Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

In force, Feb.[February] 27, 1841.

An ACT to amend an act, entitled “An act relating to the Gallatin Salines, and the lands belonging to the same,” approved January 26, A.D. 1836.
1

Commissioner appointed.

Sec.[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the, General Assembly, That William J. Gatewood, of the county of Gallatin 2, is hereby appointed commissioner, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the act to which this is an amendment, as well as the provisions of such acts in relation to the Gallatin Salines as are still in force and unrepealed.

Duty of com’r[commissioner]

Reservation.

Sec. 2. Said commissioner shall proceed to sell the lands belonging to said saline, either at public sale, by giving previous public notice of the same, or by private entry, if it be more eligible, reserving, however, unsold, all salt water wells, with the saline lots belonging to them as well (as) the common attached to said lots.

Comm’r[Commissioner] may sue for rents.

Sec. 3. Said commissioner is hereby vested with full power to demand, sue for and recover all money due the State for the rents or sales of said salines, or from commissioners or agents hereafter employed in relation to the same; and he is

<Page 2>
hereby required to proceed to recover all debts due to the State, on account of said salines, for the purpose of making a final settlement of this matter.

Bond of com’r

Compensation of com’[commissioner].

Sec. 4. Said commissioner shall give bond, and be qualified, and shall deposite moneys, in his hands, and report, as provided by the ninth and tenth sections of the act to which this is an amendment; and shall receive, as compensation for his services, ten per cent. upon all money deposited as aforesaid.

Proviso.

Appropriati’n[Appropriation] for bridge at Shelbyville.

Sec. 5. The money paid into the treasury, as aforesaid, by said commissioner, shall be appropriated, according to the provisions of the several acts now in force in relation to appropriations heretofore made:3 Provided, however, That the sum of five hundred dollars, appropriated to erect a bridge across the Kaskaskia river, at Shelbyville, by the act of February sixteenth, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one4, may be paid immediately, in lands, out of any of the unsold lands in said reservation, (except the lands herein reserved,) at the last established prices for said lands; to be selected by the commissioners of Shelby county, or the person who may hold the order of said commissioners, and being entitled to the same; and a patent shall issue for said lands to the holder thereof, his heirs and assigns; said commissioner receiving the order, and reporting the lands selected.

Governor to appoint com’r when office is vacant.

Sec. 6. If the commissioner herein mentioned shall die, resign or be removed, it shall be the duty of the Governor to appoint another, who shall discharge all the duties imposed by this law, execute bond, qualify, and be entitled to such compensation as is provided by law. This act to take effect from and after its passage.

Approved, February 27, 1841.

1Braxton Parrish introduced SB 103 in the Senate on January 12, 1841. On February 5, the Senate amended the bill by filling in the first blank in the first section with the name “William J. Gatewood,” and the second blank with the name “ Gallatin.” The Senate passed the bill as amended on February 6. On February 8, the House of Representatives referred the bill to a select committee. The select committee reported back the bill on February 15 with amendments, in which the House concurred. On February 16, the House passed the bill as amended by a vote of 58 yeas to 20 nays, with Abraham Lincoln voting yea. The Senate concurred with the House amendments on February 26. On February 27, the Council of Revision approved the bill and the act became law.
Illinois House Journal. 1840. 12th G. A., 347, 348, 402, 410; Illinois Senate Journal. 1840. 12th G. A., 155, 163, 244, 248, 329, 421-22, 430, 444.

2On February 5, 1841, the Senate inserted “William J. Gatewood“ and “ Gallatin.”
Illinois Senate Journal. 1840. 12th G. A., 244.

3In February 1827, the General Assembly enacted the first law making appropriations from the sale of saline lands. The General Assembly superseded this law with another law passed in 1833. The main act in question became law in February 1831. The General Assembly amended this act with another act passed into law in 1835.
“An Act concerning the Saline Reserves, a Penitentiary, and the improvement of certain Navigable Streams,” 15 February 1827, The Revised Code of Laws, of Illinois (1827), 353-60; “An Act Appropriating A Portion of the Avails Arising from the Sale of the Saline Lands, in Gallatin County, to Internal Improvement,” 16 February 1831, The Laws of Illinois (1831), 12-16; “An Act to explain and amend the ‘Act concerning the Saline Reserve, a Penitentiary, and the improvement of certain navigable Streams,’ approved, Feb. 15, 1827,” 2 March 1833, The Revised Laws of Illinois (1833), 550-52.

4Section one of the act appropriated money to Shelby County for the bridge in question.
“An Act Appropriating A Portion of the Avails Arising from the Sale of the Saline Lands, in Gallatin County, to Internal Improvement,” 15.