In force Jan.[January] 27, 1841.
An ACT making appropriations for the years 1841 and 1842.
1$8,000 contingent fund.
Sec. [Section]1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That the sum of eight thousand dollars be, and the same is hereby appropriated as a contingent fund to meet the contingent expenses
for the years one thousand eight hundred and forty-one, and one thousand eight hundred
and forty-two; the said fund shall be subject to the order of the Governor, for the
purpose of defraying all such expenses as are unforeseen by the General Assembly, or otherwise unprovided for by law, and a proper statement of which shall be laid
before the next General Assembly of this State, by the Auditor in his biennial report.
Salaries of officers.
Sec. 2. The following sums are hereby appropriated in full for the salaries of the several
officers hereinafter mentioned, for the years one thousand eight hundred and forty-one, and one thousand eight hundred
and forty-two:
Governor.
1. The Governor, two thousand dollars.
Auditor.
2. To the Auditor of public Accounts, including clerk hire, four thousand eight hundred dollars.
Treasurer.
3. To the State Treasurer, including clerk hire, three thousand two hundred dollars.
<Page 2>
Sec. of State.
4. To the Secretary of State, including clerk hire, three thousand dollars; and for making index to journals of
the Senate and House of Representatives and laws, for copying laws and making marginal notes and index to laws, the sum of
six hundred dollars.
Judges Supreme court.
5. To the Judges of the Supreme Court each three thousand dollars.
Attorney Gen.
6. To the Attorney General, one thousand four hundred dollars2, and States’ Attorneys each seven hundred dollars.
Ins.[Inspectors] Penitentiary.
7. To the Inspectors of the Penitentiary, three dollars per day: Provided, That no one of the inspectors shall receive more than one hundred and fifty dollars
per annum.
Sec. Council Revision.
8. To the Secretary of the Council of Revision, four dollars per day.
Speakers.
Mileage.
Sec. 3. 1. There shall be allowed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Speaker of the Senate, each the sum of seven dollars per day, and four dollars for every twenty miles necessary travel in coming to and returning
from the seat of government.
Members per diem.
Secretaries & Clerks.
Sergeant-at-arms, and door-keeper.
Enr. and eng. clerks.
Copyists of journals
Mileage not allowed
Sarah Raimes
Speaker pro tem.
Fund Commr.
2. To each member of the Senate, and House of Representatives, the sum of four dollars per day for each day’s attendance at the present, and the
last preceding special session of the General Assembly, and four dollars for every twenty miles travel necessary in coming to and returning
from the seat of government. To the Secretary and assistant Secretary of the Senate, and to the Clerk and assistant Clerk of the House of Representatives, the sum of six dollars per day. To the Sergeant-at-arms of the Senate and his assistant, and to the Door keeper of the House of Representatives and his assistant, each the sum of four dollars per day. To the Enrolling and Engrossing
Clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives, each the sum of five dollars per day; to each one of their assistants, four dollars
per day for the time actually employed, the number of days to be certified by their
principals respectively. To the copyist of the journals of the Senate, and House of Representatives, each the sum of four dollars per day. The appropriations herein before made, shall
be construed to apply as well to the present session of the Legislature as to the last preceding session; but nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to authorize any compensation
for travelling expenses in coming to or going from the said special session. To J. P. Langford the sum of fifty dollars for enclosing a grave of the late James Copeland, under the direction of the General Assembly; and to John Brodie, the sum of forty-three dollars fifty-five cents, for tomb stones furnished for the
same as aforesaid. To James W. Berry, one thousand dollars for full length portraits of Washington and La Fayette, for the hall of the House of Representatives. To Joel Johnson for room rent for office of the clerk of the Supreme Court from the twenty-ninth of July, to the second of October, one thousand eight
<Page 3>
hundred and forty, (at) eight dollars per month. To Sarah Raimes for room rent for office of the clerk of the Supreme Court, from the second day of October, one thousand eight hundred and forty, (at) eight
dollars per month, the time to be certified by the clerk of said court. To John D. Whiteside, twenty-five dollars for postage for Internal Improvement office. To the Speaker pro tem. of the Senate, seven dollars per day for the number of days he may have served as such. There shall
be allowed to the Fund Commissioner all necessary travelling expenses, an account of which shall be kept and certified to the Governor, for his supervision
and approval, to be paid out of the Internal Improvement Fund.
