Illinois, historical and statistical, comprising the essential facts of its planting and growth as a province, county, territory, and state. Derived from the most authentic sources, including original documents and papers. Together with carefully prepared statistical tables
Moses, John, 1825-1898
'•-^ viw ^ ^ «*?■ WAT a^,'. '^i;v?f5'-A^y>?^tv.-; ■•r '"^V /," St'r.W< &?-•?/.'.>-" rr^iT^-^A'" ■ia-/iti.'ff i?aw;j.wi? 'A -A- CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND GIVEN IN 1891 BY HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 1924 092 214 752 Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://archive.org/details/cu31924092214752 ILLINOIS: HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL. VOL. II. ILLINOIS Historical and Statistical COMPRISING THE ESSENTIAL FACTS OF ITS PLANTING AND GROWTH AS A PROVINCE, COUNTY, TERRITORY, AND STATE. Derived from the Most Authentic Sources, including Original Documents and Papers. Together with Carefully Prepared Statistical Tables relating to Population, Financial Administration, Industrial Progress, Internal Growth, Political and Military Events; AND Complete Index. BY JOHN MOSES, Ex-County Judge of Scott County; Private Secretary of Gov, Yates; Member OF THE Twenty-Ninth General Assembly op Illinois; Secretary of thr Board of Railroad and Warehouse Commissioners, 1880-3; Secretary and Librarian of the Chicago Historical Society; Etc., Etc ILLUSTRATED. VOL. II. CHICAGO: FERGUS PRINTING COMPANY. 1892. CONTENTS VOL. II. List of Illustrations, ix Period Sixth. — Under the Second Constitution, 1848-1870. CHAPTER XXXII. The Constitutional Convention of 1847, and its Work — Elections of 1848 — Second Administration of Governor French — Sixteenth General Assembly — Election of Gen, Shields to the U.-S. Senate — Laws— Seventeenth General Assembly — Free-Banking Law — First Home- stead-Exemption Law — Illinois-Central Railroad, 553 CHAPTER XXXIII. Administration of Gov. Matteson — Eighteenth General Assembly — Re-election of Senator Douglas — Laws — State and National Politics — New Parties — Nineteenth General Assembly — Election of Senator Trumbull — Prohibitory Liquor-Law — The Common-School Law, 582 chapter XXXIV. Formation of New Parties — The Bloomington Convention — Elections of 1856 — Administration of Gov. Bissell — Twentieth General Assembly— Laws — The Campaign of 1858 — Twenty -first General Assembly — Douglas again elected to the Senate — Laws — The Matteson Embezzlement — Death of Gov. Bissell — Succession of Lieut.-Gov. John Wood, - ... 596 chapter XXXV. Review — Conventions and Elections of i860 — Administra- tion of Gov. Yates — The Political Situation — Twenty- second General Assembly — Senator Trumbull's Second Election — War - Clouds — Lincoln's Inauguration — Attack on Fort Sumter — The War of the Rebellion begun — Enlistments under Different Calls — Changed Conditions of Public Affairs, - . . . 629 iii iv ILLINOIS — HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL. CHAPTER XXXVI. Results of the First Year of the War— The Constitutional Convention of 1862— Further Calls for Troops— Yates' Masterly Appeal— Escape from the Draft— The Con- ference of Governors at Altoona— Emancipation- Elections of 1862— Twenty-third General Assembly- Election of U.-S. Senator— Laws— Special Session— The Assembly Prorogued 655 CHAPTER XXXVIL state of Parties-^The Northwestern Conspiracy— Threat- ened Attacks upon Camp Douglas and Chicago — The Political Campaigns of 1864— Party Platforms- Results- Progress of the War — Internal Progress — State -Debt, 686 CHAPTER XXXVIII, Administration of Gov. Oglesby, 1865-9— Twenty fourth- General Assembly— Yates Elected to United- States Senate — The Thirteenth Amendment— Laws— Close of the War— Assassination of President Lincoln, 714 CHAPTER XXXIX. The Civil War— Number of Troops Engaged — Battles —Losses— Illinois in the War— Quotas — Troops Fur- nished by Each County — Bounties Paid — Regimental Losses at Fort Donelson — Shiloh — Stone River— Chickamauga— Missionary Ridge — Other Battles — Percentage of Losses — Officers from Illinois — Work of the "Stay -at -Homes " — Sanitary and Christian Commissions— Union League— Songs of the War, 725 CHAPTER XL. Gov. Oglesby's Administration — [Continued] — Changed Aspect of Politics— Reconstruction— Conventions and Elections of 1866— Twenty- fifth General Assembly- Re-election of United-States Senator Trumbull— Laws — New State-House — Political Conventions, Nomina- tions, and Elections of 1868 — State Debt, Receipts, and Expenditures, 762 CONTENTS. V CHAPTER XLI. Governor Palmer's Administration (1869-1873) —Twenty- sixth General Assembly— Ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment— Special Legislation — Laws and Vetoes- Lake -Front Law— Constitution of 1870, . 774 Period Seventh. — Under the Constitution of 1870. chapter xlii. Gov. Palmer's Administration [Continued] — State Conven- tions, Nominations, and Elections of 1870 — Twenty- seventh General Assembly— Election of Gen. Logan to the Senate — Laws — Recess and Reassembling of the Legislature— Chicago Fire— Controversy between Governor Palmer and Mayor Mason — The Liberal- Republican Party — Presidential Nominations and Elections of 1872, . . ... 795 CHAPTER XLIII. Administration of Gov. Beveridge— Twenty-eighth General Assembly — Election of Oglesby to the Senate — Laws —Parties and Platforms in 1874 — Twenty-ninth Gen- eral Assembly — Haines Speaker — Laws — The Cen- tennial Year — Conventions, Platforms, and Elections of 1876, 818 CHAPTER XLIV. Administration of Gov. Cullom — Thirtieth General Assem- bly—Election of David Davis to the United - States Senate — Laws — Labor Strikes — Politics in 1878 — Elections — Thirty-first General Assembly, . 