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Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring herein, That our Senators in Congress be instructed and our Representatives requested to vote for the passage of the bill
recently introduced into the Senate of the United States by the Hon. John C. Calhoun, which provides for the cession of Public Lands to the new State. Should Mr. Calhoun’s bill fail, then to vote for the bill usually called Mr. Clay’s Land bill, which once passed both Houses of Congress by a large majority. Should this fail, then to vote for any other measure which
in their judgment is most likely to receive the approbation of Congress, and which proposes to dispose of the Public Lands on principles just to the interests
and political rights of States in which said Lands lie.2
1Orville H. Browning introduced the resolution in the Senate on January 25, 1840. The Senate refused to table the resolution by a vote of 6 yeas
to 29 nays. The Senate divided the question, adopting the proposition as related
to John C. Calhoun’s land bill by a vote of 39 yeas to 0 nays. The Senate amended the proposition relating
to Henry Clay’s land bill by adding the words “and should Mr. Calhoun’s bill fail, then for,”
and passed the second proposition as amended by a vote of 21 yeas to 18 nays. The
Senate amended the last proposition by adding after the word “majority,” the words
“should this also fail, then,” and passed the last proposition as amended by a vote
of 25 yeas to 14 nays. The Senate informed the House of Representatives of the resolution’s
passage, but the House did not take it up for consideration.
Journal of the House of Representatives, of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State
of Illinois, at Their Called Session (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1839), 250, 254; Journal of the Senate of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at
Their Called Session (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1839), 175-76.
2On January 25, 1840, the Senate amended the proposition relating to Henry Clay’s bill by adding the words “and should Mr. Calhoun’s bill fail, then for,” and the last proposition by adding the words “should this
also fail, then.”
Journal of the Senate of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at
Their Called Session, 176.
Printed Transcription, 1 page(s), Journal of the House of Representatives, of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at Their Called Session (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1839), 250