USA > Missouri > Vernon County > History of Vernon County, Missouri : past and present, including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county Vol. I > Part 5
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The territorial legislature met again in December, 1818, and, among other things, organized the counties of Pike, Cooper,
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TERRITORIAL ORGANIZATION
Jefferson, Franklin, Wayne, Lincoln, Madison, Montgomery. and three counties in the Southern part of Arkansas. In 1819 the territory of Arkansas was formed into a separate government of its own.
The people of the territory of Missouri had been for some time anxious that their territory should assume the duties and responsibilities of a sovereign state. Since 1812, the date of the organization of the territory, the population had rapidly in- creased, many counties had been established. its commerce had grown into importance, its agricultural and mineral resources were being developed, and believing that its admission into the union as a state would give fresh impetus to all these interests. and hasten its settlement, the territorial legislature of 1818-19 accordingly made application to congress for the passage of an act authorizing the people of Missouri to organize a state government.
CHAPTER VII.
APPLICATION OF MISSOURI FOR ADMISSION INTO THE UNION.
With the application of the territorial legislature of Missouri for her admission into the union, commenced the real agitation of the slavery question in the United States.
Not only was our national legislature the theater of angry discussions, but everywhere throughout the length and breadth of the republic the "Missouri Question" was the all-absorbing theme.
The question as to the admission of Missouri was to be the beginning of this crisis, which distracted the public counsels of the nation for more than forty years afterward.
Missouri asked to be admitted into the great family of states. "Lower Louisiana," her twin sister territory, had knocked at the door of the union eight years previously, and was admitted as stipulated by Napoleon, to all the rights, privileges and im- munities of a state, and in accordance with the stipulations of the same treaty, Missouri now sought to be clothed with the same rights, privileges and immunities.
As what is known in the history of the United States as the "Missouri Compromise," of 1820, takes rank among the most prominent measures that had up to that day engaged the atten- tion of our national legislature, we shall enter somewhat into its details, being connected as they are with the annals of the state.
February 15, 1819-After the house had resolved itself into a committe of the whole on the bill to authorize the admission of Missouri into the union, and after the question of her admis- sion had been discussed for some time, Mr. Tallmadge, of New York, moved to amend the bill, by adding to it the following proviso :
"And Provided. That the further introduction of slavery or involuntary servitude be prohibited, except for the punishment
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APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION INTO UNION
of crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted. and that all children born within the said state, after the admission thereof into the union, shall be free at the age of twenty-five years."
As might have been expected, this proviso precipitated the angry discussions which lasted nearly three years, finally cul- minating in the Missouri Compromise. All phases of the slavery question were presented, not in its moral and social aspects, but as a great constitutional question, affecting Missouri and the admission of future states. The proviso, when submitted to a vote, was adopted-79 to 67, and so reported to the house.
Hon. John Scott, who was at that time a delegate from the territory of Missouri. was not permitted to vote, but as such delegate he had the privilege of participating in the debates which followed. On the 16th day of February the proviso was taken up and discussed. After several speeches had been made, among them one by Mr. Scott and one by the author of the proviso, Mr. Tallmadge, the amendment, or proviso, was divided into two parts, and voted upon. The first part of it, which included all to the word "convicted," was adopted-87 to 76. The remaining part was then voted upon, and also adopted, by 82 to 78. By a vote of 97 to 56 the bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.
The Senate Committee, to whom the bill was referred, reported the same to the senate on the 19th of Febuary, when that body voted first upon a motion to strike out of the proviso all after the word "convicted," which was carried by a vote of 32 to 7. It then voted to strike out the first entire clause, which pre- vailed-22 to 16, thereby defeating the proviso.
The house declined to concur in the action of the senate, and the bill was again returned to that body, which in turn refused to recede from its position. The bill was lost and congress adjourned. This was most unfortunate for the country. The people having already been wrought up to fever heat over the agitation of the question in the national councils, now became intensely excited. The press added fuel to the flame, and the progress of events seemed rapidly tending to the downfall of our nationality.
