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HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.
experienced no little difficulty in securing the confirmation of his nominees. Two United States Senators were elected: Elias K. Kane being chosen to succeed himself and John M. Robinson to serve the unexpired term of John McLean, deceased. The United States census of 1830 gave Illinois three Representatives in Congress instead of one, and this General Assembly passed a re-apportionment law accordingly. The number of State Senators was increased to twenty-six, and of members of the lower house to fifty-five. The criminal code was amended by the substitution of imprisonment in the penitentiary as a penalty in lieu of the stocks and public flogging. This Legislature also authorized the borrowing of 8100,000 to redeem the notes of the State Bank which were to mature the following year. The Assembly adjourned, Feb. 16, 1831, the session having lasted seventy-three days.
EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. The session began Dec. 3, 1832, and ended March 2, 1833. AVilliam L. D. Ewing was chosen President pro tempore of the Senate, and succeeded Zadoc Casey as Lieutenant-Governor, the latter having been elected a Representative in Congress. Alexander M. Jenkins presided over the House as Speaker. This Legislature enacted the first general incorporation laws of Illinois, their provisions being applicable to towns and public libraries. It also incorporated several railroad companies, -one line from Lake Michigan to the Illinois River (projected as a substitute for the canal), one from Peru to Cairo, and another to cross the State, running through Springfield. Other charters were granted for shorter lines, but the incorporators generally failed to organize under them. A notable incident in connection with this session was the attempt to impeach Theophilus W. Smith, a Justice of the Supreme Court. This was the first and last trial of this character in the State's history, between 1818 and 1899. Failing to secure a conviction in the Senate (where the vote stood twelve for conviction and ten for acquittal, with four Senators excused from voting), the House attempted to remove him by address, but in this the Senate refused to concur. The first mechanics' lien law was enacted by this Legislature, as also a law relating to the "right of way" for "public roads, canals, or other public works." The length of the session was ninety days.
NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. This Legislature held two sessions. The first began Dec. 1, 18
