The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-09-27
cELEBRArIoN OF THE DISCOVERY OF
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.


Germania club hall in St Louis, on
Wednesday evening Sept oath Among
the gentlemen who attended were Hon.
Louis V. Bogy, Hon. II. W. Salmon, state
treasurer; DIR. Souneschein, Judge Speck,
Hon. Thos. G. Reynolds, W. II. II. Rus
sell, John A. Scholten, Joseph p Nolan,
q. Bowler, Frank d. Turner, Oscar W.
Collet, G. A. Doherty, j. A. Pillsbury and
Vim. Keathing also Alphonse LeDuc of
Montreal, Mr.. LeDuc read n prologue by
Louis II. Frechet, national poet of Cana
da. which was read on similar occasion
at Quebec, in June. 1t was in French.
After that Hon. Thos, G. Reynolds, who
had been invited TO deliver the address OF
the evening was introduced by Mr.. Collet
ADDRESS OF HON. THOMAS c. REYNOLDS.
Gov. Reynolds introduced his address
by statement Of the object of the meet
ing, followed by historical resume OF the
events succeeding the discovery of Amer
lea by Columbus. the condition of affairs
in Europe, and the immediate events that
brought about the discovery Of the Missis-
sippi. Coming down to the advent of Mar
quette, he said
Just at this period, when the missionary
mind of Canada was excited on the sub,
iect of the mysterious river there landed
at Quebec, on September 20, l666,a young
Frenchman from the picturesque old cath
edral city OF I.aoniu the beautiful and fer
tile regions which lie TO the north OF Paris
This famed municipality had existed since
the times of the Romans his family wa,
the most ancient in il and as modern
research has shown how wondrously the
towns of tiaul especially those which wer'
under the immediate protection OF Chris
tan bishops, preserved their institutions
intact even under the rule of the conquer
Ing Franks, it needs no great stretch o
the imagination 10 believe that the patrl
elan MaIquettes of Laon were the descen
dants Of Celtic mobiles whom the protoun
policy of ancient Rome attached TO he
standards by leaving them in control q
their ancestral territories under her almoS
nominal supremacy. These Marquette
were martial race; three OF them died !
the French army, which aided our ance,
tiers in the war of our own revolution; an
WHICH JdilltS l1dltlt6NAt NuiloNtu AlAA'l u
banner of the cross, he naturally aSSgnC
himself 10 that order to which its soldi,
founder gave the military title Of the Con
pauy of Jesus As chivalric courage
scended to him through his father hous
so fervent devotion was his birthriGht fro
his mother, Rose de Ia Sale, kinswoman
Joho Baptiste de la Sale, founder of ii
educational order of the Brothers of Il
Christian Schools He was % years
age when his feet first touched Americi
soil After being properly drilled for a
tive service 10y instruction in the Ind,
tongues he was sent by his Sagacjous 5
periors, in ZOOS % the very front Of Il
church militant in that quarter, the m
sion Of Lake Superior. About a year
forwards he was transferred tO the misSl
established tO convert the kickapoos-
tribe which. from the accounts Of the N
siOnaries, would seem b. have been amO
the most obstinate adherents Of Satan a
fit ancestors OF those of the same mar
who now infest the borders o. Texas. b
despite all their wickedness they cauS
his heart TO rejoice by giving him eXpli
accounts OF the mysterious river, almost
league wide, running north and south, q
So far that even the Illinois Indians, sou
of the kickapoos, had never vet heard
its mouth they only knew that there we
very great nations below them, some
whom raised two crops OF maize We;
This great river can hardly empty in Y
ginia, says Marquette IN his report on
mission, " and we rather believe that
mouth is in California. He continued
gather all the information that he cot
command, and As Father Dablou, the
perior Of all the Canada missions at Il
time, assures us, this induced him
made several efforts TO undertake the
terprise Of exploring that river but alwa
IN vain. He had even given up all hOI
OF succeeding when the Almighty presel
ed him the opportunity
Frontenec writes Of Joliet expedition
designed TO discover the South Sea bv I
Maskoutens country, aud the great riy
Mississippi which is believed u empty
To- the California sea.
From all the contemporary accounts
the expedition it is evident that Fati
Marquette was its real leadcrits very 81
But as an eccleslastic he could NOT q
command Of an armelf force, however SIN;
as an ambassador Of Christ, to FORE
heather nations he could not act as
agent oil king OF France. 1t was acco
lngly arranged that tie Sieur Joliet, a
i've OF canada sh'Jud command the
peultlohi ana lat Marquette should
company II as missionary. The CHI,
" 3Oi' let was a wise and happy one.
A' been lay assistant IN jesuit Il
sion in his youth, and was always tavo
of the order-he subsequently became
Indian trader Frontenac wrote of hi
HE is a man Of experience in this KIM
discovery, and has already been near
4 II
the mouth lie joined Marquette
December 5. 1872, presenting him
letters of his superior, appointing
to carry out hls long cherIs
wish IL was the festival OF the cont
ZION of the Virgin Mary, for which
auette had always had a special deyot
and even those who do not share his 4
must sympathize with the eXultati0n
good father expresses at the propltlou,
incidence. He and Joliet passed the
ter in preparations for their journey,
in these, as in almost every other succ
full work, the patient industry Of gen
was conspicuous. As we are gOln
seek unknown countries, writes the b
missionary, we took all possible pre-
tons, that, If our enterprise was haz
Gus, it should not be tOOlhaTdy. For
reason we gathered all possible lniorma
from Indians who had frequented L
parts. and even from their accounts tri
map of all the new country, mar
down the rivers on which we were to
the names of the nations and pl
through which We were to pass,
course of the great river, and what d
ton we should take when we got I
Above all, he fervently adds, put
voyage under the protection Of the bic
virgin immaculate On the 18th Of
1913, they left Mackinaw in his sill
language he says We are embarkin
n voyage the duration of which we c
not foresee. Indian corn with some {
meat, was our whole stock Of PROV
With this, we set out in two bark ca
NJ. Joliet, myself, and five men, tirml
solved 10 do all and suffer all for so glo
an enterprise" Joyously they sped
over the waters to the head Of Green