USA > Iowa > Warren County > The history of Warren County, Iowa, from its Earliest Settlementto 1908 > Part 4
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(12.) The governor, judges, legislative council, secretary, and such other officers as Congress shall appoint in the district, shall take an oath or affirmation of fidelity and of office; the governor before the president of Congress, and all other officers before the governor. As soon as a legislature shall be formed in the district, the council and house assembled, in one room, shall have authority. by joint ballot, to elect a delegate to Congress, who shall have a seat in Con- gress, with a right of debating, but not of voting, during this temporary government.
ARTICLES OF COMPACT.
And for extending the fundamental principles of civil and religious lib- erty, which form the basis whereon these republics, their laws and constitutions are erected; to fix and establish those principles as the basis of all laws, consti- tutions and governments which forever hereafter shall be formed in the said territory ; to provide also for the establishment of states, and permanent govern- ments therein, and for their admission to share in the federal councils on an equal footing with the original states, at as early periods as may be consistent with the general interest: It is hereby ordained and declared, by the authority aforesaid. That the following articles shall be considered as articles of compact between the original states and the people and states in the said territory, and forever remain unalterable, unless by common consent, to-wit :
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Article 1. No person demeaning himself in a peaceable and orderly manner shall ever be molested on account of his mode of worship, or religious sentiments. in the said territory.
Article 2. The inhabitants of the said territory shall always be entitled to the benefits of the writ of habeas corpus and trial by jury, of proportionate representation of the people in the legislature, and of judicial proceedings according to the course of the common law. All persons shall be bailable, unless for criminal offenses where the proof shall be evident, or the presumption great. All fines shall be moderate; and no eruel or unusual punishments shall be inflicted. No man shall be deprived of his liberty or property but by the judgment of his peers or the law of the land; and should the public exigencies make it necessary for the common preservation to take any person's property, or to demand his particular services, full compensation shall be made for the same. And in the just preservation of rights and property. it is understood and declared that no law ought ever to be made or have force in the said ter- ritory, that shall in any manner whatever interfere with or affect private contracts or engagements, bona fide, and without fraud, previously formed.
Article 3. Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good gov- ernment and the happiness of mankind. schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged. The utmost good faith shall always be observed towards the Indians; their lands and property shall never be taken from them without their consent, and in their property, rights and liberty. they never shall be invaded or disturbed, unless in just and lawful wars, anthorized by Con- gress; but laws founded in justice and humanity shall, from time to time, be made for preventing wrongs being done to them, and for preserving peace and friendship with them.
Article 4. The said territory, and the states which may be formed therein. shall forever remain a part of this confederacy of the United States of America. subject to the articles of confederation, and to such alterations therein as shall be constitutionally made, and to all the acts and ordinances of the United States. in Congress assembled, conformable thereto. The inhabitants and set- thers in the said territory shall be subject to pay a part of the federal debts. contracted, or to be contracted, and a proportional part of the expenses of gov- ernment, to be apportioned on them by Congress according to the same common rule and measure by which apportionments thereof shall be made on the other states ; and the taxes for paying their proportion shall be laid and levied by the authority and direction of the legislatures of the district or districts, or new states, as in the original states, within the time agreed upon by the United States. in Congress assembled. The legislatures of those distriets or new states shall never interfere with the primary disposal of the soil by the United States, in Congress assembled, nor with any regulations Congress may find necessary for securing the title in such soil to the bona fide purchasers. No tax shall be im- posed on lands, the property of the United States; and in no ease shall non- resident proprietors be taxed higher than residents. The navigable waters leading into the Mississippi and St. Lawrence, and the carrying places between the same, shall be connon highways. and forever free as well to the inhabitants
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FIRST NATIONAL BANK, INDIANOLA
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
of the said territory as to the citizens of the United States and those of any other states that may be admitted into the confederacy, without any tax, impost or duty therefor.