Door keeper of Council of Revision
3. To the doorkeeper of the Council of Revision, three dollars and fifty cents per day, the number of days employed
to be certified by the clerk of the Council.
J. H. Lewis
4. To J. H. Lewis, the sum of sixty-five dollars for apprehending Dennis McNaman, a fugitive from justice.
B. F. Fridley
5. To Benjamin F. Fridley, late sheriff of Kane county, the sum of one hundred and sixty-six dollars, for the apprehension of William J. Suver, a fugitive from justice.
S. B. Chandler
6 To Samuel B. Chandler, sheriff of St. Clair County, the sum of one hundred dollars, being the amount of a reward by him paid for the
apprehension of two fugitives from justice, who broke jail in said county in January
last.
7. To William Walters, the sum of three hundred and seventy-five dollars, for one hundred and fifty copies
of the decisions of the Supreme Court, furnished by the order of the Secretary of State, for the use of the State.
Methodist church
8. The sum of one hundred dollars to the Methodist church in Springfield, for the rent of the church for the time the Legislature occupied the same, in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty.
Clerk Board of Auditors
9. To the clerk of the Board of Auditors to investigate the claims under the State
House commissioners, while in session, three dollars per day, the number of days to be certified by said
board.
Clerk investigating comm.
10. To the clerk of the Investigating Committee of the Board of Public Works, three dollars per day, the number of days to be certified by the chairman of said
committee.
Governor.
11. That the Governor be allowed five hundred dollars for each of the years one thousand
eight hundred and forty-one, and one thousand eight hundred and forty-two, to cover travelling and other incidental
expenses.
12. To William W. Watson, the sum of eighty-one dollars for the use of a room for the Supreme Court twenty-seven days at their June term, one thousand eight hundred and forty.
3
Witnesses
13. To three witnesses examined before the select committee, raised by the House to examine and report on the accounts of the former Board of Public works, one dollar per
<Page 4>
day for each day’s attendance, the number of days to be certified by the chairman
of said select committee. 4Salary of Governor
Gov. shall reside at seat of government
Sec. 4. The salary of the Governor of this State, after the term of service of the present Governor shall expire, shall be two thousand
dollars per annum, and that the Governor shall reside at the seat of Government.
Treas. Peoria county
Sec. 5. To the treasurer of the county of Peoria, the sum of three hundred and sixteen dollars and sixty-one cents, to be by him applied
to the payment of such sums as are legally due to the justices of the peace, constables
and witnesses, who were required to attend at the taking of depositions in the case
of contested election between N. H. Purple and W. J. Phelps, in the said county of Peoria, in the month of September, one thousand eight hundred and forty.
Persons entitled to witness fees.
Sec. 6. The said justices, or a majority of them, shall file with said treasurer, a certificate setting forth the amount to which each individual is entitled, for
services rendered in said case; and said treasurer is hereby required to pay out said
money on application of the individuals certified to be entitled to the same.5
All articles hereafter purchased for Gen. Ass’y.
Sec. 7. That hereafter all articles purchased for the use of the members of the General Assembly, and for the officers of the same, shall be purchased by the Secretary of State, and charge the State under his own name for the same; the statement to be accompanied in all cases by
the receipt of the person of whom the articles may have been purchased by said Secretary
of State.6
Approved, February 27, 1841.
