HAYWOOD COUNTY, NC - BIOGRAPHIES - William Williamson, Part 2

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WILLIAM WILLIAMSON OF HAYWOOD COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA 
           AND SHELBY COUNTY, ILLINOIS

          Compilation by Bill Williamson
          12649 Mayflower Drive
          Nevada City, CA 95959

     In the December 1834 session Mr. Williamson voted for John
Robinson to be the United States Senator from Illinois (until
adoption of the 17th amendment US senators were elected by
state legislatures.), page 119 and HOUSE JOURNAL, 1834,page
143. Mr. Lincoln voted for Richard M. Young. In January Mr.
Ewing proposed a resolution encouraging that the “friends of
the current administration” in Washington be appointed
delegates to represent the people of Illinois at the Baltimore
convention in 1836. Membership in the delegation would have
included Senators Kane and Robinson and Congressmen May,
Reynolds and Casey. Mr. Snyder proposed postponement and his
motion was carried, 12-9 with Mr. Williamson voting no, SENATE
JOURNAL, 1834-1835,page 510-511.The motive behind the
resolution was to memorialize the outgoing President and boost
the candidacy of Martin Van Buren as his successor.
     
     On December 23rd Mr. Thomas introduced “ An Act concerning
conveyances by county commissioners”, page 124. The bill was
sent to a select committee after an amendment was offered to
allow the county commissioner’s courts the authority to loan
county monies, page 137.The amendment was rejected and the bill
passed the Senate, page 142.

     Senator Williamson was the maker of the motion to “amend
an act authorizing erection of a mill on the Little Wabash
River” by adding: Sec.2 “That Daniel Francisco be and hereby is
authorized to build a mill dam across Kaskaskia River in Shelby
County on the West half of the Northeast quarter of Township
12, Range 4 East. Seven feet above the water mark”. The act
with this amendment was referred to select committee and Mr.
Williamson appointed to it, pages 143-144 .See above.

     He had been in the chair for sometime when the Speaker
resumed the chair, Mr. Williamson reported as chairman of the
committee of the whole on the resolutions to amend the rules of
the senate. These amendments on the rules were subsequently
adopted, page 151.
     
     He was appointed to a select committee to review a bill on
“an act defining the duties of public printers”, page 161. The
committee reported back that in some cases the printing had
been poorly done and was discharged, pages 275-276. Some
printers were favored by party faction and investigations into
contracts could be used as political ammunition in subsequent
campaigns.
    
     Mr. Williamson served on several select committees
relative to various road bills. He was appointed to a select
committee with Messer Snyder, and Craig to review a “ petition
from sundry citizens of St. Clair County” relative to a road
bill from Lebanon to Vandalia, page 165. In answer to a
petition requesting relocation of a road in St Clair County,
the Senate appointed a select committee of Messer Vance,
Mitchell and Williamson, page 172. The Senate took up “an act
concerning public roads” which seems to have bundled several
proposals into one omnibus bill and Mr. Williamson voted
against it, which is surprising because the record shows that
he consistently supported road bills. In this case he may have
considered omnibus bills bad law/practice or an example of pork
barrel politics, 320-321.He was appointed to the select
committee to report on “an act to locate a road from
Shelbyville to the Great Wabash River, in Lawrence County,
opposite Vincennes in Indiana”, page 351 and 393. This bill was
subsequently enrolled, page 441 and passed into law.  When the
House asked for concurrence in “an act to locate a state road
from Shelbyville to Chicago” he was appointed to the select
committee and the bill moved quickly through the legislative
mill to final passage, pages 385,393,400,436,454,460.
     
     Sitting in joint session as the General Assembly the
election of State Auditor, Treasurer and Attorney General of
Illinois was voted upon. Senator Williamson voted for James
T.B. Stampp who was elected Auditor, John Dement who was
elected Treasurer and Jesse B. Thomas who lost to Ninian
Edwards for Attorney -General, page 167.
     
     Mr. Ewing, a tireless worker to save the capitol of
Illinois for Vandalia, on January 7th reported, on behalf of a
select committee “An Act to repeal an Act permanently to locate
the seat of government of Illinois” and the bill passed its’
second reading, page 196.
     
     Senator Williamson introduced “an act for the relief of
Peter Warren “.  Made motion it be moved to second reading
(approved) and the bill was referred to select committee, page
196. The bill moved to third reading and was subsequently
adopted as a law, page 311. Apparently this bill authorized the
construction of a bridge across the Kaskaskia River in Shelby
County. Peter Warren was William Williamson’s successor in the
Senate and a neighbor in Shelby County.

     On January 9th Mr. Williamson voted against an act
authorizing the taxing and collecting of the docket fee in any
case either at law or chancery, page 197. The bill passed
nevertheless, page 207. The bill was taken up on February 11th
and amendments offered to set specific fees for Recorders. The
Senate defeated the proposed fee schedule 17-7 and then passed
the bill without amendment, 17-7. Mr. Williamson voted against
the amendment and for passage, page 499.

     On December 22nd“An act compensating jurors” was
introduced and referred to a select committee and Messers.
Davidson, Williamson and Bond were appointed to it. page, 202.
This bill passed with his support, the pay being set at 75
cents, page 477. It was practice in Illinois courts at various
times and locales to provide public compensation for witnesses
as well as jurors. These practices were defended, in part, as a
consequence of difficult travel conditions.

     He opposed a petition on behalf of James Kinzie and
Alexander Robinson who stood to lose an asset because the route
of a canal had been changed. Mr. Williamson opposed on the
grounds that the requested relief was not in the public
interest, pages 213,217-218.     
     . On January 9th the Senate took up the matter of the
Second Bank of the United States, removal of the deposits and
the clash between the bank and the Jackson administration. In
the form of seven resolutions the Senate:
     Resolution #1,Condemned the Bank and its actions
     Resolution # 2,Declared that removal of the deposits had
     been made necessary by circumstances.
     Resolution #3,Recommended that the Illinois delegation in
     Congress oppose
               rechartering the Bank of the United States
          (BUS).
     Resolution #4,Condemned the US Senate for its refusal to
     print Jackson’s protest
     and for the Senate calling for Jackson’s impeachment.
     Resolution #5,Urged the Congress to oppose renewal of the
     BUS charter and               withhold deposits from the
     bank.
     Resolution#6, Voted confidence in Jackson’ administration
     and its course in the.                  Crisis.
     Resolution #7, Called upon the governor of Illinois to
     transmit copies of these
     resolutions to the Congress and the President.
     William Williamson voted in support each resolution, as
     did most of the senate, 17-9,
 pages 208-216.
     The House responded with the following on January 23rd:
     “Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of
Illinois, That in their opinion, the establishment of a
national Bank with a branch in each state, by the consent or
request of its legislature, properly restricted and guarded in
its operations, is necessary to establish a sound and uniform
currency in the United State; and also to afford the necessary
facilities to the general government in transporting its
funds”. The Senate was asked to concur, pages 315,311-333. On
January 26th the Senate voted, 14-12, to postpone the
resolution indefinitely. Mr. Williamson voted aye, page 333.
Initially, the inspiration for and attachment to General
Jackson was based on his personal qualities and his early
military carreer. Following the circumstances of his defeat in
the Presidential campaign of 1824 it was unwise not to be, or
seem not to be, in Jackson’s camp in Illinois. For Mr.
Williamson’s there seems to be no pretense in his undeviating
devotion to Jackson and his principles. One cannot help but
conclude that if Mr. Williamson had a better understanding of
the impact of Jackson’s economic policies on the well being of
the common man he might have looked elsewhere for leadership.

     He voted to postpone until July 4th, next in the negative
for “ an act to establish a uniform mode of holding circuit
courts”, page, 106 and 117. Mr. Williamson voted in the
affirmative on a motion to strike out the word “five” but no
when the bill passed, 16-10,pages 111-112. The bill was up for
third reading and passed, 15-9 with Mr. Williamson voting no,
page 116-117.The Senate adopted, and Senator Williamson voted
aye, on “an act to establish and divide the state into six
circuit court districts”, page 216. Subsequently, at the
session’s end justices for each circuit were elected by the
General Assembly. Mr. Williamson voted for Stephan A. Douglas
in the First Circuit (Mr. Lincoln was not recorded). In the
second district Mr. Williamson voted with Lincoln for John J.
Hardin, and in the Third Circuit for John Dougherty. Messers
Lincoln and Williamson voted for Orlando Ficklin in the Fourth
District. Mr. Williamson’s vote, if cast, was not recorded for
Districts 5 and 6, pages 479-480.

     He voted favorably on “an act to incorporate the Chicago
and Vincennes Railroad Company”, 222. The bill passed its’ 3rd
reading, page 222 Late in the session this measure failed, 10-
11, with Mr. Williamson not recorded as voting, page 515.

     In the previous 8th GA one of the issues that personally
affected Mr. Williamson was a bill to make the office of county
recorder and surveyor elective. He held the position of
surveyor of Shelby County by appointment and certainly derived
some income from it. Because the bill had gone back and forth
between House and Senate, without concurrence, the bill came to
a conference committee early in the 9th General Assembly, page
118.When the House version came to the floor for consideration
he voted to “lay the bill on the table”. All references from
the, pages 261,264, 269-270.
 Mr. Williamson voted that it be read and approved in its
second reading, page 269. He voted against amendment, page 270.
The amendments were defeated and the bill was sent to select
committee, page 270. The committee reported the bill back to
the floor with amendments and it was approved 13-12, Mr.
Williamson voting not to pass. Page, 278. The bill came back
from the House and Mr. Williamson moved to strike much of the
language that referred to recorders but a motion was adopted to
lay it on the table, page 308. It was brought back and Mr.
Williamson’s amendments were defeated 14-13,page 309. The bill
was then voted on without amendment and it was passed 13-
14,page 309. In the afternoon session a motion to reconsider
the bill was approved and the bill finally passed by a 14-13
vote, page 310-311. When the bill came back from the council of
revision stating its opposition, page 458,it again passed the
senate in its final form without his support, page 459. In all
of this we never really know what his position was.   Did he
approve the election of surveyors but not recorders? Why was
the division so close and why was so much time and effort
expended on the question? We never really know except perhaps
his objections were due to the fact that recorders charged fees
for their services. For example, the law stipulated that they
were allowed to charge fees for writing mortgages, deeds, and
other official records. In an age when many could not read nor
write (his wife for example) the costs of this dependency may
have guided his position and vote. Note: In Illinois at this
time the constitution did not give the governor the right of
veto but instead vested this right in a council of revision
composed of legislative, executive and judicial officials who
had ten days to state their objections. This “veto” was
advisory at best and the legislature had the right to repass
the bill by simple majority vote.