Aricle 5. There shall be formed in the said territory not less than three nor more than five states; and the boundaries of the states, as soon as Virginia shall alter her act of cession, and consent to the same, shall become fixed and established as follows: to-wit. The western state in the said territory shall be bounded by the Mississippi, the Ohio, and Wabash rivers; a direct line drawn from the Wabash and Post Vincents, due north to the territorial line between the United States and Canada; and by the said territorial line to the Lake of the Woods and Mississippi. The middle state shall be bonnded by the said direct line, the Wabash from Post Vincents to the Ohio, by the Ohio, by a direct line drawn due north from the mouth of the Great Miami to the said territorial line, and by the said territorial line. The eastern state shall be bounded by the last mentioned direct line, the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and the said territorial line : provided, however, and it is further understood and declared, That the boun- daries of these three states shall be subject so far to be altered that, if Congress shall hereafter find it expedient, they shall have anthority to form one or two states in that part of the said territory which lies north of an east and west line drawn through the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan. And whenever any of the said states shall have sixty thousand free inhabitants therein, such state shall be admitted, by its delegates. into the Congress of the United States, on an equal footing with the original states, in all respects what- ever; and shall be at liberty to form a permanent constitution and state government : provided, the constitution and government so to be formed shall be republican. and in conformity to the principles contained in these articles; and so far as it can be consistent with the general interest of the confederacy, such admission shall be allowed at an earlier period, and when there may be a less number of free inhabitants in the state than sixty thousand.
Article 6. There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said territory, otherwise than in the punishment of crimes, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted : provided always that any person escaping into the same, from whom labor or service is lawfully claimed in any of the original states, such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed and conveyed to the person claiming his or her labor or service, as aforesaid.
Be it ordained by the authority aforesaid, That the resolutions of the twenty- third of April. one thousand seven hundred eighty-four, relative to the subject of this ordinance, be, and the same are hereby repealed and declared null and void.
Done by the United States, in Congress assembled, the thirteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, and of their sovereignty and independence the twelfth.
WILLIAM GRAYSON, Chairman. .
CHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary.
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
THE ORGANIZATION AND DIVISION OF NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
Although the original aet of cession was adopted by Virginia in 1784, it was not until 1787 that Congress adopted the plan of government for the North- west Territory. There was much discussion at various times in regard to the best method of organizing the territory and developing it into states. At one time it was agreed that out of this territory there should be made ten states named, as follows: Sylvania, Michigania, Chersonesus. Assenisipia, Metropot- amia, Illenoia, Saratoga. Washington, Polypolania and Pelisipia. Serious objections were made by the states to this arrangement. Another difficulty was in a resolution which Congress had passed October 10th. 1780; which fixed the extent of each state at not less than one hundred nor more than one hundred and fifty miles square, or as near that as the cireminstances might admit. Thus the disenssions continued until the 12th of July, 1787, when the ordinance was finally adopted. The new territory began to settle rapidly and an act of terri- torial organization was approved Angust 7th. 1789. General Arthur St. Clair was appointed governor, and William Henry Harrison, secretary. The latter was elected President of the United States in 1840. Fort Washington was established on the Ohio river and a town laid out named, Losantiville, but afterwards changed to Cincinnati. This town was originally settled by immi- grants from New England and New Jersey. Owing to Indian depredations, the town did not extensively improve until after the defeat of the Indians in 1794, by General Wayne; however, it became the seat of government for the Northwest Territory. The first election for representatives was held February 4th, 1799; and as provided in the Articles of 1787, the representatives elected assembled at the seat of government and nominated ten persons, out of which Congress was to appoint five to serve as the territorial council. The following were com- missioned: Henry Vandenburg, of Vincennes; Robert Oliver, of Marietta; James Findlay and Jacob Burnett, of Cincinnati, and David Vance, of Vance- ville. The first territorial legislature met September 16th. 1799. On the 13th of October, the legislature elected Wm. Henry Harrison as delegate to Congress. Thus began civilized government in the great Mississippi valley. Such was the rapidity with which the country settled that in 1800, it was found necessary that the territory should be divided. All that part of the territory of the United States northwest of the Ohio river which lies to the northward of a line beginning at a point on the Ohio opposite to the month of the Kentucky river and running thence to Fort Recovery, and thence north until it shall intersect the territorial line between the United States and Canada, shall, for the purpose of temporary government. constitute a separate territory and be called the Indiana Territory. Vincennes was made the seat of government for the Indiana Territory. and Wm. Henry Harrison was appointed governor, and took his office in 1801. It will be seen that the new territory embraced all that region now comprising the states of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and that part of Minnesota cast of the Mississippi river. There were but few white settlers in this territory. Governor Harrison began at once to make treaties with the Indians, whereby
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large grants of land were obtained from various tribes. One treaty alone conveyed from the Indians to the government fifty-one million acres. In the meantime, the- Louisiana purchase had been made and the district divided, the northwest part which included all of the Louisiana territory except what is now the state of Louisiana, was called Louisiana Territory; and for civil purposes was attached to the Indiana Territory. thus extending Governor Harrison's anthority over a. vast domain which was almost entirely in the possession of savage tribes. By an act of Congress, JJannary 11th, 1805, Indiana Territory was divided and the Territory of Michigan organized. William Hull was appointed governor of the new territory and the seat of government was fixed at Detroit. Subsequently another division was made by which Illinois Territory was formed, and still later a Wisconsin Territory. Following the history, it will be seen that the State of Ohio was admitted into the Union in 1802, the state of Indiana in 1816, the state of Illinois in 1818, the state of Michigan in 1837, the state of Wisconsin in 1847. This absorbed all of the Northwest Territory except that portion of Minnesota which lies east of the Mississippi river.
