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The title to the soil of Missouri, was, of course, primarily vested in the original occupants who inhabited the country prior to its discovery by the whites. But the Indians, being savages, possessed but few rights that civilized nations considered themselves bound to respect, so when they found this country in the possession of such a people, they claimed it in the name of the King of France, by the right of discovery. It remained under the jurisdiction of France until 1763.
Prior to the year 1763, the entire continent of North America, was divided between France, England, Spain, and Russia. France held all that portion that now constitutes our national domain west of the Mississippi River, except Texas, and the territory which we have obtained from Mexico and Russia. The vast
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
region, while under the jurisdiction of France, was known as the " Province of Louisiana," and embraced the present State of Missouri. At the close of the " Old French War," in 1763, France gave up her share of the continent, and Spain came into the possession of the territory west of the Mississippi River, while Great Britain retained Canada and the regions northward, having obtained that territory by conquest, in the war with France. For thirty-seven years the territory now embraced within the limits of Missouri, remained as a part of the possession of Spain, and then went back to France by the treaty of St. Ildefonso, October Ist, 1800. On the 30th of April, 1803, France ceded it to the United States, in consideration of receiving $11,250,000, and the liquidation of certain claims, held by citizens of the United States against France, which amounted to the further sum of $3,750,000, making a total of $15,000,000. It will thus be seen that France has twice, and Spain once, held sovereignty over the territory embracing Missouri, but the financial needs of Napoleon afforded our government an opportunity to add another empire to its domain.
On the 31st of October, 1803, an act of Congress was approved, authorizing the President to take possession of the newly acquired territory, and provided for it, a temporary government, and another act approved March 26th, 1804, authorized the division of the "Louisiana Purchase," as it was then called, into two separate territories. All that portion south of the 33d parallel of north latitude, was called the "Territory of Orleans," and that north of the said parallel was known as the "District of Louisiana," and was placed under the jurisdiction of what was then known as " Indiana Territory."
By virtue of an act of Congress, approved March 3, 1805, the " District of Louisiana," was organized as the "Territory of Louisiana," with a territorial government of its own, which went into operation July 4th, of the same year, and it so remained till 1812. In this year the "Territory of Orleans," became the State of Louisiana, and the " Territory of Louisiana," was organized as the " Territory of Missouri."
This change took place under an act of Congress, approved June 4th, 1812. In 1819, a portion of this territory was organized as " Arkansaw Territory," and in 1821, the State of Missouri was admitted, being a part of the former " Terri- tory of Missouri."
In 1836, the " Platte Purchase," then being a part of the Indian Territory, and now composing the counties of Atchison, Andrew, Buchanan, Holt, Noda- way, and Platte, was made by treaty with the Indians, and added to the State .. It will be seen then, that the soil of Missouri belonged :
Ist .- To France with other territory.
2d .- In 1768, with other territory it was ceded to Spain.
3d .- October Ist, 1800, it was ceded with other territory from Spain, back to France.
4th .- April 30th, 1803, it was ceded with other territory by France, to the United States.
5th .- October 31, 1803, a temporary government was authorized by Con- gress, for the newly acquired territory.
6th .- October 1, 1804, it was included in the " District of Louisiana," and placed under the territorial government of Indiana.
7th .- July 4, 1805, it was included as a part of the "Territory of Louisiana," then organized with a separate territorial government.
8th .- June 4, 1812, it was embraced in what was then made the " Territory of Missouri."
9th .- August 10, 1821, it was admitted into the Union as a State.
Ioth .- In 1836, the " Platte Purchase " was made, adding more territory to the State.
The cession by France April 30, 1803, vested the title in the United States,
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BOARDING HOUSE.
MINERAL HALL.
STATE SCHOOL OF MINES AND METALLURGY, AT ROLLA, PHELPS COUNTY, MO.
