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Amendments to “A Bill to Establish Certain Post Routes”, 16 May 18481
Amendments to Bill no 260–
After the words “Boiling spring” on page 3 line 39 insert the popr bill
“From Avondale Pa[Pennsylvania]” see paper marked A at top and print the same.
P insert at proper place paper marked P that is Indiana after Indiana “said County” line 70
Michigan &c line 87
Florida page 147
At end of line 249 (insert paper V)
At end of line 219 (insert paper M)
At end of line 259 insert paper N
At end of line 294 insert paper O
At end of line 147 ^page 7^ Insert “From Littlefort” &c[etc] see paper marked L and insert all
At end of line 160 insert “from Blairsville” Ga[Georgia] (see paper marked Lincoln and publish all on it
At end of line 167 add (paper K)
At end of line 186 insertArkansas.
New Jersey
From Cranbury to South Brunswick
At end of line 313 page 14 insert (paper marked P.) print
At end of line 320 insert (paper marked H (print)
Add after line 331 (paper marked I)
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After line 186 Report print K K
After line 196 insert T T
After line 201 insert A A
After line 214 insert M. M
[ docketing ]
H R 260
Amendments to Bill To establish certain Post Routes
[ docketing ]
Goggin
23–[Union?]
[pr. Amend?]
[ docketing ]
05/16/1848
H R. 260
May 16. 1848
Mr Goggin from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads reported the following Amendments to the Bill (H R No 260) “to establish certain post routes” which were Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
Amendments
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A.
From Avondale Chester Co[County] P.a to Stanton New Castle Co Del.[Delaware]
From Gap P. O. Lan.[Post Office Lancaster] Co. via Hat. & Intercourse to New Holland.
From West Penn Schl[Schuylkill] Co. to Lehighton Carbon Co
From Smiths’ Ferry Beaver Co. via Ohioville to Darlington.
From Dunningsville Wash.[Washington] Co via Vanceville, to Hillsborough.
From Pittsburg via Breakneck, Whitestown, & Prospect to Brownington.
From Williamsport Lye.[Lycoming] Co. via Loyalsoc valley to Cherry, Sullivan Co.
From Hollidaysburg Blair Co. via Allegheny & Ashland Furnaces & Weaklands to Newmans Mills Ind. [Indiana]Co
From Philada [Philadelphia] Pa via Camden N.[New] Jersey, Ellesburg Fellowship & Green Tree to Mount Laurel Burlington Co N. J[New Jersey]–
From West Philada via Kellysville, Lobbs store, Springfield, Rose Tree & Bishops works to Howelsville Del. Co
From Sumneytown Montge.[Montgomery] Co via Spinnerstown to Emaus Lehigh Co.
From Emlenstown Venango Co to the mouth of Wiconesta creek.
From Sunville Ven.[Venango] Co. via Wallaceville to Dempsey.
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A
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Indiana
From Muncie in Delaware County to the county seat of Tipton county
From West Unity in Williams county Ohio via2 Angola to Legrange Centre in the State of Indiana
From St Joseph via Williams Centre Brunersburgh to Defiance in the State of Ohio
From Bellville in the county of Hindricks via Danville to North Salem
From Brownstown in Jackson County via David Bowmans to Nashville in Brown county
From Salem in Washington county via Mount Carmel Leesville Feltonsville in Lawrence county and Fairfax to Bloomington in Monroe County
From Bluffton in Wells County, to Fort Wayne, in Allen County.
