1
Sec[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the people of the state ofIllinois represented in the General assembly That their shall be elected by the joint vote of the two houses of the General assembly at the present session and at every regular session thereafter a public binder, or
binders, whose duty it shall be to bind, all laws, journals, or other publications,
that may be ordered to be bound, by the Legislature, or either branch thereof, or by the Govenor, or by either of the heads of departments, in pursuance of law, and to fold, stitch,
cover with blue paper, and cut the edges of all journals that may be published, and
said public binder or binders, shall receive for their services, the following prices,
viz, for binding laws, or journals, leather backs and paper sides, when the number
of pages does not exceed one hundred and fifty, at the rate of twenty cents, for every
hundred pages, each volume may contain; for every additional number of pages, each
volume contains, over one hundred and fifty and not exceeding three hundred, at the
rate of twelve cents per hundred pages, for every additional number of pages, over
three hundred and not exceeding five hundred, at the rate of eight cents per hundred
pages and for every additional number of pages, each volume contains, over five hundred,
at the rate of six cents per hundred pages, and in case of a revision of the laws,
the said binder, or binders, are to furnish leather and full bind with leather covering,
law form, in a substantial-workmanlike manner, all such laws, as may be ordered to
be bound, for which their shall be added fifteen cents, over the price, of the half
binding for each volume so full bound, and for doing up
<Page 2>
the journals, as above specified, their shall be allowed at the rate of five and one
half cents, for every one hundred pages, each volume may contain.
Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the public binder, or binders, to give bond with security,
to be approved of by the Govenor, for the faithful performance, of all binding and other services, required to be
done by him or them for the state, or any of its officers, under the provisions of this act, so much of the act entitled
"an act providing for the binding of the laws and journals," approved January 31, 1840," as is inconsistent with this act, is hereby repealed2. This act shall take effect from its passage, but is in no wise to interfere with
the binding of the present session.3
<Page 3>
[ docketing
]
[02]/[24]/[1841]
[02]/[24]/[1841]
2 El[Elections]
[ docketing
]
[02]/[26]/[1841]
[02]/[26]/[1841]
Indef [Indefinitely] Postpone
[ endorsement
]
[01]/[21]/[1841]
[01]/[21]/[1841]
Engrossed
[ docketing
]
[02]/[10]/[1841]
[02]/[10]/[1841]
passed
7
7
[ docketing
]
13
1On December 19, 1840, Abraham Lincoln in the House of Representatives offered a resolution on expenditures of public printing. After much debate, the House adopted the resolution, referring it to a three-person select committee
that included Lincoln. In response to this resolution, Joseph W. Ormsbee of the aforesaid select committee introduced HB 121 in the House on January 16, 1841.
On February 6, the House referred the bill to another select committee that included
Lincoln. Lincoln from the aforesaid select committee reported back the bill on February
9 with amendments. In the subsequent debate, Lincoln defended said amendments when the House entertained a motion to table them.
The House had said amendments under consideration when it adjourned. On February
10, the House took up the bill and select committee’s amendments, amending the select
committee’s amendment by adopting an amendment adding an additional section. The House tabled an additional amendment by a vote
of 48 yeas to 37 nays, with Lincoln voting yea. The House adopted the select committee’s
amendments as amended, passing the bill as amended. On February 24, the Senate referred the bill to the Committee on Elections. The Committee on Elections reported
back the bill on February 26, recommending its rejection, and the Senate indefinitely
postponed further consideration.
Illinois House Journal. 1840. 12th G. A., 137, 235, 255, 262, 343, 355, 357-58, 546; Illinois Senate Journal. 1840. 12th G. A., 291, 393, 411; Sangamo Journal (Springfield, IL), 12 February 1841, 2:7.
2The act of January 31, 1840 authorized the auditor of public accounts, secretary of state,
and treasurer to contract for public binding in the September before the meeting of
each General Assembly.
3On February 9, 1841, Abraham Lincoln offered amendments to the bill. The House of Representatives amended these amendments by adopting an amendment. The Lincoln amendments as amended would have added two additional sections.
Illinois House Journal. 1840. 12th G. A., 355, 357.
Handwritten Document, 4 page(s), Lincoln Collection, HB 121, GA Session 12-2, Illinois State Archives (Springfield, IL)