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
subject to the claims of the Indians, which it was very justly the policy of the government to recognize. Before the government of the United States could vest clear title to the soil in the grantee it was necessary to extinguish the Indian title by purchase. This was done accordingly by treaties made with the Indians, at different times.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
The name of the first white man who set foot on the territory now embraced in the State of Missouri, is not known, nor is it known at what precise period the first settlements were made. It is, however, generally agreed that they were made at Ste. Genevieve and New Bourbon, tradition fixing the date of these settle- ments in the autumn of 1735. These towns were settled by the French from Kaskaskia and St. Philip in Illinois.
St. Louis was founded by Pierre Laclede Lignest, on the 15th of February, 1764. He was a native of France, and was one of the members of the company of Laclede Lignest, Antoino Maxant & Co., to whom a royal charter had been granted, confirm ng the privilege of an exclusive trade with the Indians of the Missouri as far north as St. Peter's River.
While in search of a trading post he ascended the Mississippi as far as the mouth of the Missouri, and finally returned to the present town site of St. Louis. After the village had been laid off he named it St. Louis, in honor of Louis XV, of France.
The colony thrived rapidly by accessions from Kaskaskia and other towns on the east side of the Mississippi, and its trade was largely increased by many of the Indian tribes, who removed a portion of their peltry trade from the same towns to St. Louis. It was incorporated as a town on the 9th day of November, 1809, by the court of Common Pleas of the district of St. Louis; the town trustees being Auguste Chouteau, Edward Hempstead, Jean F. Cabanne, Wm. C. Carr and Wm. Christy, and incorporated as a city December 9, 1822. The selection of the town site on which St. Louis stands was highly judicious, the spot not only being healthful and having the advantages of water transportation unsurpassed, but sur- rounded by a beautiful region of country, rich in soil and mineral resources. St. Louis has grown to be the fifth city in population in the Union, and is to-day, the great center of internal commerce of the Missouri, the Mississippi and their trib- utaries, and, with its railroad facilities, it is destined to be the greatest inland city of the' American continent.
The next settlement was made at Potosi, in Washington County, in 1765, by Francis Breton, who, while chasing a bear, discovered the mine near the present town of Potosi, where he afterward located.
One of the most prominent pioneers who settled at Potosi was Moses Austin, of Virginia, who, in 1873, received by grant from the Spanish government a league of land, now known as the " Austin Survey." The grant was made on condition that Mr. Austin would establish a lead mine at Potosi and work it. He built a palatial residence, for that day, on the brow of the hill in the little village, which was, for many years, known as "Durham Hall." At this point the first shot- tower and sheet-lead manufactory were erected.
Five years after the founding of St. Louis the first settlement made in North- ern Missouri was made at or near St. Charles, in St. Charles county, in 1769. The name given to it, and which it retained till 1784, was Les Petites Cotes, signi -. fying, Little Hills. The town site was located by Blanchette, a Frenchman, sur- named LeChasseur, who built the first fort in the town and established there a military post.
Soon after the establishment of the military post at St. Charles, the old French village of Portage des Sioux, was located on the Mississippi, just below the mouth of the Illinois river, and at about the same time a Kickapoo village
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
was commenced at Clear Weather Lake. The present town site of New Madrid, in New Madrid county, was settled in 1781, by French Canadians, it then being occupied by Delaware Indians. The place now known as Big River Mills, St. Francois county, was settled in 1796, Andrew Baker, John Alley, Francis Starnater, and John Andrews, each locating claims. The following year, a settlement was made in the same county, just below the present town of Farm- ington, by the Rev. Wm. Murphy, a Baptist minister from East Tennessee. In 1796, settlements were made in Perry county by emigrants from Kentucky and Pennsylvania; the latter locating in the rich bottom lands of Bois Brule, the former generally settling in the " Barrens," and along the waters of Saline Creek.
Bird's Point, in Mississippi county, opposite Cairo, Ill., was settled August 6th, 1800, by John Johnson, by virtue of a land-grant from the commandant under the Spanish Government. Norfolk and Charleston, in the same county, were settled respectively in 1800 and 1801. Warren county was settled in 1801. Loutre Island, below the present town of Herman, in the Missouri River was settled by a few American families in 1807. This little company of pioneers suffered greatly from the floods, as well as from the incursions of thieving and blood-thirsty Indians, and many incidents of a thrilling character could be related of trials and struggles, had we the time and space.
