Report of Select Committee regarding the Division of Sangamon County, [13 February
1837]1
The select committee to whom was refered the petition of sundry citizens of Sangamon county, praying the establishment of three new counties, principally from the teritory of
the said county of Sangamon; and to whom was also refered the remonstrance of sundry
citizens of the same county, against any division or dismemberment of the same, have had the same under consideration and
report: That 1437 names are found on the petition, and 2213 on the remonstrance.
Upon this fact, the committee unanamously agree that the prayer of the petitioners
ought not to be granted, and, therefore ask to be discharged from the further consideration
of the subject—2
The same committee, to whom were also refered the petitions of sundry citizens of
Montgomery & Shelby counties,3 praying the establishment of new counties, find that a majority of neither country
has signed the said petitions, and they, therefore, ask to be discharged from the
further consideration of the subject—4
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1The text of this document was written entirely by Abraham Lincoln.
On February 9, 1837, Stephen A. Douglas presented to the House of Representatives a petition of citizens from Sangamon County in favor of division of the county. Upon
the motion of Abraham Lincoln, the House referred the petition to a select committee
of five that included Lincoln, Douglas, John Dawson, William G. Reddick, and John Harris. Dawson presented the remonstrance of those citizens opposed to the division, and
the House referred it to the same select committee. On February 13, Lincoln presented
this report, in his handwriting, to the House.
Illinois House Journal. 1836. 10th G. A., 1st sess., 527.
3On February 10, 1837, Easton Whitten presented the petition of citizens of Shelby and other counties, requesting the formation
of a new county out of Shelby, Montgomery, and Sangamon counties. The House referred
this petition to the Lincoln select committee established on February 9.
Illinois House Journal. 1836. 10th G. A., 1st sess., 527, 543.
Handwritten Document, 2 page(s), Lincoln Collection, GA Session: 10-1, Illinois State Archives (Springfield, IL).