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HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.
lution calling for a Convention to amend the Constitution, but this was defeated at the polls,
TWENTIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Jan. 5, 1857, and adjourned, sine die, Feb. 19. A Republican State administration, with Governor Bissell at its head, had just been elected, but the Legislature was Democratic in both branches. Lieut. -Gov. John "Wood presided over the Senate, and Samuel Holmes, of Adams County, defeated Isaac N. Arnold, of Cook, for the Speakership of the House. Among the prominent members were Norman B. Judd, of Cook; A. J. Kuykendall, of Johnson; Shelby M. Cullom, of Sangamon; John A. Logan, of Jackson; William R. Morrison, of Monroe; Isaac N. Arnold, of Cook; Joseph Gilles-pie, of Madison, and S. W. Moulton, of Shelby. Among the important measures enacted by this General Assembly were the following: Acts establishing and maintaining free schools; establishing a Normal University at Normal; amending the banking law; providing for the general incorporation of railroads; providing for the building of a new penitentiary; and funding the accrued arrears of interest on the public debt. Length of session, forty-six days.
TWENTY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Jan. 3, 1859, and was in session for fifty-three days, adjourning Feb. 24. The Senate consisted of twenty-five, and the House of seventy-five members. The presiding officers were:-of the Senate, Lieut.-Gov, Wood; of the House, W. R. Morrison, of Monroe County, who defeated his Republican opponent, Vital Jarrot, of St. Clair, on a viva voce vote. The Governor's message showed a reduction of $1,166,877 in the State debt during two years preceding, leaving a balance of principal and arrears of interest amounting to $11,138,454. On Jan. 6, 1859, the Assembly, in joint session, elected Stephen A. Douglas to succeed himself as United States Senator, by a vote of fifty-four to forty-six for Abraham Lincoln. The Legislature was thrown into great disorder in consequence of an attempt to prevent the receipt from the Governor of a veto of a legislative apportionment bill which had been passed by the Democratic majority in the face of bitter opposition on the part of the Republicans, who denounced it as partisan and unjust.
TWENTY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened in regular session on Jan. 7, 1861, consisting of twenty-five Se
