Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

In force Feb.[February] 13, 1835.

AN ACT for the relief of John Robb.
1

Preamble.

Whereas John Robb was lately tried and found guilty of manslaughter, in the Fayette county circuit court, at a special term thereof, and sentenced to the penitentiary for the term of three months; and whereas the Governor of the State has pardoned the said Robb, whereby he has been released from punishment by confinement in the penitentiary; and whereas said Robb is still in prison for the non-payment of the fine imposed on him by the Judge of the aforesaid circuit court: Therefore—

J. Robb released from payment of a certain fine.

Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That the fine of fifty dollars, imposed on John Robb at the late special term of the Fayette county circuit court by the Judge thereof, be,

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and the same is hereby remitted and released to him forever.

Approved, Feb. 13, 1835.

1On December 9, 1834, Jesse B. Thomas, Jr. introduced in the House of Representatives HB 16, originally titled “A Bill Providing Compensation for Grand and Petit Jurors.”On December 10, the House referred the bill to a select committee, which reported back with an amendment on January 3, 1835. The House did not concur in the amendment, and on January 22, they referred the bill to the Committee of the Whole. The House voted 27 to 19 to strike out the words “the sum of one dollar,” Abraham Lincoln voting nay. The House further voted 32 to 14 to add the words “any sum not exceeding seventy-five cents,” Lincoln again voting nay. The House referred Thomas’s bill and proposed amendments to a select committee. The select committee reported back the bill on January 30 with an amendment proposing to strike out all proposed amendments. The House concurred with the select committee’s report. The House voted against tabling the bill and proposed amendments by a vote of 6 yeas to 44 nays, Lincoln voting nay. The House also voted to reject an amendment on fines and forfeitures by a vote of 34 to 16, Lincoln again voting nay. The House passed the bill on February 2. On February 9, the Senate committed the bill to a select committee. The select committee reported back the bill on February 11 with an amendment of the entire text, in which the Senate concurred. The Senate passed the bill as amended on February 12. The Senate then amended the title so as to read, “A Bill for the Benefit of John Robb.” The same day, the House approved the amendment from the Senate. One representative called for an amendment requiring Robb to pay the state $500, but the House decided against it by a vote of 5 yeas to 39 nays, with Lincoln voting nay. The House voted 27 to 19 to accept the Senate amendment, Lincoln calling for the yeas and nays and voting in the affirmative. The House further voted against amending the Senate title so as to read “A Bill to Encourage Manslaughter” by a vote of 38 to 7, Lincoln voting nay. The House concurred in the Senate’s amendment to the title.
Illinois House Journal. 1835. 9th G. A., 1st sess., 41, 64, 83, 90, 94, 206, 348, 378-79, 389-91, 439-40, 470, 555, 556-57; Illinois Senate Journal. 1835. 9th G. A., 1st sess., 404, 415, 466, 486, 513, 518.