A long interval of nine months was to ensue before the meet- ing of congress. The body indicated by its vote upon the "Mis-
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
souri Question," that the two great sections of the country were politically divided upon the subject of slavery. The restrictive clause, which it was sought to impose upon Missouri as a condi- tion of her admission, would in all probability be one of the conditions of the admission of the territory of Arkansas. The public mind was in a state of great doubt and uncertainty up to the meeting of congress, which took place on the 6th of Decem- ber, 1819. The memorial of the legislative council and house of representatives of the Missouri territory, praying for admission into the union, was presented to the senate by Mr. Smith, of South Carolina. It was referred to the Judiciary Committee.
Some three weeks having passed without any action thereon by the senate, the bill was taken up and discussed by the house until the 19th of February, when the bill from the senate for the admission of Maine was considered. The bill for the admis- sion of Maine included the "Missouri Question," by an amend- ment which read as follows :
"And be it further enacted, That in all that territory ceded by France to the United States, under the name of Louisiana, which lies north of 36° and 30' north latitude (excepting such part thereof as is) included within the limits of the state, contem- plated by this act, slavery and involuntary servitude, otherwise than in the punishment of crimes, whereof the party shall have been convicted, shall be and is hereby forever prohibited; Pro- vided, always, That any person escaping into the same from whom labor or service is lawfully claimed, in any state or terri- tory of the United States, such fugitive may be lawfully re- claimed and conveyed to the person claiming his or her labor or services as aforesaid."
The senate adopted this amendment, which formed the basis of the "Missouri Compromise," modified afterward by striking out the words, "excepting only such part thereof."
The bill passed the senate by a vote of 24 to 20. On the 2d day of March the house took up the bill and amendment for consideration, and by a vote of 134 to 42 concurred in the senate amendment, and the bill being passed by the two houses, consti- tuted section 8, of "An Act to authorize the people of the Missouri Territory to form a Constitution and State Government, and for the admission of such State into the Union on an equal footing
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APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION INTO UNION
with the original States, and to prohibit slavery in certain territory."
This act was approved March 6, 1820. Missouri then contained fifteen organized counties. By an act of congress the people of said state were authorized to hold an election on the first Mon- day, and two succeeding days thereafter in May, 1820, to select representatives to a state convention. This convention met in St. Louis on the 12th of June. following the election in May, and concluded its labors on the 19th of July, 1820. David Barton was its president, and William G. Pettis, secretary. There were forty-one members of this convention, men of ability and states- manship, as the admirable constitution which they framed amply testifies. Their names and the counties represented by them are as follows :
Cape Girardeau-Stephen Byrd, James Evans, Richard S. Thomas, Alexander Buckner and Joseph MeFerron.
Cooper-Robert P. Clark, Robert Wallace, William Lillard.
Franklin-John G. Heath.
Howard-Nicholas S. Burkhart, Duff Green, John Ray. Jona- than S. Findley, Jenjamin H. Reeves.
Jefferson-Daniel Hammond.
Lincoln-Malcolm Henry.
Montgomery-Jonathan Ramsey, James Talbott.
Madison-Nathaniel Cook.
New Madrid-Robert S. Dawson, Christopher G. Houts.
Pike-Stephen Cleaver.
St. Charles-Benjamin Emmons, Nathan Boone. Hiram H. Baber.
Ste. Genevieve-John D. Cook, Henry Dodge, John Scott. R. T. Brown.
St. Louis-David Barton. Edward Bates, Alexander McNair. William Rector, John C. Sullivan, Pierre Chouteau, Jr., Bernard Pratte, Thomas F. Riddick.
Washington-John Rice Jones, Samuel Perry, John Hutchings. Wayne-Elijah Bettis.
On the 13th of November, 1820, congress met again, and Mr. Scott, the delegate from Missouri, presented to the house the constitution as framed by the convention. The same was referred to a select committee, who made thereon a favorable report.
The admission of the state. however, was resisted, because it
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
was claimed that its constitution sanctioned slavery, and author- ized the legislature to pass laws preventing free negroes and mulattoes from settling in the state. The report of the com- mittee to whom was referred the constitution of Missouri was accompanied by a preamble and resolutions, offered by Mr. Lown- des, of South Carolina. The preamble and resolutions were stricken out.