FIRST EXPLORATIONS OF THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
The early accounts of the explorations of the Mississippi valley are meager and confusing. A few names have come down to us which are prominent in history as the first men to investigate the Mississippi valley. Among them is Robert Cavelier La Salle, who was born in 1642, in Ronen, France. He was well educated, of an adventurous turn of mind, a lover of novelties. He settled in Canada about 1669. He thought he could find China by going overland westward, supposing that the Ohio flowed into the Pacific. He learned, however, from Joliet and Marquette that the main river of the valley flowed into the Gulf of Mexico. His object now was to increase the French domain by adding to it all of the lower Mississippi valley. The French government was very generous in furnishing hin aid. He built a vessel and freighted it with furs, putting the vessel in charge of some parties with directions to market the furs at Mon- treal. Unfortunately, the vessel was never heard from. He built another small vessel in which he sailed up the lakes to Green Bay, thence proceeding by small boats with a few companions, he reached a point on Lake Michigan near the head of the Illinois river, after which he returned to Canada. Towards the close of 1681, with a few companions. he again reached the head of Lake Michigan, at the present site of Chicago, from thence they moved to the Illinois river and descended in canoes to the Mississippi, which he followed to its mouth, where he erected a column and a cross with the following inscription upon it: "Louis the Great King of France and Navarre reigning, April 9th. 1682." Thus he claimed for France all the territory drained by the Mississippi river. After La Salle's death, Hennepin claimed the honor of discovering the mouth of the Mississippi. and others made a similar claim. but it is generally conceded that La Salle is entitled to the honor. La Salle had a severe attack of fever on his voyage up the river, and sent on a message to France of his success.
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
by Father Membre, which was published in Hennepin's work in 1683. La Salle returned to France and received from the government great honors; and plans were made by which he should return to America to seek the rich mining country of northern Mexico. A renegade Spaniard, Pengolosa, who had been in New Mexico in 1662, claimed to have discovered the lower Mississippi. La Salle started on this new mission in July, 1684, with four vessels and an escort of soldiers, with the object of establishing a settlement at the month of the Mississippi. In landing, they missed the month of the Mississippi, and after coasting a long way, they found themselves at Santo Bay, Texas. There he landed his soldiers but lost one of his most valuable vessels with its entire cargo of supplies.
La Salle erected a rude fort in which he and his men remained for two years. He made many exenrsions into the country, but perhaps never got beyond the limits of Texas. He made no further attempt to find the mouth of the Mississippi with his vessel. Many of his colonists and soldiers died. No reinforcements came to his aid. All was discouragement, confusions, and mutterings of mutiny. Leaving a part of his force at his fort which he called St. Louis, he set out with the rest to reach Canada, in order to obtain relief. TIe was harsh and overbearing in his government, and awakened a spirit of resentment and bitterness among his men, so on the 19th of March. 1687. he was assassinated by one of his own men near the Trinity river. A few of the survivors made their way to Canada, which was a long, dreary, and dangerous journey, and from thence they returned to France. Those who remained at the fort were nearly all cut off by the Indians. . The survivors were rescued by a Spanish force sent to drive away the French. Thus ended the life of the adventurous La Salle at an early age, after having discovered the Ohio river, and named the vast territory of the Mississippi valley, Louisiana, in honor of the reigning French monarch.
