Newton Cloud was elected Speaker of the House, the compli- mentary vote of the Whigs being given to Stephen T. Logan. Stephen A. Douglas was elected United States Senator, the whigs voting for Cyrus Edwards. State officers were elected as follows: Auditor, Thomas H. Campbell; State Treasurer, Milton Carpenter -- both by acclamation; and Horace S Cooley was nominated and confirmed Secretary of State. A new school law was enacted; the sale of the Gallatin County salines was authorized; the University of Chicago was incorporated, and the Hospital for the Insane at Jacksonville established; the sale of the North- ern Cross Railroad was authorized; District Courts were established; and provision was made for refunding the State debt. The Assembly adjourned, March 1, 1847, after a session of eighty-five days.
SIXTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. This was the first Legislature to convene under the Constitu- tion of 1847. There were twenty-five members in the Senate and seventy-five in the House. The body assembled on Jan. 1, 1849, continu- ing in session until Feb. 12-the session being limited by the Constitution to six weeks. Zadoc Casey was chosen Speaker, defeating Richard Yates by a vote of forty-six to nineteen. After endorsing the policy of the administration in reference to the Mexican War and thanking the soldiers, the Assembly proceeded to the election of United States Senator to succeed Sidney Breese. The choice fell upon Gen. James Shields, the other caucus candidates being Breese and McClernand, while Gen. William F. Thornton led the forlorn hope for the Whigs. The principle of the Wilmot proviso was endorsed. The Governor convened the Legislature in special session on Oct. 22. A question as to the eligibility of Gen. Shields having arisen (growing out of his nativity and naturalization), and the legal obstacles hav- ing been removed by the lapse of time, he was re-elected Senator at the special session. Outside of the passage of a general law authorizing the incorporation of railroads, little general legisla- tion was enacted. The special session adjourned Nov. 7. Length of regular session forty-three days; special, seventeen-total sixty.
SEVENTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Jan. 6, 1851, adjourned Feb. 17 - length of session forty-three days. Sidney Breese (ex- Senator) was chosen Speaker. The session was
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characterized by a vast amount of legislation, not all of which was well considered. By joint reso- lution of both houses the endorsement of the Wilmot proviso at the previous session was rescinded. The first homestead exemption act was passed, and a stringent liquor law adopted, the sale of liquor in quantities less than one quart being prohibited. Township organization was authorized and what was virtually free-banking was sanctioned. The latter law was ratified by popular vote in November, 1851. An act incorpo- rating the Illinois Central Railroad was also passed at this session, the measure being drafted by James L. D. Morrison. A special session of this Assembly was held in 1852 under a call by the Governor, lasting from June 7 to the 23d- seventeen days. The most important general legislation of the special session was the reappor- tionment of the State into nine Congressional Districts. This Legislature was in session a total of sixty days.
EIGHTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. The first (or regular) session convened Jan. 3, 1853, and adjourned Feb. 14. The Senate was composed of twenty Democrats and five Whigs; the House, of fifty-nine Democrats, sixteen Whigs and one "Free-Soiler." Lieutenant-Governor Koerner presided in the upper, and ex-Gov. John Reynolds in the lower house. Governor Matteson was inaugurated on the 16th; Stephen A. Douglas was re-elected United States Senator, Jan. 5, the Whigs casting a complimentary vote for Joseph Gillespie. More than 450 laws were enacted, the majority being "private acts." The prohibitory temperance legislation of the preceding General Assembly was repealed and the license system re-enacted. This body also passed the famous "black laws" designed to prevent the immigration of free negroes into the State. The sum of $18,000 was appropriated for the erection and furnishing of an executive mansion; the State Agricultural Society was incorporated; the re- mainder of the State lands was ordered sold, and any surplus funds in the treasury appropriated toward reducing the State debt. A special session was convened on Feb. 9, 1854, and adjourned March 4. The most important measures adopted were: a legislative re-apportionment, an act pro- viding for the election of a Superintendent of Public Instruction, and a charter for the Missis- sippi & Atlantic Railroad. The regular session lasted forty-three days, the special twenty-four -total, sixty-seven.
NINETEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY met Jan. 1, 1855, and adjourned Feb. 15-the session lasting
forty-six days. Thomas J. Turner was elected Speaker of the House. The political complexion of the Legislature was much mixed, among the members being old-line Whigs, Abolitionists, Free-Soilers, Know-Nothings, Pro-slavery Demo- crats and Anti-Nebraska Democrats. The Nebraska question was the leading issue, and in reference thereto the Senate stood fourteen Nebraska members and eleven anti-Nebraska; the House, thirty-four straight-out Democrats, while the entire strength of the opposition was forty- one. A United States Senator was to be chosen to succeed Gen. James Shields, and the friends of free-soil had a clear majority of four on joint ballot. Abraham Lincoln was the caucus nomi- nee of the Whigs, and General Shields of the Demo- crats .. The two houses met in joint session Feb. 8. The result of the first ballot was, Lincoln, forty- five; Shields, forty-one; scattering, thirteen; present, but not voting, one. Mr. Lincoln's strength steadily waned, then rallied slightly on the sixth and seventh ballots, but again declined. Shields' forty-one votes rising on the fifth ballot to forty-two, but having dropped on the next ballot to forty-one, his name was withdrawn and that of Gov. Joel A. Matteson substituted. Mat- teson gained until he received forty-seven votes, which was the limit of his strength. On the ninth ballot, Loncoln's vote having dropped to fifteen, his name was withdrawn at his own request, his support going, on the next ballot, to Lyman Trumbull, an anti-Nebraska Democrat, who received fifty-one votes to forty-seven for Matteson and one for Archibald Williams-one member not voting. Trumbull, having received a majority, was elected. Five members had voted for him from the start. These were Sena- tors John M. Palmer, Norman B. Judd and Burton C. Cook, and Representatives Henry S. Baker and George T. Allen. It had been hoped that they would, in time, come to the support of Mr. Lin- coln, but they explained that they had been instructed by their constituents to vote only for an anti-Nebraska Democrat. They were all sub- sequently prominent leaders in the Republican party. Having inaugurated its work by accom- plishing a political revolution, this Legislature proceeded to adopt several measures more or less radical in their tendency. One of these was the Maine liquor law, with the condition that it be submitted to popular vote. It failed of ratifica- tion by vote of the people at an election held in the following June. A new common school law was enacted, and railroads were required to fence their tracks. The Assembly also adopted a reso-
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lution calling for a Convention to amend the Con- stitution, but this was defeated at the polls.
TWENTIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Jan. 5, 1857, and adjourned, sine die, Feb. 19. A Republican State administration, with Governor Bissell at its head, had just been elected, but the Legislature was Democratic in both branches. Lieut .- Gov. John Wood presided over the Senate, and Samuel Holmes, of Adams County, defeated Isaac N. Arnold, of Cook, for the Speakership of the House. Among the prominent members were Norman B. Judd, of Cook; A. J. Kuykendall, of Johnson; Shelby M. Cullom, of Sangamon; John A. Logan, of Jackson; William R. Morrison, of Monroe; Isaac N. Arnold, of Cook; Joseph Gilles- pie, of Madison, and S. W. Moulton, of Shelby. Among the important measures enacted by this General Assembly were the following: Acts establishing and maintaining free schools; estab- lishing a Normal University at Normal; amending the banking law; providing for the general incor- poration of railroads; providing for the building of a new penitentiary ; and funding the accrued arrears of interest on the public debt. Length of session, forty-six days.
TWENTY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Jan. 3, 1859, and was in session for fifty-three days, adjourning Feb. 24. The Senate consisted of twenty-five, and the House of seventy-five members. The presiding officers were :- of the Senate, Lieut .- Gov. Wood; of the House, W. R. Morrison, of Monroe County, who defeated his Republican opponent, Vital Jarrot, of St. Clair, on a viva voce vote. The Governor's message showed a reduction of $1,166,877 in the State debt during two years preceding, leaving a balance of principal and arrears of interest amounting to $11,138,454. On Jan. 6, 1859, the Assembly, in joint session, elected Stephen A. Douglas to suc- ceed himself as United States Senator, by a vote of fifty-four to forty-six for Abraham Lincoln. The Legislature was thrown into great disorder in consequence of an attempt to prevent the receipt from the Governor of a veto of a legisla- tive apportionment bill which had been passed by the Democratic majority in the face of bitter opposition on the part of the Republicans, who denounced it as partisan and unjust.
TWENTY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened in regular session on Jan. 7, 1861, consisting of twenty-five Senators and seventy-five Represent- atives. For the first time in the State's history, the Democrats failed to control the organization of either house. Lieut .- Gov.Francis A. Hoffman presided over the Senate, and S. M. Cullom, of
Sangamon, was chosen Speaker of the House, the Democratic candidate being James W. Singleton. Thomas A. Marshall, of Coles County, was elected President pro tem. of the Senate over A. J. Kuy- kendall, of Johnson. The message of the retiring Governor (John Wood) reported a reduction of the State debt, during four years of Republican administration, of $2,860,402, and showed the number of banks to be 110, whose aggregate cir- culation was $12,320,964. Lyman Trumbull was re-elected United States Senator on January 10, receiving fifty-four votes, to forty-six cast for Samuel S. Marshall. Governor Yates was inau- gurated, Jan. 14. The most important legislation of this session related to the following subjects: the separate property rights of married women; the encouragement of mining and the support of public schools; the payment of certain evidences of State indebtedness; protection of the purity of the ballot-box, and a resolution submitting to the people the question of the calling of a Convention to amend the Constitution. Joint resolutions were passed relative to the death of Governor Bissell; to the appointment of Commissioners to attend a Peace Conference in Washington, and referring to federal relations. The latter deprecated amendments to the United States Constitution, but expressed a willingness to unite with any States which might consider themselves aggrieved, in petitioning Congress to call a convention for the consideration of such amendments, at the same time pledging the entire resources of Illi- nois to the National Government for the preser- vation of the Union and the enforcement of the laws. The regular session ended Feb. 22, having lasted forty-seven days .-- Immediately following President Lincoln's first call for volunteers to suppress the rebellion, Governor Yates recon- vened the General Assembly in special session to consider and adopt methods to aid and support the Federal authority in preserving the Union and protecting the rights and property of the people. The two houses assembled on April 23. On April 25 Senator Douglas addressed the members on the issues of the day, in response to an invitation con- veyed in a joint resolution. The special session closed May 3, 1861, and not a few of the legislators promptly volunteered in the Union army. Length of the regular session, forty seven days; of the special, eleven-total fifty-eight.