     On January 16th “An Act to amend an act relative to the
attorney general and states’ attorneys” was reported from
committee without amendment. A motion made to postpone
indefinitely failed 12-13. A motion to pass was approved 13-12.
Mr. Williamson voting against the amendment and for passage,
page 262-263. The bill was again on the table on February 7th
with the Council of Revision having objected to it. This “veto”
was overridden 14-10 with Mr. Williamson voting with the
majority, page 457.

     A bill entitled  “an act to amend an act for the
limitation of actions and for avoiding vexatious law suits
approved 10 February, 1827 ”was referred to the committee of
the whole. The bill passed, 19-7. Mr. Williamson voted no on
the proposal, page 132 The House concurred, pages 188,191 and
the Council of Revision approved it, page 252.

     On December 27th the Education committee reported a bill”
An Act concerning the School, Fund”.  The bill was passed for
its third reading, 13-12 with Mr. Williamson voting no, page
142. On January 30th, because the bill had been tabled at some
unrecorded point in the record the bill came up for its third
reading and was passed, 13-12,with Mr. Williamson voting no,
page 376.

     “An act to extend for a limited time the charter of the
Bank of Illinois “earned his vote to move the bill to its 3rd
reading, page 279. Citation again to move the bill to its third
reading, pages 333,354.

     Mr. Gatewood moved that the charter of the Bank of
Illinois at Shawneetown be extended. A motion to refer to the
Finance Committee failed and the bill was tabled with 100
copies ordered, pages 91-92. On December 29th ”An Act to
extend, for a limited time, the charter of the Bank of Illinois
at Shawneetown”, came back to the floor, page 147.On December
31st the Senate accepted amendments and the bill was laid back
on the table, page 164. On the 26th of January the bill was
back on the floor and passed third reading, 15-10, with Mr.
Williamson voting aye, page 333. On January 27th the bill
passed the Seanate, 11-8 with Mr. Williamson voting aye, page
354.

     A resolution proposed by Mr. Gatewood requesting Congress
to donate lands for the development of a road from Shawneetown
to St. Louis was adopted, 19-4, Mr. Williamson voted aye, page
163. The finances of the state were such that memorials and
resolutions, one could say supplications, addressed to the
Congress for donations of public land or a reduction in their
price were frequent inclusions in the record. In the absence of
a will to tax and an adequate tax base, the sale of public land
provided a major means of financing these various state
projects. One wonders if the members of the General Assembly
saw contradictions between their beliefs that the states were
the pillars of the Union while repeatedly begging a government
of limited and delegated powers for its support.

     On January 3rd “An Act concerning the appropriation of the
revenue of the several counties of this state” was read and
laid on the table after an amendment was struck eliminating all
after the enacting clause. Mr. Williamson voted to strike, page
175.

     On January 5th, 1835 the Senate, in Committee of the
Whole, took up a resolution” relative to the construction of a
Rail Road from the Wabash River to Quincy, on the Mississippi
River”. Mr. Williamson voted for this in concept when he voted
against a substitute that would have left uncertain the cities
to be included along the line. He did support the line
terminating at Quincy and voted against a motion to postpone
the bill indefinitely. His support for the route of this line
would have been of benefit for Decatur and Macon County because
the line would have passed through both, pages, 186-187

     Mr. Forquer for the Internal Improvements committee
introduced a memorial address to Congress requesting that
additional public lands be donated to the state in order to
fund the Illinois and Michigan Canal. The memorial was
recommitted to the Internal Improvement Committee, page 92.The
House asked concurrence on a similar request, page 95. On
December 22nd the Senate adopted a resolution formally
requesting that the United States government assist with a
donation of land, page 120. On January 26th a vote was taken on
amendments from the committee of the Whole that would limit the
state’s liability to the revenues obtained from the sale of
public lands. This amendment was defeated, 12-13, with Mr.
Williamson voting aye, page 330-331.Throughout the session the
Senate dissolved itself into the Committee of the Whole for
consideration of this issue. The Internal Improvement
Committee, charged with an expediency assessment reported back,
pages 227-249 with the result that, on its recommendation, the
Senate for the first time read a bill entitled,” An Act for the
construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal”, page 250. Mr.
Williamson opposed the committee bill reported back to the
floor and passed, 14-8 for its’ 3rd reading on 27 December,
1835 that would have provided for the construction of the
Illinois and Michigan canal, page 349-350,360. This bill became
a major project in the 9th General Assembly and in this session
Mr. Williamson consistently voted against it. It seems clear
that he saw railroads more to his districts interests than
canals and an examination of the topography /geography of both
Macon and Shelby counties would support this.
     The House version came back to the Senate with several
amendments that were approved by the Senate, 19-6,with Mr.
Williamson voting, aye, page, 440. On February 6 a motion to
reconsider consenting to the House bill was defeated 12-13 with
Mr. Williamson voting not to reconsider, page 444. A second
motion to reconsider was passed, page 446, and on February 10th
the bill was reported as correctly enrolled, and the Council of
Revision approved it, page 474. Presumably at some point Mr.
Williamson voted for the canal and its’ construction but there
was no roll call vote tying him to its’ approval in this
session. As noted below he will come to support it and play a
roll in promoting it. Later still he will come to regret that
support.

     The second of these state banking bills:” an act to extend
the charter of the Bank of Illinois at Shawneetown” failed in
an early senate vote with Mr. Williamson voting aye, page 279.
However, the bill was reconsidered, page 292, and with the
support in the House the bill subsequently passed into law,
pages 332-333,354.

     He was appointed to a select committee to make a
recommendation “praying for a divorce for Malinda Martin”.
Page, 282. Reported back to the senate that the divorce should
be granted, page 306.
     
     As a courtesy to the governor and the state Supreme Court
justices, resolutions were introduced to provide chairs for
them to “sit within the bar of the senate at their
convenience”. This was a usual and customary practice. Mr.
Williamson opposed this. Was he mean spirited? Since a copy of
the resolution does not appear in the record his view is
uncertain. Perhaps there was other language in the resolution
objectionable to him. Was the principle of separation of powers
his concern?, page 316-317. A formal resolution was proposed,
read and the issue reverted to the Internal Improvements
Committee, pages 99-100.
     
     “An Act for the benefit of the widow of Reuben Goddard”
having passed in the House came to the Senate, now asked to
concur, page 332. The bill passed the Senate, page 383,453,455.
See LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1835-1836,pages 260-261 for the final
version of the act. Reuben Goddard was related to Mr.
Williamson’s daughter-in-law, Martha Ann Goddard Williamson.
     
     Mr. Williamson’s position on education is obscure in the
record. One record that seems clear was his vote for “An Act to
incorporate the Jacksonville Female Academy”. He voted against
a motion to table until July 4,next and presumably to pass the
bill. There was no roll call, page 303. When the House version
came to the floor of the Senate on January 23rd Mr. Williamson
voted “do pass” with the majority, 15-9,page 318. The Council
on Revision approved the bill, page 348.On February 2nd “An Act
to incorporate the colleges therein named” was passed, 11-
9,with Mr. Williamson voting no, page 401. Probably the views
of most of the Senators were echoed in a resolution introduced
by Senator Gatewood and the Education Committee petitioning the
Congress to release public lands or funds generated from their
sale to the legislature to promote the establishment of
schools, pages 417-435.Divisions for the expenditure of the
funds that were available seems to have been determined by
differences over their most effective use rather than a
reluctance to support schools. Mr. Williamson’s voting record
suggests that the revenues of the state should be directed more
to elementary rather than higher education.

     On January 19th “An act concerning religious societies”
was introduced and passed 2nd reading, 18-5, with Mr.
Williamson voting aye, page 278,324. On January 27th an
amendment to strike out the word “ten” in the first section and
substitute the word “five” was adopted and Mr. Williamson then
voted against passage, page 353. One would like to know his
objections. The bill subsequently passed, page 404.

     Mr. Williamson consistently supported a bill that would
“incorporate the subscribers to the Bank of the State of
Illinois”. The bill passed 13-12, page 359- 360.

      He voted in the negative to establish a lottery, page 400-
401. The bill failed in its third reading, His position on this
measure remains hidden in the record.
     
      At times the legislative mill could seem to be bizarre.
In January 1825 the General Assembly enacted law on Judgments
and Executions, which among other things, gave exemption from
taxation. This bill came up for amendment and the following
amendment was offered:” That there shall be allowed to each and
every family in this state, one work horse, in addition to the
property now exempt from execution any law to the contrary
notwithstanding. Provided, that the head of family have no
horse it shall be the duty of the county court to purchase one
for him, not to exceed $40 in value”. Mr. Williamson voted to
postpone the proposal until the next session but that position
failed by one vote. On the bill, as amended, the vote was
affirmative and the bill was passed, 14-12, for third reading
with Williamson voting against the bill. The bill was then
referred back to a senate select committee for further
consideration, page 380-381. The bill then reached the floor
again with the following amendment reported: “That in addition
to the articles of property now exempt from execution there
shall be allowed to each head of family, one work horse or yolk
of work cattle, at the option of the defendant in execution,
any law to the contrary notwithstanding” This amendment was
agreed to and when the main question was put the bill was
passed 16-8 with Mr. Williamson voting “do pass”, SENATE
JOURNAL, pages 380-381 and 398. What was his position? Why was
he against the bill when it provided for horse but not a yolk
of oxen? If he opposed the bill to exempt the horse and/or
opposed providing one at public expense why vote for the bill
in final form if it included all of these principles?