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Michigan
From Hillsdale Michigan to Montpelier in Ohio
From Kalamazoo in the county of Kalamazoo via Austins Lake, Vicksburgh, John W Backeys, Mendon, Sand Lake, Sturgis Prairie, to Lima in the State of Indiana
From Brooklin in the county of Jackson to Grass Lake in the county aforesaid
From Dexter via Pinckney to Howell
From Dexter to Michigan the Capital of the State
From Paw Paw via Almina Centre in Vanburen county to Alamo in Kalamazoo county intersecting at that Point the Rout from Kalamazoo to Otsego in the county of Allegan
From Allegan in the county of Allegan via the Holland Colony to Grand Haven in the county of Ottowa
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Florida
From Jasper in the county of Hamilton via Blount Ferry Robinson Ferry to Cen Centre Village
From Marianna to Ocheesee to intersect with the mail ro Boat ^rout^ from Apalachacola to Chattahoocha
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P
Insert these at proper place in the Bill
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From the town of Moorfield in Hardy County via the South Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River to McDowells Post office in the County of Highland
From the town of Huntersville in the County of Pocahontas to Huttonsville in the County of Randolph via Martins Bottom– Stoney Creek Old field Fork of Elk River Big Spring and Mingo Flats thence down to the Valley River and down that River to Huttonsville.
From Free3 Port in Wood at the mouth of Goose Creek to Ritchie C H.[Court House] in
From Clintonville in Greenbriar to ^via^ Nicholas C H– & Pocahontas to Randolph C H.
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V
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From Denton Caroline County via Greensborough– Bridgetown– Beaverdams Long March to Sudlersville in Queens Ann County–
And the routes from Canterbury in the State of Delaware to Easton in Maryland shall be and the same is hereby discontinued
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M
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From Cedar Creek in Greene County Tennessee into North Carolina by Via Allens Old Stand Joseph Rives Mill to Cold ^Bald^ Mountain Creek Post office in Yancey County
From Daniel Carters, via by J N Andersons on Gabriels Creek ^in Yancey County^ via Bull Creek– Walnut and Brush Creek to the Warm Springs
A weekly mail from Warrenton to Shocco Springs in N C.
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N
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O
After 294 line insert this
1. From Clarksville via Tarrant and the County site of Kaufman to Buffalo.
2. From Warren to Coffee’s Bend
3. From Fort Washita to Fort Smith.
4. From Henderson via Bellsvieu and Manchester to the County site of Upshur.
5. From Bonham via Greenville to the County site of Kaufman.
6. From Paris in Lamar County to Pine Bluffs in Red River Co.
7. From Henderson via Peccantown and Sugar Hill to Grand Bluffs in Panola County.
8. From Port Caddo via Clinton in Cass County to Moore’s P. O. in Bowie County.
9 From. Fulton on Red River via Moore’s Ferry, on Sulphur Fork, William’s Bluff and Clinton in Cass County to Jefferson.
10 From Beaumont via4 Village Creek, Jefferson County and Jonas Cravy’s in Tyler County to Town Bluff.
11. From Nacogdoches to Ewingsville in Angelina County.
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12. From Austin via Cameron to the Falls of Brazos and the Route from Springfield to5 Buffalo shall be so changed as to pass through Tawickeyay^any^ Hills & Corsicanna, the county site of Navarro.
13. From Gonzales to Goliad.
14 From Corsicanna the County Site of Navarro. via Porters Bluff to Buffalo.
15 From Hodge’s P. Office in Fort Bend County to Arnolds P. Office in Austin County via Gasten’s, Wade’s6 & Stephen Tippett’s.
16. From Houston to Gonzales via Richmond, Columbus and Petersburgh.
17. From Galveston to Columbia via Virginia Point, Liverpool, Gustavus Bertrand’s, Parker’s Point, and Garen Hines.
18. From Passo Cavallo to Corpus Christi via Lamar, Copano, and Arransas Pass.
19 From La grange to Goliad via Chisholm’s Ferry
20 From Indian Point to Victoria
21. From San Antonio to Victoria via Goliad.
22. From Refugio to Lamar.
23 From Columbia to Matagorda via Brazoria, Cedar Lake and Carney Caney.
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24. From Lagrange to Texana via Lyons, Petersburgh, & Kerrs.
25 From Houston Via Fanthorp’s to Springfield
26 From San Antonia to Laredo.
27. From Austin via Youngs settlement to Caldwell.
28. From Braunfels to Fredericksburgh
29. From Washington. via Fanthorps’ to Huntsville.
30. From San Felipe to Washington via New County seat of Austin County.
31. From Corpus Christi to County seat of Cameron County.
32. From Corpus Christi to Rio Grande City.
33. From Corpus Christi to Laredo.
34. From the Mouth of the Rio Grande to Laredo by Steamboat or Land via Rio Grande City–
35 From Buffalo to Washington via Fanthorps
36 From Cameron in Milam County to Crockett via Nashville, Wheelock, Leona, and Alabama
37. From Marshall in Harrison County via Hagans ferry in Upshur County to Tyler in Smith County–
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Supplemental Post-Route Bill for Texas
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O
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L
Additional Post-roads to be established in Illinois.
