tends keeping the best viands the country affords, not forgetting to state that he is "well supplied with the best liquors."

There is still no news of the volunteers, but we are given nearly a whole page of reprinted reading matter. This looks as if the editor was off on business or political trip, and had left the printer in charge. He, or whoever it may have been, gives an article on "British Arrogance," an "Anecdote of the United States Navy," and a long article on a "Matrimonial Lottery," with other reprinted articles. There is an article of down river news, however, as we are told of the 7th of July, "the water has entirely receded from New Orleans and that the damage will be trifling to what was expected and that never in the recollection of the most aged person, has the Mississippi been known to fall so soon."

Peter Bean, in an advertisement, shows a glimpse of old laws, by giving notice from the jail in Johnson county that "he has petitioned to take the benefit of the insolvent act, and hopes to be liberated from imprisonment."

The year 1816 is known in history as the year of the cold summer, when the corn crop failed throughout the country. It would be of great interest to be told something of the weather in the Missis sippi valley, but the nearest approach is news from the east, in the issue of August 27th as follows:

"Extraordinary Weather-At Watertown, Jefferson county, New York, on June 7th, the cold was so severe as to produce ice of an inch thick, and the thermometer was down to 30 degrees. At Hallowell, Me., June 12th an account states that snow fell three days in succession and the earth was frozen half an inch deep. Many birds were so benumbed as to be taken by hand and numbers had actually perished with the cold." Oh, for an item telling us how the corn crop was in the American bottom!

For the first time we have a notice of preaching, "to take place Tuesday, the 13th, at the court house by Rev. M. E. Walker, who will attend to baptizing children." (This was Rev. Jesse Walker, the pioneer Methodist.)

By accident, it almost seems, a matter of local interest appears in the United States laws published on August 21st, when an act for the relief of the late P. Maxwell and Hugh H. Maxwell, of Kaskaskia, was published along with other laws. Hugh Maxwell was the original of the famous Maxwell land grant of the west, which has caused so much litigation in the last half century.

A writing on the margin of this number says "Robert Blackwell, his file," and leads us to believe that we are indebted to the printer Blackwell, for the preservation of this, the oldest Illinois newspaper file known to be extant.

An address to the voters of Illinois signed "Aristides," begins to give a slight view of political writing such as would naturally be looked for in this file of early newspapers. Among other statements he says

"The colonial and degraded states of this country under the government of the Ordinance, that accursed badge of despotism, which withholds from the people, the only true source of all power, a participation in those rights, guaranteed by the constitution of every state in the Union, seems to have the effect of chilling every spark of political disquisition, and to have sunk man beneath the dignity of his nature, a poor fallen creature from that proud station, the destiny of freemen."

"The present rapid influx of population; the growing and prosperous state of the country, justifies the belief that it will not be more than three or four years before we will burst the chains of despotism, by which we are now bound, and stand a sovereign and independent State.

"It therefore becomes necessary that the public mind should be prepared for the event. It is high time to begin to think and talk about the form of State government that so soon must take place.'

Matthew Saucier publishes an affidavit showing that "while hunting with his nephew, Baptist Beaurbien, his nephew observed a box lying in the water on the Marais Sassafrax, through which passes Prairie Du Puert creek, which when examined, proved to be iron moulds for casting money, and further, that he found the cover to the box about 80 yards from the main road, and from thence to the yard gate of Mr. Foster's dwelling place it was about 40 yards and further the deponent sayeth not."

Nothing more is stated, the publishers being content to publish the advertisement, and to leave the reader to guess what became of the box of moulds and whether any counterfeiting was heard of in the neighborhood of Prairie Du Pont. A young man advertises for a situation in a dry goods store, but there is no notice or advertisement or other intimation that Kaskaskia or any other town in Illinois possessed a dry goods store in 1816.

No marriages or deaths have yet been noticed, but on August 28th we find Margaret Lord gives notice that she wishes a divorce from her husband, James Lord, who has left her bed and board.

Education begins to be noticed, as Benjamin Sturgess gives notice "that he has opened a school at Prairie Du Rocher, where he will teach the usual branches of English Education, viz: Writing, Reading and Common Arithmetic, also English Grammer, Geography, Surveying, Astronomy, Latin and Greek languages. He thinks Prairie Du Rocher is as healthy as any place in the American Bottom," which may have been understood at the time as not a very improbable statement. He declares that "good board can be obtained at moderate terms and so forth."

