Bill for an Act to increase the State Directory in the state bank of Illinois
1Be it enacted by the people of the state of Illinois represented in the General assembly
Sec.[Section] 1. that it shall be the duty of the Governor by and with the advice and consent
of the senate to appoint five directors in the state bank in addition to the number already authorized by law2, who shall continue in office for two years and until their successors are the appointed
and qualified and whose duties are shall be the same as those of the present board of state directors.
Sec. 2 Each of the directors on the part of the state shall hereafter receive three dollars per day for every days necessary attendance
to their duties, and three dollars for every 20 miles necessary travel in coming to
and returning from said attendance, and the auditor of state on receiving a certificate of said attendance signed by the cashier of said bank shall issue his warrant on the treasury for the amount of the annual services in
favour of such director
Sec 3 outside
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Sec 3. Before entering on the duties of their office, each of the state Directors’ shall
take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation before some person authorized
to administer an oath, which oath or affirmation shall be filed in the office of the
secretary of state. viz.
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will attend to the interests of the state in the state bank of Illinois with diligence and fidelity and will not absent myself from any and all ma any meeting of the directors of said bank unless compeled by necessity.
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laid on table & 1000 cops[copies]
ord.[ordered] printed
Jan.[January] 16th
Jan.[January] 16th
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ord 2
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[02]/[06]/[1841]
[02]/[06]/[1841]
Ind [Indefinitely]
Postponed
Feb.[February] 6th
Feb.[February] 6th
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6
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10
1On December 29, 1840, the House of Representatives adopted a resolution requesting that the Committee on Banks and Other Corporations
investigate the wisdom of appointing five additional state directors to the State Bank of Illinois. In response to this resolution, Richard Murphy of the Committee on Banks and Other Corporations introduced HB 113 in the House on
January 16, 1841. The House tabled the bill and accompanying report, and ordered
printed 1000 copies of each by a vote of 45 yeas to 41 nays, with Abraham Lincoln not voting. On February 6, the House took up the bill, with representatives proposing
amendments to the compensation provision found in the second section. The House refused
to table the bill and proposed amendments by a vote of 32 yeas to 43 nays, with Lincoln
voting yea. The House struck out “three dollars” as compensation, but refused to
replace it with “two dollars and fifty cents,” by a vote of 27 yeas to 48 nays, with
Lincoln voting nay. The House also rejected “two dollars” by a vote of 33 yeas to
40 nays, with Lincoln voting nay. The House indefinitely postponed further consideration
by a vote of 41 yeas to 31 nays, with Lincoln voting yea.
Illinois House Journal. 1840. 12th G. A., 160, 233, 329, 341-43.
2Under the provisions of an 1839 act, the governor was authorized to appoint at every session of the General Assembly, five directors to the State Bank of Illinois. In advocating for the bill, Richard Murphy argued that the number of state directors should be increased so as to be commensurate
and proportionate to the amount of stock the state owned.
Illinois State Register (Springfield, IL), 19 February 1841, 2:2.
Handwritten Document, 4 page(s), Folder 70, HB 113, GA Session 12-2,
Illinois State Archives (Springfield, IL) ,