Jacques Marquette was born at Laon, France. in 1637. He was educated for a Jesuit missionary and sent to Canada in 1666. He founded a mission at Sault Ste. Marie in 1668. which was probably the first mission established in the upper Mississippi valley. In 1669 he built a chapel at Mackinaw. Lonis Joliet, who was born at Quebec in 1645, was educated in the Jesuit college in that town, but was commissioned by Governor Frontenae to explore the Mississippi river. He started in 1673, and with Marquette, went down the Wisconsin and thence down the Mississippi to the month of the Arkansas river. returning by the way of the Illinois river to Green Bay, Wisconsin. Joliet had noted the various items of interest on this trip. but on his way to Quebec he lost his manuscript, but he prepared a map and an account of the expedition from memory. ITe was rewarded for his discoveries by being appointed royal high hydrographer, and received the Island of Anto Costi of which he was dispossessed by the English. He died in 1700, after having fixed his name permanently in history. Marquette opened a mission at Kaskaskia, but finding his strength failing, set ont to return to Mackinaw. While in the boat. feeling that he was rapidly losing strength, he saw an eminence near the mouth of the Marquette river, and said to his fellow travelers: "That is a beautiful spot to be buried
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
on, let us land." They landed and he was buried there May 18, 1675, at the age of 38 years.
The French established a series of fortifications connecting the Mississippi valley with the great lakes such as Kaskaskia, in 1700; Cahokia, in 1700; Vin- cennes, in 1705; and Detroit, in 1701. These places all grew into important towns. Iberville, who became noted for the part he took in the Schenectady massacre, began the settlement of Mobile in the south, in 1702. His brother, Bienville, founded New Orleans in 1718. Iberville made the first permanent settlement at Biloxi Bay, eighty miles east of New Orleans. Pierre Laclede Liguest laid out St. Louis in 1764. Other French villages were begun in various places in the great valley.
The English and French were at war on this continent from 1756 to 1762. At the close of the war the treaty of peace gave to England all of the Mississippi valley east of the Mississippi river, except some territory east of New Orleans. At this the French settlers in the ceded territory were greatly enraged, and it is currently believed that out of five thousand French settlers, one-half left the territory. About this time a secret treaty between France and Spain gave to Spain all of Louisiana territory. When this became known the French settlers were doubly incensed to feel that the home government had bartered them away like so many cattle. The French have left their impress upon this country by the names of cities, towns, rivers, and state of Louisiana. Some of these names are significant; the Des Moines river means The River of the Monks. The Marie Des Cygnes river, which rises in Kansas and empties into the Osage river in Missouri, signifies Mary's River of Swans. St. Louis, New Orleans, Detroit and Vincennes, together with smaller places and rivers, will perpetuate French history as long as our civilization lasts.
DE SOTO.
Hernando De Soto, a noted Spanish explorer, was born in Estremadura, in 1500. He was of noble birth and had every facility for carrying out his plans. Hle explored in early manhood the coasts of Guatemala and Yucatan. He was one of Pizarro's most efficient helpers in his explorations of South America, especially in his conquest of Peru, where he obtained much gold and other treasures. He returned to Spain with no less than a half million dollars, and was banqueted as a great discoverer, and such was his influence over the emperor that he could obtain anything he asked. He married the daughter of Davila, a lady of high rank. Ile fitted out, at his own expense, one of the highest toned exploring expeditions that ever left the shores of Spain. He was appointed governor of Cuba and Florida with authority to conquer and explore all the country. Many wealthy, high born Spaniards flocked around him and desired to join his company. He selected six hundred of the most gallant and daring. They were dressed in costly garments, and provided with armor and all the paraphernalia of Spanish chivalry. The most ample and elaborate provisions were made for the expedition, even twelve priests were taken along to conduct
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
religious ceremonies, and a herd of swine which they expected to fatten on the corn and acorns of the new country. Ten vessels in all left the harbor of San Lucar and sailed out under the command of De Soto, one of the most ambitious young men of his day. The first place they touched was Havana. All of the crew were full of enthusiasm. De Soto left his wife to govern Cuba during his absence. Hence, Cuba's first ruler was a woman. After two weeks they landed at Tampa Bay. De Soto and his cavaliers spent the next four months in tramping through swamps, swimming rivers, and fighting the Indians; they wintered at Flint river, sending out exploring parties from time to time in various directions. In the early spring of 1540, they left their winter quarters, pushed on through South Carolina, turning westward through North Carolina and Tennessee, crossing northern Georgia into lower Alabama. In the following winter they were upon the point of starvation, but came upon a field of corn that sustained them for awhile. Their Indian guide deceived them and took them through swamps and into difficult places, so as to discourage them. They found a deserted Indian village, which they