     Another unusual proposal was “an act regulating the mode
of granting license to clock peddlers”, came from the House and
advanced to 2nd reading, page 191. It quickly cleared 3rd
reading and passed, page, 219 and page 267. In the 9th General
Assembly to follow, Mr. Hacker, no doubt with tongue in cheek,
reported from the select committee to which was referred the
petition of sundry citizens of the town of Vandalia, praying
relief for clock peddlers, and asking repeal of the law passed
January 3,1835; Report, that they have had the subject under
consideration, and are of the opinion that as the petitioners
do not show that any PORTION of this state is SUFFERING for the
article of CLOCKS, they can see no reason why the prayer of the
petitioners should be granted; and ask to be discharged from
the consideration of the subject. Ordered that the committee be
discharged”, SENATE JOURNAL NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1835,page
149. Their emphasis added.

     Still another proposal, and my personal favorite, was made
by Mr. Will:” Resolved, That the committee of Finance be
instructed to inquire into the expediency of taxing all
bachelors over the age of twenty-four years, and that they have
leave to report by bill or otherwise”, page 208. Mr. Thomas
moved to lay the resolution on the table until July 4th next
which was adopted, 17-9, Mr. Williamson voting to table, page
208.

     Initially, his negative vote on February 2,1835 on “an act
to incorporate colleges”. On February 7th after the bill came
back from the House for concurrence he voted with the majority,
21-4, to postpone the bill to July 4, next, page 459.
      He supported a resolution petitioning Congress to change
the state Enabling Act of 1818 so that section 16 reserves,
which were to be set aside for education, could be sold by the
state and the funds expended preferentially for common schools
and others at the discretion of the state, page 86, 186 and 264-
267.
     He voted negative on “an act concerning the school fund”,
page 376.  No doubt negative votes on the school fund were
dictated, in part, by objections to raiding the fund for
projects unrelated to education. From his service, 1832-1836,
in the legislature it is difficult to determine in the journals
what his views were on the issue of higher education, page 401.

      In the December 1835 legislative session he voted to name
the two Illinois senators and three House members to be the
Illinois delegates to the Democratic Party National Convention.
However, when this again (February 11,1835) came up in the form
of a resolution he voted, in a losing cause, to postpone
indefinitely naming the two US Senators (Kane and Robinson) and
three Illinois congressmen to constitute the Illinois State
Delegation that subsequently nominated Martin Van Buren to be
the party's nominee for the Presidency to succeed Andrew
Jackson. Since the national convention was a new usage in
national politics and because the Illinois General Assembly had
solidifying along party lines he may have considered this party
preference rather than state business. pages, 510-511. More
likely, his faction desired to elect from the field at home in
Illinois. Nevertheless, the resolution was later adopted and
the congressional delegation was instructed to support the
“friends of the current administration”.

     On January 15,1835 in a joint session the General Assembly
Senator Williamson voted for Jesse B. Thomas to be Attorney-
General of the state of Illinois and in a loosing cause he
voted for John J. Hardin to be a state Attorney. Opposing John
J.Hardin was the victor, Stephen A. Douglas, who later (1858)
ran for the US Senate from Illinois against Abraham Lincoln
(and won) and the US Presidency (1860)  (and lost), pages 480-
483.
     
     Senator Williamson’s most important committee assignment
was to the standing committee on Military Affairs, which had
responsibilities for the militia. The crisis with the Indians
having passed with their removal there was little business for
the committee. One bill on militia affairs did find its way to
the floor at the end of the session. It was entitled “An act to
amend an act for the government of the state militia of the
state, approved February, 1833”. Amendments to the committee
version were made that concerned the pay and duties of the
Brigade Commanders when the bill reached the former. Williamson
voted against the bill, as amended, and it passed the senate.
The bill was further amended in the House and when it came back
for concurrence the senate accepted the House version. His vote
on this version is unclear as is the final fate of the bill,
pages 494,495,512.
     
     “An act for the relief of the poor, approved March 1,1833”
was taken up and passed with Mr. Williamson voting against,
page 513.

Unless otherwise indicated all citations in the following
section are taken from the Senate Journal of the second/special
session of the General Assembly for 1835-1836 held at Vandalia
December 7,1835 through January 16,1836. This Journal has no
Index

     The message from Governor Joseph Duncan prefaced the
reasons for a special session. The priority items were to
“obtain a just and equal apportionment of representation under
the census taken in the current year (1835)”, funding for the
Illinois and Michigan Canal, the continuation of the various
Internal Improvement projects, and the stabilization of the
State Bank, pages 6-11. On December 9 Mr. Williamson was
assigned again to the standing committee on Military Affairs
and the Internal Improvements Committee, page 11.On this same
day the state’s business was set aside and politics became the
order of the day when a resolution directed to the state’s
senators and representatives in Congress requesting that a
Senate Resolution censuring President Jackson be expunged. The
US Senate’s resolution of censure condemned the President for
removing US funds from the Bank of the United States and read
as follows:
     “Resolved, That the reasons assigned by the Secretary of
the Treasury for the removal of the money of the United States
deposited in the Bank of the United States and its branches,
communicated to Congress on the 4th of December, 1833,are
unsatisfactory and insufficient.
     That the President, in the late executive proceedings in
relation to the public revenue, has assumed upon himself
authority and power not conferred by the Constitution and laws,
but in derogation of both “Remini, Robert V., ANDREW JACKSON
AND THE COURSE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, 1833-1845,VOLUME III,
page 151.
     The resolution was referred to the Committee of the Whole
House that requested, and was granted, further time to
deliberate, page 21. The chairman of the Committee of the
Whole, Mr. Williamson, reported and again requested and was
granted more time for deliberation, page 24.The measure came up
for consideration again on December 12 and opponents of the
resolution offered amendments. These were defeated 11-14 with
Mr. Williamson voting no. The original resolution was then
adopted, 15-10, with Mr. Williamson voting aye, page 29-30 and
the House was asked to concur. The resolution was reported as
correctly enrolled, page 57. This vote provides a solid summary
of the die hard Jacksonian element in the Senate to wit:
Messers.Bond, Craig, Ewing, Hacker, Lane, Maxwell, Mitchel,
McGahey, Noel, Parrish, Snyder, Strode, Weatherford, Whiteside
and Williamson.

     Mr. Gatewood announced his intention to introduce a bill
to establish a uniform system of schools, page 11.  In the
first years of statehood there were “no schools in the country
except for reading, writing, and arithmetic, and one school for
surveying and bookkeeping”. Ford, page 21. In general,
elementary schools were “subscription” schools or “free”
schools. Lacking a uniform system of schools, and doubtful as
to how the state should proceed, a resolution of the Senate was
approved calling for the establishment of a commission charged
with the responsibility of surveying other states’ practices
and reporting on the kind and quality of patronage the state
should provide, SENATE JOURNAL, pages 412-413. Unfortunately, a
system of general taxation to support Illinois schools did not
come until the mid 1850’s.

     On December 11th a select committee was appointed to
inquire into the accounts of the Saline commissioners. The
issues on salines were an important one because the state
derived certain revenue from the sale of salt, particularly in
Gallatin and Vermillion counties. Members of the General
Assembly competed for distributions of funds from this account.
On January 1  “an Act relating to the Gallatin county saline”
was proposed and a report recommending their sale to private
owners because the deposits were depreciating and not
competitive with salt marketed from alternatives sources, pages
143-144. A substitute bill drafted by the committee was then
introduced. and an amendment offered to add these funds to the
school fund. This proposal was defeated, 9-15 with Mr.
Williamson voting aye. Passage of the amendment which provided
benefits only to those counties already provided for by the law
and would benefit Shelby and Macon counties through the school
fund because they had opted out of the saline agreements, page
148. A motion to postpone the bill indefininately was defeated,
6-18, with Mr. Williamson voting aye. The bill was referred to
a select committee, page 148. On the 4th a number of amendments
were added to the bill which apportioned the funds among the
counties was approved, 13-10 and 14-8 with Mr. Williamson
voting no, page 159-160. On January 8th the bill was read and
third time and ordered to be engrossed. Mr. Williamson again
voting no, page 187. Final approval came on the bill after
reconciliation with House versions. Mr. Williamson again voting
no, pages 253-254. It is difficult to divine the Shelby county
position on this issue except that Shelby and Macon counties
were excluded, by their choice, from the saline agreements and
did not stand to benefit from subsequent disposal of the assets
unless they were channeled through the general state fund.

     One of the reasons that there was support to move the
capitol from Vandalia was that the city had no suitable
facility to house the legislators or lodging to accommodate
them. Mr. Ewing who represented Fayette county and lived in
Vandalia proposed to forestall loosing this county asset and
therefore proposed the following:
     “Resolved, That s select committee of three be appointed
whose duty it shall be to inquire into the expediency of
building a State House on the public square in Vandalia,
suitable and size and convenience for the accommodation of the
next General Assembly; also, to devise the ways and means for
raising the necessary funds for the construction of the same,
and that said committee report by bill or otherwise,” Ordered
that Messers. Ewing, Williamson, and Lane be that committee,
page 31.On December 21st the reported a bill, “An Act to
provide for building a State House in the town of Vandalia”
which was read a second time and referred to the Committee of
the Whole, page 81. On December 26th several amendments came to
the floor. One proposed that the sum for the proposal not
exceed $30,000.Another that was deleted was to exclude the
proposal providing for a room to house the US District court
and provide for a State Library. The bill was then ordered to
be engrossed, pages 115-116. However, there would be no
Christmas present for the Vandalians because the Senate
Committee of the Whole was discharged from further
consideration of the bill, page 118. Still a further effort on
behalf of Vandalia was made with “An act to remove the
penitentiary, and erect a State House at Vandalia” on December
30. This bill was ordered to second reading and deferred to a
select committee of five to include Messers. Bond, Edwards,
Hacker, Mills and Parrish, page 135. At some point an engrossed
bill for an act to build a State House in Vandalia reached the
floor on January 11th and was referred to the Finance Committee
after a motion to postpone to July 4th next was defeated 6-17
with Mr. Williamson voting not to postpone, page 207. The
Finance Committee made its’ report on January 15 with a
recommendation to reject. Mr. Gatewood moved to re-submit the
bill, which was not agreed to, and on the main question: Shall
the bill pass? The vote was 4-16 against. Voting with Mr.
Williamson were Senators Gatewood, Lane and Williams, page 252-
253.