TWENTY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY was com- posed of twenty-five Senators and eighty-eight Representatives. It convened Jan. 5, 1863, and was Democratic in both branches. The presiding officer of the Senate was Lieutenant-Governor
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Hoffman; Samuel A. Buckmaster was elected Speaker of the House by a vote of fifty-three to twenty-five. On Jan. 12, William A. Richardson was elected United States Senator to succeed S. A. Douglas, deceased, the Republican nominee being Governor Yates, who received thirty-eight votes out of a total of 103 cast. Much of the time of the session was devoted to angry discussion of the policy of the National Governnient in the prosecution of the war. The views of the oppos- ing parties were expressed in majority and minor- ity reports from the Committee on Federal Relations-the former condemning and the latter upholding the Federal administration. The majority report was adopted in the House on Feb. 12, by a vote of fifty-two to twenty-eight, and the resolutions which it embodied were at once sent to the Senate for concurrence. Before they could be acted upon in that body a Demo- cratic Senator-J. M. Rodgers, of Clinton County -died. This left the Senate politically tied, a Republican presiding officer having the deciding vote. Consequently no action was taken at the time, and, on Feb. 14, the Legislature adjourned till June 2. Immediately upon re-assembling, joint resolutions relating to a sine die adjourn- ment were introduced in both houses. A disagree- ment regarding the date of such adjournment ensued, when Governor Yates, exercising the power conferred upon him by the Constitution in such cases, sent in a message (June 10, 1863) proroguing the General Assembly until "the Saturday next preceding the first Monday in January, 1865." The members of the Republican minority at once left the hall. The members of the majority convened and adjourned from day to day until June 24, when, having adopted an address to the people setting forth their grievance and denouncing the State executive, they took a recess until the Tuesday after the first Monday of January, 1864. The action of the Governor, hav- ing been submitted to the Supreme Court, was sustained, and no further session of this General Assembly was held. Owing to the prominence of political issues, no important legislation was effected at this session, even the ordinary appro- priations for the State institutions failing. This caused much embarrassment to the State Govern- ment in meeting current expenses, but banks and capitalists came to its aid, and no important interest was permitted to suffer. The total length of the session was fifty days-forty-one days before the recess and nine days after.
TWENTY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Jan. 2, 1865, and remained in session forty-six
days. It consisted of twenty-five Senators and eighty-five Representatives. The Republicans had a majority in both houses. Lieutenant-Gov- ernor Bross presided over the Senate, and Allen C. Fuller, of Boone County, was chosen Speaker of the House, over Ambrose M. Miller, Democrat, the vote standing 48 to 23. Governor Yates, in his valedictory message, reported that, notwith- standing the heavy expenditure attendant upon the enlistment and maintenance of troops, etc., the State debt had been reduced $987,786 in four years. On Jan. 4, 1865, Governor Yates was elected to the United States Senate, receiving sixty-four votes to forty three cast for James C. Robinson. Governor Oglesby was inaugurated Jan. 16. The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States. Constitution was ratified by this Legisla- ture, and sundry special appropriations made. Among the latter was one of $3,000 toward the State's proportion for the establishment of a National Cemetery at Gettysburg; $25,000 for the purchase of the land on which is the tomb of the deceased Senator Douglas; besides sums for establishing a home for Soldiers' Orphans and an experimental school for the training of idiots and feeble-minded children. The first act for the registry of legal voters was passed at this session.
TWENTY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. This body held one regular and two special sessions. It first convened and organized on Jan. 7, 1867. Lieutenant-Governor Bross presided over the upper, and Franklin Corwin, of La Salle County, over the lower house. The Governor (Oglesby), in his message, reported a reduction of $2,607,958 in the State debt during the two years preceding, and recommended various appropriations for pub- lic purposes. He also urged the calling of a Con- vention to amend the Constitution. On Jan. 15, Lyman Trumbull was chosen United States Sena- tor, the complimentary Democratic vote being given to T. Lyle Dickey, who received thirty- three votes out of 109. The regular session lasted fifty-three days, adjourning Feb. 28. The Four- teenth Amendment to the United States Constitu- tion was ratified and important legislation enacted relative to State taxation and the regulation of public warehouses; a State Board of Equalization of Assessments was established, and the office of Attorney-General created. (Under this law Robert G. Ingersoll was the first appointee.) Provision was made for the erection of a new State House, to establish a Reform School for Juvenile Offenders, and for the support of other State institutions. The first special session con-
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