841 CHAPTER XLV. Progress — Gov. Cullom's Second Administration — Thirty- second General Assembly — Laws — Politics in 1882 — Thirty- third General Assembly— Election of Cullom to the Senate, 868 CHAPTER XLVI. Administration of Gov. John M. Hamilton — Temperance Legislation — Laws — Labor Problems — Riots in St. Clair and Madison Counties — Conventions, Platforms, and Elections of 1884, 882 vi ILLINOIS — HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL. CHAPTER XLVIL Second Administration of Oglesby— Thirty-fourth General Assembly — The Logan- Morrison Contest for United- States Senate— Special Election in the Thirty -fourth District — Laws — Strikes — Conventions and Elections of 1886— Thirty -fifth General Assembly— Election of Farwell to the Senate, vice Logan deceased— Laws — Conventions and Elections of 1888, ... 900 CHAPTER XLVIII. Administration of Gov. Fifer— The Thirty-sixth General Assembly— Re-election of Cullom to the Senate — Laws — The Drainage Commission — Conventions of 1890 — The World's Columbian Exposition — Special Session of the Legislature — Laws — Growth — The Press — Literature, 924 CHAPTER XLIX. The Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Departments — Politics and Politicians — Party Management — Election Statistics, 954 CHAPTER L. Education — The Common Schools — Colleges, . 988 CHAPTER LI. State Institutions — Penal, Reformatory, Benevolent, 1013 CHAPTER LIL Railroads in the United States — Illinois — Transportation Companies— The Railroad -and -Warehouse Commis- sion, 1041 CHAPTER LIIL The Religious Denominations in Illinois— Their Classi- fication, Growth, and Strength — Secret Benevolent Societies, Masons, Odd -Fellows — Knights Templars — Knights of Pythias, 1068 CONTENTS. VU Appendix— Constitution of 1848, .... 1083 Constitution of 1870, . . 1105 Amendments to the Constitution of 1870, . 1134 Genesis and Growth of Counties, 1137 State Oilicers under Constitutions pf 1848 and 1870, 1140 Judiciary, . .1142 Judges of the Supreme Court, .... 1146 Judges of the Circuit Court, .... 1147 Judges of Cook-County Circuit Court, . 1152 Judges of Superior Court of Cook County, . 1152 Judges of Appellate Courts, .... 1153 Clerks of the Supreme Court, . . . 1153 Reporters of the Supreme Court, . . 1154 Legfislative Apportionments from 1818 to 1882, 1155 Members of the General Assembly, ist to 37th, 1163 Party Strength in Illinois Legislatures since 1855, 1189 Speakers of the House of Representatives, 1190 State Boards of Equalization, . 1191 Congressional Apportionment of Representatives from Illinois, 1195 United-States Senators, 1198 Representatives to Congress, .... 1199 Presidential Electors, . . . 1204 Delegates to Republican National Convention, '60, 1205 Delegates to Democratic National Convention, '60, 1203 Receipts and Expenditures of the State, 1848-90, 12^ Value of Real and Personal Property, . 1207 Popular Vote of the State by Counties, 1852-90, 1208 Popular Vote of the State since 1824, 1212 Commanders during the War of the Rebellion of Illinois Regiments and Batteries, aggregate strength, and strength at muster out, and date of final muster out— Infantry, . . . 1213 Cavalry, - 1225 Artillery, 1227 VIU ILLINOIS — HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL. Roll of Illinois Major - Generals, Brevet Major- Generals, Brigadier-Generals, and Brevet Brig- adier-Generals, - . . 1231 Losses of Illinois Regiments and Batteries : Infantry, ... ... 1235 Cavalry, 1238 Artillery, 1239 State Banks, 1241 State Property, 1242 County Officers for 1891, 1243 Index, 1247 ILLUSTRATIONS; Allen, James C. Allien, Waiiam J. Anthony, Elliott Arnold, Isaac N.. Bateman, Newton,. Bates, Erastus N. Benjamin, Reuben M. Beveridge, John L. Bissell, William H. Blackstone, Timothy B. Blodgett, Henry W. Bogue, George M. Bross, William. Browning, Orville H. Bushnell, Washington. Cable, Ransom R. Campbell, Thomas H.. Campbell, Thompson Campbell, William J, Cannon, Joseph G. Catherwood, Mary H. Caton, John Dean Carr, Clark E. Colbert, Elias. Collins, Loren C, jr.. Conkling, James C. Cook, Burton C.. Crafts, Clayton E. CuUom, Shelby M. Davis, David Davis, George R.. Dement, Henry D. Dement, John Dougherty, John VOL. II. 650 Drummond, Thomas - 97a 972 Dubois, Jesse K. 626 788. Edsall, James K.. 824 948 Edwards, Cyrus 998 626 Edwards, Ninian W. 582 780 Edwards, Richard 892 788 Farwell, Charles B. gi6 802 Field, Eugene 952 588 Fifer, Joseph W. 924 1042 Foster, John W. 948 972 Fuller, Allen C.. . 650 900 Fuller, Melville W. 972 762 Funk, Isaac - 56a 644 Grant, Ulysses S. Frontispiece 780 Gresham, Walter Q. 972 1042 Gross, Jacob 892 582 Haines, Elisha M.. - 824 562 Hamilton, John M. 882 892 Harlow, George H.. 824 986 Harrison, Carter H. 986 95a Hatch, Ozias M. 626 968 Hay, Milton. . 788 980 Haynie, Isham N. 762 948 Henderson, Thomas J 98>6 goo Hoffman, Francis A. 644 762 Hughitt, Marvin 1042 644 Hunt, George - - 844 940 Hurlbut, Stephen A. 980 840 IngersoU, Robert G. 650 852 James, William A.. 878 936 Judd, Norman B.. 644 878 Kirkland, Joseph 948 788 Koemer, Gustavus . 582 780 Lincoln, Robert T. 980 IX ILLINOIS — HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL. Lippincott, Charles E. Lockvvood, Samuel D. LiOgan, John A. Logan, Stephen T. McCartney, James McClemand, John A. McDougall, James A. McMullen, James C. Mason, Edward G. Matteson, Joel A. Matthews, Asa C. Medill, Joseph Miller, James Miner, Orlin H.. Moore, John Morrison, William R, Moses, John Moulton, Samuel W. Needles, Thomas B. Oberly, John H.. Oglesby, Richard J. Palmer, John M. Pearson, Isaac N. Phillips, Jesse J.. Poole, William F. Raab, Henry Ranch, John H. Ray, Lyman B. Reynolds, John P. Richardson, William A Ridgway, Thomas S. 780 Rinaker, John I.. goo g63 Root, George F. 952 798 Ripley, Edward P. 1042 958 Rummel, Edward 780 878 Scott, John M. 968 650 Shaw, James 844 562 Shepard, Daniel. 932 1042 Shuman, Andrew 844 948 Slade, James P. 844 582 Smith, George W. 824 932 Smith, John 0. gob 788 Springer, William M. 986 626 Swigert, Charles P. 878 762 Tanner, John R. 932 582 Thomas, Horace H. 892 986 Thornton, William F. 560 1046 Treat, Samuel H. 968 762 Tree, Lambert 980 844 Trumbull, Lyman 596 goo Turner, Jonathan B.. 998 714 Upton, George P.. 952 ,774 Vance, Joseph W. 892 932 Washburne, Elihu Benj. gSo 650 Wells, WilUam Harvey 998 952 Wentworth, John. 562 878 Williams, John 644 998 Wilson, Edward M. 940 932 Wines, Frederick H. 940 940 Wood, John '^^. . 