Cahokia records, 1778-1790, Part 7

Author: Alvord, Clarence Walworth, 1868-1928
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 856

USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Cahokia > Cahokia records, 1778-1790 > Part 7

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1 Papers of Old Cong., Ind. Papers, LVI., 97.

2 Mason, John Todd's Record-Book, Chi. Hist. Soc"'s Collection, iv., 301.

3 Dr. MSS., 49J74.

4 See supra, p. XXX.

5 Va. State Papers, i., 314.

6 Can. Archives, B., 184, vol. i., pp. 119 and 123. Todd found difficulty in deciding what to do about their title. Mason, John Todd Papers, Chi. Hist. Soc.'s Collections, iv., 318.

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to establish. The enterprise was not pushed further at this time.

The next subject to engage Todd's attention was the paper money. While on his way to Illinois, he had learned that the issues of continental paper money of the dates May 20, 1777, and April II, 1778, were ordered to be paid into the continental loan offices by the first of June, 1779, or they would become worthless;1 but he hoped to obtain a longer time for the money from the Illinois. Todd issued a proclamation on July 27th, which he repeated on August 22d, setting forth the necessity for depositing with him, the called-in emissions for which he would issue certificates. In all between fifteen and twenty thousand dollars were thus collected and deposited with the no- tary; but nothing further was done with it.2 It was estimated that there remained in the hands of the inhabitants twenty thou- sand more notes of these issues, which were, of course, of no value whatsoever. Another loss to the French came from the large amount of forged money that was put in circulation. It was a common practice, and an easy one, to counterfeit the con- tinental and colonial paper and large amounts were carried to the Illinois. This, however, was refused by Todd and the more intelligent merchants. The result of all these operations was that confidence in the paper money was greatly weakened until the French refused to take it at all.

It was to buoy up the sinking credit of this paper that Todd devised a scheme to call in a further amount, since he thought the prime cause of its depreciation was the quantity in circula- tion.3 On June IIth he wrote to the Court of Kaskaskia the

1 Todd to Clark, March 26, 1779, Dr. MSS., 49J33.

2 In 1790 Governor St. Clair found it still packed away in the notary's office. Amer. State Papers, Pub. Lands, i., 20.

3 The rapid depreciation of the continental money in the year 1779 may be seen by this schedule drawn up by Todd and Clark. (Journal of Northwestern Commissioners, Va. Statc Library).

From the Ist May till Col. Montgomery's Arrival in June at Kaskaskia One Specied [?] Dollar was equal to

Kas.

St. Vinc. 32

Koho.

5 or 6

From 10 June till ye 10 July during the time ye Reg. was at Kaskaskia & on the way to St. Vin.

From the Ioth July till the Middle Augs.

4 to 8

from 15 Augs. till Ist Oct.

8 to 12

from Ist Oct. till 15 Nov.

to 30

to 15

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following letter: "The only method that America has to sup- port the present just War is by her Credit. That Credit at pre- sent is hier Bills emitted from the different Treasuries by which she engages to pay the Bearer at a certain time Gold & Silver in Exchange. There is no friend to American Independence who has any Judgment but soon expects to see it equal to Gold & Silver. Some disaffected persons & designing Speculators discredit it through Enmity or Interest; the ignorant multitude have not Sagacity enough to examine into this matter & merely from its uncommon Quantity & in proportion to it arises the Complaint of its want of Credit.

"This has for some years been the Case near the Seat of War; the disorder has spread at last as far as the Illinois & calls loudly for a Remedy. In the interior Counties this Remedy is a heavy Tax, now operating, from which an indulgent government has exempted us. one only remedy remains which is lodged within my power that is by receiving on behalf of Government such sums as the people shall be induced to lend upon a sure fund & thereby decreasing the Quantity." The plan as he set it forth was to borrow 33,3333 dollars of Treasury notes, whether of Virginia or the United Colonies, on certificates for 21,000 acres of land near Cahokia. The lender was obliged to make a loan of at least $roo, for which he or his heirs should be entitled to demand within two years a title to his allotment of land, or the sum origin- ally advanced in gold or silver with 5 per cent interest per annum, at the option of the state.