From Charleston in Coles county, via, Springville, and Perry Brashears’ to Greenup in Cumberland county–
From Littlefort, via Wentworth, Angola, Antioch, English Prairie, Blevin’s Mills, Solon, Richmond, Alden, Cogswell, Bigfoot Prairie, (Wisconsin) Burton Conner’s (Illinois) Wilmot, and Manley’s Prairie, to Beloit in Wisconsin–
From Pittsfield via Washington, New-Canton, Cincinnati, Piketon in Illinois, Rallsport, and Frankford, to New London in Missouri
From Virginia in Cass county via, Keeling Berry’s, and Otway B. Nance’s to Petersburg in Menard county–
From Ottawa via Norway, Newark, and Oswego, to Naperville–
From Peru via Princeton, and Crandall’s ferry to Rock Island.
From Joliet ^via Jackson creek, Reeds Grove, Wilmington, Mt[Mount] Langum, & Middleport,^ in Illinois to Lafayette in Indiana–
^2-9-260-189–^
From York in Clark county, via Melrose, Martinsville and Salisbury, to Charleston in Coles county–7
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From Dalton, in Georgia to Benton in Tennessee–
From Freeport in Stephenson county to Elizabeth in Jo Daviess county–
From Mount Sterling in Brown county, to New Liberty in Highland county–
From Naples, in Morgan county to Perry in Pike county–
From Jerseyville via Otter-creek, and Grafton in Illinois, to St[Saint] Charles, Missouri–
From Mt Sterling, via Liberty, Richfield, in Adams county, & Kinderhook in Pike county, Illinois, to Hannibal in Missouri–
From Peru, via Homer to Earlville–8
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L
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Additional routes In Illinois
From Mt Carroll via Pleasant valley to Howardsville–
From Cass via Flag-creek, and Lyons to Chicago–
From Woodstock in McHenry county, via Donnelly’s tavern and Highland Prairie, to Geneva Township, in Walworth county, Wisconsin–
From Dorr via Hebron to Richmond, in McHenry county–
From Hickory Hill in Marion county, to McLeansboro, in Hamilton county–
From Littlefort via Gages Lake, Hainesville, Forkville, and Lamar to Chrystal Lake in McHenry county–
From Mt Sterling in Brown county ^via Garvish mill,^ to Griggsville in Pike county–
From Sycamore, via South Grove, Lindenwood, White Rock Daysville, Oregon, Mt Morris, Chambers Grove and Mt Carroll to Savanna, on the Mississippi river–
^(^ From Rockford, via Kishwaukie, Mouth of Stillman’s creek Daysville, Lee Centre, and Ovid, to Peru–^)^
From Morris, via Mazon, to Pontiac–
From From Charleston, via Springfield, Perry Brashears’, to Greenup in Cumberland county–9
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In Georgia Lincoln
From Blairsville in Union county to Mount Yonah in Habersham county–
From Dalton, in Georgia, to Benton in Tennessee–
From Dalton, via Spring Place, in Murray County, and Ellijay in Gilmer county to Dahlonega–
From Rome, in Floyd county, via Cave Spring, to Jacksonville in Alabama.
From Griffin, in Pike county, via, English Mills, in Fayette county, to Newnan in Coweta county–
From Raysville, in Columbia county, via John Bently’s to Lincolnton in Lincoln county–
From Traveller’s Rest in Dooly county, to Florence in Stewart county–
From Halcyondale, at the 50-mile station on the Central rail road in Scriven county, to Reidsville in Tattnall county–
From Readsville in Telfair county to the 45 mile station on the Central Rail Road.
