348 



ILLINOIS. 



At the general election of November 2d, 

 forty-four Republicans and forty-one Demo- 

 crats were chosen as members of the conven- 

 tion. 



Three State Constitutional Conventions have 

 already met in this State. The first met at 

 Kaskaskia, and concluded its labors August 26, 

 1818. An enabling act had been passed April 

 18, 1818, and the State was formally admitted 

 with this constitution by the action of Con- 

 gress, December 3, 1818. 



The constitution of 1818 remained in force 

 twenty-nine years, when a second Constitu- 

 tional Convention was called, which assembled 

 in Springfield June 7, 1847, and closed its ses- 

 sion August 31st following. This convention 

 was presided over by Newton Cloud, of Mor- 

 gan County, and consisted of one hundred 

 and sixty-two members. It counted among its 

 members a large number of the most prominent 

 men of the State. The constitution framed by 

 this convention was submitted to a vote of the 

 people at an election held on the first Monday 

 of March, 1848, and ratified by a large majority. 



The third State Constitutional Convention 

 was chosen under an act of the Legislature of 



1861, at the election in November following; 

 met in Springfield, January 7, 1862, and ad- 

 journed sine die March 24, 1862. It consisted 

 of seventy-five members, of whom forty-five 

 were classed as Democrats, ten Union Demo- 

 crats, and twenty Republicans. W. A. Hacker 

 was president. The constitution framed at this 

 time was submitted to a vote of the people on 

 the Tuesday after the third Monday of June, 



1862, and rejected by the following vote : 



Againstthe Constitution 141,113 



For the Constitution 125,052 



Majority against Constitution 16,061 



The convention met in the hall of the Rep- 

 resentatives at 2 P. M. on the 13th of December. 



On attempting to organize, "William Cary, 

 of Jo Daviess County, and J. 0. Dement, 

 of Lee County, were both put in nomination, 

 both declared elected, and both conducted 

 to the chair. A roll of the members was 

 then called, and Mr. Dement, the Democratic 

 candidate, elected, the Independent Republi- 

 cans of Cook County voting with the Dem- 

 ocrats. Secretaries were chosen, and the con- 

 vention adjourned. No permanent organi- 

 zation was effected until the fourth day, De- 

 cember 17th, when the Democrats, by a union 

 with the Conservative or Independent Repub- 

 licans, secured the organization. The vote on 

 president stood, Charles Hitchcock (Democrat), 

 45 ; Joseph Medill (Republican), 40. 



The president did not announce the stand- 

 ing committees until Monday, December 20th, 

 the sixth day, on which day the convention ad- 

 journed for the holidays, until January 5, 1870. 



The following resolutions were adopted : 

 Resolved, That it is the sense of this convention, 

 that any amendments to this constitution as proposed 

 by this convention shall not take effect until ratified 

 by a vote of the people. 



Resolved, That the constitution of the State should 

 "be amended as follows, to wit : that the Governor 

 of this State shall, at each regular session of the 

 Legislature thereof, present with his message to the 

 General Assembly a statement of the moneys paid 

 out of funds under his order or control, and on what 

 account, together with the vouchers therefor. 



Also resolutions calling upon the Auditor for 

 certain reports, in compliance with which the 

 following statistics were furnished the con- 

 vention: 

 Gross earnings of the Illinois Central Railroad, and 



amount of Tax paid into tlte Treasury since JMav 



1, 1861 : 



The Auditor reported that, since June 11, 

 1862, this last-named amount $3,271,310.79 

 had been paid into the State Treasury by 

 the company; $254,989.56 of this was paid on 

 the 4th instant. The resolution requiring the 

 statement was passed on the 20th of December. 



The earnings of the road from November 1, 

 1868, to April 30, 1869, were from the follow- 

 ing sources : 



Freight $2,066,947 53 



Passengers 797,361 73 



Extra baggage 904,074 00 



Mails 38,601 38 



Express 95,381 03 



Total $2,999,196 41 



Do. from May 1 to October 31, 1869 : 



Freight $2,529,734 82 



Passengers 908,220 15 



Extrabaggage 1,027 04 



Mails 38,188 89 



Express,etc 165,537 16 



Total $3,642,708 06 



Heal and Personal Property of tlie State from 1864 

 to 1869, inclusive. 



The total debt of the State is as follows : 

 Bonded debt, December 1, 1869, $5,124,995,64; 



* Estimated. 



