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  • 2021-07-15 (xsd:date)
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  • Did Abraham Lincoln Jump Out a Window to Prevent a Quorum? (en)
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  • In July 2021, Democrat legislators in Texas packed their bags and fled the state in order to prevent a quorum — the minimum number of legislators required to be present in order for a vote to take place — as Republicans sought to pass restrictive voter legislation. As the situation unfolded in Texas, social media users started to wonder about the historical precedent. More specifically, they noted that former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln had once jumped out of a window in an attempt to prevent a quorum back when he was a state legislator in Illinois in 1840. Lincoln truly jumped out of a window in 1840 in an attempt to prevent a quorum. Surprisingly, this may have not been the first time that Lincoln pulled the they can't vote if I jump out a window tactic. More on that other attempt later. The above-displayed tweet is referencing an incident that took place at a Methodist Church that was serving as temporary legislative chambers in December 1840. Lincoln, who was a member of the Whig party at the time, was hoping that a lack of a quorum would stop Democrats from passing a bill that threatened the State Bank. But as Lincoln observed the vote, he realized that Democrats had been able to round-up enough members for a quorum. The future president had to think quick, spotted a nearby window, and made for the exit, followed by a few other members of the Whig party. While Lincoln's escape was dramatic, it was not successful. The quorum stood and the legislation was approved. Here's a newspaper clipping from the Illinois State Register recounting the incident: 11 Dec 1840, Fri Illinois State Register (Springfield, Illinois) Newspapers.com This incident is also recalled in Pulitzer Prize-winner David Herbert Donald’s biography Lincoln: Surprisingly, this may not have been the only time that Lincoln jumped out a window as a political tactic. A few years prior to Lincoln's unsuccessful attempt in 1840 to prevent a quorum, local legend holds that Honest Abe made a similar attempt while legislators debated on moving Illinois' state capitol from Vandalia to Springfield. We have not been able to find any contemporary records to confirm this account. However, two men who were reportedly at the Vandalia state house when Lincoln leapt from a second story window, recounted the incident in an article published in The Lancaster Examiner in 1900: If you're surprised to learn about Lincoln's window jumping antics, you might want to read more about how the 16th President of the United States is a member of the wrestling hall of fame. See also from Snopes: (en)
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