This project met the approval of the governor and council but had to be brought before the assembly for confirmation.2 Todd in the meanwhile appointed commissioners to receive the money and large sums were paid in and sealed up, for which certificates were issued. The matter stopped there, for nothing came of the project except the exchange of the paper for the certificates.3

1 Mason, John Todd's Record-Book, Chi. Hist. Soc.'s Collections, iv., 297.

2 Va. State Papers, i., 326.

3Mason, John Todd's Record-Book, Chi. Hist. Soc.'s Collections, iv., 298 et seq .; Dr.MSS .. 46J50.

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Although Todd had been compelled by law to take up the recalled emissions and to refuse the counterfeits and this last scheme for bolstering up the credit of the paper currency was a common enough one in his time, the effect of all these transactions was to throw further discredit on the currency and make the purchase of provisions for the army almost impossible. For this he was held responsible and roundly denounced by the army officers, who had themselves been the most at fault in passing a depreciated currency at par value, a deceit which caused the French to lose all faith in their money and their word. The blame, however, had to be placed on some one and the head of the civil government was the victim. The animosity thus aroused re- mained long after Todd had left the Illinois and had met his death at the battle of Blue Licks. Sometime after 1790, William Shannon, who was in 1779 commissary in the Illinois, wrote of these transactions: "it was owing to the false suggestions of Col. Todd, a gentleman who came to the Illinois in the month of May, 1779, in character of chief magistrate, who I believe by his reports to government as well as by his transactions while in the Illinois country had done great injury to the inhabitants. Immediately after his arrival His policy was to put a total stop to paper credit which he did by putting the paper money he found in the hands of the different Individuals under cover and sealing it up (where a great part of it still remains) and giving the holders thereof a certificate specifying that he had Inclosed under his Private Seal paper bills of Credit to a certain amount and for which he promised them (as he said they had been imposed on) lands in proportion to the money they brought to him to secrete for them this proceeding put a total stop ever after to paper credit in that country."1

This was the explanation of Todd's actions in the military circles. Unjust it was and false; but Todd found himself, as he tried to protect the French, more and more in opposition to the military department. And yet he could not assume the leader- ship of the French party, because of his duty to the American

1 Dr. MSS., 46J50.

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cause and of the necessity of maintaining control of the territory at any cost. There was nothing left for him but to attempt media- tion, which was foreordained to failure. On September 18 Richard McCarty, who was captain of the company stationed at Cahokia, wrote Todd: "I dont see yet through the designs of a few dispicable Inhabitants who say they are authorized by you, to parade themselves in the fields Distroying My property when there are Numbers of other hogs in the same place . . . . Indeed unless there is Soon a Change for the Better me nor my Soldiers will have no Business hear, Neither can we stay half Naked, what we are paid with Call'd down by the Civil power."1 The same writer was more open in expressing himself to Colo- nel Montgomery: "Colo. Todd's Residence here will spoil the people intirely for the inhabitants no more Regard us than a Parcel of Slaves." He also says it would be a good thing to get Todd out of the country, "for he will possitively Sett the Inhabi- tants and us by the Ears . . . . In some complaints by the Inhabitants the other day he wished that there wasn't a soldier in the country. . . I have never Seen the people of this place So Mutinous as they are by the encouragement of Colo1 Todd, for they even begin to threaten to turn my men out of Doors and god knows what I shall do If they do for we are not Above 20 Strong and them Sick that I could depend on So they may Starve us if they like."2

This outspoken opposition of the French made its first appear- ance at Cahokia, possibly because the people of the village were more independent and self-reliant, but probably because there never was a large garrison in the village and it was far from the seat of government, Kaskaskia. Then too the captain in com- mand was well known, having been a trader in Cahokia some years before the coming of the Virginians. His rapid promotion in the army had somewhat turned the head of this Irishman from Connecticut, and he was overbearing and arrogant in his relations with the people.3 In a moment of anger he once told

1 See post, p. 615.

2 See post, p. 616.

3 For biographical note on McCarty see post, p. 2, n. 3

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INTRODUCTION

them that he wished he was commander in chief of their village and he would send some of the inhabitants in chains to Virginia.1 Todd had no very good opinion of McCarty and later told the governor that he had "rendered himself disagreeable by endea- voring to enforce Military law upon the Civil Department at Kahos."2