The application of the state for admission shared the same fate in the senate. The question was referred to a select com- mittee, who, on the 29th of November, reported in favor of ad- mitting the state. The debate which followed continued for two weeks, and finally Mr. Eaton, of Tennessee, offered an amend- ment to the resolution as follows :
"Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be so con- strued as to give the assent of congress to any provision in the constitution of Missouri, if any such there be, which contravenes that clause in the constitution of the United States, which de- clares that the citizens of each state shall be entitled to all the privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states. '.
The resolution, as amended, was adopted. The resolution and proviso were again taken up and discussed at great length, when the committee agreed to report the resolution to the house.
The question on agreeing to the amendment, as reported from the committee of the whole, was lost in the house. A similar resolution afterward passed the senate, but was again rejected in the house. Then it was that that great statesman and pure patriot, Henry Clay, of Kentucky, feeling that the hour had come when angry discussion should cease, proposed that the ques- tion of Missouri's admission be referred to a committee consisting of twenty-three persons (a number equal to the number of states then composing the union), be appointed to act in conjunction with a committee of the senate to consider and report whether Missouri should be admitted, etc.
The motion prevailed; the committee was appointed and Mr. Clay made its chairman. The senate selected seven of its mem- bers to act with the committee of twenty-three, and on the 26th of February the following report was made by that committee :
"Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled : That Missouri shall be admitted into the union, on an equal footing with the
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APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION INTO UNION
original states, in all respects whatever, upon the fundamental condition that the fourth clause, of the twenty-sixth section of the third article of the constitution submitted on the part of said state to congress, shall never be construed to authorize the passage of any law, and that no law shall be passed in conformity thereto, by which any citizen of either of the states in this union shall be excluded from the enjoyment of any of the privileges and im- munities to which such citizen is entitled, under the constitution of the United States ; provided, That the legislature of said state, by a solemn public act, shall declare the assent of said state, to the said fundamental condition, and shall transmit to the presi- dent of the United States, on or before the fourth Monday in November next, an authentic copy of the said act; upon the receipt whereof, the president, by proclamation, shall announce the fact; whereupon, and without any further proceeding on the part of congress, the admission of the said state into the union shall be considered complete."
This resolution, after a brief debate, was adopted in the house. and passed the senate on the 28th of February, 1821.
At a special session of the legislature held in St. Charles, in June following, a solemn public act was adopted, giving its assent to the conditions of admission, as expressed in the resolution of Mr. Clay. August 10, 1821, President Monroe announced by proclamation the admission of Missouri into the union to be complete.
By the constitution adopted by the convention on the 19th of July, 1820, the general assembly was required to meet in St. Louis on the third Monday in September of that year, and an election was ordered to be held on the 28th of August for the election of a governor and other state officers, senators and repre- sentatives to the general assembly, sheriffs and coroners, United States senators and representatives in congress.
It will be seen that Missouri had not as yet been admitted as a state, but in anticipation of that event, and according to the provisions of the constitution, the election was held, and the general assembly convened.
William Clark, who had been governor of the territory, and Alexander McNair were the candidates for governor. McNair received 6,576 votes, Clark 2,556, total vote of the state 9,132. There were three candidates for lieutenant-governor. to wit:
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
William H. Ashley, Nathaniel Cook and Henry Elliot. Ashley received 3,907 votes, Cook 3,212, Elliot 931. A representative was to be elected for the residue of the Sixteenth Congress and one for the Seventeenth. John Scott, who was at the time terri- torial delegate, was elected to both congresses without opposition.
The general assembly elected in August met on the 19th of September, 1820, and organized by electing James Caldwell, of Ste. Genevieve, speaker, and John McArthur clerk; William H. Ashley, lieutenant-governor, president of the senate; Silas Bent, president, pro tem.
Mathias McGirk, John D. Cook, and John R. Jones were appointed supreme judges, each to hold office until sixty-five years of age.
Joshua Barton was appointed secretary of state; Peter Didier, state treasurer; Edward Bates, attorney-general, and William Christie, auditor of public accounts.
David Barton and Thomas H. Benton were elected by the general assembly to the United States Senate.
CHAPTER VIII.
EARLY MILITARY RECORD.