In 1807, Nathan and Daniel Boone, sons of the great hunter and pioneer, in company with three others went from St. Louis to " Boone's Lick," in Howard county, where they manufactured salt, and formed the nucleus of a small settlement.
Cote Sans Desseiu, now called Bakersville, on the Missouri River, in Callaway county, was settled by the French in 1801. This little town was considered at that time, as the "Far West " of the new world. During the war of 1812, at this place many hard-fought battles occurred between the whites and Indians, wherein woman's fortitude and courage greatly assisted in the defense of the settlement.
In 1810, a colony of Kentuckians numbering one hundred and fifty families immigrated to Howard county, and settled in the Missouri River bottom, near the present town of Franklin.
Such, in brief, is the history of some of the early settlements of Missouri, covering a period of more than half a century.
These settlements were made on the water courses ; usually along the banks of the two great streams, whose navigation afforded them transportation for their marketable commodities, and communication with the civilized portion of the country.
They not only encountered the gloomy forests, settling as they did by the river's brink, but the hostile incursion of savage Indians, by whom they were for many years surrounded.
The expedients of these brave men who first broke ground in the Territory, have been succeeded by the permanent and tasteful improvements of their descendants. Upon the spots where they toiled. dared, and died, are seen the comfortable farm, the beautiful village, and thrifty city. Churches and school houses greet the eye on every hand ; railroads diverge in every direction, and, indeed, all the appliances of a higher civilization, are profusely strewn over the smiling surface of the State.
Culture's hand
Has scattered verdure o'er the land ;
And smiles and fragrance rule serene,
Where barren wild usurped the scene.
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI
SOME FIRST THINGS.
The first marriage that took place in Missouri was April 20, 1766, in St. Louis. The first baptism was performed in May, 1766, in St. Louis.
The first house of worship, (Catholic), was erected in 1775, at St. Louis.
The first ferry established in 1805, on the Mississippi River, at St. Louis.
The first newspaper established in St. Louis, (Missouri Gazette), in 1808.
The first postoffice was established in 1804, in St. Louis-Rufus Easton, post- master.
The first Protestant church erected at St. Genevieve, in 1806-Baptist.
The first bank established, (Bank of St. Louis), in 1814.
The first market house opened in 1811, in St. Louis.
The first steamboat on the Upper Mississippi was the General Pike, Capt. Jacob Ried; landed at St. Louis 1817.
The first board of trustees for public schools appointed in 1817, St. Louis. The first college built, (St. Louis College), in 1817.
The first steamboat that came up the Missouri River as high as Franklin was the Independence, in 1819 ; Capt. Nelson, master.
The first court house erected in 1823, in St. Louis.
The first cholera appeared in St. Louis in 1832.
The first railroad convention held in St. Louis, April 20, 1836.
The first telegraph lines reached East St. Louis, December 20, 1847.
The first great fire occurred in St. Louis, 1849.
CHAPTER V.
TERRITORIAL ORGANIZATION.
Organization 1812-Council-House of Representatives-Wm. Clark first Territorial Governor- Edward Hempstead first Delegate-Spanish Grants-First General Assembly-Proceedings- Second Assembly-Proceedings-Population of Territory-Vote of Territory-Rufus Easton- Absent Members-Third Assembly-Proceedings-Application for Admission.
Congress organized Missouri as a Territory, July 4, 1812, with a Governor and General Assembly. The Governor, Legislative Council, and House of Rep- resentatives exercised the Legislative power of the Territory, the Governor's vetoing power being absolute.
The Legislative Council was composed of nine members, whose tenure of office lasted five years. Eighteen citizens were nominated by the House of Rep- resentatives to the President of the United States, from whom he selected, with the approval of the Senate, nine Councillors, to compose the Legislative Council.
The House of Representatives consisted of members chosen every two years by the people, the basis of representation being one member for every five hundred white males. The first House of Representatives consisted of thirteen members, and, by Act of Congress, the whole number of Representatives could not exceed twenty-five.
