Annotation
[1] AD, I-Ar. In addition to the engrossed bill, which is in Lincoln's hand but dated and signed by the House clerk on December 24, there are two pages of amendments and two amendments on slips of paper, also in Lincoln's hand. These amendments, reported by Lincoln on December 21 from a select committee, make up more than half of the bill as passed. The original bill, introduced on December 20 by Stephen A. Douglas, representative from Morgan County, from the committee on petitions, was drawn in response to petitions signed by citizens of Morgan and Sangamon counties requesting the formation of a new county out of adjacent portions of the two counties. Remonstrances against the petitions had also been presented, and it was clear that Sangamon voters were by no means unanimously in favor of forming the new county. The bill was tabled by the Senate and failed to become law. (See Lincoln's ``Report,'' February 13, 1837, infra.)
[2] The name of the proposed county had been left blank throughout the original bill and remained so until Lincoln's amendment naming ``Marshall'' was changed on the motion of David Nowlin of Monroe County to read ``Van Buren.'' The insertion of ``Van Buren'' in the title was done by amendment after the bill had been passed by the House.
[3] This proviso was one of Lincoln's amendments.
[4] Section 3 was Lincoln's amendment.
[5] Section 4 was Lincoln's amendment.
[6] Section 5 was Lincoln's amendment.
[7] Sections 6,7,8,9, and 10 were in the original bill.
[8] Sections 11 and 12 were amendments by Lincoln.