1David M. Woodson introduced HB 238 in the House of Representatives on February 15, 1841. The House referred the bill to the Committee of the Whole
and made it special order of the day for February 16. The Committee of the Whole
reported back the bill on February 16 with an amendment. Representatives proposed
additional amendments, and the House tabled a motion demanding the previous question
by a vote of 47 yeas to 35 nays, with Abraham Lincoln voting yea. The House then concurred with the Committee of the Whole’s report and
amendment. The House tabled an amendment to the first, second, third, and fourth
sections by a vote of 45 yeas to 38 nays, with Lincoln voting nay. The House tabled
motions to amendment, refer the bill to a select committee, and commit it back to
the Committee of the Whole. The House tabled a motion to indefinitely postpone
by a vote of 52 yeas to 30 nays, with Lincoln voting yea. The House refused to table
an amendment to the first section by a vote of 39 yeas to 43 nays, with Lincoln voting
nay. The House tabled a motion to refer the bill to a select committee made up of
two representatives from each of the state’s nine judicial circuits by a vote of 46
yeas to 34 nays, with Lincoln voting nay. The House rejected the proposed amendment
to the first section by a vote of 30 yeas to 49 nays, with Lincoln voting nay. The
House ordered the bill engrossed by a vote of 47 yeas to 36 nays, with Lincoln voting
nay. On February 17, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole to
consider the bill. The Committee of the Whole reported back the bill with amendments,
which the House took up for consideration on February 18. The House amended the report
by striking out “sixteen hundred dollars” as compensation for the attorney general,
and inserting “one thousand dollars,” by a vote of 44 yeas to 36 nays, with Lincoln
voting yea. The House refused to reduce the compensation for auditor of public accounts
from $4800 to $4000 by a vote of 40 yeas to 44 nays, with Lincoln voting not voting.
The House further amended the report by approving an amendment making provision for William W. Watson. The House added provision for witnesses testifying on the activities of the former
Board of Public Works and two new sections regarding Peoria County. The House rejected the Committee of the Whole’s report as amended by a vote of
39 yeas to 44 nays, with Lincoln voting nay, but the House reconsidered this vote,
concurring with the report as amended. The House ordered the bill re-engrossed by
a vote of 42 yeas to 38 nays, with Lincoln voting nay. On February 22, the House
refused to increase the per compensation per diem for members of the General Assembly, a change requiring the vote of two-third of the representatives present, by a vote
of 40 yeas to 38 nays, with Lincoln voting yea. The House passed the bill as amended
by a vote of 40 yeas to 36 nays, with Lincoln voting yea. On February 24, the Senate
referred the bill to the Committee on Public Accounts and Expenditures. The Committee
of Public Accounts and Expenditures reported back the bill on February 26 with amendments.
The Senate referred the bill and proposed amendments to the Committee of the Whole
and made them the special order of afternoon session. The Committee of the Whole
reported back the bill on February 27 with amendments to the amendments of the Committee
on Public Accounts and Expenditures. The Senate amended the Committee of the Whole’s
report by adding another section. The Senate concurred in the Committee of the Whole’s
amendments as amended. The Senate rejected the bill as amended by a vote of 12
yeas to 24 nays. The Senate later reconsidered this vote. The Senate rescinded its
concurrence of the Committee of the Whole’s report as amended. The Senate amended
the report by striking out all that related to payments for work done on the State
House and to claims of various persons. The Senate concurred with the Committee of
the Whole’s report as amended, passing the bill as amended by a vote of 28 yeas to 7 nays. The House concurred
with the Senate amendments on February 27. On February 27, the Council of Revision approved the bill and the act became law.
Illinois House Journal . 1840. 12th G. A., 2nd sess., 400, 413-17, 421, 422-23, 429-32, 460, 463, 464-65,
552, 553, 561, 564; Illinois Senate Journal. 1840. 12th G. A., 2nd sess., 375, 390, 413-14, 421, 431-32, 436-37, 438, 438, 454;
An Act Dividing the State into Judicial Circuits.
2On February 18, 1841, the House of Representatives changed the compensation from $1600
to $1000. Either the House or Senate subsequently changed the figure to $1400.
Illinois House Journal1840. 12th G. A., 2nd sess., 430.
3On February 18, 1841, the House of Representatives approved an amendment making provision for Watson. Ebenezer Peck offered this amendment on behalf of and in the absence of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln arrived in the House chamber at the moment Peck offered the amendment and
gave his assent.
Illinois House Journal. 1840. 12th G. A., 2nd sess., 431; Illinois State Register (Springfield, IL), 26 February 1841, 2:6.
4On February 18, the House of Representatives added this provision.
Illinois House Journal. 1840. 12th G. A., 2nd sess., 431.
5On February 18, 1841, the House of Representatives added sections five and six.
Illinois House Journal. 1840. 12th G. A., 2nd sess., 431-32.
Printed Document, 4 page(s), Laws of the State of Illinois, Passed by the Twelfth General Assembly (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1841), 28-31, GA Session 12-2