     The Internal Improvements committee was ordered to
investigate and make recommendations on that portion of the
Governor’ message relating to The Illinois and Michigan Canal,
page 13.
 In answer on December 16th a resolution on the motion of Mr.
Ewing was offered that proposed that a select committee be
appointed with the duty to:
     1.Inquire into the expediency of passing a law to
     establishing a railroad from the terminus of the Illinois
     and Michigan Canal to a suitable point on the Ohio River,
     2.make recommendations on state participation, either on
     its own enterprise or as a joint undertaking with a
     private corporation,
     3.Establishment of a fund to finance the construction,
     4.Construct a memorial to Congress asking that the
     Congress grant to the state of Illinois every alternate
     section along the right of way to be made available for
     sale to pay the costs
     Of construction. The state was also to have preemption
     rights at the minimum price paid for US lands along the
     right of way.
Ordered that Messers. Williamson, Ewing and Bond be that
committee, Page 48. The Committee on Internal Improvements
reported an Act for the construction of the Illinois and
Michigan Canal, based on the Governor’s message, and delivered
its report that the committee “earnestly recommended that a
bill be passed” The committee had “not a hook, left upon which
to hang a doubt as to the expediency and the practicability of
immediately commencing” the canal. The main points and
arguments in the report are summarized as follow:
     1. That a loan be negotiated backed by the full faith and
credit of the state
     2.That the sale of apportioned canal lands would amply
     cover the costs of construction and impose no future
     burdens on the people.
     3.The “first foot of excavation” would result in the
     appreciation of the value of lands along the right of way
     and attract new emigration into the state.
     4.Postponedment would divert emigration to alternative
     lands and subject their future sale to “foreign”
     speculation
     5.Connecting railroads await the development of the canal
     6.Private loans would be readily forthcoming.
The report was laid on the table and 2000 copies were ordered
printed, pages 97-102.
     Previously the House had passed a bill,” An Act for the
construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal” and asked for
the Senate to concur, page 106-107. On January 1, 1836 the bill
came back with several amendments and the bill was laid back on
the table, page 146. On January 7th the bill was taken up and
after several amendments the Senate passed the bill, 18-7, and
asked the House to concur. Mr. Williamson voted aye, page 181.
The canal became a sectional issue along North-South state
lines with the Southern counties seeking a sectional equivalent
of the Illinois Michigan Canal because they saw it,
potentially, as disruptive to southern control of the
approaches to the Mississippi River and the port at New
Orleans. When the much discussed Wabash-Maumee alternative
failed to develop as a practical option, the Southern counties
began to look to rails as a practical alternative or
supplement. Most of these proposals would link the Wabash with
the Ohio or Mississippi River systems. Even the Canal
Commisssioners, in 1832, recommended a rail system as an
adjunct or alternative to the canal. This concept was either a
central railroad from Chicago to the Mississippi or a railroad
that would connect the southern terminus of the canal with the
river drainages. Some southern representatives projected the
Sangamon or Kaskaskia Rivers as a part of the systems to insure
southern progress. Thomas Ford (pages 207-213) mentions that
the state’s representatives “begged shamelessly” for federal
land grants that would enable the state to fund these projects.
The record suggests that Mr. Williamson was originally
skeptical on the construction of the canal but by 1835 he was
caught up in the enthusiasm for the canal and the connecting
rail roads. In the last years of his legislative service he saw
the canal as a white elephant dragging the state into
bankruptcy and voted accordingly. An act for the construction
of the Illinois and Michigan Canal was adopted 9 January, 1836.
LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1835-1836,pages 145-154.

     

There were next several attempts to link the canal, yet to be
started, let alone constructed, with the Ohio and Mississippi
Rivers, and the battle lines formed over which cities might be
included along the right of way. Subsequently, Mr. Hacker
proposed that the General Assembly adopt the following:
“Resolved, That it is now expedient to commence a central
railroad from the mouth of the Ohio River to the termination of
the contemplated Illinois and Michigan Canal, and that the
state effect a loan of a sum sufficient to commence said Canal
contemplated Canal and railroad”. On motion the resolution was
laid on the table, page 58. Mr. Cyrus Edwards, perhaps
anticipating the waste in piecemeal proposals to establish a
multiplicity of rails without beneficial result, proposed
resolutions to the Senate that: the Committee on Internal
Improvements report bills to establish the Wabash and Erie and
another bill to connect the terminus of the Illinois and
Michigan Canal with the Ohio River, and that a state loan be
procured which gave the state part or whole ownership
opportunities, pages 154- 155. Mr. Edwards, seeming to be
mindful of scarce resources, and recognizing a need for
concrete results, withdrew his resolutions and proposed a route
from the canal’s terminus through Decatur, Shelbyville, and a
connection via an improved Kaskaskia River to the Ohio, page
197-198. Such a proposal would catch several votes, including
Mr. Williamson’s and the proposal was referred to a select
committee. Subsequently, this act was ordered to the Committee
of the Whole, and the bill with sundry amendments was ordered
engrossed for third reading, page 173-175 On January 7th the
House version of the bill with amendments added by the Senate
was passed, 18-7, with the House asked to concur with the
Senate amendments. Mr. Williamson voted aye, page 181. The
House did consent to the Senate amendments on January 8th,page
186. The Council of Revision recorded the bill as correctly
enrolled, page 198. The canal was completed in 1848 but was
never to offer the expected efficacy its planners had imagined.
Because it was operational on a seasonal basis and earned
marginal profits it was unable to compete with the rail system.
And by the mid-1850’s the Rock Island Line offered competing
service along its’ right of way and the canal fell into decline
and ultimate decay. See LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1835-1836,pages, 145-
154. See also: www.library.sos.state.il .

     Another resolution was proposed by Mr. Lane, requesting
that the Illinois delegation in Congress “propose and advocate”
an amendment to the Constitution of the United States that
would abolish the Electoral College system and substitute
election of the President by direct popular vote. The
resolution was referred to the Committee of the Whole, page 26.
The committee asked, and was granted, more time for
consideration, page 56. On January 15 Mr. Lane moved that the
question again be taken up. Mr. Herndon moved to amend the
resolutions by adding this language: “Resolved, by the General
Assembly of Illinois, That the power held by the executive
government of the United State over the public money, when put
to an improper use, either to corrupt, bribe or manage local or
State banks, so as to force them into the support of the Van
Buren party, is dangerous to liberty and oppressive to the
people. Resolved, That it is reported and believed, that one
Stephen W. Whitney, now stationed near the Treasury of the
United States, has written letters, and is holding an improper
correspondence with the officers and directors of the State
bank on political subjects. Resolved,That a select committee be
appointed to investigate said charges, with the power to send
for persons and papers” A motion to postpone to July 4, next
failed 11-11. Mr. Williamson voted not to postpone and the tie
was resolved by the Speaker’s no vote. The bill was then
referred to a committee of five, page 259.
     
      In the afternoon session  “An Act to incorporate the
Stockholders of the Illinois Exporting Company ” was read the
third time, amendments were defeated, and the bill passed 15-10
with Mr. Williamson voting no, page 50. A motion to substitute
“Alton” in place of “Illinois” was adopted and the bill was
retitled, the House being asked to concur, page 50. The session
also approved “An Act to incorporate the Marseilles
Manufacturing Company” 16-9, Mr. Williamson voting no, page 50-
51.The House reported amendments to the bill and asked
concurrence of the Senate, page 95. While it is impossible to
be sure of his position, the record seems to suggest that Mr.
Williamson lacked an affinity for proposals with such titles as
these. Although the articles of incorporations seem standard
they contain one provision that he probably found objectionable
and that was that the articles did not provided for limited
liability for the stockholders. He may also have seen such
enterprises as tendencies to monopoly and his political
position would call for opposition on that account. LAWS OF
ILLINOIS 1835-1836,page141-143.

     On December 17th Mr. Bond introduced a petition of Sidney
Breese “praying authority to construct a toll bridge over the
Kaskaskia River, near the town of Carlyle, and a turnpike road
near said river” and on Mr. Bond’s motion the petition was
referred to a select committee of Messers.Bond, Mills and
Williamson, page 52. The bill was subsequently passed, LAWS OF
ILLINOIS 1835-1836,pages, 143f.

     A bill from the House entitled “An Act to incorporate the
Wabash and Mississippi Rail Road Company” was read a second
time and referred to a committee of five that included:
Messers. Williams, Maxwell, Herndon, Vance and Williamson, page
61. On January 2 Mr. Bond asked and obtained leave to introduce
a bill entitled” An Act to incorporate the Wabash and
Mississippi Union Rail Road Company”. The act was read a second
time and referred to a committee of Messers. Snyder, Bond, and
Williamson, page 155. This road was to pass through Decatur in
Macon County and therefore his support would be obvious even
though, after this session’s end, Shelby County would no longer
be combined with Macon County for representation purposes. The
House concurred on the bill, page 247 and articles of
incorporation were approved 15 January 1836,LAWS OF ILLINOIS
1835-1836, pages 36-43.

     In answer to the Governor’s message the House asked the
Senate to concur in the following resolution: “ Resolved by the
House of Representatives (the Senate concurring herein) That
the ratio for apportioning the Representation of this state,
according to the last state census, shall be 7000 for each
Senator and 3000 for each Representative”, page 62.The proposal
was referred to the Committee of the Whole (page 178) that
reported it back to the floor without amendment on January 7th
when it was subjected to several amendments, particularly to
change the numbers in the ratio from 12-4. This was rejected 10-
13 with Mr. Williamson voting no. When the bill was voted on
for its’ third reading it passed 14-10 with Mr. Williamson
voting no, pages 184-185. The House was asked to concur and a
conference committee was established for this purpose but the
House refused to concur, pages 194-195. On January the
conference committee reported back recommending that the
original ratio of 7-3 be accepted and accordingly the Senate
agreed, page 219, and the House agreed on January 12th, pages
225,248 and LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1835-1836,pages 268-272. As a
result of this apportionment Shelby and Macon counties were no
longer a combined legislative district. because after 1836
Shelby County would send a single Senator and Representative to
the General Assembly.  Such measures as these were a reflection
of the growing population in the northern state and a
proportional decline in the influence of representation in the
rural counties like Shelby. Western patterns of migration
westward were in parallel lines and so much of northern
Illinois emigrated from the northeastern states. Southerners
had settled Southern Illinois earlier. As the internal
improvement movement gathered momentum foreign immigration,
particularly, German and Irish, added to this shift in the
locus of political power. The Democrats based much of their
voting strength on the immigrant vote, especially the Irish,
and it could be decisive in determining an election.
Enfranchisement of these aliens became a point of conflict
between the Democrats and the Whigs. Similarly, after the
concentration of Mormons in Hancock and Adams counties, each of
the parties attempted to negotiate for that bloc of votes.

