Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

Amendment to “A Bill Incorporating the Springfield Mechanics’ Union,” [18 December 1839]1

Amend the bill by filling the blank in the first section with "Caleb Burchall, Thomas Lewis, Edmund R. Wiley, William D Herndon, Simeon Francis, George R. Weber, Walter Davis, George Wood, and R. F Coflin["]2

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Lincoln, Abraham (President)

Amendment to the Bill to incorporate the Springfield Mechanic's Union—

1Abraham Lincoln wrote the body of the amendment and the title on page two.
On December 17, 1839, Lincoln in the House of Representatives presented a petition from the mechanics of Springfield, requesting the incorporation of a Springfield mechanics’ union. The House referred it to a select committee, which included Lincoln. In response to the petition, Lincoln of the select committee introduced HB 29 on December 19. The House passed the bill on January 13, 1840. The Senate passed the bill on February 1. The Council of Revision approved the bill on February 3 and the act became law.
Illinois House Journal. 1839. 11th G. A., special sess., 44, 59, 118, 152, 161, 324, 326, 338; Illinois Senate Journal. 1839. 11th G. A., special sess., 109-10, 231.

2Lincoln’s draft of the bill did not include the names of any incorporators. Lincoln not write any part of the draft except the title of the bill. Given that neither the House or Senate amended the bill after its introduction, it seems that Lincoln penned this amendment and added it to the bill before introducing it on December 19. All the men Lincoln includes as incorporators signed the petition for a mechanics union.