The military had causes for complaint, although these were not due to Todd. The soldiers were ill fed and badly clothed as the means of supplying their needs began to fail. In Septem- ber, Captain John Williams wrote, "provisions is very hard to be got without Peltry,"3 and in the same month Colonel Montgomery wrote to Clark: "I cant not tell what to do in Regard of Clothing for the Soldiers as the Goods you wrote to me is gon . and I would Be Glad that if it is in your power to Send a Relefe to me for the Soldiers if it is onley As Much as will Make them A little Jump Jacote [Jacket ?] and a pear of overalls I think they Mite Scuffle threw. But in Regard of lining there are Bad of, But if I had Som Strouding I Could Exchang it for lining on the other Side as The [sic] have all Redy offered it to me."4 Mc- Carty's tale of troubles at Cahokia was even worse; for the sol- diers were deserting daily because of the lack of clothing.5

Thus the question of the support of the troops had become the vital issue between the civil government and the army. The French were unwilling to part with their goods without some assurance of payment, for they had learned from sad experience, and the deception in regard to the money was not the only one. Many of the bills drawn on Oliver Pollock at New Orleans or on the treasury of Virginia by the officers were coming back protested. Even when merchandise instead of money or drafts was promised, the French were disappointed. The experience of Gabriel Cerré is one that occurred not once but many

1 See post, p. 543.

2 Mason, John Todd's Record-Book, Chi. Hist. Soc.'s Collections, iv., 335.

3 Dr. MSS., 49J73.

4 Dr. MSS., 49J74. The punctuation and spelling are printed as they are in the original.

5 See post, p. 615

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times. In a letter to Clark he explained that he had used his credit to purchase supplies for the troops on the promise of the commissary Shannon to repay him in merchandise, which was now refused him.1 No wonder the inhabitants felt they could do no more. They had furnished their goods and had even taken on themselves obligations in order to make the expedition of Clark a success. This they had done when Clark and his men first surprised Illinois in the summer of 1778. They had also fitted out the Vincennes expedition in the winter with supplies as well as with soldiers. In the summer of 1779, Clark had organized a campaign against Detroit which never took place, and again the French were ready with supplies and volunteers. They were now to be called on once more to sell their goods without hope of pay, and this brought on the crisis that proved to Todd the illusiveness of his mediation and the impossibility of the maintenance of a civil government.

After the failure of the Detroit expedition the troops were assigned for the winter to the different villages, which they reached in August. Colonel Montgomery was placed in command of the Illinois; Captain John Williams was stationed at Fort Clark in Kaskaskia, Captain Richard McCarty, at Fort Bowman in Cahokia, and Captain Shelby at Fort Patrick Henry in Vincennes.2

Preparations were immediately made to collect supplies for the winter and the compaign of the following spring. Hunters were sent out to obtain meat, and the officers were instructed to purchase provisions from the inhabitants. To this end, Todd, on August II, issued a proclamation inviting the inhabitants to make contracts with the commissaries for flour. Knowing the attitude of the people he felt the necessity of adding: "If I shall be obliged to give the military permission to press, it will be a disad- vantage, and what ought more to influence Freemen it will be a dishonour to the people."3 Nine days later Colonel Mont- gomery tried the effect of his eloquence and proposed that one of the citizens should be appointed contractor to assess the inhabi-

1 Dr. MSS., 49J59.

2 Clark's general orders, Va. State Papers, i., 324; Letter of Montgomery, Ibid, iii., 441.

3 Mason, John Todd's Record-Book, Chi. Hist. Soc.'s Collections, iv., 305.

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INTRODUCTION

tants for the benefit of the service, and he adds: "The com- plaint of the worthlessness of the money will not last long, I hope, but in the meantime I am certain that all good compatriots will set about assisting the garrison, seeing that it is so many years that their fellow patriots have carried on the war and fought and received their pay in this same money. In order to remedy the difficulty in regard to the counterfeit money, letters of exchange will be given for all kinds of supplies."1 Two days later Todd prohibited the exportation of any provisions from the Illinois for sixty days. "The offender herein shall be subjected to im- prisonment for one month and more over forfeit the value of such exported Provision." This was not the first time that an embargo had been laid on exportation, for two months before the court of Kaskaskia had prohibited exports without the con- sent of the commandant .?