     Another confrontation, this time a political broadside
over the right of succession to the venerable Jackson, was
provoked when Mr. Davidson proposed the following resolution:
     “Whereas during the last war with England, in 1812 and
during the great political struggles of 1798,1812,1824 and
1828,the people of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the southern and
western states, a great majority of whom are now against the
election of Mr. Van Buren, and engaged in support of Hugh L.
White of Tennessee, were of the Democratic Party, and that as
New York supported Burr against Jefferson, the great apostle of
liberty, in 1781,and opposed Madison the war President and
Democratic candidate in 1814,when the safety and honor of the
country and success of the war, depended on the Democratic
Party, and opposed General Jackson in 1824,and voted against
him in Congress in 1825—the people’s candidate, opposed to
Executive patronage –and as the New England states, now
supporting Mr. Van Buren,have always been on the federal side
offing these great struggles for popular rights—therefore, Be
it,
          Resolved, That we repudiate, as grossly unjust, the
false and arrogant claim of the Van Buren party to exclusive
Democracy.
          Resolved, That we have the most perfect confidence in
the patriotism, integrity, and Democratic Republican principles
of Hugh L. White of Tennessee.
          Resolved, That we approve of his nomination by the
Legislatures of Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi, and that
we earnestly recommend him to our fellow –citizens as a proper
person to succeed General Jackson as President of the United
States.
          Resolved, That every man who is eligible to the
office of President, has an undeniable right to become a
candidate for the same, without the intervention of caucuses,
and conventions, and that we deprecate as cruel and unjust, the
attempts which have been made, and are now making by the Van
Buren party to cast opprobrium upon the name of Judge White.
          Resolved, That we approve of the democratic doctrines
as laid down by Jefferson in1801 and Jackson in 1829,and that
we disapprove of the convention system attempted to be forced
upon the American people by the Van Buren party, and believe it
to be destructive of the freedom of the elective franchise,
opposed to republican institutions, and dangerous to the
liberties of the people.
          Resolved, That we view the continual effort of the
supporters of Mr. Van Buren to connect him with the popular
name of General Jackson, whom he opposed in 1824 and 1825,and
never supported until by the people, by acclamation, declared
he should be President, as an evidence that he has no merits of
his own to recommend him, and of their want of respect for good
sense and independence of the people”.
     The bill was read and a motion made to refer to the
Committee of the Whole. After this motion was defeated the
resolutions were approved 13-12 with Mr. Williamson voting no,
pages 77-78. Three of the several dedicated Jacksonians listed
above were supporters of the resolutions. Those, like Mr.
Williamson who opposed the resolutions and stood by Jackson’s
choice for his successor deserve to be recognized as the most
loyal to the legacy of Jackson.



     On January 6th the friends of Jackson and Van Buren,
taking the same meter/ format as the resolutions by Mr. White’s
supporters, answered their December 19th broadside with one of
their own.  Van Buren’s supporters included the following
resolutions among others:
          “Resolved, That we deprecate as grossly unjust, the
          false and arrogant claims of the Webster, White and
          Harrison party to the exclusive use of the ancient
          and honorable name of Whig”.
           Resolved, That we have the most perfect confidence
          in the political integrity and democratic republican
          principles of Martin Van Buren of New York and
          Richard M. Johnson of Kentucky.
          Resolved, That we approve of the democratic doctrine
          laid down by Mr. Jefferson in 1801,and by Jackson in
          1832 and that we disapprove of the duplicity of those
          who have been for the last ten years engaged in
          abusing Gen. Jackson now resolving that they approve
          of his measures in 1829.
          Resolved, That we view the continued effort of the
          opposition party to divide the Jackson democratic
          party, and throw the election into the House of
          Representatives, as evidence that they have no hopes
          of success by fair means and they want of respect for
          the good sense and independence of the people, page
          175-176.
A similar “protest” in this same vein was entered into the
record and signed by Van Buren supporters, including Mr.
Williamson, pages 255-258. Such exchanges would be certainly be
expected in newspapers controlled by various political factions
and their appearance within the legislative system is a
revealing look at the intensity of the party battle of the
middle years of the nineteenth century.

     Because of disability the Speaker was unable to attend on
December 23 and Mr. Ewing was elected Speaker pro tem, page 90-
91.

      “An Act to establish certain counties” was introduced.
After its second reading Mr. Thomas moved to amend the bill to
add the words “Cass” and “Reynolds”, a proposal to reward two
Democratic Party stalwarts.  The bill was referred to a select
committee of Messers. Maxwell, Strode and Davidson, page 91.
The bill was advanced to its’ third reading (page 151), and
passed with amendments and the House asked to concur, page 189.
New counties were created in this session but Lewis Cass and
John Reynolds were not to be so honored, LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1835-
1836,pages273-278.

     On December 28, following the announcement of the death of
US Senator Elias Kane the Senate and the House met in the House
chamber for the purpose of electing a replacement. William Lee
D. Ewing (28), James Semple (25), Richard Young (19), and
Alexander Jenkins (15) received these votes on the first
ballot. Mr. Williamson voting for Mr. Ewing, page 121. On the
eighth ballot Mr. Young failed to receive any votes but still
no remaining candidate had a majority needed for election, page
125.Mr. Lincoln of the House had supported Mr. Jenkins but on
the eighth ballot switched to Mr. Ewing. On the twelfth ballot
Mr. Ewing received 40 votes and Mr. Semple 37 and Mr. Ewing was
elected to the US Senate, pages 127-128. Mr. Williamson had
voted for Mr. Ewing on twelve consecutive ballots.

     Mr. Williamson voted with the majority (16-9) to support a
bill “An Act for a person herein named”, Page 141.

     On “An Act supplementary to an act for the relief of
Thomas Redmond”, Mr. Williamson voted against indefininate
postponement and the bill was tabled, page 133. This bill was
amended giving Redmond, one of the contractors working on the
State House, until January 1,1837 the time to pay the state a
debt of $50,page 146.

     A lively exchange occurred on January 2nd when amendments
were offered to “ An Act concerning appeals from judgments of
Justices of the Peace”. Page 161.One amendment proposed to add
this language:” That there shall be allowed to each and every
family in this state, one work horse, in addition to the
property now exempted from execution, any law to the contrary
notwithstanding”, Mr. Davidson then moved to amend this
amendment with “That when the defendant in any execution shall
be without a horse, he shall be furnished one by the County
Commissioners’ Court, and paid for out of the county Treasury”,
Mr. Herndon proposed to further amend the  amendment by adding
“ Also one yoke of oxen worth $30 or more”. Mr. Williamson
voted no on these amendments. A motion to refer the bill to the
Judiciary Committee failed and the Senate adjourned for the
day, pages 161-163.

     On “An Act concerning the payment of the Revenue, and for
other purposes” Mr. Williamson voted not to postpone
indefinitely, the bill was passed and the House asked to
concur, page 170. Presumably, Mr. Williamson voted for the act.

     On “An Act for the relief of Timothy Guard and others” Mr.
Williamson voted no. A committee report was made recommending
relief, pages 111-112. The bill passed 15-7,page 177. This act
grew out of a financial loss of Mr. Guard who was injured when
a creditor called his bond to one of the saline commissioners.

     On January 8th an onerous duty was handed to Mr.
Williamson when he and Senators Snyder, Davidson, Parrish, and
Strode were appointed to a select committee to investigate a
fellow Senator on charges in the newspaper by John York Sawyer
that Senator William Thomas had, on oath, leaked a part of a
report on a school bill. Senator Thomas, of Morgan County
requested either a retraction from the newspaper or he
threatened to resign his seat, pages 190-191. On Tuesday,
January 10th the committee reported back that the charges
against Senator Thomas were slanderous and should be rejected
as false, page 213-217. On January 14th, 1835 Mr. Sawyer was
nominated for re-election as Public Printer and was elected by
the General Assembly 53-26. Mr. Williamson and Mr. Snyder, who
had been on the select investigating committee that condemned
Mr. Sawyer in the Thomas matter, voted for Mr. Menard
Greiner.On the House side, Mr. Lincoln also supported Mr.
Greiner, page 255.

     On this same day Senators Hacker, Mitchel and Williamson
were appointed to a select committee for “An Act relative to
runaway slaves”, page 199. Changes in the Illinois slave codes
were usually defeated during this time period despite a growing
abolitionist sentiment and effort. Of interest on this subject
are the 1835 Shelby county census figures. There were 3 free
male Negroes, 3 free female Negroes, 3 indentured servants, 9
persons of color in all, page 296.

     On December 26th Mr. Hacker proposed “An Act to
incorporate the Illinois Central Rail Road” which was passed
second and third readings and laid on the table, page 119.On
Monday the 4th the bill was taken up and referred to the
Committee of the Whole, page 159.  On Friday January 9th the
Senate Committee of the Whole took under consideration the bill
for incorporating the Central Railroad Company with the result
that the Senate accepted the committee report with some
amendment and the bill was passed, 18-4. Mr. Williamson voting
aye, pages 192-193.The bill now retitled "An Act to incorporate
the Illinois Central Rail Road” was read a third time and,
after several amendments were accepted concerned with rerouting
the line. The bill was passed 13-8. Mr. Williamson voting aye,
page 195-196. Ultimately, Mr. Williamson will be named one of
the incorporators of the Illinois Central Rail Road Company,
LAWS OF 1836,page 129-135.