The judicial power of the Territory, was vested in the Superior and Inferior Courts, and in the Justices of the Peace; the Superior Court having three Judges,
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
whose term of office continued four years, having original and appellate jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases.
The Territory could send one delegate to Congress. Governor Clark issued a proclamation, October Ist, 1812, required by Congress, reorganizing the districts of St. Charles, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Cape Girardeau, and New Madrid, into five counties, and fixed the second Monday in November following, for the election of a delegate to Congress, and the members of the Territorial House of Representatives.
William Clark, of the expedition of Lewis and Clark, was the first Territorial Governor, appointed by the President, who began his duties 1813.
Edward Hempstead, Rufus Easton, Samuel Hammond, and Mathew Lyon were candidates in November for delegates to Congress.
Edward Hempstead was elected, being the first Territorial Delegate to Con- gress from Missouri. He served one term, declining a second, and was instrumental in having Congress to pass the act of June 13, 1812, which he introduced, con- firming the title to lands which were claimed by the people by virtue of Spanish grants. The same. act confirmed to the people "for the support of schools," the title to village lots, out-lots or common field lots, which were held and enjoyed by them, at the time of the cession in 1803. .
Under the act of June 4, 1812, the first General Assembly held its Session in the house of Joseph Robidoux, on the 7th of December, 1812. The names of the members of the House were :
St. Charles .- John Pitman and Robert Spencer.
St. Louis .- David Music, Bernard G. Farrar, William C. Carr, and Richard Clark.
Ste. Genevieve -George Bullet, Richard S. Thomas, and Isaac McGready. Cape Girardeau .- George F. Bollinger, and Spencer Byrd.
New Madrid .- John Shrader and Samuel Phillips.
John B. C. Lucas, one of the Territorial Judges, administered the oath of office. William C. Carr was elected Speaker, and Andrew Scott, Clerk.
The House of Representatives proceeded to nominate eighteen persons from whom the President of the United States, with the Senate, was to select nine for the Council. From this number the President chose the following :
St. Charles .- James Flaugherty and Benjamin Emmons.
St. Louis .- Auguste Chouteau, Sr., and Samuel Hammond.
Ste. Genevieve .- John Scott and James Maxwell.
Cape Girardeau .- William Neeley and Joseph Cavenor.
New Madrid .- Joseph Hunter.
The Legislative Council, thus chosen by the President and Senate, was announced by Fredrick Bates, Secretary, and Acting-Governor of the Territory, by proclamation, June 3, 1813, and fixing the first Monday in July following, as the time for the meeting of the Legislature.
In the meantime the duties of the executive office were assumed by William Clark. The Legislature accordingly met, as required by the Acting-Governor's proclamation, in July, but its proceedings were never officially published. Con- sequently but little is known in reference to the workings of the first Territorial Legislature of Missouri.
From the imperfect account, published in the Missouri Gazette, of that day ; a paper which had been in existence since 1808, it is found that laws were passed regulating and establishing weights and measures; creating the office of Sheriff; providing the manner for taking the census; permanently fixing the seats of Justices, and an act to compensate its own members. At this Session, laws were also passed defining crimes and penalties ; laws in reference to forcible entry and detainer ; establishing Courts of Common Pleas; incorporating the Bank of St.
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
Louis; and organizing a part of Ste. Genevieve county into the county of Washington.
The next session of the Legislature convened in St. Louis, December 6, 1813. George Bullet, of Ste. Genevieve county, was speaker elect, and Andrew Scott, clerk, and William Sullivan, doorkeeper. Since the adjournment of the former Legislature several vacancies had occurred, and new members had been elected to fill their places. Among these was Israel McGready, from the county of Wash- ington.
The president of the legislative council was Samuel Hammond. No journal of the council was officially published, but the proceedings of the house are found in the Gazette.
