write:In 1819 and 1829 the Illinois legislation hadattempted and failed to limit immigration to whites. But starting in the 1830s rising racism led northern andwestern states under De

under anycircumstances
of free negroes into the state.” That thenew constitution would explicitly restrict voting to“white citizens” was a foregone conclusion. DuringAbraham Lincoln’s rst term in the state legislature
hevoted in favor of a resolution that “the elective franchiseshould be kept pure from contamination by theadmission of colored voters.” That resolution passed
35–16.21Laws restricting the immigration of free blacks intomidwestern states were long-standing and widespread
but they were enforced only sporadically before the1830s. In 1819 and 1829 the Illinois legislation hadattempted
and failed
to limit immigration to whites.But starting in the 1830s
rising racism led northern andwestern states under Democratic control to increasetheir enforcement and pass increasingly restrictive lawslimiting the political and social rights of free AfricanAmericans. Black people in Illinois could neither marrywhite people nor testify against them in court. Publicschools in Illinois excluded black children. AbrahamLincoln was on record as opposing the “injustice” ofslavery in the legislature in 1837
but he was even moreopen in his opposition to abolition societies “and thedoctrines promulgated by them.”22 Like virtually everyother politician in Illinois in the 1840s
AbrahamLincoln appealed to racial prejudice in order to advancehis political beliefs. In 1836 and 1840
he accusedMartin Van Buren of favoring black surage. Had he stillbeen in the statehouse
Lincoln might well have voted toban black immigration into the state. But this was by nomeans a foregone conclusion. Amending the stateconstitution was a serious matter and required sustaineddebate.