626 .562 Wright, John Stephen 998 824 Yates, Richard 636 Illinois, Historical and Statistical, VOL. II. Period VL — Under the Second Constitu- tion, 1 848- 1 870. CHAPTER XXXII The Constitutional Convention of 1847, and its Work — Elections of 1848 — Second Administration of Governor French — Sixteenth General Assembly — Election of Gen. Shields to the U.-S. Senate — Laws — Seventeenth General Assembly — Free-Banking Law — First Home- stead - Exemption Law — Illinois - Central Railroad. ILLINOIS, although in order of time the third State admitted into the Union from the Northwest Territory, was the first to revise and amend its organic law. Only six years had elapsed when it was proposed to call a constitutional convention, but the project then, 1824, was voted down in consequence of the slavery issue, as has been already explained. Not only was the first constitution found to be defective in many essential feat- ures when considered as an instrument designed for the govern- ment of a growing and transitional commonwealth, but it had also come to be regarded with disfavor by the politicians of both parties when viewed from a partisan standpoint. Democrats and whigs were alike anxious for its revision — the former that they might get rid of the obnoxious supreme-court judges; the latter that they might restrict the right of suffrage to citizens and make all county officers elective by the people. After the defeat of the call in 1824, although the advocates .of revision did not cease their efforts,- they failed to secure the passage of a joint- resolution by the legislature submitting the question to the popular vote until the session of 1840-1, and it was again defeated at the election of 1842 by the narrow major- ity of 1039. 36 553 SS4 ILLINOIS — HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL. The legislature of 1844-S, submitted another call to be voted upon in 1846, at which time the proposition carried by a vote of 58.339 to 23,013. Delegates were elected on the third Monday in April (19th), and the convention, composed of 162 members, assembled at Springfield, June 7, 1847. It was an unwieldy body in point of numbers, being larger than any of its successors, yet it con- tained its full proportion of the best talent which the State could furnish. Many of its members had already attained merited distinction in the service of the State. Among these may be mentioned the following: Archibald Williams, an able lawyer, who had been a valuable member of the legislature and was subsequently appointed a judge of the United-States dis- trict court in Kansas; Francis C. Sherman, who had also served as a law-maker and who afterward became a leading politician in and mayor of Chicago; Zadoc Casey, who had been six times chosen to congress; Walter B. Scates, who had formerly occu- pied a seat upon the bench of the supreme court of the State; Col. John Dement, an old ranger and for many years a member of the legislature and more than once appointed state treasurer; Cyrus Edwards, a distinguished member of the state senate and a leading whig from Madison County. Morgan County sent an able delegation composed of Samuel D. Lockwood,* William Thomas,-}* Newton Cloud, and James Dunlap. Sanganion County also sent a strong delegation, at the head of which was that eminent jurist, Stephen Trigg Logan. The others were Ninian W. Edwards — son of Gov. Ninian Edwards — an efficient legislator and public ofiicer; James H. Matheny, then an able young lawyer and at present the popular judge of * Judge Lockwood came to the State from New York with Wm. H. Brown in 1818, and for thirty years had occupied a prominent and influential position, having been on the supreme bench since 1824; and no man stood higher in respect of purity of character, sound judgment, and eminent ability. He retired to private life in 1849, and died at Batavia, Illinois, April 13, 1874. + William Thomas came to Jacksonville, Illinois, from Bowling Green, Kentucky, in 1826. His abilities were soon recognized by the people, who frequently returned him to the general assembly, where he proved an intelligent, safe, and reliable legis- lator. He still (August, 1889,) survives at the age of 86 years, an upright and hon- ored citizen, who has accomplished much in his day and generation for the good oi the State. CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1 847. $55 his county to which position he has been four times elected; and John Dawson previously a member of four general assem- Among other distinguished members may be mentioned: Thomas A. Marshall, Richard B. Servant, and John D. White- side. Of those who sat in that convention, the following mem- bers were afterward elected to congress; James W. Singleton, Jesse O. Norton, Stephen A. Hurlbut, James Knox, Abner C. Harding, Anthony Thornton, and Willis Allen — also to the bench, Thompson Campbell; and the following as circuit judges: Henry M. Wead, David M. Woodson, David Davis — later pro- moted to the bench of the U.-S. supreme court and still later chosen U.