From Buckeye post-office to Towersville in Lawrence county–
From Troupville in Lowndes county Georgia, to Columbus, Florida=10
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Lincoln–11
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Mail Routes
1 From. Lost creek via Hesters Bridge on Hurricane creek– via H Carrs to Pine Bluff Jefferson Co:–
2 From Chickalah Village Yell Co via Matthias Harkey’s– via Jordan Thompson’s12 to Morrisons Bluff in Johnson Co–
3 From Fayetteville Ark’s[Arkansas] via Danl[Daniel] Neals– via Henry Hastings to Maysville Benton Co:
4 From Wilmington Ark’s via Caryville to Marion Louisiana–
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[ docketing ]
Amendment
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Supplemental Post Routes for Arkansas
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K
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P.
Amendments to Bill No 260 H. R. Insert between 313 & 314 lines in 1st Sect.
From Danville to Mexico.
From Fulton to Linn.
From Round Hill to Arator.
From Buffalo via St. Paul to Forsythe.
From Richmond via Farwest Maysville & Gentryville to Athens.
From Gallatin via Maysville to Saint Joseph.
From Hartville to Waynesville.
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P.
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Insert between 320th & 321st lines. in 1st sect.
From the Racoon forks of the Des Moines river to Council Bluffs.
From El Kader to Jacksonville.
From Fort Madison via West Point Lowell, Mount Pleasant, Crawfordsville, & Iowa city to Dubuque.
From Lipton via Pioneer Grove and Marion to the County seat of Benton County.
From Mount Pleasant via Brighton Richland & Waugh’s Point to Oskaloosa.
From Cedar rapids Linn County via the County seat of Benton County to the falls of Cedar river Black Hawk County.
From Iowa city via ^Wasson’s mills^ Wasonville Washington County, Houston’s Point Keokuck County, & Sigourney to Lancaster.
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H
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add to the 1st Section
From Darien via ^Reed’s^ Weed’s corners, Richmond & Utter’s corners to Whitewater.
From Milwaukie via Troy, Elkhorn, Delaware, Darien, Allen’s Grove & Clinton to Beloit.
From Fon du lac via Humesville to Plover Portage on Wisconsin river.
From Potosi to Bectown
From Summit via ^Oconomewoc^ Ocinemon, Neosho, & Mayville to Fon du lac.
From Janesville via Stone’s bridge Fulton & Dunkirk to Madison.
From Port Washington to Fon du lac
From Sheboygan via Mayville and Henricon to the County seat of Dodge County.
From Watertown Jefferson County via Waupun Ceresco ^Ceresco^ & Berlin ^&^ to Plover Portage ^to Steven’s Point^ in Portage County.
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I
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AA
Alabama
From Huntsville to Montgomery
From Wetumpka, via Quitman, Chesnut creek, Waxahatchey to Columbiana.
M M
Mississippi
From East Port to Fulton.
From Hillsboro to Raleigh
From Jackson to Natches
From Williamsburg via Paulding to Mobile in the State of Alabama
From Hopewell via Big creek, Jones’ mills to Coffeeville
From Salem via J. H. Norton’s, William McLean’s to Fingers’ cross roads
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KK
TT
AA
MM
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K K
Kentenky
From Williamstown via Fork Lick, Meredith, Collins’ and Logansville to Leesburg.
From Winchester via Reuben Rucker’s, Walter Goude’s, and the mouth of Woodwards Creek to Irvine,
From Kiddville to Walter Goude’s.
From Pleasureville to Owen town
T T
Tennessee
From Waynesboro to Florence, Alabama.
From Elizabethton via Greenfield, Blountville, and Arcadia to Kingsport
From Somerville, via Fayette Corner, ^and^ Estanaula, to Denmark.13
1Abraham Lincoln wrote several pages of these amendments. The pages in Lincoln’s hand will be identified with footnotes. Lincoln wrote these pages in his capacity as a member of the House Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. Other members of the committee presumably wrote the other pages.
Due to their sheer number, the editors decided in this instance to forgo its policy of hyperlinking and identifying places in the text. Places in the footnotes are hyperlinked according to our editorial policies.
