In force, Jan. 29, 1841.
An ACT making appropriations for work done upon the State House, and for materials
furnished.
1$30,000 appropriated.
Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That any sum not exceeding2 thirty thousand dollars3, be, and the same is hereby appropriated, which appropriation shall be applied to the
payment of debts due for work done upon the State House, and for furniture and materials
furnished by different persons for the State.
Validity of claim.
Sec. 2. No payment shall be made out of the above appropriation to any person or persons
having claims against the State for work done upon the State House and furniture furnished, until the validity of the same be ascertained as is hereinafter provided for.
Duty of board of auditors.
Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the Auditor, Treasurer, Secretary of State, or any two
of them, to examine all claims against this State for work done upon the State House and furniture furnished, and to give a certificate
to all such persons for the amount due them, and it shall be the duty of the
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Auditor to issue his warrant upon the Treasurer, upon the presentation of such certificate,
for the amount of the same.
State house comm’rs prohibited from making contracts, & pay suspended.
Auditor to collect of citizens amount due on bond.
Sec. 4. That from and after the passage of this act the present State House Commissioners
shall be no longer authorized to make any contract respecting the State House, or any thing respecting the same, and the pay to which they may be entitled shall
no longer accrue or be paid (to) them, until the further action of the Legislature; and that the Auditor of Public accounts be authorized and required to put in immediate
train of collection the sum of sixteen thousand six hundred and sixty-(six) dollars
and sixty-six cents, due by bond from the citizens of Springfield to the State; and that the Auditor be directed to institute immediate proceedings in favor of
the State against any commissioner or other officer, who may not have paid over money appearing
to be in his hands arising from Saline lands, from the year of our Lord one thouand eight hundred and twenty-six to the present time, and all other debts to the State.4
Approved, January 29,1841.
1Archer G. Herndon introduced SB 78 to the Senate on December 30, 1840. The Senate passed several amendments to the bill on January
2, 1841. The Senate passed another amendment on January 5 by a vote of 30 yeas and
8 nays, and then passed the bill by a vote of 36 yeas and 2 nays. The House of Representatives referred the bill to the Committee on Finance, of which Abraham Lincoln was a member. The committee reported back on January 25 and recommended amendments
striking out portions of section 4 along with an additional amendment from a member
of the House. The House took up the bill the next day, laying the latter amendment
on the table by a vote of 80 yeas and 33 nays, Abraham Lincoln voting nay. An additional
amendment was also laid on the table by a vote of 69 yeas and 13 nays, Lincoln voting
nay. The Senate voted not to consider the committee’s amendments by a vote of 37 nays
and 46 nays, Lincoln voting nay. The House then proposed an additional amendment,
to which three modifications were proposed, the last of which was laid on the table
by a vote of 44 yeas to 39 nays, Lincoln voting yea. The amendment was also rejected
by a vote of 30 yeas and 43 nays, Lincoln voting yea. Abraham Lincoln proposed an
amendment to the 1st section, which the House passed. The House passed the bill on
January 27. The Senate passed the amended bill on January 28. The Council of Revision approved the bill the next day and the act became law.
Journal of the House of Representatives of the Twelfth General Assembly (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1940), 187, 230, 277, 278, 280-83, 285, 423-24;Journal of the Senate of the Twelfth General Assembly (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1840), 124, 129-30, 132, 133, 137, 217, 220, 222,
327.
2The Senate passed an amendment on January 2, 1841, replacing “the sum of” with “any sum not
exceeding”.
Journal of the Senate of the Twelfth General Assembly (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1840), 130.
3The House of Representatives passed an amendment proposed by Abraham Lincoln on January 26, replacing $20,000 with $30,000.
Journal of the House of Representatives of the Twelfth General Assembly (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1940), 283.
4The Senate passed an amendment on January 2, 1841, adding the 4th section and passed another
on January 5 adding everything from “and that the Auditor” onward.
Journal of the Senate of the Twelfth General Assembly (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1840), 130, 137.
Printed Document, 2 page(s), Laws of the State of Illinois, Passed by the Twelfth General Assembly (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1841), 31-32, GA Session 12-2,