I have failed to get your Coal Mining Charter. Being very busy in the Courts when your letter reached me, I let a few days slip before attenting to it (sic)2 A little more than a week before the close of the Session, I got a Bill for the Charter howsoever into the Senate, which Body it passed in about five days– It then went to the H. R. and was lost for want of time– No one was opposed to it, but every one was much more anxious about some other Bill, so it became evident a large proportion of all would be lost– With us there is no lengthening out the Session, over a day, to get through with business– The New Constitution, adopted in 1848, limits the pay of members to two dollars per day for the first six weeks, and to one dollar per day afterwards–3 The practical result is they never sit a day over the six weeks.

I have said there was no opposition to your bill– I should qualify this by saying that there was objection to allowing you to connect by railroads with the Canal and Rock Island roads, all three; and so I have to frame the bill to authorize you to make only one of such connections, with the option however, as to which one–

No objection was made about names; and accordingly the bill was to John A. Rockwell, his associates, successors & assigns–

If you continue to desire it, I will get it passed at the next Session— it being borne in mind that at a called Session the door may not be opened for such business.4