     A proposal to incorporate the Shawneetown and Alton Rail
Road Company was taken up which would provide that its’
construction begin in 1840 and end by 1850.  After several
amendments and motions were defeated the bill passed by a vote
of 12-10 with Mr. Williamson voting aye, page 234. The House
was asked to concur and the bill was adopted by the General
Assembly, LAWS OF ILLINOIS, 1835-1836. Similarly, a bill from
the House came to the floor in the morning session,” An Act to
incorporate the Alton, Wabash and Erie Rail Road Company”. This
road proposed to pass through Shelbyville and one of its’
subscribers was William F. Thornton of Shelby County, The bill
was ordered to second reading and, on motion of Mr. Williamson,
referred to a select committee of Messers. Williamson, Craig
and Bond, page 241. In the afternoon session Mr. Williamson
reported the bill back to the floor without amendment and, on
his motion, it was cleared through third reading by title and
passed with the House asked to concur, page 242 and LAWS OF
ILLINOIS 1835-1836,pages 16-20. A flurry of such acts to
incorporate rails occurred in this session—eighteen in all. As
a member of the Internal Improvement committee, Mr. Williamson
would have been involved in several of them. The problem,
however, was financial. Most of these roads were never built or
never completed, but the frequency and ease of obtaining
incorporation papers testifies to the “boomer” mentality of the
period.

     On January 13th “An Act for the construction of the
Illinois and Michigan Canal” was read the first time, moved
past its’ second reading and tabled, page 250.

     “An Act to establish a State Bank” was referred to the
Committee of the Whole, page 256.
     “An Act to amend an act regulating enclosures” was read a
second time and referred to a select committee of Messers.
McGhee, Rattan and Williamson, pages 259-260.

     The bill “relating to judgments and executions” introduced
on December 12 and ordered to its second reading, page 43. The
act was amended on December and referred to the Judiciary
committee on the 17th, page 60.It was read a third time on
January 15 and a motion to lay the bill on the table until
December, next was adopted 11-10 with Mr. Williamson voting
aye, page 250-251.

          Mr. Strode asked approval for a resolution calling
upon the Senate to return a bill for “the relief of David
McKee” but the courtesy was denied 10-12 with Mr. Williamson
voting no, page 258.

     On January 16th with Mr. Williamson in the chair the
Committee of the Whole took up a bill from the House
supplemental to the “act making appropriations for 1835 and
1836”. After some time the bill with amendments was reported
back to the floor and passed and the House requested to concur
with the amendments, pages 276-277. On the same day the Senate
got hung up on a motion to amend a bill in relation to the
Attorney General by adding the phrase “ an Auditor”. The vote
was 11-11 with the Speaker breaking the tie on negative side.
Mr. Williamson voted aye, page 277-278. In the evening session
Mr. Williamson moved to reconsider and the phrase was stricken
by a vote of, 15-9. Mr. Williamson still voting aye, page 280-
281.

     On December 18th the General Assembly adjourned sine die,
page 289. In an appendix following page 289 the records of
executive session that had been held in secret throughout the
session were published. In one of these Governor Duncan had
nominated George H. Beeler to be public administrator for
Shelby County. Mr. Williamson moved that the nomination be laid
on the table and Mr. Gatewood ordered that the nomination be
approved, page 294. Later the Governor withdrew Mr. Beeler’s
name and nominated another, page 296. On the 13th of January
the Senate advised and consented to the Governor’s nomination
of William B. Archer, 17-4, William F. Thornton who was from
Shelby County, 14-8, and Gurdon Hubbard, 21-1,to serve as Canal
Commissioners, page 295.Mr. Williamson voted for all three.

     At a meeting at the Shelby County courthouse on 19 October
1835 WW was appointed Secretary of a meeting called to promote
a railroad connecting the Ohio River and the Great Lakes
regions that subsequently became the Illinois Central, which
merged, with the Canadian National System in 1998.

     On August 35 once again commissioned to be Shelby County
surveyor. EXECUTIVE RECORDS, 1832-37,vol.2, page 262. And
subsequently recommisssioned, EXECUTIVE RECORDS, vol.3, page
152. 1837-43.

     On December 17,1835 WW is named as an incorporator of the
Illinois Central Railroad Co, LAWS of ILLINOIS 1836, page, 129.

     Purchased in section 28 of township #12 North range 5,
east of 3rd prime meridian on November 29,1836. This the NW
quarter of the SE quarter.

      On January 20, 1836 he had acquired the SW quarter of the
NE quarter in the same section and township. To consolidate
these properties he purchased the W half of the SW quarter on
January 24, 1839.
     
     For the service of appraising state lands the General
Assembly authorized payment to William Williamson of  $3 for 35
days LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1845, page 368.

     On 25 November 1839 in a special election to replace the
deceased William F. Thornton, a member of the Whig Party, Mr.
Williamson was elected (292-167) to the House of
Representatives, ILLINOIS ELECTION RETURNS, page 328, THE
ILLINOIS FACT BOOK AND HISTORICAL ALMANAC, 1873-1968,page 208.
Since Mr. Williamson’s service in the 8th General Assembly, the
11th General Assembly had increased in membership in the Senate
from 26 to 40 senators. In the House of Representatives the
increase was from 56 to 102.February 1840. While Abraham
Lincoln and William Williamson served together in three General
Assemblies this will be the only term that they served in the
same house. Lodging was always a concern for members of the
legislature and others when the two houses met. What comforts
were available were likely to be in taverns, rooms in private
homes, and catch as catch can. One wonders in Williamson’s
case? Did he have a close friend or relative in or near
Vandalia/Springfield? At least for a time the Shields family
lived in Bond County in a location on the general route from
Shelbyville to Vandalia. Since the new state capitol was
unfinished. the House met in the second Presbyterian Church
until the state house was opened for the 1840 session. While it
was to be much improved in design and comfort there were
continued problems ILLINOIS FIFTH CAPITOL, pages 30-31.

Unless otherwise indicated the citations that follow are from
the House Journal 1839-1840

     Prior to the beginning of the 11th General Assembly, and
following county conventions to elect Democratic delegates a
state Officeholders Convention met at Springfield on the 9th of
December. The purpose of the convention was to elect a slate of
Democratic Electors for the forthcoming 1840 election and to
organize the party for the campaign. The keynote address and
resolutions adopted by the convention summarized the credo of
the party at that time:
     1. Martin Van Buren was endorsed for having “pursued the
        path which Jefferson and Jackson marked out”
     2. The Independent Treasury plan was approved and defended
     3. State’s Rights and strict construction of the
        constitution were endorsed
     4. The national government’s powers were judged to be
        limited and the states were the pillars of the Union
     5. With the Bank of the United States in mind,  chartered
        monopolies were declared dangerous to liberty
     6. Abolitionists were condemned for interference in the
        Southern states
     7. Democrats were warned that political infidelity was an
        evil
     Johannsen, Robert: STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS, page 75-76 and
Ford, Thomas: HISTORY OF ILLINOIS: 1818-1847,page. The list of
delegates included 250 county officials, political leaders as
well as members of the General Assembly. Mr. Williamson
attended as a delegate from Shelby County, SANGAMO JOURNAL,
February 28,1840,page 1.There is nothing in the record to
suggest that Mr. Williamson would have been troubled by these
principles and it is worth noting that Stephen A. Douglas
played a dominant role in organizing and structuring this
convention.

     The 11th General Assembly met in special session on the
call of Governor, Thomas Carlin, in December 1839. At times the
trials of office could be inconvenient. The church chambers
were poorly heated and an unfinished state house presented
unique problems: One of these had to do with the privies that
were located inside the state house in the basement.
Unfortunately, these privies and the stairwell “caused no end
of noxious problems for the legislators. Since the center
stairs ran all the way from the basement up to the second
floor, foul smelling odors ascended regularly to the august
legislative chambers. As the toilet vaults grew fuller, the
problems increased”. This condition continued over a period of
years until, finally, water closets were introduced in the
1850’s. ILLINOIS FIFTH CAPITOL, pages 30-31. Most members
continued to serve previously elected terms and there were only
six new House members—Mr. Williamson being one when elected in
a special election to serve out William F. Thornton’s term
following Mr. Thornton’s death. The new state house was under
construction and the legislative, executive and judicial
branches had to scramble to find chambers and offices. Because
the legislature did not meet on Sundays it was logical for the
church sanctuaries to be rented as Chambers for the two houses.
The House met in the Second Presbyterian Church and the Senate
eventually settled into the Methodist church. The purpose of
the special session was to address the problems created by the
recession of 1837-1842. Years previous had been an era of
speculation, and expansion, which ran to abuse and excess. The
legislature sat for eight weeks and grappled with a maze of
resolutions, proposals, petitions and acts. Governor Carlin had
called upon them,” in all future negotiations they should be
dictated by sound policy, wisdom and prudence and all
expenditures judiciously and economically applied” HOUSE
JOURNAL, page 20. He challenged those who had favorite projects
to protect or advance to adopt discipline and a selfless public
spirit, page 17. Indeed these virtues will are demonstrated in
the record of the House where at times a bipartisan spirit is
clearly reflected. The Democrats were the majority in the House
and had been the majority through the excesses of the previous
decade. Unfortunately, they had a record to defend as well, and
it will be difficult for many to accept Governor Carlin's
admonitions. None of these virtues had been in particular
evidence in preceding years. John C. Calhoun described the
situation “We have had the pleasure of getting drunk and now
must experience the pain of getting sober”, Margaret Coit, JOHN
C. CALHOUN: AMERICAN PORTRAIT, page 338.
     