-S. senator, Wm. A. Minshall, Alexander M. Jenkins, Onslow Peters, and Chas. H. Constable. John M. Palmer of Macoupin County, was subsequently elected governor, and David L. Gregg, of Cook County, secretary of state. Among the dele- gates who afterward became prominent in state politics as mem- bers of the legislature were Wm. R. Archer and Wm. A. Grim- shaw of Pike County, George W. Armstrong of LaSalle, Nathan M. Knapp of Scott, Linus E. Worcester of Greene, Samuel Snowden Hayes of White, Selden M. Church of Winnebago, and Henry E. Dummer of Cass County. Although party lines were not strictly drawn in the selection of delegates, the democrats were careful to maintain in the convention the supremacy which they held in the State, elect- ing 92 out of the 162 members. Newton Cloud was chosen presi- dent of the convention, Henry W. Moore, secretary, and John A. Wilson, sergeant-at-arms. It soon became apparent that the members intended to proceed deliberately and to make a thor- ough revision of the old constitution. The declaration of fundajL- mental j)rindples in the Bill of_Rights was, however, copied almost verbatim from the old instrument — the only changes therein being Those providing that the military shall be in strict isubordination to the civil power, that "no soldier in time of peace shall be quartered in any house without consent of the owner, nor in time of war, except in manner prescribed by law;" and the addition of a section prohibiting JlueHng. The tendency of popular thought and sentiment in this coun- try has always been to curtail the powers of the legislative SS6 ILLINOIS — HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL. branch of the government, while enlarging those of the people. It is therefore not surprising that the most exciting and inter- esting discussions in the convention were those relative to the definition of governmental powers and the regulation of the elective franchise, these being, as it must be remembered, the prevailing issues between the two dominant parties. ^^The debates in many instances were somewhat heated and |the speakers indulged in offensive personalities, notably in the [discussion between Messrs. Thompson Campbell and O. C. [Pratt of Jo Daviess County, which resulted in a mutual agree- ment between these gentlemen to submit the issue to the arbit- frament of the sword or pistol on the field of honor near St. j Louis. The intervention of the police prevented any effusion I of blood, but only a miraculous interposition could have checked j the effervesence of mutual spleen which found an outlet in a Aywordy but harmless correspondence. In providing for the election by the people, of the judges of thFsiipreme court, as well as of all the state officers, the con- vention went much farther than had been anticipated. This innovation upon the ancient and stereotyped metKodi^bf judi- cial appointments by the governor or legislatures of the respec- tive states, was initiated by the State of Georgia in an amend- ment to her constitution in 1812, providing that the justices of the inferior courts should be elected for a term of four years by the people, the selection of the judges of the supreme court being still confided to the general assembly. The first consti- tution of Indiana, 18 16, provided that the judges of the supreme court should be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate; the presidents of the circuit-courts to be chosen by the legislature, and the two associate circuit-judges elected by the people of the several counties. Georgia, in her second con- stitution adopted in 1832, was also the first state to take from the governor or general assembly the power of appointing su- preme and circuit-court judges and give it to the people. The next state to adopt the new system was New York, followed by the then, new State of Iowa in 1846. Whether the change has been a wise one admits of arguments on both sides, and may be still considered a moot question. It has been followed, since 1848, in the revisions of twenty-seven states. Virginia, THE CONSTITUTION OF 1 848. 557 however, in her constitution of 1864, returned to the method of election by the legislature, as did Mississippi in 1868. The judges are still elected by the legislature in the states of Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, and Georgia— the latter hav- ing returned to the old system. In eight states the judges are appointed by the governor, subject to confirmation by the coun- cil or senate, as follows: Maine, Massachusetts, New Hamp- shire, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana — and supreme court judges only, in Mississippi and New Jersey. Another tendency in those states which have adopted the popular elective system is, to extend the term of service of the judges, especially those of the court of last resort, which has been increased in New York from eight to fourteen years, in Pennsylvania from fifteen to twenty-one years, in Missouri from six to ten years, in California from ten to twelve, and in Maryland from ten to fifteen years. The powers of the general assembly were further curtailed in the following particulars: that 'divorces should "befgranted onljT' for such causes as might be specified by general law, and not by the legislature directly; that no extra compensation should be granted to any public oflScer, agent, servant, or contractor, after the service had been rendered or the contract entered into; that no lotteries should be authorized for any purpose; that the charter of the state bank, or any other bank heretofore exist- " ing in the State should not be revived or extended. Moreover, remembering the financial embarassments into which the body politic had been plunged by adopting a hastily-conceived sys- tem of internal improvements — the State was prohibited from contracting any indebtedness exceeding fifty thousand dollars and even that amount only "to meet casual deficits or failures in revenue." Neither was the credit of the State "in any man- ner to be given to, nor in aid of, any individual association or corporation." The features of an executive term of four years and the ineligibility of the governor to an immediate reelection were preserved. The cumbrous appendage of the first constitution, called the Council of^Revision, adopted from the State of New York, was abolished, and in lieu thereof the governor was vested with a q'uaIifiJe3"veto power. SS8 ILLINOIS — HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL. The advocates of a restricted right of suffrage, limiting its exercise to white male citizens, as contradistinguished from inhabitants, and thus disfranchising unnaturalized foreigners who enjoyed that privilege under the