The Illinois Assembly joined in the general disapproval, and on March
3d passed the following resolutions:

"Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Illinois:

"That we highly disapprove of the formation of Abolition
societies, and of the doctrines promulgated by them.

"That the right of property in slaves is sacred to the
slave-holding States by the Federal Constitution, and that
they cannot be deprived of that right without their consent.

"That the General Government cannot abolish slavery in the
District of Columbia against the consent of the citizens of
said District, without a manifest breach of good faith.

"That the Governor be requested to transmit to the States of
Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, New York, and Connecticut a
copy of the foregoing report and resolutions."

Lincoln refused to vote for these resolutions. In his judgment no
expression on the slavery question should go unaccompanied by the
statement that it was an evil, and he had the boldness to protest
immediately against the action of the House. He found only one man in
the Assembly willing to join him in his action. These two names are
joined to the document they presented:

"Resolutions upon the subject of domestic slavery having
passed both branches of the General Assembly at its present