     When the election for Speaker was taken at the beginning
of the session Abraham Lincoln was the declared Whig candidate
and the Democrats proposed William Lee D. Ewing. Although the
Whigs held the majority Mr. Ewing was elected and Mr. Lincoln
acted as floor leader for his party throughout the 1839-1840
term. ILLINOIS FIFTH CAPITOL, page 229, ABRAHAM LINCOLN: THE
PRARIE YEARS AND THE WAR YEARS, pages 64-65. Speaker Ewing was
required by health to resign before the session ended. John
Calhoun was elected clerk, page 8, and after five lively
ballots the House chose Isaac Barry to be assistant clerk,
pages 9-11.  Mr. Williamson voted for John Calhoun and in Isaac
Berry’s case supported him on four of the five ballots taken

     In addition to the usual legislative activity this session
faced five major, but related problems of a procedural, fiscal,
and economic nature.
     First, the credit system had all but collapsed, and public
credit was extended to exhaustion. In 1834 the state debt had
stood at $217,276 and in 1838 the debt was $6,688,784. In 1839
on the eve of this legislative session the state’s indebtedness
was approaching $14 millions for a state with fewer that
500,000 inhabitants and state revenues of $200,000. See Snyder
pages 269,284-288.  The State Bank of Illinois had suspended
specie payment and could not redeem its paper notes in silver
or gold. State bonds to finance internal improvements on
rivers, canals, and roads were trading at a ten percent
discount in London but dividends and interest on equities had
to be paid in specie. If new funds were to be raised, stocks
and bonds could not be sold at par, but of course had
ultimately to be redeemed at par. The charter of the Second
Bank of the United States had expired in 1836,and there
remained no central regulatory authority to rationalize state
and national markets. No Alan Greenspan!
     Secondly, the Illinois and Michigan canal had become a
drag on fiscal operations. The canal was not a pay as you go
proposition. Its’ contractors could not be paid.  Stockholders
and bondholders saw their investments devalued. Workers went
unpaid. The courts were filled with claims against the counties
and the Canal authority. Above all there was no prospect that
the canal could be finished on a predictable schedule. The
situation with the canal was so desperate that the legislature
attempted to sell it. On January 31,the last day of the
session, an amendment to “An act to legalize the re-valuation
of certain lots in the town of Lockport, and for other
purposes” was amended as follows:
     A/to give the governor the power to sell to any
     prospective buyer the Illinois and Michigan Canal and all
     its assets, including lands in grant from the state or
     United States provided,
     B/the purchaser refund to the state all monies previously
     expended and assume all of the canal’s liabilities
     C/the price to the purchaser to be at least $3 millions
     over and above the canal’s debt
     D/the purchaser complete the canal
This proposal to sell was adopted by 55-21 with Mr. Williamson
and Mr. Lincoln voting Aye, page 310. Fortunately, or not, the
offer was not taken up by private investors.
     Thirdly, in the previous decade the legislature had
chartered the incorporation of many railroads. The problem here
was that they were “skunk” lines that connected to no central
system. Over the state there were embankments, rights of way
and construction sites that were incomplete and suspended in
the midst of financial paralysis. In Governor Carlin’s words
“the system of Internal Improvements was truly alarming”
HOUSEJOURNAL, page 14. The legislators had real problems
sorting out their allegiances and the state’s resources between
the viability of canals versus the serviceability of rails.
Both interests were to suffer, as the suspension of
construction would weigh on both. Those that could pay their
way had a chance to survive; those that could not faced the
legislative ax. Because Mr. Williamson was appointed to the
Standing Committee on Internal Improvements one would expect
that he might play a significant role during the session but
this seems not to be the case. One reason the committee did not
play a greater role was that the problems were so interlocked
between Finance, Public Works, Internal Affairs, Canal and
Canal Lands, State Roads, and Public Acts and Expenditures that
each of these committees and the House leadership found it
easier to reconcile their special concerns in the Committee of
the Whole House or in Joint Committees of the House and Senate.
Any number of bills on the subject of internal improvements
could have been sent to any one or all of these standing
committees.
     Fourth: Income collections, including tax receipts had
fallen. New sources of revenue needed to be found since few, if
any, suggested that tax burdens be imposed. License fees and
more effective assessment practices were suggested and these
generated heated debate.
     Five: Since a special session had been called one might
expect the legislature to focus on the major problems and set
aside ‘elective” business until the next session but this was
not to be the case and so the legislators labored on with a
myriad of acts, petitions, resolutions and motions that had
little, if any, relevance to the four problems itemized above.
Instead of focusing their “genius” and rationing their time
they were distracted and drawn to the extraneous. The Journal
gives a clear sense of this when, at the end of the session,
they are in a near panic to finish the tasks before them and
they are forced to let many issues that had taken up their time
and energies die on the table.

     A petition from W.M.H. Piatt, the administrator of the
estate of James Piatt, requesting that he be allowed to sell
certain lots was referred to a committee of two—Mr. Gouge and
Mr. Williamson. --, pages 9-10.

     On December 12 Mr. Williamson was appointed to a select
committee to review a petition of sundry citizens of Fayette
County praying for a change of venue in the case of People vs.
Gikoske,
page 25.
     Resolutions were proposed to grant the legislature
immunity from suits brought against the state or its agents.
One of these proposed to declare these suits unconstitutional
and to insulate the member from any legal/ disciplinary action
except that of the people in free elections, page 27. This
resolution was decided in the negative 39-44. Messers.
Williamson and Lincoln voting in the negative, page 27-28.
Apparently, legislators had come to fear that some of the
consequences of their excesses in the earlier years might reach
into their own pockets! A second resolution which merely stated
that any such suit should not operate to the disadvantage of a
legislator—excluding the reference to it being
unconstitutional—was adopted, page 28. Another preamble and
series of resolutions (the first introduced at the session)
demonstrate the frustrations of handling a situation that was
spinning out of control:
     1. A declaration condemning the excess of the past
     2. A declaration that the state and individual credit had
        been burdened beyond the capacity to repay
     3. The current tax rate was high, oppressive and
        intolerable compared to other states.
     4. That the current system of internal improvements had been
        “palmed of” onto the people without their consent
     5. The costs of the system of internal improvements had
        been vastly underestimated
     6. That these improvements had been pledged without
        increased tax burdens
     7. That the development of cities would be encouraged and
        the value of real property be enhanced
     
     8. That the interest and dividends earned would produce
     revenue to defray costs to the state
     9.That these promises had been illusions and that the
     committee on Internal Improvements be instructed to bring
     in a bill repealing the existing law of internal
     improvement and preserve the interests of the state in
     works already commenced.

     The House vote to lay this preamble and resolutions on the
table, passed 43-40,page 30. Messers. Williamson and Lincoln
voted aye to lay these on the table but they were not later
referred to the Committee on Internal Improvements as might be
expected.

     On December 20 Mr. Williamson voted against a motion that
would have amended the bank bill in such a manner as to deny it
powers to cope with the current situation, page 66-67. Some
members opposed vesting any further power or trust in the State
Bank and attempted to circumscribe its powers. Mr. Lincoln also
voting no. Because the House vote refused to allow the bill to
be referred to the Judiciary Committee, further amendments were
offered:
     1.”That the suspension of specie payments by the State
Bank of Illinois, is hereby legalized, so far as regards the
penalty of forfeiture of its charter until otherwise provided
for by law”, page 67.
     2.”Provided, That the legislature shall at any time
hereafter, when the public good may require it, have the right
to alter or amend the charter of said bank”, page 67.After
beating back several attempts to deflect the intent of these
amendments both were adopted and the bill was passed (67-22)
for its third reading, page, 68-69. A motion on the following
day to reconsider was defeated, page 70. In all of these
maneuvers in re the Bank, Mr. Williamson and Mr. Lincoln
recognized the necessity for the Bank and consistently defended
its continuance.

     On December 23  “an act in relation to the State Bank of
Illinois “was before the House for its’ third reading, page 80.
The vote was 61-24 to adopt and the senate asked to concur.
Messers Williamson and Lincoln voted with the majority. On
January 8,1840 another bill entitled “ An act in relation to
the State Bank” was read for the first time but failed to
receive the vote needed to reach a second reading. This bill
seems to have originated with “the friends of the bank” with
Mr. Williamson and Lincoln supporting it, page 136-137. The
House again took up the issues in “An act in relation to the
State Bank” that was reported out from select committee. Mr.
Williamson voted for an amendment to limit the liability of the
stockholders and the state, page 230. On a second amendment to
revive its charter but reserve the state’s right to amend or
alter the charter, he voted with the minority, page 231. He
voted in favor of a resolution that the Bank resume specie
payment, page 231 and on another to require that a majority of
the Bank’s directors be elected by the State, page 231.All of
these amendments failed to be adopted, page 232. However, when
the entire bill was voted on, Mr. Williamson voted for the bill
as amended and the resumption of specie payment was included in
the final bill. If he could not have the bank as he favored it;
he would nevertheless have the bank, page 232. Lincoln’s views
throughout were juxtaposed to his. The bill was reported as
engrossed by the House on January 24,page 237. On January 24
the House continued to consider “ a bill in relation to the
State Bank”. After several amendments were considered the bill
was passed 52-34 with Messer Williamson and Lincoln voting aye,
pages, 244- 246. On January 29, 1840 the “act in relation to
the State Bank of Illinois” again came to the floor with Senate
amendments attached to it. Messers Williamson and Lincoln voted
to support the Senate version and it was passed 47-36,page 284-
286.The final bill contained most of the principles that
Messers Lincoln and Williamson had fought to include, LAWS OF
ILLINOIS ELEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 1840,pages 17-19.

     On December 21 Mr. Williamson “presented a petition of
sundry citizens of the State of Illinois in relation to a state
road”, and on his motion, the proposal was sent to the
Committee on State Roads, page 70.

     Mr. Williamson and Mr. Lincoln joined across the aisle to
reject “an act to authorize limited partnerships”, page 71-72.
The bill was approved by the majority for third reading.

     A joint resolution to establish a committee to invite the
clergy of Springfield to “open the daily sessions of the House
with prayer to Almighty God” was proposed, page 72. Amendments
were offered and rejected to pay clergy $5 and require the
prayer to be the “Lords Prayer”, page 74-76. Curiously, since
we know Williamson to be confirmed Methodist who had
contributed significantly to establish the Sand Springs church
on his property in Shelby County, he voted in the negative.
Since there were other items in the bill, unrelated to prayer,
his objection may have been for other reasons. The measure was
adopted (50-37) and Mr. Williamson was to listen to prayers in
the Methodist church in Springfield throughout the session. Mr.
Lincoln voted aye.

     A bill from the senate making “partial appropriations” was
read on the floor. Amendments were offered and beaten back and
the bill moved to third reading, Messers Williamson and Lincoln
again joined across the aisle, page 78.

