, 1859-04-04
HOW SLAVERY WAS ESTAB.
LI&HED IN ILLINOIS,

HOW SLAVERY WAS ESTAB.
LIsHED IN ILLINOIS
There are yet Thousands Of men living III
Illinois, who took part in the fierce and bitter
contest Of 1924 by which the State settled the
question Of her own freedom forever, OF those
thousands, but few, we apprehend, are aware
Of the manner in which Slavery was originally
introduced and became one Of the Institutions
Of the land. Lately we have been making
Some inquiries into the subject, and cur Curl
osity hns been abundantly repaid.
Negro Slavery was introduced into Lou'si-
am, Of which Illinois was then apart, about
the year 1900 It's authority was the edict Of
Louis XIII. in 1Gl5, and the charter Of u.
Crozat dated l7l2 The enumeration or cen
gus Of Ills shows that in all the settlements
Of Louisiana, there were 400 whites, 20 slaTes
and 800 head Of cattle. Crozat surrendered
his charter to the Crown in 17l7, and in tue
same year, tie Company Of the West y or1he
COMPANY Of the 1ndies,' was chartered fur
working tho mines. The organization was
MISC called the Mississippi Company, and was
connected with John Laws Bank
New Orleans was founded in IT'S, md
under branch Of the Company Of the Indies,
Phillip Francis Rcnault founded Fort Cha,fres
At first log stockadc-and first brought
slaves into Illinois. The charter Of Crqzat
authorized him to import one slip-load Of
slaves annually. This right belonged, alsoI TO
tho Company Of the West, and in l719 ships
were sent from St. Domingo to Africa and
brought back five hundred negroes, n pan cf
whom were taken up the river by Rcnault to
Kaskaskia, where they became the progeni-
Illinois. From l7l9 to 1928, several voyages
were made to Africa and about 1000 slaves
were brought into the Lower Colony, Of whom
a small part were sent up the river. Slascs
were now in Illinois in considerable numbers
compared with tho white population. The
condition Of seryitudc in which they wrrc
held was warranted by the royal edict and tie
charter to which VIC have referred; but no
plan for their protection against the brutality
Of masters, no Law regulating their legal stains
rs real OF personal property, Or fixing the condi-
lions upon which emancipation might take
place. had been devised As id every other
country, where one class Of men have nlrSo-
lutte power over tic persons and property Il
another class, cases Of extreme hardship we're
constantly arising and the tribunals such rs
they were, were greatly troubled hy cates
growing out Of the management ofthe '8institu.
tion. Hence, III 1921, the "Council' dep1l.
ted by the King for the government Of the colo
nics, made an ordinance Of twelve artlcl, 8
regulating trade, commerce, emigration, &c,
the first Of which was as follows:
Negroes shall be sold to the colopista 1t the
rate Of hG'1 livrcs, India currency, confoF1nahly
10 preceding regulation Of the Company, .i'1
payment Of which the coIonists may execute
notes rayable iu three years in equal install
nents, from the day Of delivery. in tobacco nr
rice, according to the decision Of the Directots,
from information derived from the quality oi
their respective lands"
This was followed i'll March, 1874, by. 4
royal ordinance specially relating to Slavery
in Louisiana (llinois included, Of course)
which was very long aud curious document
It consisted Of Gfty-Gye articles in which the
relations Of Slavery, and slaves to the body
polite aud to their owners, are clearly defined
Under the ordinance Slavery existed il, ILL
nois until the Illinois country became a part O.
the United States. H'e would he glad to print
the famous instrument cntirc; but must cen
tent ourselves with saying that in 20 tar as il
concerned the physical comfort, kind treat
ment and religious instruction Of negroes. II
was, in its morality and humanity, far in ad
vanke Of the slave laws Of any Of the States d
the Union as we read them to-day. Time las
brought with it no a1nclior:tion Of the negro
On the contrary, the original defiance Of Christ.
unity and civilization, manifest in the institu
ton Of the harharism, llas become boldcr and
moro objectionable. At this distance from tie
events Of which we speak, wo can only adj
our mite to the debt Of obligation which the
Northwest, Illinois in particular, owes to the
1argc-hearted aud patriotic men who made
Freedom the rule Of action, and secured for
our State the incstimah!e blessings which it al.
ways brings in its train.
THE wAH QUESTION IN EUROPE.
The latest developments in European poli-
tics show 4 high probability Of wr, and fur
ther than this, war Of almost certain success
10 Louis Napoleon and his eoadjutors in Italy
1t is seen that the preparations SO vigorousl,
ntoSccutcl for mprc than three month"; az.