constitution of 1818, succeeded in engrafting upon the new instrument their favorite article. The laws of the different states have not been at all uniform on this subject — new commonwealths have generally extended the priv- ilege to all inhabitants. Actual citizenship is required in the following states: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ver- mont, Virginia, and West Virginia. In all the others citizen- ship or a declaration of intention to become a citizen is neces- sary. Kentucky is the only state requiring a residence of two years; twenty -six require one year; eight, six months; one, four months; and two, Michigan and Maine, three months. The cry of economy and retrenchment in administering the state government, which had been heard for so many years, led the convention into the commission of its gravest error. This was in attempting practically to limit the sessions of the general assembly arbitrarily to forty -two days; the provision being that two dollars per day for the first forty-two days' attendance, and one dollar per day for each day's attendance thereafter, should be allowed to the members as a compensation for their services, "and no more." The time specified for a general session was entii-ely too short, and the amount allowed members was alto- -gether too little. In fact, so distrustful was the convention of the legislature that the former body determined to fix all_ salaries of state-officers and judges in the constitution, and all of them at a parsimoniously low figure. Thus the governor was given $1506; the supreme-court judges, $1200; circuit-judges, $1000; state auditor, $1000; treasurer and secretary of state, $800 each. These would have been absurdly low rates to fix even by statute, which might have been amended in two years; but to place them in the fundamental law, to remain irrevocably fixed, was certainly either to invite its evasion or to stimulate a desire for an early change. As will be seen hereafter, it was a very ill-considered and costly attempt at economy and reform. ELECTION IN 1 848. 559 Thus have been mentioned the principal changes made by the convention in the first constitution. It completed its work Aug. 31. The constitution was submitted to the po£ular_votejit^an electiSiTheld March 6, 1848, and ratified hy the following vote: for the constitution 59,887;" against, 15,859. For Article XIV, prohibiting free~peiFsbns of color from immigrating to and settling in the State, 49,060; against, 20,883. For Article XV, providing for a two-mill tax, 41,017; against, 30,586. The new constitution went into effect April i, 1848. Perhaps the most important work done by the convention was the adoption of Article XV — providing for a two-mill tax, the fund arising froiji which should be exclusively applied to the payment of state indebtedness, other than canal and school indebtedness. The tendency in the public mind to honorably liquidate the vast debt created under the internal - improvement system, although there was still an active minority who favored repudia- tion in whole or in part, was thus fastened, and the question placed beyond the power of legislative tinkering. A notable and interesting event relating to the personnel of the convention of 1847 was a reunion of its surviving members at Springfield on January 3, 1884. Thirty-one were still living of whom the following were present at the meeting: David Davis, John M. Palmer, Walter B. Scates, Augustus Adams, Wm. A. Grimshaw, Wm. R. Archer, Montgomery Blair, M. G. Dale, P. W. Deitz, Joseph T. Eccles, N. W. Edwards, Anthony Thornton, Samuel Lander, James H. Matheny, W. B. Powers, George W. Rives, Oaks Turner, James Tuttle, Edward M. West, Linus E. Worcester, Alvin R. Kenner, George W. Arm- strong. The following were not present, Wm. Thomas, O. C. Pratt, E. O. Smith, John W. Mason, Alfred Lindley, the last three of whom were unaccounted for. Harman G. Reynolds, the assistant-secretary was also present as was the venerable Albert Hale, who officiated as chaplain.* There were four general elections held in the state in 1848, * It is perhaps not unimportant in this connection to note the farther fact relating to the personnel of the convention,' namely, that of the members seventy-six were farmers, fifty-four lawyers, twelve physicians, nine merchants, four mechanics, three clerks, one a professor, one a miller, one a minister, and one an engineer. S6o ILLINOIS — HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL. as follows: upon the question of the adoption of the constitu- tion, as above stated; the election of state officers in August; the election of judges the first Monday in September (3); and the presidential election in November; but under the constitu- tion of 1848, and ever since that year, all general, state, and presidential elections have been held at the same time, namely, on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November. As the power of the people had been extended to the elec- tion of all state and county officers, increased interest and im- portance was given to county and state conventions and to all general elections. Counties had now the selection of their own officers— r that privilege having been extended heretofore only to the offices of sheriff, coroner, and county commissioners. A democratic state convention to name "candidates for gov- ernor and other state officers" was called to meet at Springfield on April 24, which was duly convened and presided over by Col. John Moore. There was no controversy over the first' officer to be nominated; the new constitution having cut short the term of Gov. French two years, he was the unanimous choice of his party for reelection. Wm. McMurtry of Knox County was nominated for lieutenant-governor, the then incum- bent, Joseph B. Wells having decided to run for congress in the Galena district, where he was opposed and beaten by Col. E. D. Baker. Horace S. Cooley of Adams County, was nominated for secretary of state; Thomas