The result of these measures was that the justices of the court of Kaskaskia assessed the inhabitants of the village accord- ing to their wealth, and by August 31 there had been delivered into the storehouse 54,600 pounds of flour and a promise of 1600 pounds more had been made.3 This amount was consider- able, but not sufficient to support the large army that Clark ex- pected to put in the field the following summer. Other efforts were therefore made to induce the people to part with further supplies, and Montgomery's eloquence was again called into use. The effect of this second appeal is told in a report to Clark on October 2d. "Since I receved your letters I have Made a second Trial in Regard of laying up a Sufficant Quantity of provision But it seems to no effect as the [sic] aGain Repete to me that themselves and Negroes is neaked and Without I can suply them with Goods or peltry it will be out of their poer to Supply Me in More then What the Already have promised Me which will not Be over half enuf to Supply An aremey. But Sir as you inform me that you have The disposing of the Goods that Colo Rogers

1 Kas. Rec., Letters. Translation by the editor.

2 Mason, John Todd's Record-Book, Chi. Hist. Soc.'s Collections, iv., 306; Kas. Rec Court Record, p. 232.

3 Furnished by twenty-seven inhabitants, Dr. MSS., 46J17.

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ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS

tuck up to the Falls if you thot proper to Send a Quantity of them Back to Me for that purpose or a Quantity of dear Skins with what peltrey I have Got from Colo Todd I think it then Would Be in My power to furnish a Quantity Sufficant for the Supply of a thousand Men Six Months. if you dont think proper to send them Send Me perticuler orders in Regard of teaking it by force and your orders shall be puntley obed. Sir if you Sh think of Sending them, the sooner the Better as I have Eshued a pro- clamation prohabiten them to transport aney provision of aney Space what Ever till Such times I have answer from you not letting them know that There is aney Expectation of anything of that kind."1

Todd had meanwhile been making efforts to supply the deficiency with some success. In the latter part of September he was in Cahokia and purchased a large amount of peltry from M. Beauregard of St. Louis, for which he paid as high as three livres per pound, a price which was regarded as excessive.2 A draft on the treasury of Virginia was given for this. It was this peltry that Montgomery had been counting on to pay some of the debts to the French at the Illinois. Todd preferred, how- ever, to reserve it for future emergencies and declared that the troops must be maintained by the credit of the state. Todd's persistence in this policy caused his administration to end in failure, since, in maintaining it, he found he could no longer protect the people from military levies. Since Montgomery had failed in every attempt to wrest more from the people, he turned the business over to Todd who said: "that he Would Call a counsel of the inhabitants and Compel them to furnish. But when the Met the punkley denied him, he then told Them if the did not Comply he would Give them up to the Militery and Quit Them. the answered him the were well aGread to that & So parted."3

1 Dr. MSS., 49 J76.

2 Jour. of Northwestern Com., Va. State Lib .; Mason, John Todd Papers, Chi. Hist. Soc.'s Collections, iv., 348, 358.

3 Montgomery to Clark, October 5, 1779, Dr. MSS., 49J78.

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INTRODUCTION

The disappointment of Montgomery at this outcome appears very genuine, and he was not sure what to do next. He asks Clark: "with what Face Can I pretend to Seas on those people provisio When the know that we have Got the peltrey and will not Give it to Them and our Money is of no acount to Them and our Bills Comes Back protested. The have Greate Reason to think that We onley intend to Baffle them but Sir you May depend that I will do Every Thing in My power and am detrmed [sic] to have the provision as I have demanded Every Bushel of Every Space the have to Spare."1

· Todd left Illinois in November,2 shortly after his failure, and returned to Kentucky, leaving as his deputy, Richard Winston. He had become discouraged and had begged to be permitted to resign as early as August 13, 1779, giving as his reasons the unwholesome air, the distance from his connections, his unfamil- iarity with the language, the difficulty of procuring many of the con- veniences of life, and the impossibility of accomplishing his pur- poses with the means at hand.3 He had not been agreeably impressed with the Illinois, where he had suffered a severe sick- ness and been obliged to put up with much that was disagreeable. He voiced the sentiments of many Americans of his time when he wrote, "I prefer Kentucky much to this Country either for the ambitious man, the retired farmer, or the young merchant."4

In leaving he did not resign his position of county lieutenant, but retained it at least through the next year.5 It has been an open question whether Todd ever returned to Illinois after 1779; but a letter written from Vincennes on March 10, 1780, in which he

1 Dr. MSS., 49J78.

2 On November 15, Todd was in Kaskaskia evidently expecting to start for the Falls. (Va. State Papers, i., 358). On December 19, he wrote from the Falls to Charles Gratiot. (See post, p. 617).

