Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

1
Sec.[Section] 1 Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the general assembly, That so much of the state road2 leading from Hillsboro to Carlinville as lies between the point where said Road leaves the Springfield road, and David Slaybacks, be and the same is hereby vacated.

Sec 2. That so much of the County Road of Montgomery County, as lies between the point where the State Road Leading to carlinville, leaves the Road leading to Springfield, and David Slaybacks, be and the same is hereby declared a State Road, to be worked as other State Roads are.3

Sec 3. provided if said road shall run through the farm of said Slayback, then ^&^ in that case the said Slayback shall be permitted to turn said road around his farm to suit his convenience provided said road be on good ground, and said change to be at his own expence.4

[ certification ]
01/02/1835
David Prickett

Passed H. R. Jan. 2^d 1835
D. Prickett clk.[clerk] H. R.

[ endorsement ]
strike out the word “provided,” sec 3^d

<Page 2>

[ docketing ]
H Rep^s
A Bill for an “act to change part of the State Road leading from Hillsboro to Carlinville

[ docketing ]
[12]/[31]/[1834]
Engrossed.

[ docketing ]
[01]/[03]/[1835]
Com on Petitions
Mr Mather

1John T. Stuart from the Committee on Petitions, to which the House of Representatives referred the petition and remonstrance of sundry citizens of Montgomery and Macoupin counties, introduced HB 59 in the House on December 29, 1834. On December 31, the House amended the bill by adding a third section. The House passed the bill as amended on January 2, 1835. On January 3, the Senate referred the bill to the Committee on Petitions. The Committee on Petitions reported back the bill on January 10 with an amendment, in which the Senate concurred. The Senate tabled the bill. Journal of the House of Representatives of the Ninth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at their First Session, Begun and Held in the Town of Vandalia, December 1, 1834 (Vandalia, IL: J. Y. Sawyer, 1835), 174, 191, 201; Journal of the Senate, of the Ninth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at their First Session, Begun and Held in the Town of Vandalia, December 1, 1834 (Vandalia, IL: J. W. Sawyer, 1835), 173, 175, 211.

2State roads were those public roads established or designated by the General Assembly and usually crossed county lines. Only the General Assembly could establish, alter, or abandon state roads, until 1840 and 1841, when the General Assembly gave counties the authority to alter or to abandon state roads upon petition by a majority of voters in the area of the change.
An Act concerning Public Roads, sec. 9; An Act Authorizing Commissioners’ Courts to Alter, Change, and Relocate State Roads; An Act concerning Public Roads.

3Illinois law provided for a decentralized method of maintaining public roads. Each county commissioners’ court divided its county into road districts and appointed a supervisor for each district. The supervisor could call on each able bodied male between the ages of 21 and 50 years in the district to satisfy the road tax by providing up to five days of labor annually in maintaining and repairing the roads or by paying 75 cents per day instead of labor.
An Act concerning Public Roads

4On December 31, 1834, the House added this section to the bill. Journal of the House of Representatives of the Ninth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at their First Session, Begun and Held in the Town of Vandalia, December 1, 1834 (Vandalia, IL: J. Y. Sawyer, 1835), 191.