occupied for a time. The Indians burned this village, and nearly all the clothing and supplies of De Soto and his company. After much delay, the guide brought them to the Mississippi river in May, 1541. They first looked upon the great stream not far from Memphis, and there in the presence of almost twenty thousand Indians, De Soto erected a cross made of a pine tree and around it, imposing religious ceremonies were performed. They had marched fully three thousand miles. They explored the Mississippi river as far up stream as St. Louis, but they discovered no gold mines nor valuable treasures of any kind. The hardships endured and the dis- appointments experienced were too much for De Soto; he bowed his head and fell into a state of melancholy. A malignant fever seized upon his emaciated frame, and after appointing a successor, he died May 21, 1542. In order to conceal his death from the natives, his body was wrapped in a mantle and sunk at midnight in the middle of the Mississippi river. Sad was the end of the white man who discovered the mighty river. The place of his burial was near the mouth of the Red river. He is properly regarded as the true discoverer of the Mississippi river, although Pineda found the mouth of the river in 1519, and Cabeza de Vaca must have crossed near the gulf in 1528. Although De Soto did not find gold, and his expedition was a most disastrous one, yet he found the river which gave him a better place in history than gold could have done. De Soto's wife expired at Havana on the third day after learning of his death.
LOUISIANA TERRITORY.
The purchase of Louisiana Territory was the greatest event of Jefferson's administration; more than this it was the greatest civil event in United States history. It gave the United States a standing among the nations of the earth that it could not otherwise have had. The goverments of Spain and France had no conception of the magnitude and value of this territory. During the Spanish occupation of nearly forty years, there was but little development.
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
The King of France sold this vast territory to a private subject, afterward the sale was canceled, such was the low estimate the king put upon the value of the territory. The extent of it has been a subject of dispute. Gue in his Ilistory of lowa, includes in this purchase the territory west of the Rocky Mountains, now the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. When La Salle discovered the mouth of the Mississippi river, in the name of the King of France, he laid claim to all the territory drained by the river, which certainly would not extend west of the crest of the Rocky Mountains. The estimates of the size of the ter- ritory differ more than two hundred thousand square miles. Gue claims more than eleven hundred thousand square miles, while others estimate it at nine hundred thousand square miles. Napoleon, the First Consul of France, desired to recover from Spain this territory and practically forced the King of Spain to cede it back to France in a secret treaty. One of the stipulations of the treaty was that if France ever parted with the territory, Spain was to have the first chance to purchase it. This secret cession of the territory was made in 1800. The First Consul of France was about to send an army to New Orleans for the purpose of holding possession of the territory, but the United States was stren- uously opposed to sneh a proceeding. France was involved in wars at home, and another war with England seemed imminent, so that Napoleon, fearing that in case of another war with England, he would lose this territory west of the Mississippi river, as France had lost the territory east of the Mississippi river by a former war with England, he therefore became willing to sell the territory to the United States, and thereby prevent England ever coming into the posses- sion of it. He seemed to have a better conception of the value of the territory than former rulers had had. Involved as he was in European conflicts, it was doubtless a stroke of policy to sell the territory to the United States. Napoleon gave to Marquis de Marbois the following directions which were recorded by the latter : "Irresolution and deliberation are no longer in season. I renounce Louisiana. It is not only New Orleans that I will cede; it is the whole colony, without any reservation. I know the price of what I abandon, and I have sufficiently proved the importance that I attach to this province, since my first diplomatie aet with Spain had for its object the recovery of it. I renounce it with the greatest regret. To attempt to retain it would be folly. I direct you to negotiate this affair with the envoys of the United States. Do not even await the arrival of Mr. Monroe; have an interview this day with Mr. Livingston. But I require a great deal of money for this war, and I would not like to commence with new contributions. If I should regulate my terms, according to the value of these vast regions to the United States, the indemnity would have no limits. I will be moderate, in consideration of the necessity in which I am of making a sale. But keep this to yourself. I want fifty million francs, and for less than that sum I will not treat; I would rather make a desperate attempt to keep those fine countries. Tomorrow yon shall have full powers. Mr. Monroe is on the point of arriving. To this minister the president must have given secret instructions, more extensive than the ostensible authorization of Congress, for the stipulation of the payments to be made. Neither this minister nor his colleague is prepared for a decision which goes infinitely beyond anything that
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