H. Campbell of Randolph, auditor of public accounts; and Milton Carpenter* of Hamil- ton, state treasurer — the three last-named candidates being the then incumbents of the offices for which they were renominated. The whigs, feeling that it would prove a hopeless task to undertake the election of a state-ticket, decided not to call a convention. Gov. French received 67,453 votes, while scatter- ing votes were polled for Pierre Menard. Dr. Charles Volney Dyer, and others, and for O. H. Browning, Henry H. Snow, and J, L. D. Morrison, for lieutenant - governor. The democratic national convention was held at Baltimore, May 22, where Gen. Lewis Cass was nominated for president on the fourth ballot, and Gen. Wm. O. Butler for vice-president. * Mr. Carpenter died soon after his election and was succeeded by John Moore, who was appointed by the governor to the position, August 14. THE SIXTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 561. The whig national convention — called the "slaughter-house convention," because of the defeat of so many great statesmen — met at Philadelphia, June 7. The admirers of Clay, Webster, and Gen. Winfield Scott had to give way to those of Gen. Zachary Taylor, who received the nomination for president on the fourth ballot, having steadily gained from the first when, he received 1 1 1 votes, to 97 for Clay, 43 for Scott, and 22 for Webster. Millard Fillmore of New York was nominated for vice-president, on the second ballot. The whigs made a determined fight in the State for president and came very near being successful — the vote being for Cass 56,300, Taylor, 53,047 — while Martin Van Buren, the candidate of the free democratic convention, who was nominated at Buf- falo, August 9, with Charles Francis Adams for vice-president, received 15,774 votes. The whigs succeeded, however, in elect- ing only one out of seven members of congress — Col. E. D. Baker, in the Galena district — the old whig district, the seventh, having been carried unexpectedly by Maj. Thomas L. Harris, against Judge Stephen T. Logan. At the election for judges of the supreme court in September, Lyman Trumbull was elected in the southern division, Samuel H. Treat in the central, and John Dean Caton in the northern — all democrats. Although the constitution fixed the time of holding the general election, including that for members of the general assembly, on Tuesday after the first Monday in November, it was provided by the schedule attached to that instrument that the first general election thereunder should be held at the old period in August. The whigs having no state ticket in the field succeeded in electing but few members of the legislature. Under the new constitution the general assembly was com- posed of one hundred members — seventy-five in the house and twenty-five in the senate; and the time for the meeting of this body was fixed for the first Monday in January, biennially. It had been found under the old regime that but little business was transacted in the month of December, especially during the holidays, when most of the members returned to their homes. The first Monday in January, 1849, upon which the sixteenth general assembly convened, fell upon New- Year's day. There was a marked absence of many old-time and familiar hangers- 562 ILLINOIS— HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL. on. There were no judges to elect, nor state officers, nor prose- cuting attorneys. The people had relieved the legislature from the discharge of this duty. Zadoc Casey, who had been returned to the house after an absence of nearly a quarter of a century, was elected speaker, receiving forty-six votes to nineteen cast for Richard Yates. Mr. Casey had already had large experience as presiding officer of the senate, in which capacity as to voice, impartiality, grace, and dignity of bearing, he never had a superior in this State, Nathaniel Niles was elected clerk, Harmon G. Reynolds and Andrew J. Galloway assistants, and Samuel Ewing doorkeeper. William Smith was chosen secretary of the senate, and I. G. Davidson sergeant-at-arms. On the roll of the senate were to be found the familiar names of Joseph Gillespie, Josiah Mc Roberts, John Todd Stuart — after an absence of four years in congress, Newton Cloud, Franklin Witt, Hugh L. Sutphin, Wm. Reddick, Joel A. Matteson, John Denny, David Markly, and Norman B. Judd. J. L. D. Morrison, Uri Manley, and Demp- sey Odam had been transferred from a previous service in the house. Among the new members were John P. Richmond from Schuyler County, Hezekiah H. Gear, from Jo Daviess, and William B. Plato from Kane. Richard Yates, who had remained out a term, again appears as one of the representatives from Morgan County. There were also in the house the familar names of Usher F. Linder, Thos. Carlin — serving out the unexpired term of John D. Fry, N. W. Edwards, Francis C. Sherman, Curtis Blakeman, Wm. Picker- ing, and Samuel S. Hayes. The following members, afterward conspicuous in congress and in state politics, appeared in this session for the first time: William Kellogg, Abner C. Harding, Edward Y. Rice, Cyrenius B. Denio, Ozias C. Skinner, Ebene- zer Z. Ryan, Richard S. Thomas, John W. Smith, Dr. Philip Maxwell, George W. Rives, and Col. Charles F. Keener from Scott County. One of the first things claiming the attention of the legisla- ture after its organization, was to pass resolutions endorsing the Mexican War and eulogizing its heroes ; the next in order was to ratify the choice of a democratic caucus in the election of a United-States senator. There had been three candidates, Judge -■z*>a" -;^,r Cr/f/iao. CONTEST FOR UNITED-STATES SENATOR. 