Petition of Robert Smith and Others to Edward Smith, 21 July 18371
To Edward Smith Esq[Esquire]—
Understanding that you are about to leave the Employ of the State We Sir The undersigned members of the General Assembly, having the fullest confidence in your integrity; and ability as an Engineer would most earnestly request that you would Continue, in the Employ of the Board of Public Works, of this State, until the Surveys contemplated in the Bill for an Act to Establish & Maintain a Genera[l] System of Internal Improvements, are fully completed & that you by no means or from no cause retire from the state service.
Robert Smith
John Dougherty. R. W. English
Daniel Wood Peter Pruyne
W. G. Reddick Jos Green
Jonas Rawalt Easton Whitten
D. Turney. Thomas Hunt
Wm Mc Murtry Wm Moore
A F Ball Isaac Courtright
L. R. Noel J. K Dubois
Joseph Huey Archibald Williams
John Stuntz
J. T. B Stapp Cyrus A. Davis
Richd Bentley Henry J. Mills
John Allen Peter Butler
John C [Reilly?]
R. L. Wilson A. Lincoln
Franklin Witt Saml Hackelton
Edward J Oneille Newton Cloud
Demsy Odam Robt Stuart
J. H. Lyons George Hinshaw
John Moore of McLean J S Turley
Geo Scarborough W. W. Happy
A. D. Dollins Jas [Shields?]
1Abraham Lincoln signed only his own name to this petition.

Copy of Handwritten Document Signed, 1 page(s), Abraham Lincoln Association Files, Lincoln Collection, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (Springfield, IL).