On the 14th day of May, 1832, a bloody engagement took place between the regular forces of the United States, and a part of the Sacs, Foxes, and Winnebago Indians, commanded by Black Hawk and Keokuk, near Dixon's Ferry, in Illinois.
The governor (John Miller) of Missouri, fearing these savages would invade the soil of his state, ordered Maj .- Gen. Richard Gentry to raise 1,000 volunteers for the defense of the frontier. Five companies were at once raised in Boone county, and in Callaway, Montgomery, St. Charles, Lincoln, Pike, Marion, Ralls, Clay and Monroe other companies were raised.
Two of these companies, commanded respectively by Capt. John Jamison, of Callaway, and Capt. David M. Hickman, of Boone county, were mustered into service in July for thirty days, and put under command of Maj. Thomas W. Conyers.
This detachment, accompanied by General Gentry, arrived at Fort Pike on the 15th of July, 1832. Finding that the Indians had not crossed the Mississippi into Missouri, General Gentry returned to Columbia, leaving the fort in charge of Major Con- yers. Thirty days having expired, the command under Major Conyers was relieved by two other companies under Capt. Sin- clair Kirtley, of. Boone, and Capt. Patrick Ewing. of Callaway. This detachment was marched to Fort Pike by Col. Austin A. King, who conducted the two companies under Major Conyers home. Major Conyers was left in charge of the fort, where he remained till September following, at which time the Indian troubles, so far as Missouri was concerned, having all subsided. the frontier forces were mustered out of service.
Black Hawk continued the war in Iowa and Illinois, and was finally defeated and captured in 1833.
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
MORMON DIFFICULTIES.
In 1832, Joseph Smith, the leader of the Mormons, and the chosen prophet and apostle, as he claimed, of the Most High, came with many followers to Jackson county, Missouri, where they located and entered several thousand acres of land.
The object of his coming so far west-upon the very outskirts of civilization at that time-was to more securely establish his church, and the more effectively to instruct his followers in its peculiar tenets and practices.
Upon the present town site of Independence the Mormons lo- cated their "Zion," and gave it the name of "The New Jeru- salem." They published here the Evening Star, and made them- selves generally obnoxious to the Gentiles, who were then in a minority, by their denunciatory articles through their paper, their clannishness and their polygamous practices.
Dreading the demoralizing influence of a paper which seemed to be inspired only with hatred and malice toward them, the Gentiles threw the press and type into the Missouri river, tarred and feathered one of their bishops, and otherwise gave the Mormons and their leaders to understand that they must con- duct themselves in an entirely different manner if they wished to be let alone.
After the destruction of their paper and press, they became furiously incensed, and sought many opportunities for retaliation. Matters continued in an uncertain condition until the 31st of October, 1833, when a deadly conflict occurred near Westport, in which two Gentiles and one Mormon were killed.
On the 2d of October following the Mormons were over- powered, and compelled to lay down their arms and agree to leave the county with their families by January 1st on the condition that the owner would be paid for his printing press.
Leaving Jackson county, they crossed the Missouri and lo- cated in Clay, Carroll, Caldwell and other counties, and selected in Caldwell county a town site, which they called "Far West," and where they entered more land for their future homes.
Through the influence of their missionaries, who were exerting themselves in the East and in different portions of Europe, con- verts had constantly flocked to their standard, and "Far West," and other Mormon settlements, rapidly prospered.
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EARLY MILITARY RECORD
In 1837 they commenced the erection of a magnificent temple, but never finished it. As their settlements increased in numbers, they became bolder in their practices and deeds of lawlessness.
During the summer of 1838 two of their leaders settled in the town of De Witt, on the Missouri river, having purchased the land from an Illinois merchant. De Witt was in Carroll county. and a good point from which to forward goods and immigrants to their town-Far West.
Upon its being ascertained that these parties were Mormon leaders, the Gentiles called a public meeting, which was addressed by some of the prominent citizens of the county. Nothing, how- ever, was done at this meeting, but at a subsequent meeting, which was held a few days afterward, a committee of citizens was appointed to notify Colonel Hinkle (one of the Mormon leaders at De Witt) what they intended to do.
Colonel Hinkle upon being notified by this committee became indignant, and threatened extermination to all who should attempt to molest him or the Saints.