3 Mason, John Todd Papers, Chi. Hist. Soc.'s Collections, iv., 319; Dr. MSS., 23J103.

4 Todd to Fleming, August 18, 1779, Dr. MSS., 23J103.

5 This is an unsettled question. His successors in the Illinois continued to be called deputy county lieutenants. Wickliffe in Morehead, Settlement of Kentucky, 174, implies that he did not resign but returned to the county several times. On April 15, 1781, Todd wrote to Jefferson that he still received complaints from Illinois. (Va. State Papers, ii., 44). On the other hand he refused to give orders in regard to a consignment of goods to him as county lieutenant on Nov. 30, 1780. (Ibid, I., 393).

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ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS

expressed the intention of going to Kaskaskia the next day leaves no doubt that he was at the former place and makes it probable that he was in the latter.1 Whether he went or not, he left no evidences of his stay, for affairs by that time had passed far be- yond his control. Later he thought of returning, for, in 1781, learning that Virginia was planning to give up Illinois to the United States, he offered his services as surveyor in that country, a position he had previously held.2 After his departure the civil officers and the French still kept up a correspondence with him, and his interest in the affairs of the distant county ceased only with his death.

As we have seen, one of the last acts of Todd was to deliver the inhabitants into the hands of the military, since the civil govern- ment had failed in its principal mission, the maintenance of the troops. Thereafter the army was to collect its own supplies. The method employed by Colonel Montgomery during the subse- quent weeks is clearly shown by the following petition which was signed by a large number of the inhabitants of Kaskaskia on December 8, 1779: "To the Magistrates of the district of Kas- kaskia, Gentlemen: We ask of you in whom we put our confi- dence and whom we have elected to govern this country according to the laws which you have caused to be announced to us in your office, is it not full time that you put an end to the brigandage and tyranny which the military have exercised among us so long ? Should not the military be content to see that we are depriving ourselves of every necessity in order to furnish their subsistence and have not left ourselves sufficient for the sup- port of our families and of our slaves, from whom we can not ob- tain any service in a season so severe? Can we with tranquil eyes see the animals, most necessary for agriculture and other work, killed every day?

"You have a sure means, gentlemen, of putting an end to such disorders; but can we even address you in the hope of causing you to see some glimmer of that liberty which has been

1 Dr. MSS., 50J80.

2 Papers of Old Cong. Ind. Papers, Ivi., 97.

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INTRODUCTION

so often announced, when you are acting in concert with those who oppress us by taking from us the means of living and from themselves also? We do not believe that it is necessary to report to you in this petition the subject of our complaints, since all the grievances have taken place before your eyes.

"Furthermore you ought to perceive, gentlemen, that the famine has begun to be felt in this country and that we can with difficulty supply with food those who truly merit rations on account of their service and should not be obliged to nourish and warm the useless members of the state. You ought to demand an exact statement of the number to receive rations in order that, when the troops shall have need of asking you there- for, you can deliver what is right.

"Furthermore, notice, gentlemen, that there are in this village only about ten houses which can make remittances and that they are believed to be richer than they really are. We are born free and we wish to enjoy the liberty of true citizens.

"You ought also to observe, gentlemen, that this village has supported all the burden and expense since the arrival of the Americans and that the other villages have felt no burden or a very little. We hope that you will make them contribute to the maintenance of the troops, since they are better able than we are according to their number."1

The magistrates took action the next day and embodied the substance of the foregoing complaint to them in a demand on Colonel Montgomery to put an end to the grievances. They pointed out that many useless slaves were being supported in the fort, and that there was a great waste of firewood. Their authority to make this demand was set forth in the following words: "Since our duty exacts that we watch over the public safety and at the same time over the American welfare, we demand, sir, that from now on the troops shall not have the authority to take anything at the houses of the inhabitants without an order from us according to article 13 of the declaration of rights by the assembly of Virginia; which assembly has authorized us to main-

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Cahokia records, 1778-1790, Part 7

Author: Alvord, Clarence Walworth, 1868-1928 Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages: 856

Author: Alvord, Clarence Walworth, 1868-1928
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 856