USA > Illinois > McHenry County > History of McHenry County, Illinois : together with sketches of its cities, villages and towns : educational, religious, civil, military, and political history : portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, also a condensed History of Illinois > Part 7
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"These facts and views are worthy to be recorded in history as a standing and perpetual call upon Illinoisans of every age to remember the great trust which has been reposed in them, as the peculiar champions and guardians of the Union by the great men and patriot sages who adorned and governed this country in the earlier and better days of the Republic."
During the dark and trying days of the Rebellion, well did she remember this sacred trust, to protect which two hundred thousand
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of her sons went to the bloody field of battle, crowning their arms with the laurels of war, and keeping inviolate the solemn obliga- tions bequeathed to them by their fathers.
FIRST CONSTITUTION.
In July and August of 1818 a convention was held at Kaskaskia for the purpose of drafting a constitution. This constitution was not submitted to a vote of the people for their approval or rejection, it being well known that they would approve it. It was about the first organic law of any State in the Union to abolish imprisonment for debt. The first election under the constitution was held on the third Thursday and the two succeeding days in September, 1818. Shadrach Bond was elected Governor, and Pierre Menard Lieuten- ant Governor. Their term of office extended four years. At this time che State was divided into fifteen counties, the population being about 40,000. Of this number by far the larger portion were from the Southern States. The salary of the Governor was $1,000, while that of the Treasurer was $500. The Legislature re-enacted, ver- batim, the Territorial Code, the penalties of which were unneces- sarily severe. Whipping, stocks and pillory were used for minor offenses, and for arson, rape, horse-stealing, etc., death by lianging was the penalty. These laws, however, were modified in 1821.
The Legislature first convened at Kaskaskia, the ancient seat of empire for more than one hundred and fifty years, both for the French and Americans. Provisions were made, however, for tlie removal of the seat of government by this Legislature. A place in the wilderness on the Kaskaskia river was selected and named Vandalia. From Vandalia it was removed to Springfield in the year 1837.
DERIVATION OF THE NAME ILLINOIS.
The name of this beautiful "Prairie State" is derived from Illini, an Indian word signifying superior men. It has a French termination, and is a symbol of the manner in which the two races, the French and Indians, were intermixed during the early history of the country. The appellation was no doubt well applied to the primitive inhabitants of the soil, whose prowess in savage warfare long withstood the combined attacks of the fierce Iroquois on the one side, and the no less savage and relentless Sacs and Foxes on the other. The Illinois were once a powerful confederacy, occupying the most beautiful and fertile region in the great valley of the
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Mississippi, which their eneinies coveted and struggled long and hard to wrest from them. By the fortunes of war they were dimin- ished in number and finally destroyed. "Starved Rock," on the Illinois river, according to tradition, commemorates their last trag- edy, where, it is said, the entire tribe starved rather than surrender.
The low cognomen of "Sucker," as applied to Illinoisans, is said to have had its origin at the Galena lead mines. In an early day, when these extensive mines were being worked, men would run up the Mississippi river in steamboats in the spring, work the lead mines, and in the fall return, thus establishing, as was supposed, asim- ilitude between their migratory habits and those of the fishy tribe called "Suckers." For this reason the Illinoisans have ever since been distinguished by the epithiet "Suckers." Those who stayed at the mines over winter were mostly from Wisconsin, and were called " Badgers." One spring the Missourians poured into the mines in such numbers that the State was said to have taken a puke, and the offensive appellation of "Pukes " was afterward applied to all Missourians.
The southern part of the State, known as "Egypt," received this appellation because, being older, better settled and cultivated, grain was had in greater abundance than in the central and northern por- tion, and the immigrants of this region, after the manner of the children of Israel, went "thither to buy and to bring from thence that they might live and not die."
STATE BANK.
The Legislature, during the latter years of territorial existence, granted charters to several banks. The result was that paper money became very abundant, times fluslı, and credit unlimited; and every- body invested to the utmost limit of his credit, with confident expectation of realizing a liandsome advance before the expiration of his credit, from the throng of immigrants then pouring into the country. By 1819 it became apparent that a day of reckoning would approach before their dreams of fortune could be realized. Banks everywhere began to waver, paper money became depreci- ated, and gold and silver driven out of the country. The Legisla- ture sought to bolster up the times by incorporating the " Bank of Illinois," which, with several branches, was created by the ses- sion of 1821. This bank, being wholly supported by the credit of the State, was to issue one, two, three, five, ten and twenty-dollar
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notes. It was the duty of the bank to advance, upon personal prop- erty, money to the amount of $100, and a larger amount upon real estate. All taxes and public salaries could be paid in such bills; and if a creditor refused to take them, he had to wait three years longer before he could collect his debt. The people imagined that simply because the government had issued the notes, they would remain at par; and although this evidently could not be the case, they were yet so infatuated with their project as actually to request the United States government to receive them in payment for their public lands! Although there were not wanting men who, like John McLean, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, fore- saw the dangers and evils likely to arise from the creation of such a bank, by far the greater part of the people were in favor of it. The new bank was therefore started. The new issue of bills by the bank of course only aggravated the evil, heretofore so grievously felt, of the absence of specie, so that the people were soon com- pelled to cut their bills in halves and quarters, in order to make sinall change in trade. Finally the paper currency so rapidly depre- ciated that three dollars in these bills were considered worth only one in specie, and the State not only did not increase its revenue, but lost full two-thirds of it, and expended three times the amount required to pay the expenses of the State government.
LAFAYETTE'S VISIT.
In the spring of 1825 the brave and generous LaFayette visited Illinois, accepting the earnest invitation of the General Assembly, and an affectionately written letter of Gov. Cole's, who had formned his personal acquaintance in France in 1817. The General in reply said: " It has been iny eager desire, and it is now my earnest inten- tion, to visit the Western States, and particularly the State of Illi- nois. The feelings which your distant welcome could not fail to excite have increased that patriotic eagerness to admire on that blessed spot the happy and rapid results of republican institutions, public and domestic virtues. I shall, after the 22d of February (anniversary day), leave here for a journey to the Southern States, and from New Orleans to the Western States, so as to return to Boston on the 14th of June, when the corner-stone of the Bunker Hill monument is to be laid,-a ceremony sacred to the whole Union and in which I have been engaged to act a peculiar and honorable part."
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General LaFayette and suite, attended by a large delegation of prominent citizens of Missouri, made a visit by the steamer Natch- ez to the ancient town of Kaskaskia. No military parade was attempted, but a multitude of patriotic citizens made him welcome. A reception was held, Gov. Cole delivering a glowing address of welcome. During the progress of a grand ball held that night, a very interesting interview took place between the honored General and an Indian squaw whose father had served under him in the Revolutionary war. The squaw, learning that the great white chief was to be.at Kaskaskia on that night, had ridden all day, from early dawn till sometime in the night, from her distant home, to see the man whose name liad been so often on her father's tongue, and with which she was so familiar. In identification of her claim to his distinguished acquaintance, she brought with her an old, worn letter which the General had written to her father, and which the Indian chief had preserved with great care, and finally bequeathed on his death-bed to his daughter as the most precious legacy he had to leave her.
By 12 o'clock at night Gen. LaFayette returned to his boat and started South. The boat was chartered by the State.
EARLY GOVERNORS.
In the year 1822 the term of office of the first Governor, Shadrach Bond, expired. Two parties sprung up at this time,-one favorable, the other hostile, to the introduction of slavery, each proposing a candidate of its own for Governor. Both parties worked hard to secure the election of their respective candidates; but the people at large decided, as they ever have been at heart, in favor of a free State. Edward Coles, an anti-slavery man, was elected, althoughi a majority of the Legislature were opposed to him. The subject of principal interest during his administration was to make Illinois a slave State. The greatest effort was made in 1824, and the propo- sition was defcated at the polls by a majority of 1,800. The aggre- gate vote polled was 11,612, being about 6,000 larger than at the previous State election. African slaves were first introduced into Illinois in 1720 by Renault, a Frenchman.
Senator Duncan, afterward Governor, presented to the Legisla- ture of 1824-5 a bill for the support of schools by a public tax; and William S. Hamilton presented another bill requiring a tax to be
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used for the purpose of constructing and repairing the roads,-both of which bills passed and became laws. But although these laws conferred an incalculable benefit upon the public, the very name of a tax was so odious to the people that, rather than pay a tax of the smallest possible amount, they preferred working as they formerly did, five days during the year on the roads, and would allow their children to grow up without any instruction at all. Consequently both laws were abolished in 1826.
In the year 1826 the office of Governor became again vacant. Ninian Edwards, Adolphus F. Hubbard and Thomas C. Sloe were candidates. Edwards, though the successful candidate, liad made himself many enemies by urging strict inquiries to be made into the corruption of the State bank, so that had it not been for his talents and noble personal appearance, he would most probably not have been elected. Hubbard was a man of but little personal merit. Of him tradition has preserved, among other curious sayings, a spcech on a bill granting a bonnty on wolf-scalps. This speech, delivered before the Legislature, is as follows: " Mr. Speaker, I rise before the question is put on this bill, to say a word for my constit- uents. Mr. Speaker, I have never seen a wolf. I cannot say that I am very well acquainted with the nature and liabits of wolves. Mr. Speaker, I have said that I had never seen a wolf; but now I remember that once on a time, as Judge Brown and I were riding across the Bonpas prairie, we looked over the prairie about three miles, and Judge Brown said, 'Hubbard, look! there goes a wolf; ' and I looked, and I looked, and I looked, and I said, 'Judge, where?' and he said, 'There!' And I looked again, and this time in the edge of a hazel thicket, about three miles across the prairie, I think I saw the wolf's tail. Mr. Speaker, if I did not see a wolf that time, I think I never saw one; but I have heard muchi, and read more, about this animal. I have studied his natural history.
" By the bye, history is divided into two parts. There is first the history of the fabulous; and secondly, of the non-fabulous, or unknown age. Mr. Speaker, from all these sources of information I learn that the wolf is a very noxious animal; that he goes prowl- ing about, seeking something to devour; that he rises up in the dead and secret hours of night, when all nature reposes in silent oblivion, and then commits the most terrible devastation upon the rising generation of hogs and sheep.
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" Mr. Speaker, I have done; and I return my thanks to the house for their kind attention to my remarks."
Gov. Edwards was a large and well-made man, with a noble, princely appearance. Of him Gov. Ford says: "He never con- descended to the common low art of electioneering. Whenever he went out among the people he arrayed himself in the style of a gentleman of the olden time, dressed in fine broadcloth, with short breeches, long stockings, and high, fair-topped boots; was drawn in a fine carriage driven by a negro; and for success he relied upon his speeches, which were delivered in great pomp and in style of diffuse and florid eloquence. When he was inaugurated in 1826, he appeared before the General Assembly wearing a golden-laced cloak, and with great pomp pronounced his first message to the houses of the Legislature."
GRAMMAR AND COOK CONTRASTED.
Demagogism liad an early development. One John Grammar, who was elected to the Territorial Legislature in 1816, and held the position for about twenty years, invented the policy of opposing every new thing, saying, "If it succeeds, no one will ask who voted against it: if it proves a failure, he could quote its record." When first honored with a seat in the Assembly, it is said that he lacked the apparel necessary for a member of the Legislature, and in order to procure them lie and his sons gathered a large quantity of hazcl-nuts, which were taken to the Ohio Saline and sold for cloth to make a coat and pantaloons. The cloth was the blue strouding commonly used by the Indians.
The neighboring women assembled to make up the garments; the cloth was measured every way,-across, lengthwise, and from corner to corner,-and still was found to be scant. It was at last con- cluded to make a very short, bob-tailed coat and a long pair of leg- gins, which being finished, Mr. Grammar started for the State capital. In sharp contrast with Grammar was the character of D. P. Cook, in honor of whom Cook county was named. Such was luis transparent integrity and remarkable ability that his will was alınost the law of the State. In Congress, a young man and from a poor State, he was made Chairman of the Ways and Means Com- mittee. He was pre-eminent for standing by lis committee, regard- less of conscqnences. It was his integrity that elected John Quincy
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Adams to the Presidency. There werc four candidates in 1824, Jackson, Clay, Crawford and Adams. There being no choice by the people, the election was thrown into the House. It was so bal- anced that it turned on his vote, and that he cast for Adams, elect- ing him. He then came home to face the wrath of the Jackson party in Illinois.
The first mail route in the State was established in 1805. This was from Vincennes to Cahokia. In 1824 there was a direct mail route from Vandalia to Springfield. The first route from the central part of the State to Chicago was established in 1832, from Shelby- ville. The difficulties and dangers encountered by the early mail carriers, in time of Indian troubles, were very serious. The bravery and ingenious devices of Harry Milton are mentioned with special commendation. When a boy, in 1812, lie conveyed the mail on a wild French pony from Shawneetown to St. Louis, over swollen streams and through the enemy's country. So infrequent and irregular were the communications by mail a great part of the time, that to-day, even the remotest part of the United States is unable to appreciate it by example.
The first newspaper published in Illinois was the Illinois Herald, established at Kaskaskia by Mathew Duncan. There is some va- riance as to the exact time of its establishment. Gov. Reynolds claimed it was started in 1809. Wm. H. Brown, afterwards its editor, gives the date as 1814.
In 1831 the criminal code was first adapted to penitentiary pun- ishment, ever since which time the old system of whipping and pillory for the punishment of criminals has been disused.
There was no legal rate of interest till 1830. Previously the rate often reached as high as 150 per cent., but was usually 50 per cent. Then it was reduced to 12, thien to 10, and lastly to 8 per cent.
INDIAN TROUBLES.
WINNEBAGO WAR.
The Indians, who for some years were on peaceful terms with the whites, became troublesome in 1827. The Winnebagoes, Sacs and Foxes and other tribes had been at war for more than a hun- dred years. In the summer of 1827 a war party of the Winnebagoes surprised a party of Chippewas and killed eight of them. Four
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of the murderers were arrested and delivered to the Chippewas, by whom they were immediately shot. This was the first irritation of the Winnebagoes. Red Bird, a chief of this tribe, in order to avenge the execution of the four warriors of his own people, attacked the Chippewas, but was defeated; and being determined to satisfy his thirst for revenge by some means, surprised and killed several white men. Upon receiving intelligence of these murders, the whites who were working the lead mines in the vicinity of Galena formed a body of volunteers, and, re-inforced by a company of United States troops, marched into the country of the Winnebagoes. To save their nation from the miseries of war, Red Bird and six other men of his nation voluntarily surrendered themselves. Some of the number were executed, some of theni imprisoned and destined, like Red Bird, ingloriously to pine away within the narrow confines of a jail, when formerly the vast forests had proven too limited for them.
JOHN REYNOLDS ELECTED GOVERNOR.
In August, 1830, another gubernatorial election was held. The candidates were William Kinney, then Lieutenant Governor, and John Reynolds, formerly an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, both Jackson Democrats. The opposition brought forward no can- didate, as they were in a helpless minority. Reynolds was the successful candidate, and under his administration was the famous
BLACK HAWK WAR.
In the year of 1804 a treaty was concluded between the United States and the chief's of the Sac and Fox nations. One old chief of the Sacs, however, called Black Hawk, who liad fought with great bravery in the service of Great Britain during the war of 1812, had always taken exceptions to this treaty, pronouncing it void. In 1831 he established himself, with a chosen band of warriors, upon the dis- puted territory, ordering the whites to leave the country at once. The settlers complaining, Gov. Reynolds dispatched Gen. Gaines, with a company of regulars and 1,500 volunteers, to the scene of action. Taking the Indians by surprise, the troops burnt their villages and forced them to conclude a treaty, by which they ceded all lands east of the Mississippi, and agreed to remain on the western side of the river. Necessity forced the proud spirit of Black Hawk into submission, which made him more than ever determined to be
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avenged upo .: his enemies. Having rallied around him the warlike braves of the Sac and Fox nations, he crossed the Mississippi in the spring of 1832. Upon hearing of the invasion, Gov. Reynolds hastily collecter' a body of 1,800 volunteers, placing them under the command 01 Brig-Gen. Samuel Whiteside.
STILLMAN'S RUN.
The army marched to the Mississippi, and liaving reduced to ashes the Indian village known as "Prophet's Town," proceeded for several miles up the river to Dixon, to join the regular forces under Gen. Atkinson. They found at Dixon two companies of volunteers, who, sighing for glory, were dispatched to reconnoiter the enemy. They advanced under command of Maj. Stillman, to a creek afterwards called "Stillman's run; " and while encamping there saw a party of mounted Indians at the distance of a mile. Several of Stillman's party mounted their horses and charged the Indians, killing three of them; but, attacked by the main body under Black Hawk, they were routed, and by their precipitate flight spread such a panic through the camp that the whole company ran off to Dixon as fast as their legs could carry them. On their arrival it was found that there had been eleven killed. The party came straggling into camp all night long, four or five at a time, each squad positive that all who were left behind were massacred.
It is said that a big, tall Kentuckian, with a loud voice, who was a colonel of the militia but a private with Stillman, upon his arrival in camn gave to Gen. Whiteside and the wondering multi- tnde the following glowing and bombastic account of the battle: "Sirs," said he, "our detachment was eucamped among some scat- tering timber on the north side of Old Man's creek, with the prairie from the north gently sloping down to our encampment. It was just after twilight, in the gloaming of the evening, when we dis- covered Black Hawk's army coming down upon us in solid column; they displayed in the form of a crescent upon the brow of the prai- rie, and such accuracy and precision of military movements were never witnessed by man; they were equal to the best troops of Wellington in Spain. . have said that the Indians came down in solid columns, and displayed in the form of a crescent; and what was inost wonderful, there were large squares of cavalry resting upon the points of the curve, which squares were supported again by
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other columns fifteen deep, extending back through the woods and over a swamp three-quarters of a mile, which again rested on the main body of Black Hawk's army bivouacked upon the banks of the Kish wakee. It was a terrible and a glorious sight to see the tawny warriors as they rode along our flanks attempting to outflank us, with the glittering moonbeams glistening from their polished blades and burnished spears. It was a sight well calculated to strike con- sternation in the stoutest and boldest heart; and accordingly our men soon began to break in small squads, for tall timber. In a very little time the rout became general, the Indians were soon upon our flanks and threatened the destruction of our entire detach- ment. About this time Maj. Stillman, Col. Stephenson, Maj. Perkins, Capt. Adams, Mr. Hackelton, and myself, with some others, threw ourselves into the rear to rally the fugitives and pro- tect the retreat. But in a short time all my companions fell bravely fighting hand-to-hand with the savage enemy, and I alone was left upon the field of battle. About this time I discovered not far to the left a corps of horsemen which seemed to be in tolerable order. I immediately deployed to the left, when, leaning down and placing my body in a recumbent posture upon the mane of my horse so as to bring the heads of the horsemen between my eye and the horizon, I discovered by the light of the moon that they were gentlemen who did not wear hats, by which token I knew they were no friends of mine. I therefore mnade a retrogade movement and recovercd my position, where I remained some time meditating what further I could do in the service of my country, when a ran- dom ball came whistling by my ear and plainly whispered to me, ' Stranger, you have no further business here.' Upon hearing this I followed the example of my companions in arms, and broke for tall timber, and the way I ran was not a little."
For a long time afterward Maj. Stillnan and his men were sub- jects of ridicule and merriment, which was as undeserving as their expedition was disastrous. Stillman's defeat spread consternation throughout the State and nation. The number of Indians was greatly exaggerated, and the name of Black Hawk carried with it associations of great military talent, savage cunning and cruelty.
ASSAULT ON APPLE RIVER FORT.
A regiment sent to spy out the country between Galena and Rock Island was surprised by a party of seventy Indians, and was on the
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point of being thrown into disorder when Gen. Whiteside, thien serving as a private, shouted out that he would shoot the first man who should turn his back to the enemy. Order being restored, the battle began. At its very outset Gen. Whiteside shot the leader of the Indians, who thereupon commenced a hasty retreat.
In June, 1832, Black Hawk, with a band of 150 warriors, attack- ed the Apple River Fort, near Galena, defended by 25 men. This fort, a mere palisade of logs, was erected to afford protection to the miners. For fifteen consecutive hours the garrison had to sustain the assault of the savage enemy; but knowing very well that no quarter would be given them, they fought with such fury and des- peration that the Indians, after losing many of their best warriors, were compelled to retreat.
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