In anticipation of trouble, and believing that the Gentiles would attempt to force them from De Witt, Mormon recruits flocked around the town in great numbers.
The Gentiles, nothing daunted, planned an attack upon this encampment, to take place on the 21st day of September, 1838. and, accordingly, 150 men bivouacked near the town on that day. A conflict ensued, but nothing serious occurred.
The Mormons evacuated their works and fled to some log houses, where they could the more successfully resist the Gentiles, who had in the meantime returned to their camp to await rein- forcements. Troops from Saline, Ray and other counties came to their assistance, and increased their number to 500 men.
Congreve Jackson was chosen brigadier-general; Ebenezer Price, colonel ; Singleton Vaughan, lieutenant-colonel, and Sarshel Woods, major. After some days of discipline, this brigade pre- pared for an assault, but before the attack was commenced Judge James Earickson and William F. Dunnica, influential citizens of Howard county, asked permission of General Jackson to let them try and adjust the difficulties without any bloodshed.
It was finally agreed that Judge Earickson should propose to the Mormons, that if they would pay for all the cattle they had killed belonging to the citizens, and load their wagons during the
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
night and be ready to move by 10 o'clock next morning, and make no further attempt to settle in Carroll county, the citizens would . purchase at first cost their lots in De Witt and one or two adjoining tracts of land.
Colonel Hinkle, the leader of the Mormons, at first refused all attempts to settle the difficulty in this way, but finally agreed to the proposition.
In accordance therewith, the Mormons, without further delay, loaded up their wagons for the town of Far West, in Caldwell county. Whether the terms of the agreement were ever carried out, on the part of the citizens, is not known.
The Mormons had doubtless suffered much in many ways-the result of their own acts-but their trials and sufferings were not at an end.
In 1838 the discord between the citizens and Mormons be- came so great that Governor Boggs issued a proclamation ordering Maj .- Gen. David R. Atchison to call the millitary of his division to enforce the laws. He called out a part of the first brigade of the Missouri State Militia, under command of Gen. A. W. Doniphan, who proceeded to the seat of war. Gen. John B. Clark, of Howard county, was placed in command of the militia.
The Mormon forces numbered about 1,000 men, and were led by G. W. Hinkle. The first engagement occurred at Crooked river, where one Mormon was killed. The principal fight took place at Haughn's Mills, where eighteen Mormons were killed and the balance captured. some of them being killed after they had sur- rendered. Only one militiaman was wounded.
In the month of October, 1838, Joe Smith surrendered the town of Far West to General Doniphan, agreeing to his conditions, viz .: That they should deliver up their arms, surrender their prominent leaders for trial, and the remainder of the Mormons should, with their families, leave the state. Indictments were found against a number of these leaders, including Joe Smith, who, while being taken to Boone county for trial, made his escape, and was afterward. in 1844, killed at Carthage, Ill., with his brother Hiram.
FLORIDA WAR.
In September, 1837, the secretary of war issued a requisition on Governor Boggs, of Missouri, for 600 volunteers for service in
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EARLY MILITARY RECORD
Florida against the Seminole Indians, with whom the Creek nation had made common cause under Osceola.
The first regiment was chiefly raised in Boone county by Col. Richard Gentry, of which he was elected colonel; John W. Price, of Howard county, lieutenant-colonel ; Harrison H. Hughes, also of Howard, major. Four companies of the second regiment were raised and attached to the first. Two of these companies were composed of Delaware and Osage Indians.
October 6, 1837, Colonel Gentry's regiment left Columbia for the seat of war, stopping on the way at Jefferson barracks, where they were mustered into service.
Arriving at Jackson barracks, New Orleans, they were from thence transported in brigs across the gulf to Tampa bay, Florida. Gen. Zachary Taylor, who then commanded in Florida, ordered Colonel Gentry to march to Okee-cho-bee lake, 135 miles inland by the route traveled. Having reached the Kissemmee river, seventy miles distant, a bloody battle ensued, in which Colonel Gentry was killed. The Missourians, though losing their gallant leader, continued the fight until the Indians were totally routed, leaving many of their dead and wounded on the field. There being no further service required of the Missourians, they returned to their homes in 1838.
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