The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-08-26

proYCments; but adhered rigldly To the old
customs that had existed in tue mother cOun-
| Try Tor centuries before. Ia 1890, scarcely
"A horse or an OK was changed from his na-
/ tural state. The oxen were htched, or
| yoked, by the horns; and the front horse
/ was guided by the hind one when there
were two in a cart All the ancient uniin-
| proved modes Of life, habits and manners Of
| France, IN olden times, were praCiiced here
and underwent no alteration until after the
/ Americans settled among the old inhabitants
! The villages, houses and common lie d., vi
! the different French colonies IN Illinois,
were nearly the same throughout the coun-
/ try; and were changed gradually by the
examples Of ths Americans. The land was
at no time subject OF sale by any French
| Government that ever existed IN Illinois,
I but was freely given away to actual ttlers.
/ Ii was always restriction and condition Of
/ the grant, that the lanu must be occupied
| and when any one aband Dned his part Of the
common field it was sold 10 an occupant at
the church door, on Sunday, after divine
service.
1t is most singular circumstance in the
colonization OF North America, that settle
Inents 30 far in the interior as Cahokia We're
in 1852, could be formed at all. At that
day, there were only few settlements IN
Canada, and on the Atlantic around New
York and Philadelphia the last named city
having been laid off only the same year. In
all the great valley Of the Mississippi with
the exceptions above mentioned, not slnge
settlement existed; and none in the South at
Mobile or view Orleans. The Spaniard- had
colonies at Santa Fe and llor.da, and none
nearer And il is surprising tuat any thing
could have induced these innocent and un-
aspiring French TO emigrate from Canada
4 and settle here. IL j. tue, that t'cre exist
cd, at that day, among most OF the nations
Of Europe, an earnest desire to ChristIanilc
the Indians. This ledthe Catholic mission
aries 10 appear first amongst the natives
They were quickly followed by the Indian
traders. Then the ooydgeurs and others To-
Gated in the lnaianv lngos, and by degrees
induced many Of the abOrigues to adopt the
poaccabe and orderly habits Of the white
population.
Ii any people ever deserved an honorable
notpricty and respect, for being the earliest
7 pioneers in q new country, it il these French
onis,s If Illinois. We feel proud Of the
e first chiyaTous settlers Of Kentucky and
c Tcuncssee---we are delighted to read the in
= tercstihg adventures Of Boone kenton, Rob
isun,s others of the West; while We ap
a pear almost unconcerncd about the honest
II and hardy pioneers Of Illinois, who scttIcC
n this country in peace nearly ahundred years
), before Kentucky was explored by Boone
5 There is no class OF inhabitants in NOrtl
l. America. more worthy Of general admira
c ton, ihan the French coloni>ts who frs
come 10 Illinois. They were not only in al
vance Of the others one thousand or iIttecI
hundred miles but also, wo,tny OF all prais
:. for their strict honesty and vlrtuOus habits
y On this account, their history, humble as
y may be, should ever be held in high estlma
v ton 10y the American people.
"A 1t h1s been remarked that "hstory /
: philosophy, teaching by example, am
l. none lver taught the great desideratum OF a
Of manhnd-that is, how to act SO as TO enjo
i. ths most hdppiness-bctter than the earl
T. Frcnh colon SITS in Illinois. These simple
mindid people, believe, enjoyed more sub
l., stantnl happiness than any others | eve
-. knew ! was intimately acquainted wit
No thenror more than half century; and ca
~ spea. from actual observation. One aiti
80 the French character is to enjoy life, pos
"a siblc and not to anticipate misery or iSiol
S. tunc, ~ sc pom eTs WcIe uuIN anu Gil
h, cerei dcvout and pious Ca stian'; ue!ie'
as ing implicitly in all the dcctrin lnculcaie
h h by tic Roman Cathoi Church; and obser'
of % ing, hs human frailty would permit, the v;
N n rioui preccpts enjoined IN the Scriptures
" Thsm them upright, and virtuous, an
/. consequently happy.
ro These artless and unaffected villagers wcr
p. %. no, ambitious for the acquisition ofhigh di
,o tinctons, honors, or wealth. Nor WEI
he they actuated by desire to secure MOI
or THAI an humble competency; and Mdt the
Ss Outlined without much eXertion. As the
l.. weit not wealthy, they were not contami'
" ated by luxurics, or by evil communication
g andprofgate society, No large cities e.
~ listed near them. In this meek and humb
70 condition, they depended upon God MOI
m m FULL than is generally done by communiti'
an possessing greater advantages; and the
Gof G happiness was in proportion to tker sinp
Id faith, They were truly happy people
An 0rrrRprSrE The TplloWinv