David M. Woodson introduced HB 238 in the House of Representatives on February 15, 1841. The House referred the bill to the Committee of the Whole and made it special order of the day for February 16. The Committee of the Whole reported back the bill on February 16 with an amendment. Representatives proposed additional amendments, and the House tabled a motion demanding the previous question by a vote of 47 yeas to 35 nays, with Abraham Lincoln voting yea. The House then concurred with the Committee of the Whole’s report and amendment. The House tabled an amendment to the first, second, third, and fourth sections by a vote of 45 yeas to 38 nays, with Lincoln voting nay. The House tabled motions to amendment, refer the bill to a select committee, and commit it back to the Committee of the Whole. The House tabled a motion to indefinitely postpone by a vote of 52 yeas to 30 nays, with Lincoln voting yea. The House refused to table an amendment to the first section by a vote of 39 yeas to 43 nays, with Lincoln voting nay. The House tabled a motion to refer the bill to a select committee made up of two representatives from each of the state’s nine judicial circuits by a vote of 46 yeas to 34 nays, with Lincoln voting nay. The House rejected the proposed amendment to the first section by a vote of 30 yeas to 49 nays, with Lincoln voting nay. The House ordered the bill engrossed by a vote of 47 yeas to 36 nays, with Lincoln voting nay. On February 17, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole to consider the bill. The Committee of the Whole reported back the bill with amendments, which the House took up for consideration on February 18. The House amended the report by striking out “sixteen hundred dollars” as compensation for the attorney general, and inserting “one thousand dollars,” by a vote of 44 yeas to 36 nays, with Lincoln voting yea. The House refused to reduce the compensation for auditor of public accounts from $4800 to $4000 by a vote of 40 yeas to 44 nays, with Lincoln voting not voting. The House further amended the report by approving this amendment making provision for William W. Watson. The House added provision for witnesses testifying on the activities of the former Board of Public Works and two new sections regarding Peoria County. The House rejected the Committee of the Whole’s report as amended by a vote of 39 yeas to 44 nays, with Lincoln voting nay, but the House reconsidered this vote, concurring with the report as amended. The House ordered the bill re-engrossed by a vote of 42 yeas to 38 nays, with Lincoln voting nay. On February 22, the House refused to increase the per compensation per diem for members of the General Assembly, a change requiring the vote of two-third of the representatives present, by a vote of 40 yeas to 38 nays, with Lincoln voting yea. The House passed the bill as amended by a vote of 40 yeas to 36 nays, with Lincoln voting yea. On February 24, the Senate referred the bill to the Committee on Public Accounts and Expenditures. The Committee of Public Accounts and Expenditures reported back the bill on February 26 with amendments. The Senate referred the bill and proposed amendments to the Committee of the Whole and made them the special order of afternoon session. The Committee of the Whole reported back the bill on February 27 with amendments to the amendments of the Committee on Public Accounts and Expenditures. The Senate amended the Committee of the Whole’s report by adding another section. The Senate concurred in the Committee of the Whole’s amendments as amended. The Senate rejected the bill as amended by a vote of 11 yeas to 24 nays. The Senate later reconsidered this vote. The Senate rescinded its concurrence of the Committee of the Whole’s report as amended. The Senate amended the report by striking out all that related to payments for work done on the State House and to claims of various persons. The Senate concurred with the Committee of the Whole’s report as amended, passing the bill as amended by a vote of 28 yeas to 7 nays. The House concurred with the Senate amendments on February 27. On February 27, the Council of Revision approved the bill and the act became law.