U.S. House Journal. 1848. 30th Cong., 1st sess., 60.
2“to” changed to “via”.
3“free” changed to “Free”.
4“via” written over “and”.
5“to” written over “changed”.
6“W” written over “w”.
7Lincoln wrote all the text on this page except the “L” at the top of the page and the addition “2-9-260-189.”
8Lincoln wrote all the text on this page except the “L” in the docketing.
9Lincoln wrote all the text on this page.
10Lincoln wrote all the text on this page except the word “Lincoln” at the top of the page.
11Lincoln wrote his name.
12“Phillips” changed to “Thompson’s”.
13These amendments sparked a long battle in the House of Representatives over post roads and routes legislation arising out of the aftermath of the Mexican War. On February 29, 1848, the House Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads introduced H.R.260 to establish post routes. The House re-submitted the bill to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, and on May 16, the committee reported back the bill with amendments. Included in this amended bill were these amendments, which included a supplemental section adding postal routes in Texas to the Rio Grande River. This section generated heated debate about the border of Texas. These debates led to disagreements about the geographical extent of American acquisitions from the Mexican War, and the Wilmot Proviso--disagreements that threatened to scuttle the entire legislation. On May 30, the House re-committed the bill to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. On June 14, the committee reported back the bill with further amendments. The committee retained most of these amendments in the bill as amended. The House further amended the bill, and ordered the bill engrossed. Several Whig representatives moved to re-consider the vote upon engrossment, arguing in part that the bill as engrossed contained provisions extending the boundary of Texas to Santa Fe and the Upper Rio Grande--territory in dispute claimed by what would become the New Mexico Territory. Endorsement of Texas’ claim to a boundary on the Rio Grande would have allowed slavery to move further west into acquisitions from Mexico, blunting the Wilmot Proviso. The House delayed action on re-consideration until June 21, when William L. Goggin, chairman of the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, proposed a proviso disavowing any opinion on the boundary issue as a means to save the bill. This led to additional debate, and the House refused to re-consider the engrossment by a vote of 88 yeas to 87 nays, with Lincoln voting yea. The House also refused to table the bill, with Lincoln voting nay. Additional debate occurred on June 26, but the House never read the bill a third time.
Most of these amendments were also included in H.R. 599, which Lincoln introduced on behalf of the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads on July 19. H.R. 599 was largely the same bill as H.R 260 as engrossed, with the exception of a proviso added at the end as follows: “Provided, That nothing in this act contained, shall be so construed as to express any opinion as to the true boundary of any State or Territory therein named.” The House amended the bill by inserting provisions for routes in New Jersey and New York, and passed it as amended. Lincoln moved to re-consider the vote, but the House tabled his motion. On August 11, the Senate approved the bill with amendments. The House approved twenty-six of the Senate amendments, approved one with amendments, and disagreed with six others. The Senate, on August 12, accepted the House amendment to their amendment and receded from those the House rejected. The act, which included the proviso about boundaries in section two and routes in Texas to the Rio Grande, became law on August 14.
U.S. House Journal. 1848. 30th Cong., 1st sess., 467, 803, 855, 894-95, 916, 931-34, 955, 1069, 1261, 1267, 1272, 1282; U.S. Senate Journal. 1848. 30th Cong., 1st sess., 480, 548, 555, 560, 568-72, 579, 580; Cong. Globe, 30th Cong., 1st Sess., 398, 771, 835, 859-61, 872, 950-51 (1848); Abraham Lincoln to Horace Greeley; New-York Daily Tribune, 23 June 1848, 2:4; 26 June 1848, 2:2, 5; J. J. Bowden, “The Texas-New Mexico Boundary Dispute Along the Rio Grande,” The Southwestern Historical Quarterly 63 (October 1959), 224-28; Herbert Howe Bancroft, The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft Volume 16: History of the North Mexican States and Texas (San Francisco: History Company, 1889), 2:399-401.

Handwritten Document, 36 page(s), RG 233, Entry 362: Thirtieth Congress, 1847-1849, Records of Legislative Proceedings, Bills and Resolutions Originating in the House, 1847-1849, NAB.