At this session of the Legislature many wise and useful laws were passed, hav- ing reference to the temporal as well as the moral and spiritual welfare of the peo- ple. Laws were enacted for the suppression of vice and immorality on the Sab- bath day ; for the improvement of public roads and highways; creating the offices of auditor, treasurer and county surveyor ; regulating the fiscal affairs of the Territory and fixing the boundary lines of New Madrid, Cape Girardeau, Wash- ington and St. Charles counties. The Legislature adjourned on the 19th of Jan- uary, 1814, sine die.
The population of the Territory as shown by the United States census in 1810, was 20,845. The census taken by the Legislature in 1814 gave the Territory a population of 25,000. This enumeration shows the county of St. Louis contained the greatest number of inhabitants, and the new county of Arkansas the least- the latter having 827, and the former 3, 149.
The candidates for delegate to Congress were Rufus Easton, Samuel Ham- mond, Alexander McNair and Thomas F. Riddick. Rufus Easton and Samuel Hammond had been candidates at the preceding election. . In all the counties, excepting Arkansas, the votes aggregated 2,599, of which number Mr. Easton re- ceived 965, Mr. Hammond 746, Mr. McNair 853, and Mr. Riddick (who had withdrawn previously to the election) 35. Mr. Easton was elected.
The census of 1814 showing a large increase in the population of the Terri- tory, an apportionment was made increasing the number of Representatives in the Territorial Legislature to twenty-two. The General Assembly began its session in St. Louis, December 5, 1814. There were present on the first day twenty Repre- sentatives. James Caldwell of Ste. Genevieve county was elected speaker, and Andrew Scott, who had been clerk of the preceding assembly, was chosen clerk. The President of the Council was William Neely, of Cape Girardeau county.
It appeared that James Maxwell, the absent member of the Council, and Seth Emmons, member elect of the House of Representatives, were dead. The county of Lawrence was organized at this session, from the western part of New Madrid county, and the corporate powers of St. Louis were enlarged. In 1815 the Ter- ritorial Legislature again began its session. Only a partial report of its proceed- ings are given in the Gazette. The county of Howard was then organized from St. Louis and St. Charles counties, and included all that part of the State lying north of the Osage and south of the dividing ridge between the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.
The next session of the Territorial Legislature commenced its session in De- cember, 1816. During the sitting of this Legislature many important acts were passed. It was then that the "Bank of Missouri" was charted and went into operation. In the fall of 1817 the " Bank of St. Louis " and the " Bank of Mis- souri were issuing b lls. An act was passed chartering lottery companies, char- tering the academy at Potosi, and incorporating a board of trustees for superin- tending the schools in the town of St. Louis. Laws were also passed to encour- age the " killing of wolves, panthers and wild-cats."
The Territorial Legislature met again in December, 1818, and, among other
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
things, organized the counties of Pike, Cooper, Jefferson, Franklin, Wayne, Lin- coln, Madison, Montgomery, and three counties in the Southern part of Arkan- sas. 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 increased, many counties had been established, its commerce had grown into importance, its agricultural and mineral resources were being devel- oped, 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 VI.
Application of Missouri to be Admitted into the Union-Agitation of the Slavery Question-" Mis- souri Compromise"-Constitutional Convention of 1820-Constitution presented to Congress- Further Resistance to Admission-Mr. Clay and his Committee make Report-Second Compro- mise-Missouri Admitted.
With the application of the Territorial Legislature of Missouri for her admis- sion 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 political skies threatened.
" In forked flashes, a commanding tempest,"
Which was liable to burst upon the nation at any moment. Through such a cri- sis our country seemed destined to pass. The question as to the admission of Missouri was to be the beginning of this crisis, which distracted the public coun- sels of the nation for more than forty years afterward.
Missouri asked to be admitted into the great family of States. "Lower Louis- iana," 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 immunities 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 Com- promise," of 1820, takes rank among the most prominent measures that had up to that day engaged the attention of our National Legislature, we shall enter some- what into its details, being connected as they are with the annals of the State.
February 15th 1819 .- After the House had resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the bill to authorize the admission of Missouri into the Union, and after the question of her admission had been discussed for some time, Mr. Tallmadge, of New York, moved to amend the bill, by adding to it the following proviso :
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