the Mississippi River and Wisconsin State Line Railroad Company," approved February 28, 1867. A second special session was convened, June 14, to provide for the management of the Illinois State Penitentiary at Joliet. The lessee of the penitentiary, without warning, had surrendered the lease to the Governor, and hence this special session. The law passed at this session laid the foundation for the present admirable system of penitentiary government. CHAPTER XXIII. STATE CAMPAIGN OF 1868. Aggregate Vote for State Officers-Aggregate Vote for Members of Congress-Aggregate Vote for Presidential Electors. The year 1868 brought the people together in another National struggle for the election of a President and VicePresident, and again the State was made to resound with. the thunder of party tactics. The Republican State Convention met at Peoria May 6, to nominate a State ticket and appoint delegates to the National Convention. John M. Palmer was nominated for Governor; John Dougherty, for Lieutenant-Governor; Edward Rummel, for Secretary of State; Charles E. Lippincott, for Auditor; Erastus N. Bates, for Treasurer; Washington Bushnell, for Attorney-General, and John A. Logan for Congressman-at-Large. The Democrats met May 7, at the same place for the same purpose. John R. Eden was nominated for Governor; William H. Van Epps, for LieutenantGovernor; Gustav Van Horbeke, for Secretary of State; John R. Shannon, for Auditor; Jesse J. Phillips, for Treasurer; Robert E. Williams, for Attorney-General, and William W. O'Brien for Congressman-at-Large. U. S. Grant, of Illinois, and Schuyler Colfax, of Indiana, were nominated at Chicago May 20, by the Republican National Convention, for President and Vice-President. The Democratic National Convention met at New York July 4, and nominated Horatio Seymour, of New York, and Francis P. Blair, of Missouri, for President and Vice-President. State issues were completely absorbed in the discussion of National questions growing out of the war, and the best talent of both parties was brought actively into the campaign, and every county and district vigorously canvassed, and for many months the voice of the political orator was heard in the remotest portions of the State. The Republicans, however, were victorious in the State and Nation. Of the fourteen Congressmen elected, eleven were Republican, and both branches of the Legislature were Republican. The aggregate vote for State officers, Congressman-atLarge, Congressmen, by districts, and Presidential electors, is as follows: *The records in the office of the Secretary of State show only these figures, and it is presumed that they represent the highest number of votes cast for the respective electoral tickets. CHAPTER XXIV. STATE GOVERNMENT-1869, Governor-John M. Palmer. Lieutenant-Governor-John Dougherty. Auditor of Public Accounts-Chas. E. Lippincott. Superintendent of Public Instruction-Newton Bateman. TWENTY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. The Twenty-sixth General Assembly convened January 4, and consisted of the following members: |