Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IX.djvu/200

 192 ILLINOIS Illinois takes its name from its principal river. According to Albert Gallatin, the term is derived from the Delaware word leno, leni, or illini, meaning real or superior men, the termination being of French origin. The first settlements were made by the French, and were the consequence of the enterprises of Marquette (1673) and La Salle. The latter traveller set out from Canada in 1679, and passing across the lakes descended the Illinois river. After examining the country, with which he was highly pleased, he returned to Canada, leaving the chevalier de Tonti in com- mand of a small fort he had built at the foot of Lake Peoria and named Crfevecoeur. In 1682 he returned to Illinois with a colony of Canadians, and founded Kaskaskia, Cahokia, and other towns. At the beginning of the 18th century the settlements in Illinois are repre- sented to have been in a flourishing condition, and the country was described by French wri- ters as a new paradise. As the colonies of France and England extended, disputes arose respecting boundaries, and these ultimately led to the war which virtually ended with the cap- ture of Quebec, and which in 1763 terminated the French dominion over any part of the country E. of the Mississippi. During the con- tinuance of Illinois as a British dependency nothing of importance appears to have occur- red, nor were the French settlements molest- ed. After the peace of 1783, which closed the American revolution, the Illinois country was ceded to the United States ; and by the ordi- nance of July 13, 1787, the whole of the public domain N. of the Ohio river was erected into the Northwest territory under a single govern- ment. In 1800 the territory contained a pop- ulation of 50,240, and in the same year Ohio was erected into a separate territory. A fur- ther severance was made in 1805, when the territory of Michigan was formed, and again in 1809 Indiana was divided off. The Illinois territory at this time included what are now the states of Illinois and Wisconsin and a part of Minnesota, and by the census of 1810 was found to contain 12,282 inhabitants. Hitherto the settlement of these territories had been greatly impeded by Indian hostilities, and in- deed the early history of Illinois is one con- tinued narrative of contests with the savages. Among the prominent events of this period is the massacre near Fort Chicago, Aug. 15, 1812. When hostilities finally ceased, population be- gan to flow in from the eastern states. On Dec. 3, 1818, Illinois with its present limits was admitted as a state into the Union. The census of 1820 returned 55,211 inhabitants. During the succeeding decade immigration increased rapidly, and in 1830 the population was ascer- tained to be 157,445, or an increase of 185'2 per cent, over that of 1820. In 1831 the Sac and other Indian tribes began to be trouble- some, and in 1832 the Black Hawk war broke out. The alarm caused by these hostilities was great, but the result was ultimately beneficial to the state ; not only was a permanent peace conquered, but the officers of the army on their return reported so favorably of the character and resources of the country, that general at- tention was directed to the state. Shortly af- terward congress granted an appropriation for the improvement of Chicago harbor, and about this time the Illinois and Michigan canal was projected, and the state bank brought into suc- cessful operation. On July 4, 1836, the con- struction of the canal was commenced. The succeeding year brought the greatest financial revulsion in our history, and in this no state was more seriously involved than Illinois. Every interest was prostrated, and all works of internal improvement abandoned. The pro- gress of the state, however, had been rapid, and by the census of 1840 the population numbered 476,183, being an increase of 203-4 per cent, over that of 1830. In this year the Mormons established themselves at Nauvoo, and were from the first disliked by their neighbors. Mu- tual hatred ended in open hostilities, and at length the brothers Joseph and Hyrum Smith (the first named the founder of Morrnonism) were arrested, and while confined in Carthage jail were murdered by a mob, June 27, 1844. This was soon followed by a general exodus of the Mormons, who now numbered about 20,- 000, toward Utah. In 1847 a new constitu- tion was framed, which went into operation in the following year. The census of 1850 show- ed a population of 851,470, an increase of 80'7 per cent, in the decade. This was a much lower rate of increase than had hitherto been maintained, but was still a rapid growth. In the mean while emigration had been directed to Iowa and Wisconsin. But a new era of prosperity was now opening for Illinois. In the same year congress made a munificent grant of land in aid of the construction of the Central railroad, which was completed in 1856. The country along both sides of its route has been rapidly settled, cities and towns have risen with remarkable rapidity, and the pros- perity of the state through the influence of this and other great works simultaneously comple- ted has become so general that the last acre of government land in Illinois has been disposed of. In December, 1869, a constitutional con- vention assembled, and in May following agreed upon the present constitution, which was ratified July 2. In this instrument the sys- tem of " minority representation " in the elec- tion of members of the house of representatives was incorporated, it being provided that " in all elections of representatives aforesaid, each qualified voter may cast as many votes for one candidate as there are representatives to be elected, or may distribute the same, or equal parts thereof, among the candidates, as he shall see fit ; and the candidates highest in votes shall be declared elected." A " History of Illinois, 1673-1873," by Alexander Davidson and Ber- nard Stuv6, was published in 1874, .and is au- thority for some of the statements here made.