The legislation of this session was mainly directed in the interest of the several towns or local communities, but among the more important laws enacted were the acts to establish and maintain free schools; to establish and maintain a normal university at Bloomington; to amend the banking law; to provide for a general system of railroad incorporations; to provide for the incorporation of county agricultural societies; to fund the arrears of interest accrued and unpaid on the public debt; to lease the penitentiary to Samuel K. Casey for five years, and to build an additional penitentiary, in which David Y. Bridges, Chauncey L. Higbee and Nelson D. Edwards were constituted commissioners, with full power and authority to select and obtain, by purchase, a suitable site for the

same.

The topics which claimed the time of the House and elicited the attention of the people in general, was the discussion of the motion to print 20,000 copies of Gov. Bissell's message for the use of the House, and a resolution to repeal the "black laws." There had been a unanimous vote in favor of printing 20,000 copies of Matteson's message, in English, and a vote of 65 ayes to 4 noes, in favor of printing 5,000 copies in German, but when it was proposed to print 20,000 copies of Bissell's message, a motion was made to reduce the number to 10,000. The House being Democratic, and Mr. Bissell having been elected as a Republican, there was a strong disposition to circumscribe the publication of his message, and the motion to print 10,000 instead of 20,000 copies continued the subject of an angry debate for over a week, when, on the 20th of January, the resolution passed in that form by a vote of 41 ayes to 32 noes.

On the 10th of February, Mr. Kelsey presented a petition of the citizens of Illinois, praying for the repeal of certain black laws, which was referred to a select committee

of three, consisting of Messrs. Kelsey, Pinckney and Wyche. February 16, Mr. Wyche, from a minority of the committee to which the petition had been referred, made a report, which, on motion of Mr. Jarrot, was laid on the table by a vote of 28 ayes to 42 noes, which ended the discussion on that subject.

A sine die adjournment was taken on February 19.

CHAPTER V.

STATE CAMPAIGN OF 1858.

Three Tickets: Republican-Democrat-Buchanan Democrat-Aggregate Vote for State Officers-Aggregate Vote by Districts for Members of Congress.

The Democrats were the first to nominate a State ticket to be voted for at the ensuing November election. The convention was held at Springfield, on the 21st of April. W. B. Fondey was nominated for Treasurer, and ex-Gov. August C. French for Superintendent of Public Instruction; and although Stephen A. Douglas was the very idol of the intelligent portion of the party, yet the convention did not, in unmistaken terms, condemn the administration of Buchanan for its attempt to force Kansas into the Union as a slave State, in opposition to the expressed will of a majority of the people of the Territory, nor did it indorse Douglas for re-election to the United States Senate for his manly resistance to this great wrong, but left him to make the canvass as best he could. But that portion of the party best known as the office-holders, were not willing that he should have the race to himself, or

that the men nominated should be accepted as the candidates of the National Democratic party. They accordingly held an opposition convention in Springfield, on the 9th of May, and nominated John Dougherty for Treasurer, and ex-Gov. John Reynolds for Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The Republicans met at the same place, on the 15th of June, and nominated James Miller for Treasurer, and Newton Bateman for Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The State was thoroughly canvassed by all the candidates, but it was apparent, from the first, that the prime object of the Buchanan faction was to break down Douglas. They vigorously and bitterly assaulted him from the one side, while Lincoln pursued him with great power and inimitable ability on the other; but, notwithstanding this two-fold attack, a legislature favorable to Douglas' re-election was chosen, although the Republicans elected their State ticket by a vote of 125,430, as against 121,609 for the regular Democratic ticket. The so-called Nationals received but 5,071 votes. Not a single Buchanan Democrat was elected to either house, which rendered the vindication of Douglas before the people the more gratifying to his friends. The aggregate vote for State officers and Congressmen, by districts, is as follows: