The centennial of the state of Illinois. Report of the Centennial Commission, Part 24

Author: Weber, Jessie (Palmer) 1863-1926, comp
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: [Springfield, Illinois State Journal Co., State Printers
Number of Pages: 1038


USA > Illinois > The centennial of the state of Illinois. Report of the Centennial Commission > Part 24


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Introduction of Hon. O. N. Carter by the Hon. William M. Farmer, Justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois


Address --. Vandalia and the Centennial. . . Hon. O. N. Carter Justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois


Music. Shelbyville Glee Club Benediction


Four o'Clock-Community Chorus and Band


INVOCATION GIVEN BY REVEREND FREDERIC SIFDENBURG, S. J.,


MEMBER OF THE ILLINOIS CENTENNIAL COMMISSION AND


DEAN LOYOLA SCHOOL OF SOCIOLOGY, CHICAGO, ILL.


Almighty and Eternal God, at whose creative touch this earth was born; whose hand sustains it; whose voice directs it; whose love keeps it, and whose countenance lights its pathway back to Thee; with humble hearts we ask Thee to grant us here assembled Thy divine grace, and in its strength make us measure up to our opportunities and Thy expectations.


Gathered here at the old capital, we thank Thee for the hundred years of this commonwealth and we offer up this celebra- tion to Thee in gratitude for the sterling, loyal lives of all the men and women who have made our Illinois great and glorious.


But today O God, our nation is in a cruel crisis. We are at war with war ; at war to make the world safe for ourselves and our children and we need-we implore Thy help and protection.


Abide with us all. but especially with our brave hosts aeross the seas. Give courage to their hearts and power to their arms, so that soon we may triumph to a victorious and lasting peace.


O God, bless us also. who are at home-make us faithful to our ideals and in our duties to one another : make us faithful to our President, to our Governor, and to all in authority.


Inspired by Thy succor, we shall make this nation a bulwark of justice. a haven for the oppressed and a beacon light to all who seek freedom.


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Make us one people, sincere and just, fearing only Thee and Thy judgments. Then shall our youth be assured opportunity and our aged enjoy comfort ; then shall the poor and the weak find new hope, and the rich and the strong realize their stewardship.


May we achieve all this in Thy name and to Thy greater glory -through Christ our Lord. Amen.


ADDRESS BY GOVERNOR FRANK O. LOWDEN


Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: It is a great day not only for Vandalia but for Illinois. It is a great privilege for any one to stand on this historie spot on the Hundredth Anniversary of our Statehood, and recall, however imperfectly, some of the achievements of Illinois which have had for their setting this historie old first capitol of our beloved State.


It was my privilege yesterday to address, in the city of Chi- eago, the representatives from all over Illinois of the United War Work Campaign, which is being conducted under the auspices of the Federal Government at Washington. I could not help this morning on my way here but reflect that Chicago, the second city of this hemisphere, and the fourth in all the world, had its origin in the second story of this old structure less than a hundred years ago.


For its charter was received from the General Assembly of Illinois when it occupied this old building, so rich in precious memories of our mighty pa-t.


This war which is raging all about the world, and which is the most momentous event of time, is related also to this structure in the midst of your beautiful little city. It was here in the carly days of the State when our population was small, and when Illinois was only an obscure spot upon the map of the world, that the first great battle in the Mississippi Valley was fought over the question of slavery.


If that battle, in which Governor Edward Coles was the leader on the one side, had gone against the freedom of man, it would surely have changed the destiny of Illinois, and in changing the destiny of Illinois, it would have changed the history of this


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country. Because, if, as was sought at that time, slavery had been written into our State Constitution, it is not at all likely, indeed, it is well-nigh impossible that the great debate between those two illustrious sons of Illinois, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, would have occurred. Without that debate Abraham Lincoln would never have been President of the United States; and this, the keystone State in fact of the Union, a slave State would have meant the loss of the Union when the crisis came.


Without the triumph of the Northern Arms in this great war between the states, we would have had a disunited country, and today, instead of the Stars and Stripes floating from the Great Lakes to the Gulf, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, we would have had at least two governments, jealous of each other; possibly we would have had more than two.


So today in the crisis of the world, instead of a united people and a united nation springing into the breach which the forces of autocracy and militarism had made, we would have been helpless and by now the flag of the Prussian autocrat might have floated over all of Europe, and we of both the North and the South might well have become two colonies of that brutal power.


So strange as it may seeru, it is not too much to say that this old building is related to the greatest events in all the world's his- tory. It is difficult for us to realize it, but without that victory of the second Governor of Illinois, without the events which fol- lowed logically in its train, a different spectacle would be presented today. That triumph of which this building is the monument is related to every battle front in Europe. Except for it the remnant of the Serbian Army, the most heroic, all things considered, that has developed in this war, would not have been able after four years of defeat. after four years of suffering and hardship, to re- sume the offensive and to crush its Bulgarian foes.


A year ago when the commission of Serbians visited this country they came to tell us that their army had been driven by superior force into the last corner of their territory; their popula- tion had been enslaved: their property had been appropriated by the Central Empires, and their only hope lay in the new spirit which America might introduce into this war if she would promptly


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and with open and generous hand respond to the call of the Allies. It was our response to that call, it was the more than a million and a half of soldiers we sent to the battle front, which revived the hopes, which rekindled the courage, which nerved the army of heroic little Serbia until today that army is in full triumph, driv- ing its hated and barbarous foes from its land.


Remember, that of all the countries in this war, Serbia has as distinguished and as heroic a past as any. It was her armies back in the middle ages against which the waves of the Turkish army broke, and beyond which they could not go: and it was the Serbians, who, way back centuries ago, said to the hosts of the Ottoman Empire, "You shall not pass."


Without the assistance we have given, the great victories on the Western front would have been well-nigh impossible. France and England, war worn, and war weary, after four years of the most terrific fighting that the world had ever seen, pitted against the greatest army and the greatest armament of time, were fighting with their backs to the wall, as they themselves declared. It was only when our khaki-clad boys from the United States swept up to the front and turned the tide of the battle of the Marne, it was only then that their indomitable spirits revived, and they turned seeming defeat into victory.


If the United States had been sundered by the Civil War, il' we had become two nations, or three nations, or four nations in- stead of one, we would have been powerless to render that help.


Within the last forty-eight hours cheering and inspiring news has come to us from the Holy Land. Palestine has been recovered froin the infidels. This great victory was made possible because of the new spirit which America introduced into the war. But America could not have rendered this servic. if she had not been a single. undivided. loyal. great nation, and without the historic events which occurred upon this spot, so far as man can see, we would have had a divided country : and civilization. religion and righteousness would have lain helpless at the feet of their ancient foe in Palestine as on the other battle fronts in this world wide war.


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So this old building -- there are finer capitols everywhere than it-this old building is related, and related closely, if I can read aright, to all the triumphs of the last few weeks.


That leads me to say one thing to you: No one of us can know whether an event when it happens is great or not. We may not see the divine significance of some small thing today; we may know only that it is our duty, however small, however trifling, it is our solemn duty to meet with justice and righteousness and truth that event, because in the centuries as they shall unfold, the event of today seeming to be of no significance, yet may change the destiny of the world just as the battle that was fought here over slavery annost a hundred years ago has an intimate and an ever- lasting relation to the mighty events that are transpiring now.


Oh, I wish that I might make the people of Illinois understand and understand fully the significance of this war in which we find ourselves! I know at times in the past my friends have thought that I took a gloomy view of what was involved; but there has not been a moment since our diplomatic relations were sundered with Germany that I have not felt in the depths of my heart that every- thing we hold dear was involved in the issues of this war. It does not mean simply a dispute over territory ; it is not merely a ques- tion of commercial rights; it is not even the battle of democracy alone. It is true that democracy is fighting the wide world round for the right to exist; but it is more than that. It is the old, eternal warfare between evil and good; it is the old warfare of the few for such a form of society and social life as that those few may enjoy all the good things of the world while the millions of man- kind toil and slave. It is the battle which our fathers fought at Concord and Lexington, except that battle was limited to the mere sea coast of one land, while this battle is flaming all around the world. When this war is over there will be but one kind of gor- ernment anywhere; and that will be either a government of the people, for the people, by the people, or the government of armed might, the government of force imposed by some despot from above. That is what is involved ; and that is why in this Cen- tennial Year, my friends, I believe we should recall and recount and dwell upon with tenderness the events of our first century. If


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we shall review our great men and great deeds of that hundred years we shall be inspired with a new ecurage and a new deter- mination to go on at whatever cost in money or men, until liberty and righteousness and justice, ave, and religion, shall be restored to their rightful place throughout the world.


I want to say that whatever the critic may have said before the war to the young men of today, the boys of Illinois on every battle-front are showing themselves worthy of the bravest and best in all our past.


I am receiving letters from cominanding officers, today of one regiment, tomorrow of another, and on the next day of another, and each letter relates new acts of heroism, and each one of them breathes a lofty spirit, not only of courage but of abiding faith that we shall go on until we win a peace by victory over our enemies and the enemies of civilization.


As the chairman has told you, I cannot stay with you as long as I would like this afternoon. I should like greatly to hear the other addresses which are awaiting you. I should like above all to see your pageant ; I should like to visit with you in the shade of these old trees when the exercises are over, but I must hasten on to meet another engagement. But before I go I want to talk a little bit to the mothers of our boys at the front.


I have seen many of those boys since you have. I saw some of your brave and gallant boys at the port of embarkation before they sailed for the battle fronts. I am receiving letters all the while from some of our officers and men over there, and I am going to talk to the mothers about what I know of their boys and how they are employed on the battle fronts.


As I came up your street this morning I was greatly impressed by your service flag with its seven hundred names representing seven hundred homes in Fayette County ; and I noted what I note everywhere now, that several, six I think, of those stars had turned from blue to gold. More will turn from blue to gold as the days come and go. I am going to read to you some of the things the boys are saying to their mothers, and some of the things the mothers are saying to their boys.


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A few weeks ago an Illinois mother received news of the death of her son who died from wounds received in battle, and this is what she said, for not only was the one son killed, but two others were also fighting beneath our flag: "My other sons are just as willing to lay down their lives for the cause of civilization. One is in France fighting now; the other is getting ready. I am a soldier's mother. I weep, but my soul is under the stars because of their spirit of devotion and courage. I would not have any of them do otherwise."


In all the history of war the mother of man has never shown as fine as in this war. As all men know, the mother's is the hardest part. In the mysterious recesses of her mother's heart every wound suffered by her son is reproduced, and every suffering and every hardship is repeated there. She endures all the agony of her boy on the battle front. So I say that the mother's part is the hardest of all in any war.


Again, I say that the mothers of no country anywhere have met with such heroism and self sacrifice the offerings they have made as the mothers of today. All honor to these noble women. Oh, I wish that she who gave out this statement when the news was fresh that her fine, chivalrous son had fallen in battle-I wish that this mother could have been decorated with a medal of honor, with a Victoria Cross, with the Croix de Guerre; with all the decora- tions which the allied armies have pinned upon the breasts of our heroic sons. She deserves them all.


Again, a letter from the 149th Field Artillery. That is the regiment which belongs to the Rainbow Division, made up of Illi- nois boys, which has been achieving great distinction in the war, being one of the first organizations to cross the seas. This is what young Warden of that regiment says: "My mother: You have been so brave and wonderful in everything that this letter is very hard to write. The army idea about these letters is that the mothers need consolation. Now, I am not going to pretend that you want me to be here, or that this is the place I want most to be. but I do know that my mother would not be satisfied to have her son any other place than where he is.


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"I tell you, when I get letters saying how well and happy you are looking and feeling, it makes me very proud of you, and how can I crab or kick against my lot when you who have the hardest burden of inaction and waiting to bear are so brave."


Ah, does not that suggest to the mothers how they can best help their boys on the battle front. Write your son a cheerful letter; tell him of the sweet and beautiful old familiar things of his home, and of his neighborhood ; speak to him of happy days : and though you may write with a pain in your heart, write with a song upon your lips, because you are helping that brave boy to meet his duty in this the crucial hour of the world's history.


Another-"No dearest mother, there is something a great deal bigger than personal comfort and safety and affections concerned. I have had a big awakening over here, and I would not be anywhere else in the world just now had I the choice. It is patriotism, yet it is more than patriotism. It is pride, yet it is more than pride. There is something at stake in this war bigger than the fate of a nation, even our own ; it is a supreme test of might against right."


That letter, written by a boy who would be in school if he were at home. contains more wisdom, more understanding of the significance of this war than the oldest and wisest at home ean have.


I know what it has meant to you when you have said good bye to your boys. I have seen them by the thousands, as they have embarked for France. I have looked into their brave young faces, their bright and fearless eyes, and the tears have come when I have thought that some of them would not come back. When this war is over we shall not have as many young men as we would have had without it, but let me tell you that as these letters dis- close, we will have the finest lot of young men when these boys come back that this or any other country ever had.


Yesterday one of the leaders of the Young Men's Christian Association. who has just returned from France, at this meeting of which I earlier spoke, told us of the splendid conduct of these boys in all our eamps abroad ; how clean and fine and strong they were. No army in the history of time has ever been as free from moral stain as this great army of ours on the other side.


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Their paper, called the Stars and Stripes, published over there by our soldiers, shows what their chief interest aside from their military duty is, for one of the first things they did, was, com- pany after company, to raise funds to take care of some little orphan boy or girl of a French soldier who had died in this war for civilization; and they raised those funds out of their meager earnings.


Oh, mothers, when your boys are engaged in saving from their small pay enough to adopt the little orphan boy or girl of a French patriot, those boys need give you no concern. You need have no fear that when they return you cannot take them as unreservedly to your arms as you could before they went away.


Now, my time is up, and more, I think, if I am going to make my train. I am just going to say one more thing, then I am going to leave you, and that is: They are safe, because they are meet- ing the great duty of the hour. They are fighting God's battle if soldiers ever fought God's battle; they are upholding the honor of our flag.


They are safe, but what of us? We will have to give an ac- count of ourselves to them when they return, and we ought to give such an account! They have already rendered full account to us, and the obligation now is ours ; and so, whenever opportun- ity comes, whether in a Liberty Loan campaign, or whether it is to raise a fund for those great agencies ihit have been recognized by the Government, let's remember that an opportunity has come to us to show our appreciation of these boys. The question is not whether they will meet their full duty; it is whether we at home shall meet ours.


It they are gladly willing to make the supreme sacrifice, the sacrifice of life itself, that our state and nation and civilization may endure, surely, we at home for whom they are fighting should gladly seek day by day what we can do to show them that we appreciate their courage and their sacrifice.


Then we must make an account to them of other things when they return. We owe it to them to do everything within our midst, within our state, within our nation, to make this country just a


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little bit better, just a little bit cleaner, just a little bit more un- selfish than it was when they went away.


I know that I can count on you, because I have looked into your faces today, and I have seen devotion written there. I know that I can count. as I have counted and not been disappointed, on the people of Fayette County, on this section of the state, work- ing together with this new sense of brotherhood that has come upon the world because of this great war. to look into the faces of these boys when they return and say, "We are entering upon the second century of eur existence as a state, and we have tried to be worthy, not only of our past but of you, our heroic hoys."


You will help, I know; you will help without stint, and with- out limit.


VANDALIA AND THE CENTENNIAL JUSTICE ORRIN N. CARTER


We have met here today in this Centennial Year to com- memorate the selection and occupation of this place as the capital of Illinois. Doubtless no other state capital was ever selected under such conditions and circumstances as accompanied the se- lection of Vandalia. When so selected, Fayette County had not been organized, and this spot was virgin forest with no permanent settlement nearer than 20 miles.


It is appropriate-even in these war times-that we should fittingly commemorate the early struggles of those pioneers who so patriotically, under great difficulties, laid the foundations of this great commonwealth. When the first constitutional conven- tion met at Kaskaskia in August, 1818, one of its most vigorous discussions was with reference to the location of the state capital. It is well known that the territorial capital had been located at Kaskaskia and the first constitutional convention met at that point, in the building usually occupied by the territorial authori- ties. It was apparently realized by all the delegates that Kas- kaskia was not properly located-geographically and with refer- ence to transportation facilities -- to be the permanent capital. During the session of the convention, some half dozen resolutions


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were introduced by various members with reference to locating the capital, all designating points upon or near the Kaskaskia river. The resolution as finally adopted August 21, 1818, provided that the proper authorities should petition the United States Congress to grant the State of Illinois a quantity of land to contain "not more than four nor less than one section, * to be situate on the Kaskaskia River, as near as may be cast of the third princi- pal meridian on said river"; that should the prayer of said peti- tion be granted, the General Assembly, at the next session, should provide for the appointing of five commissioners to make the selec- tion of said land so granted, and further providing for the laying out of a town upon the land ro selected which should be the seat of government for the State for the term of twenty years and that the General Assembly might have power to make such provisions for a permanent seat of government as might be necessary. (Par. 13 of Schedule of Ill. Constitution, 1818). The Federal Congress on March 3, 1819, passed an act granting to the State of Illinois four sections of land in accordance with that provision of the Illi- nois Constitution, providing that the selection should be made be- fore the public sale of adjoining public lands. (3 U. S. Stats. at Large, June, 1813, to March, 1823, p. 525.)


The first legislature of Jilinois assembled at Kaskaskia, and at its second session in January, 1819, several resolutions were proposed with reference to the selection of the capital and the loca- tion of the land as provided for by the State Constitution and the Federal Congress. Finally, on March 30, 1819, at a joint session of the Senate and Ilouse, five commissioners were chosen to select a location. Beyond question, all the places seriously considered were located upon the Kaskaskia River and if the provision as to the location as near as might be east of the third principal merid- ian was to be followed, none of the other places under consider- ation would have been chosen. It seems quite clear from the records available as to the reasons for changing the location of the capital. that such change was largely brought about by those who were desirous of promoting land speculation -- the promoters. doubtless, believing that they would derive personal advantage from the change. The statement is frequently made in the his-


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tory of that time that quite a number of the prominent residents of Kaskaskia were promoters of the change and the authentic records seem to indicate that this speculation desire was really the cause for the change.


Hon. Sidney Breese, at the time Vandalia was selected as the State capital, was serving as assistant to the Secretary of State Kane. Breeze, as you know, was afterwards United States Senator and served for many years and until his death, as a judge of the supreme court of the State. His name is perhaps as well known and illustrious as that of any man who ever sat on the supreme bench of the State. At the time of the laying of the corner stone of the present State House in Springfield, October 5, 1868, he wrote for publication his recollections of the selection of Vandalia, among other things saying, that while the commissioners were considering other localities, a noted hunter and trapper, Reavs, by name, visited them. He spoke in glowing terms of the beauties of "Reavs' Bluff" where his cabin was situated, being on the Kas- kaskia River at this point, and told the commissioners that "Pope's Bluff" now Carlyle, wasn't a primin' to his bluff.' Breese further relates that the commissioners visited Reavs' Bluff and selected it as the location for the future capital; that after the selection "lots were sold at public quetion, on credit, at fabulous prices, few of which were paid for in full. The enterprising and scheming, some from the old world, came to it, and soon the nucleus of a town was formed. Measures were inaugurated for the erection of a State Hlou-e, which culminated in a plain two-story frame building of rude architecture, set upon a rough stone foundation, and placed in the centre of the square, the lower floor of which was devoted to a pa-sage and stairway to the upper story, and a large plain room devoid of ornament ; the upper floor was divided into two rooms, the largest for the accommodation of the Senate. and a smaller one for the office of the Secretary of State; the auditor and treasurer occupying detached buiklings, hired for that purpose. No ceremonies were observed in laying the corner stone of this unsightly structure: no music disturbed the solitude of the forest, then in its primeval beauty; no crowd in pride of pageantry lent excitement to the scene ; no sound was heard save




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