October 2d, "A Foe to Religious Tyrany" publishes No. 3, of his arguments against tyranny. His trouble appears to be mainly, that the Rev. Jesse Walker, of historic fame, brings politics into his pulpit. The article is quite spicy, and seems to portend further contro

A list of letters remaining in the postoffice at St. Genevieve, Mo., is published on Oct. 23d, and seems to show that over fifty letters were detained. Does this indicate that the addressees were not willing to pay postage, wich was enormously high?

"Justitia" replies at length to the "Foe to Religious Tyrany," and in a temperate manner, denies that there is among the Methodist preachers. any such combination as has been intimated for the purpose of influencing the last election.

The Intelligencer of Nov. 20, 1816, tells us that "Col. John Edgar has received from the President of the United States his commission as Brigadier General of the Militia of this territory, which appointment he has accepted."

Here is almost the only one item of Kaskaskia local news which has been discovered in this file and no doubt this was not published on that account, but because it was of Territorial interest.

The Intelligencer also mentions that a "boat crossing the river opposite St. Louis carrying eight persons was upset by a high wind, and five persons in the boat perished, among the number, Major Starks, formerly of the United States Army."

Cook & Blackwell give notice they will publish a copy of the Militia laws of the Territory, provided 120 subscribers can be procured. On November 27th, a long editorial, the longest yet seen on Education, winds up as follows:

"And we do fondly trust that the sons of Kaskaskia, a place, which must at some day be a towering city, (instead of towering, it is now a deep hole in the bottom of the Mississippi) will no longer be compelled to spend their days from morn till eve in leness and debauchery.'

A new store in Edwardsville, and a new store in St. Louis appeal for business, and a sale of 100 Merino sheep are advertised in this issue.

December 4th, a whole page of post routes just authorized meets our eye, and Illinois Territory has but one of these routes from "Shawneetown by White Court house and Edwards Court house to Vincennes, Indiana."

On Monday, December 2d., the Territorial Legislature met at Kaskaskia, and this issue briefly tells us that a quorum of each house was present, and on December 3d, Col. Pierre Menard was chosen as President of the Council, and Dr. George Fisher, Speaker of the House.

The Council then elected Joseph Conray, secretary thereof, and the House of Representatives elected Daniel P. Cook, clerk thereof. Robert K. McLaughlin was elected engrossing and enrolling clerk, and Major Ezra Owen, doorkeeper.

"December 18th, the flock of 100 Merino sheep is put up at a lottery, at Goshen, Ill., tickets on sale at this office, and at several stores in St. Louis."

Want of time has prevented further extracts, but perhaps this article is already too long. Should it be deemed of public interest, further quotations may be published in future volumes.

FORGOTTEN STATESMEN OF

ILLINOIS-HON. JOHN

MOLEAN;-HON. THOMAS SLOO;-HON. CHARLES

SLADE.

HON. JOHN MCLEAN.

The dedicatory exercises of the McLean memorial tablet took place Dec. 6, 1893, at which time the McLean County Board of Supervisors, with the McLean County Historical Society, held public exercises in the court house. Mr. Goorge P. Davis. president of the McLean County Historical Society, presided, and gave a short introductory address.

Hon. LaFayette Funk of the board of supervisors delivered an appropriate address, in behalf of the board and the Hon. James S. Ewing, who read General McClernand's letter, added some very interesting remarks. Mr. J H. Burnham read the McLean County Historical Society's memorial to John McLean, which is published in this volume.

The memorial tablet was placed on the south wall of the east entrance to the first story of the court house. It is of bronze, three feet in height and four feet in width. It cost $160 and of this the county paid $125, and the McLean County Historical Society $35. It is considered highly artistic, and the placing of this tablet has given great satisfaction to the public. The tablet was not injured in the great fire of June 19, 1900.

It has recently been placed in the new court house.

The article which follows, though re-written to some extent since its publication a few months ago by the McLean County Historical Society, contains much that was given on Dec. 6, 1898.

U. S. SENATOR JOHN M'LEAN.

J. H. Burnham, Bloomington, Illinois.*

It is almost impossible for those who have grown up to manhood or womanhood under recent conditions, to understand the environments existing in this State over 50 years ago, while to estimate the conditions prevalent 80 years ago, is still more difficult. There was

*Authorities consulted-Governor Reynold's "My Own Times." Moses' History of Illinois, Davidson and Stuve's History of Illinois, Ford's History of Illinois. Congressional Record, Illinois Territorial Records, Chicago Historical Society Vol. III. Illinois Gazette of Shawneetown, and persons whose names are given in various notes herewith published.