1
Sec[Section] 1 Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the General Assembly That the act to establish and maintain a General System of Internal Improvement approved
February ^27^ 1837 and all acts amindatory thereto be and the same is hereby repealed Provided that nothing herein contained
shall be so construed as to release the State from any liability to carry out in good faith any, and all contracts entered into
by the State under the several Laws hereby repealed2 Provided also that no money shall be paid out on account of work hereafter done upon
Contracts until all debts and liabilities now existing including all damages assessed
for the right of way3 have first been paid off and discharged4
<Page 2>
[ docketing
]
A Bill For an act to repeal an act to establish and maintain a General system of
Internal Improvements and all acts amendatory thereto
[ docketing
]
22
[ docketing
]
[01]/[17]/[1840]
[01]/[17]/[1840]
ord[ordered] 3dReading.
[ docketing
]
[01]/[20]/[1840]
[01]/[20]/[1840]
passed
[ docketing
]
[01]/[17]/[1840]
[01]/[17]/[1840]
Engrossed
1 Franklin Witt introduced SB 39 in the Senate on January 17, 1840. The Senate rejected a substitute bill by a vote of 16 yeas
to 24 nays. Senators offered other amendments, which the Senate amended and tabled
until July 4 by a vote of 32 yeas to 8 nays. The Senate rejected another substitute,
amending the original bill by adding a proviso. The Senate ordered the bill as amended
engrossed for a third reading by a vote of 22 yeas to 18 nays. On January 18, the
Senate amended the bill by adding an additional proviso by a vote of 21 yeas to 6
nays. On January 20, the Senate further amended the bill, passing the bill as amended
by a vote of 21 yeas to 19 nays. On January 24, the House of Representatives rejected an amendment to the last line by a vote of 19 yeas to 65 nays, with Abraham Lincoln voting nay. The House tabled or rejected additional amendments, ordering the bill
to a third reading by a vote of 48 yeas to 37 nays, with Lincoln voting nay. On January
28, the House passed the bill by a vote of 47 yeas to 35 nays, with Lincoln voting
nay. The Senate ordered the bill enrolled, but on February 1 the Committee on Enrolled
Bills ruled that the bill passed by the House was not the same as that passed by the
Senate and, therefore, not in a form to lay before the Council of Revision. Senators offered a resolution requesting the speakers of both house sign the bill
in order that it might be placed before the Council, but the Senate tabled this resolution
by a vote of 20 yeas to 19 nays.
Journal of the House of Representatives, of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State
of Illinois, at Their Called Session, Begun and Held at Springfield, December 9, 1839 (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1839), 222, 243-44, 264-65; Journal of the Senate of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at
Their Called Session, Begun and Held at Springfield, December 9, 1839 (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1839), 64, 119-126, 133, 134, 153-154, 191, 230-31.
2On January 17, 1840, the Senate added the proviso from the word “Provided.”
Journal of the Senate of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at
Their Called Session, Begun and Held at Springfield, December 9, 1839 (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1839), 126.
4On January 18, 1840, the Senate added the proviso from the words “Provided also.”
Journal of the Senate of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at
Their Called Session, Begun and Held at Springfield, December 9, 1839 (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1839), 134.
Handwritten Document, 2 page(s), Folder 236, SB 39, GA Session 11-S, Illinois State Archives (Springfield, IL) ,