563 Breese to succeed himself, Gen. James Shields, the battle-scarred hero of Cerro Gordo, and John A. McClernand, then a member of congress. The contest was exceedingly animated and close. Judge Breese having largely the advantage at the start, but as time wore on the general forged ahead and secured the prize upon the second ballot. He received seventy-one votes in the joint session on January 13, to twenty-six cast for Gen. W. F. Thornton, who had been nominated by the whigs. Gen. Shields and his friends celebrated his triumph in a grand supper and ball,. but as it afterward befell, his ambition "had overleaped itself,"- the refrain to his anthem of joy turning into a dolorous discord. Upon arriving in Washington he found that a question had been raised in regard to his eligibility. Having been born in Ireland, he had come into the State when under age, and claimed that he became a citizen by the naturalization of his father; but a question as to the correctness of this position, hav- ing been raised, although he had been a voter and officeholder in the State for many years, he concluded to- make his final declaration and take out his papers regularly under the clause permitting minors to do so who had resided three years in the State, previous to their arriving at full age. This was on Oct. 21, 1840, which at the time of his election left him eight months short of the nine years citizenship required by the constitution for eligibility to a seat in the United-States senate. The general concluded at once that his opponent, Judge Breese, whom he was in a few days to succeed, was the origina- tor of the objection to his eligibility, and thereupon wrote him an exceedingly hot, imprudent, and ill-advised private letter, in which among other foolish things he stated "that if I had been defeated by you on that ground [want of citizenship], I had sworn in my heart that you never should have profited by your success, and depend upon it, I would have kept that vow regard- less of consequences." He concluded his angry effusion as follows: "if, however, you persist in your course of injustice toward me, and refuse this request, I here give you fair warn- ing— let the consequences fall on your own head — I shall hold myself accountable both before God and man for the course I shall feel bound to pursue toward you." 564 ILLINOIS — HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL. The sober, second thought of Gen. Shields told him he had been hasty and injudicious in penning such a letter, and he authorized two senators to call upon the judge and ask for its with- drawal. But to this the latter would not consent, and on Feb. 26, published the letter with his comments in th^ National In- telligencer. The general published a card in reply, in which he endeavored to explain that the warning which had been con- strued into a threat of assassination, merely meant an exposure of character. He having failed to establish the fact of his naturalization while he was yet a minor, the committee of the senate to whom his credentials had been referred were not long in coming to a conclusion that he was ineligible to his seat, and their report to that effect was brought in. Thereupon Gen. Shields tendered his resignation, which, however was not accepted by the senate, but the resolution declaring him ineligible was adopted after a long debate without a division, March 15. The legislature having adjourned, an interesting controversy arose in the public press in regard to the power of the gover- nor to fill the vacancy. Gov. French decided not to make any appointment, but to call the legislature together again for the purpose of choosing a senator. That body was convened Oct. 22, by which time the disability of Gen. Shields had been removed through the lapse of time. The contest between the three candidates which had been sufficiently warm in the first instance was now renewed and soon became exceedingly bitter; the hostility to Shields being greatly aggravated by the publi- cation of his intemperate letter to Judge Breese. The candi- dates were not far apart in the caucus, the first ballot giving Shields 28 votes, Breese 21, and McClernand 18. The general, however, succeeded on the twenty- first ballot, which stood, Shields 37, Breese 20, and McClernand 12. Of course his election by the general assembly followed in due time. The prolonged and exciting discussion growing out of the new acquisitions of territory under the treaty of Guadaloupe Hidalgo began at this session, and the opponents of the exten- sion of slavery succeeded in adopting a joint-resolution, by a vote of 14 to II in the senate and 38 to 34 in the house, in- structing our senators in congress, and requesting our represen- THE BLOODY-ISLAND DIKE CONTROVERSY. 565 tatives, to use all honorable means to procure the enactment of such laws by congress as should contain the express declaration "that there shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in said territories, otherwise than in the punishment of crimes whereof the party shall have been duly convicted." The reso- lution was supported by all the whigs and a sufficient number of democrats in each house to carry it. Another subject which occupied the attention of the legisla- ture w^ the controversy between Gov. French and the authori- ties of St. Louis in regard to the construction of a dike from Bloody Island to the Illinois shore. The formation of sandbars in the Mississippi River opposite St. Louis threatened the diver- sion of the channel of the river to its left bank and the destrpc- tion of the harbor of that city. Congress had been invoked and had made an appropriation to improve and protect the harbor, and St. Louis determined in pursuance of the plans of the government, as was alleged, to construct a dike which would force the current of the river to the St. Louis side. The gov- ernor was induced to regard the work as an infringement upon the rights of the people of Illinois. The papers of the period were full of the controversy, and proceedings were held in the courts to enjoin the prosecution of the work. The matter being brought before the legislature and duly considered, the contro- versy was finally adjusted by the passage of a resolution, mutually satisfactory to the parties concerned, providing