Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

A Bill to Relocate a Part of State Road Leading from William Crow’s in Morgan County to Musick’s Bridge in Sangamon County, [19 July 1837]1

A bill for an act to relocate a part of the state road leading from William Crow's in Morgan county to Musick's bridge in Sangamon county—

Sec[Section] 1 Be it enacted by the People of the state of Illinois represented in the General Assembly: ThatReuben Harrison, Dallis Scott and Elihu Bone,be and they are hereby appointed commissioners to view mark and relocate so much of the state road leading from William Crow's in Morgan county to Musick's bridge in Sangamon county as lies between the head of Richland creek and the Sangamo river.

Sec 2. Said commissioners shall meet at the house of Peter Cartwright on the first monday in September next or on any other day agreed on by them within six months from the passage of this act, and after being duly sworn, shall proceed to relocate the part of the said road above mentioned, avoiding the injury of private property as much as the public convenience will permit.

Sec 3 said commissioners shall make a map and report of said relocation and file the same with the clerk of the county commissioners court of Sangamon county; and shall receive out of the treasury of said county such compensation as the county commissioners may deem reasonable.

Sec. 4 The road as now traveled from Springfield to Rochester both in Sangamon county, be and the same is hereby declared a state road and shall be worked and kept in repair as other state roads are.2

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Sec 8. The inhabitants of the town of Petersburg in Sangamon county, may hereafter be incorporated according to the provisions of the general town incorporation act, notwithstanding said town may not contain one hundred and fifty inhabitants—

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Abraham Lincoln

A bill for an act to relocate a part of the state road leading from W^m Crow's in Morgan county to Musick's bridge in Sangamon county.

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Done

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[07]/[19]/[1837]
To be Engrossed as amended

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not yet done

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N^o 71 4

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The Petition of sundry citizens of Sangamon county praying the repeal of all laws in relation to a State road from W^m Crows in Morgan county to Musicks Bridge in Sangamon county.

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sel. com

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Lincoln
Dawson
Hall

1On July 14, 1837, Abraham Lincoln presented to the House of Representatives a petition from citizens of Sangamon County, requesting a review of a state road. The House referred the petition to a select committee that included Lincoln. On July 19, Lincoln introduced this bill, in his handwriting, on behalf of the select committee. The House amended the bill by adding three additional sections. The House passed the bill on or before July 20. The Senate concurred on or before July 20. On July 21, the Council of Revision approved the bill and the act became law.
Illinois House Journal. 1837. 10th G. A., special sess., 61-62, 118, 136; Illinois Senate Journal. 1837. 10th G. A., special sess., 114.

2State roads were those public roads established or designated by the General Assembly and usually crossed county lines. Only the General Assembly could establish, alter, or abandon state roads, until 1840 and 1841, when the General Assembly gave counties the authority to alter or to abandon state roads upon petition by a majority of voters in the area of the change.
An Act concerning Public Roads, sec. 9; An Act Authorizing Commissioners’ Courts to Alter, Change, and Relocate State Roads; An Act concerning Public Roads.