     On December 26 “a bill for an act to repeal an act
entitled’ An act regulating tavern and grocery license, and for
other purposes” was reported and a substitute committee bill
entitled  “A bill for an act concerning groceries” was
recommended by the committee page 85. This bill provoked a
lively series of exchanges which seem to have focused on
limiting the amount of liquor these could sell, the fee to be
paid for license to sell, the character of the licensee, and
which agency of government would enforce and collect the fees.
After some scrambling for position the bill was adopted as
amended (48-29) and moved to its third reading with Mr.
Williamson and Mr. Lincoln voting aye, pages 85-87. Passed the
House and the Senate was asked to concur, page 262. Messers
Williamson and Lincoln again voted aye.

     On a bill for indefinite postponement of “a bill for an
act making school commissioners elective by the people”.
Messers. Williamson and Lincoln joined across the aisle with
the minority to postpone indefinitely but the bill was sent to
a select committee (58-25). The title of the bill suggests that
both would have supported it in principle, however, this source
does not allow us to know the details of the bill or why they
opposed it on this occasion, page 90. Subsequently, an
engrossed bill for “An Act to make School Commissioners
elective by the people” was read a third time and passed 54-27.
Mr. Williamson and Mr. Lincoln voting in the negative, page
261.
     

     An item of interest was raised on December 28 when the
following resolution was offered “Whereas the railroad from
Jackson to Meredosia has been completed, and as much anxiety
exists to see whether the said railroad answer the expectation
of the legislature and the friends of the internal improvement
system. Therefore for the purpose of enabling members to
inspect the work, it is Resolved, That when this House adjourns
on Monday, it will adjourn to meet again on Thursday next” This
suggestion was defeated 34-44 with Mr. Williamson for and Mr.
Lincoln against, page 98. What makes this interesting is the
proposed expenditure of legislative time and the per diem cost
of the adjournment. Certainly, given the weight and volume of
public business this proposition would be a distraction.
Subsequent motions suggest this may have been motivated, in
part, by a desire to “pad” the legislative payroll. On January
22 the Senate reported that they could not concur with this
bill that had subsequently passed the House, page 233.

     When a resolution to “instruct the Commissioner on State
Roads to prepare and report to the House granting the county
commissioners courts the same superintendency over state roads
in the several counties in this state, that said courts have
over public roads” came up for a vote. Mr. Williamson voted in
the negative and Mr. Lincoln with the majority who carried the
measure (49-26), page 99.

     On December 23 on a bill for “an act to distribute the
School fund to the several counties of the state” Mr.
Williamson voted against a motion to postpone indefinitely and
the bill was laid on the table by vote of (46-38), page 81.On
December 30 Mr. Williamson opposed bringing the bill to the
floor but the bill was approved (36-34) and referred to the
Finance Committee, page 105-106. On this later occasion Mr.
Lincoln and Mr. Williamson voting together in the negative.
This bill ultimately passed and gave the county commissioners
authority to distribute the funds to teachers and treasurers of
the townships at the county seat. It is difficult to see on
what grounds this concept would be opposed, LAWS OF ILLINOIS
ELEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1840,page, 87.

     Opponents of the Bank of Illinois proposed by resolution
to establish a joint House- Senate Committee “to proceed to
Shawneetown for the purpose of investigating the affairs of the
Bank of Illinois and that they enquire into causes of the
present suspension of specie payments by said Bank”. A motion
to take up the proposal was defeated 55-24 with Mr. Williamson
and Mr. Lincoln voting together with the majority, page 109.

      On January 2,1840 Mr. Williamson voted to lay on the
table a resolution” to require all free male inhabitants over
the age of twenty-one and under the age of fifty residing in
the state of Illinois to labor one day on the public roads…”
The proposal was laid on the table by a vote of 41-40. There is
no record that this bill subsequently passed the general
Assembly. Just previously on this same day, the House had voted
to refer to the Judiciary Committee, “An act to amend an act
relative to runaway slaves”, page 120. This bill also failed to
pass the Eleventh General Assembly. One might imagine free
males between the ages of 21-50 also becoming runaways! In
fairness, the expectation that residents do road duty was a
long established practice in rural America.

     On January 4 Resolutions from the Committee of the Whole
were reported to the floor when the following amendment was
proposed “That the Committee on Internal Improvements be
instructed to report bills to this House, incorporating Joint
Stock Companies on each of the rail and other roads embraced in
the system of Internal Improvements, making the State a
stockholder to the extent of its expenditures on all the roads,
the State reserving the right after a given period to purchase
the interests of the other stockholders at the current price of
said stock”. This amendment was defeated 28-49 with Mr.
Williamson and Mr. Lincoln voting against the measure, page
128.

     On this same day this second amendment was offered “To
suspend all action and operation in the construction of
Railroads”. This resolution was adopted 41-37 with Mr.
Williamson and Mr. Lincoln voting against, page 129. On a
clause within the Internal Improvements bill  “to require all
works upon the rivers to be suspended” the measure was adopted
46-37 with Mr. Williamson for and Mr. Lincoln against, page
130. Subsequently, the entire bill was adopted 44-31 with Mr.
Williamson voting aye and Mr. Lincoln not recorded as voting,
page 130.

     Mr. Williamson was appointed to a select committee to
report on “a petition of   sundry citizens of Kane County,
praying the passage of an act authorizing Scott Clarke and
Associates to build a bridge across Fox River”, page 133.
     
     An act in relation to garnishees was read and passed on to
second reading (51-32). Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Williamson
supporting the measure, page 137. Subsequently, for reasons
unknown, this bill was postponed until July 4th next, a tactic
to kill the bill for this session. Mr. Lincoln and Mr.
Williamson voting aye, page 164.

     One of the distractions before the House involved an
impeachment investigation brought against the Honorable John
Pearson a judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit. The matter was
complicated by partisan maneuver and ultimately a resolution
was proposed, “That until the case of the Honorable John
Pearson now pending before this House, be disposed of, no new
business, nor any business not relating to the above case, will
be received nor acted upon by this House”. Adopted 39-31 with
Mr. Williamson in support, page 138. On January 9 resolutions
were laid on the table to impeach but also to allow the judge
time to present evidence before the House that had been
considered by the Committee of the Whole, page 142.On January
10 the motion “That the evidence adduced in support of the
charges preferred against the Honorable John Pearson, Judge of
the Seventh Circuit, is not sufficient to authorize an
impeachment in said case”, page 142 was approved (45-40), Mr.
Williamson voting aye and Mr. Lincoln voting no, page 145-146.
The effect of this was to discharge the case against the judge.
Because of the evidence and partisan sentiment 32 of the
minority signed a protest and dissent into the record
admonishing the majority for its support of the judge, pages
150-151. Abraham Lincoln added after his signature the phrase:
“true as I believe”, page 152.

     Just previous to this the House had entertained a motion
to censure the justices of the Illinois Supreme Court for
“violation of the State Constitution”.”, incompetency”. and
“other divers good and sufficient reasons” and that they
therefore be “addressed out of office”, page 145. Mr.
Williamson voted aye but the clerk, Mr. Calhoun and the State
Printer, recorded the proposal to lie on the table failing, 20-
65. However, without explanation the motions were considered or
reconsidered, and referred to a committee of five. On this vote
Mr. Williamson voted aye, page180-181.

     Mr. Williamson voted no on a motion to send on to second
reading a bill from the Senate for “An act to limit the
duration of the office off clerks of the Circuit Courts”. The
bill was approved for second reading 41-31,page 153.

     On January 20,1840 a resolution was introduced to provide
for settling the debt on internal improvement bonds by
refunding the bonds and offering to pay interest that was in
arrears if bondholders would also forgive part of the interest
due. Because the state lacked the ability to pay the interest,
and there was reluctance to raise taxes, the measure was
postponed, page 207.On February 15,1840 the House took up the
resolution and approved it (52-45), pages, 394-395. Mr.
Williamson voted for the resolution.

     The Public Works bill began to take on the form of an
omnibus bill as members began to compete for limited funds to
protect projects they favored. This set the members against one
another and considerable wrangling ensued on this bill.
Vandalia proposed the following amendment “That all work on the
State House in Springfield be suspended for five years, and
that the Seat of Government be removed to Vandalia, together
with all the offices thereunto appertaining, there to continue
for and during the period of ten years”. The amendment was
defeated (55-27) by a motion to postpone until July 4,1840. Mr.
Williamson voted with the minority for the proposal. One of
these amendments proposed "That an act entitled, An act to
establish and maintain a system of Internal Improvements, and
all acts supplemental thereto, be and the same are hereby
repealed”, page 187-188. Mr. Williamson voted against this
amendment and a motion to approve the bill for its’ third
reading, page 189. On other motions, resolutions and maneuvers
on this bill this reader finds it impossible to coherently
determine positions, as the record is very convoluted. On most
of the votes recorded Mr. Williamson and Mr. Lincoln voted
together, pages 187-199. Subsequently, the House passed an “Act
to abolish the Board of Public Works, and to suspend all action
and operation in the construction of railroads” and “an Act to
abolish the Board of Fund Commissioners and Public Works, and
create a Board of Improvements” page 222.

     On January 18 a motion to lay on the table a proposal to
establish the office of Collector and Assessor in each county
to be elected by the people and vacancies between elections to
be filled by the county Commissioners Court. Mr. Williamson
voted with the majority to include this item in the bill, which
was approved for third reading, page 203.

     On January 20,1840 Mr. Williamson was appointed to a
select committee to report on an “Act to provide for the
completion of the Terre Haute, Shelbyville and Alton Railroad
and for other improvements”, page 213. Since many projects
failed to be incorporated into a Public Works bill, and since
members were now facing the last days of the session with
urgency and desperation, they attempted to rescue favorite
projects through a flurry of bills such as this one. Perhaps
another approach was reflected in an  “An act to allow the
Internal Improvements system the benefits of clergy”, page 216.

     Because the recession had struck the nation as a whole,
certain efforts were taken up in Congress that would have
distributed authority over the sale of public land to the
benefit of the states. On a revenue bill four amendments were
offered to make appeals to the Congress for the passage of
bills sponsored by John C. Calhoun, and the third of these’
proposed to express gratitude to him for his efforts. This was
too much for 62 of the members who voted to expunge these
expressions in praise for the architect of nullification. Mr.
Williamson and 22 others, nevertheless, opposed striking out
the tribute to the senator from South Carolina, page 220-221.

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	This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives 
	by:  Bill Williamson	  <sooners@nccn.net>
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