that the city of St. Louis should be authorized and empowered to complete the works then in progress upon condition that it should guarantee the construction of a safe and commodious highway over the dam or dike, the full right of way over which should be secured to the public, and that said city should pro- vide for the St. Clair- County Ferry-Company a landing on Bloody Island free from all expense or damages. The work was completed by Feb. i, 185 1, as stipulated. And thus it happened, that the city of St. Louis constructed at its own ex- pense, within the jurisdiction of Illinois, a costly work of inter- nal improvement — primarily for the benefit of its own citizens but ultimately, as the result proved, greatly to the advantage of the people of this State, not only without the consent of the latter but in the very teeth of their active executive and legal $66 ILLINOIS— HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL. opposition, for to this dike is due the growth of the thriving and important city of East St. Louis. It was at this session of the legislature that the course was adopted in reference to internal improvements, which soon became known and defended under the name of "State policy." This was to refuse the granting of charters for the construction of railroads unless the contemplated line began and ended at some prominent town or city in the State. The question arose upon the presentation of a resolution of the Indiana legislature requesting that Illinois would incorporate a company for the building of a railroad, to be called the Ohio and Mississippi, which was to have its starting point on the Ohio River at Cin- cinnati and terminate on the Mississippi River opposite St. Louis. A long and exciting contest grew out of the question of the adoption of such a policy, which was participated in not only by the people living along the route of the proposed rail- road, but by the press and capitalists of this and other states as well. Meetings were held, at which the exclusive policy was denounced in strong terms, and the governor was requested to call a special session of the legislature for the purpose of enact- ing a general railroad-law, which had failed of passage at the regular session. Immense meetings were also held in the interest of "State policy" — the one at Hillsboro being attended by 12,000 people. At the special session a general railroad-law was passed, but it contained so many defective and objectionable provisions as to render it practically inoperative. At the same time, the joint-committee on railroads made a formal report which was adopted by a vote of 43 to 27 in the house, and with but two dissenting votes in the senate, in which this peculiar doctrine was set forth, as follows: "that the prosperity of a state con- sists not only in the virtue and intelligence of a brave and energetic people, in the richness of her soil and natural re- sources, but also in the number and extent of her flourishing towns, cities, and villages." "That any internal improvement tending in its operations to impede the growth and prospects of cities, towns, and villages, within our our own borders, ought not to be encouraged." "That a railroad commencing at our eastern boundary and terminating opposite St. Louis and also uniting "STATE POLICY." 567 with continuous lines of railroad extending eastwardly through our sister states would be immensely advantageous to St. Louis, at the same time that it would impede the growth and prosper- ity of the cities, towns, and other localities on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River." In the meantime. Judge Douglas and others of our public men with a clearer vision had urged upon the people a more liberal and comprehensive view, and showing that while prefer- ence should be given to our own towns and cities, without doing injury or injustice to others, the great interest of our State was agricultural, and that must not be sacrificed for the smaller inter- ests of localities. So that when the legislature of 185 1 con- vened, the friends of the project succeeded in passing the charter of the Ohio-and-Mississippi Railroad. Opposition still continued, however, to the proposed line from Terre Haute to St. Louis via Vandalia, and the advocates of a more liberal policy were not finally successful in securing the desired legis- lation until 1854. The laws of general interest passed at the first session were as follows: to establish the Illinois Institution for the Blind; to regulate elections and provide for a return to the mode of voting by ballot; for the loan of money at such rate of interest, not exceeding ten per cent per annum, as the parties might agree upon; for the construction of plank- roads; for the estab- lishment of telegraphs; to provide for township and county organization — being the first law enacted on the new departure in this direction. The general assembly adjourned after sitting precisely the forty-two days prescribed by the constitution, and the members received the commendations of their constituents and the news- papers generally for the satisfactory work accomplished by them in so short a time. But it was not long before it was discovered that a much longer time might have been profitably spent in needed legislation ; and the legislature was accordingly called to meet in special session, Oct. 23 — the governor specifying no less than eleven different subjects requiring action, in addition to the election of a United-States senator. Its action has been already partly anticipated. In addition to the act to provide for a general system of railroad incorporations, others of general S68 ILLINOIS — HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL. interest were passed as follows: an act to enable the auditor to prosecute claims in favor of the State; to establish the juris- diction of the circuit court; and amendatory of the revenue laws. The extra session was a short one, lasting only from Oct. 22, to November 7. 