Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 1.djvu/232



James McPheters, Samuel Scales and E. M. Wren and instructed them to report a code of laws. This pioneer law-making body gathered around an old cottonwood log for a table and proceeded to business. Mr. Langworthy was chosen clerk and kept the records. The following is a copy of the code adopted:

“Having been chosen to draft laws by which we as miners will be governed, and having duly considered the subject, we do unanimously agree that we will be governed by the regulations on the east side of the Mississippi River, with the following exceptions:

“Article I. That each and every man shall hold two hundred yards square of ground by working said ground one day in six.

“Article II. We further agree that there shall be chosen by a majority of the miners present a person who shall hold this article, and who shall grant letters of arbitration, on application having been made, and said letters of arbitration shall be obligatory on the parties so applying.”

The regulations referred to on the east side of the river were the laws established by the superintendent of the United States lead mines at Fever River (Galena). Under their code the settlers elected Dr. Jarote thir first Governor and it is known that their laws were obeyed and the acts of their legislature as rigidly enforced as have been the more formal acts of later years.

Settlers began to pass over to the new colony in large numbers, but as the invasion of the Indians’ country was in direct violation of treaty compacts, the United States Government was called upon to expel the intruders. Under orders from the War Department, Colonel Zachary Taylor, commanding the military post at Prairie du Chien, sent Lieutenant Abercrombie with a company of soldiers to drive the invaders back to the east side of the Mississippi. A detachment was left at the mines to protect the Indians in possession of their property.

At the Flint Hills Samuel S. White and others had entered the Indian lands, erected cabins and staked off claims, but they also were driven out and their cabins destroyed.