The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-06-30

and Notwithstanding the terror which this
kind of foe generally inspired, the little
band Of pioneers were neither dismayed
or daunted, but boldly stood their ground,
and under the leadership Of the bold and
gallant Dodge, the Indians were met, re-
pulsed. and driven out of the country,
and in a short time the country was re-
stored to peace and prosperity. y y y To
the wise counsels, industry, and enter
prise Of our pioneers and old settlers
generally, who stand to-day as perpetual
monuments of the triumphs of honesty, in
tegrity, and industry we are indebted for
our present prosperity.
WISCONSIN HIsToRY BY GEO. b. SMITH.
Wisconsin has had an eventful history.
1t is claimed that rs early as 1889, only
nineteen years later than the landing of
the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, and long
before the settlement of William Penn at
Philadelphia, the French Jesuits had Wis
tied what is now Green Bay with a view
to a permanent settlement at that place.
1t is certain that as early as 1865 a set
Element commenced at La Pointe, on Lake
Superior, which it is claimed continues to
this time. 1t is also certain that about
this time, and not later than 1869, a con-
siderable settlement of French Jesuits
began in the vicinity of Green Bay, traces
OF which early occupation and settlement
are still visible at both places. Wisconsin
was also the great highway over which
the Jesuit explorers passed in search of
the Mississippi river and the unknown
sea. In the year 1878, Fathers Marquette
and Joliet passed up the Fox river from
Green Bay, and down the Wisconsin
river, in search Of the Father of Waters.
On the 18th of June, Of that year, they
discovered it at the mouth Of the Wiscon-
sin river, near where now stands Prairie
du Chem.
These men and many others came to
this wild and lonely region, mainly to
bring religion and civilization to the In
dams; incidentally they came on a voy-
age of discovery.
There was another, and in many re-
spects a greater than these, who came to
explore purely in the interests of con-
quest and commerce. l refer to La Sale,
who, in 1850, with his little party and his
faithful and famous friend, Tonti, discov-
cred the Mississippi river still further
south, in what was then called the Illinois
country, now the state of Illinois. After
ward he followed the river to the Gulf of
Mexico. This man of wonderful enter
prise, wondrous foresight, and iron ener-
gy, even then dreamed that the Valley of
Che Mississippi might, even in his time,
become what it is now-the garden and
glory of the world. Still later, and all
the way down to the time when it was
finally owned and occupied by the United
States, Wisconsin continued to have a re-
markable and eventful history, until it
was finally organized into a separate ter
ritory in 1886, when the people then here
boon of self government.
From 1910 to 1853, II period of ninety
three years, Wisconsin was owned by and
was under the government of France.
From 1853 to 1894, a period of thirty-one
years, it was owned and governed by
Great Britain. For six years, from 1894
to 1900 it was governed by Virginia and
Ohio. For nine years, from 1900 to 1877,
it was under the government of Indiana.
From 1909 to 1918 it was governed by IL
inois, and from 1918 to 1886 was under the
government of Michigan. Thus it will be
seen that for a period of one hundred and
sixty years, the territory which now COM
prises this magnificent state was the mere
foot ball of nations, states and territories.
Since this territory came under the gov
eminent of Illinois it has had a somewhat
curious, as it had before a remarkable
history.
With regard to the boundary Of Wis
consin there have been almost as many
changes as in its government. The ter
.ritorial charter contained this article:
''That if congress shall hereafter find it
expedient, they shall have authority to
form one or two states in that part of said
territory which lies north of an east and
west line drawn through the southerly
bend or extreme of Lake Michigan" BY
the express terms of the ordinance it was
forever to remain unalterable, unless by
common consent. Such continued to be
the north line of Illinois and the southern
boundary of Wisconsin, until 1918, when
Illinois was admitted into the Union as o
Then congress-, in establishing the
Of this state, extended its
north line nearly sixty miles north of the
line established by the ordinance of 1857,
and this was done without the consent of
Wisconsin. Indeed, it was done at a time
when there were but few here to object,
and it was lone in such haste that those
few had no opportunity to object. The
part thus taken from Wisconsin embraces
the fourteen northern counties of Illinois,
the richest and most populous part of that
state, including, of course, the city OF
Chicago.
The ordinance Of 1857, although made
unalterable, was changed in this particu-
lar, but time and circumstances have
sanctioned the change, and it is now, in
deed, unalterable. The solemn compact
of the ordinance of 1857 was d~isregarded,
and Wisconsin deprived of a very i'm
and immensely valuable part Of