HR0183

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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are pleased to congratulate and thank the 
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members of the Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial 
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Commission for their outstanding work in preparing for the 
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celebration of Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial 
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Commission has been hard at work preparing over 50 events 
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throughout the State of Illinois to celebrate the life and 
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legacy of Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatest Presidents in 
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American history and resident of this great State, on the 
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occasion of his 200th birthday; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky in 1809 and 
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spent his boyhood in Indiana; at the age of 11, he and his 
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family moved to Illinois; living in the frontier town of New 
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Salem, he entered business and politics and was initially 
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unsuccessful at both; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Once he became established as a lawyer, 
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legislator, and leader, Abraham Lincoln moved 20 miles to the 
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southeast in 1837 to the new State capital of Springfield, 
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where he bought a home for his family and practiced law; in May 
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of 1844, Lincoln moved his young family into a home he bought 
 


 






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in Springfield for $1,200; the home, currently the Lincoln Home 
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National Historic Site, now encompasses 13 homes in a 
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four-block district and is the only national park in Illinois; 
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Lincoln made additions to his home, the only one he ever owned, 
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and it was expanded from three to 10 rooms to accommodate his 
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growing family; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Abraham Lincoln lived in Springfield until 
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February 11, 1861, when he departed for Washington, D.C. to 
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serve as the 16th President of the United States; sadly, his 
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death on April 15, 1865 turned Lincoln's triumphant return to 
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Springfield into a time of national mourning; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Abraham Lincoln's ties to the City of Springfield 
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are significant; the Old State Capitol on the downtown square 
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in Springfield is famous as the place where Lincoln delivered 
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his "House Divided" speech and where his body lay in state 
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while mourners streamed past his open coffin after his death; 
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as part of the bicentennial celebration, the Old State Capitol 
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has been used for numerous events, including a "day of gospel", 
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the issue of four new Lincoln stamps, and a naturalization 
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ceremony for swearing in new citizens; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Abraham Lincoln's legacy is well known throughout 
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the State of Illinois, the United States, and the world at 
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large; he is commemorated in music, poetry, and sculpture; his 
 


 






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words are quoted regularly by poets and politicians; his face 
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has adorned stamps, coins, and currency and mountains, cities, 
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highways, and schools bare his name, fitting tributes to this 
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great man and what his work has done for the United States and 
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its citizens; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Abraham Lincoln has defined the civic ideal of 
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what is means to be an American; his wisdom, eloquence, and 
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unyielding character still serves as a shining example of how 
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21st century Americans can and should live their lives; 
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therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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congratulate and thank the members of the Illinois Abraham 
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Lincoln Bicentennial Commission for their outstanding work in 
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preparing for the celebration of Abraham Lincoln's 200th 
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birthday; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the members of the Illinois Abraham Lincoln 
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Bicentennial Commission as a symbol of our esteem and respect.