elements are concentrating to prosecute and consummate the great design of the social compact." And again in 1828, Governor Ray reflects the steady flow of prosperity in his usual style: "Peace, plenty, and an increase of moral feeling have blessed our growing community; *** and if a dense population is in any respect essential to the happiness of the people, or the prosperity of the State, the continuous influx of emigration which we are now experiencing without a parallel, augur the most auspicious to both."

***

It was in this year, 1828, that the disaffection of the Southern States first became a subject for executive or legislative attention in Indiana. In this year Governor Ray, little suspecting the terrible results that would grow out of the subject of his remarks, observed to the legislature: "Since our last separation, while we have witnessed with anxious solicitude the belligerent operations of another hemisphere, the cross contending against the cresent, and the prospect of a general rupture among the legitimates of other quarters of the globe, our attention has been arrested by proceedings in our own country truly dangerous to liberty, if seriously premeditated, and disgraceful to its authors if agitated only to tamper with the American people. If such experiments as we see attempted in certain deluded quarters, do not fall with a burst of thunder upon the heads of their seditious projectors, then, indeed, the republic has begun to experience the days of its degeneracy. * The Union of these States is the people's only sure charter for their liberties and independence. Dissolve it and each State will soon be in a condition as deplorable as Alexandria's conquered countries after they were divided amongst his victorious military captains."

*

It should be borne in mind by the reader that this part of the history, extending from the organization of the State in 1816, to 1875, treating of the administrations of the various governors, is not supposed to include, as it advances, a history of the educational institutions, benevolent institutions, and settlements. These chapters are designed to cover merelv a

political and exceedingly condensed docuimentary history of the State, and the reader is directed to look elsewhere for a complete history and description of those special features and institutions of the State, as well as of the cities, towns and villages, all of which date their commencement in some one of these administrations, and receive only a passing notice in this connection. It is also desirable to state, in this place, that our political history is necessarily condensed in order that these special features of the State may receive the space which their importance demands.

IN

CHAPTER XXI.

ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNOR RAY, CONTINUED.

N 1830 the current of emigration was still flowing into the State and spreading itself throughout the limits of the territory, affording the surest indications of a continued growth and prosperity. These assurances were considerably supported by the great increase of agricultural productions, facilities for transportation, and increasing wealth, enterprise, intelligence, temperance and morality; and of the general and rapidly accumulating masses of the people. During these months, the people were daily cheered by witnessing from twenty to fifty wagons, containing families, moving through Indianapolis and other large towns, on their way to the valleys of the White and Wabash rivers. It was estimated that every day, during the year 1826, over thirty families settled in the State of Indiana. It is only from a contemplation of these facts that the reader can form any correct idea of the rapid growth of the State.

At no former period within the history of the State had the people enjoyed a more ample reward for the various agricultural products than in 1830. This market was created from

many causes principally from the wars existing at that time.

In the same year the farmer, the mechanic and the merchant of Indiana were excited by the "gigantic purpose of wedding the extremes of our vast country by one of the most approved

methods of conveyance"-a railroad, notably the "National, New York and Mississippi Railroad."

The "National Road," and the "Michigan and Ohio Turnpike" were enterprises in which the people and legislature of

Indiana were deeply interested, in 1830. The latter had already been the cause of much bitter controversy, and its location was then the subject of contention.

* *

In his message to the legislature, in 1830, Governor Ray, on the delicate question of excluding a certain class of colored people from the State, remarked: "A non-productive and, in many instances, a superanuated colored population, is pouring in upon us, possessing all the affirmative bad qualities of the uneducated, immoralized bondsman, without affording any of his advantages, living without visible means, or labor, most of whom are paupers on society. * While our laws and institutions proclaim the State an asylum for the good, virtuous and useful of all nations and colors, it is due to ourselves and to the rights of posterity that we should not tamely submit to any imposition which is the direct effect of foreign legislation. Though it might savor somewhat of injustice to interfere with any that are already here, it will still become your province, as it is your right, to regulate for the future, by prompt correctives, the emigration into the State, and the continuance of known paupers thrown upon us from any quarter."

In 1830 there were still two tribes of Indians living within the borders of Indiana, but their growing indolence, their intemperate habits, their primitive ignorance, their increasing dependence upon their neighbors for the bread of life, their diminished prospects of living by the chase, their perpetration of murders and other outrages of dangerous precedent, their unrestrained exhibitions of their own savage customs before the children of the settlers, combined to make them subjects for a more rigid government.

One of the features of interest in the history of Governor Ray's last term of office was the part taken by Indiana in the election of a President of the United States, which effected a considerable change in the national policy.

In the same period the task of preparing a civil code of laws for the State was commenced. In 1830 a question of jurisdiction was presented for the consideration of the legisla ture. The trial and acquittal of William Rothwell, in Perry

county, on a charge of murder, gave rise to great dissatisfaction. The alleged crime was committed on the Ohio river, and it was successfully claimed by the counsel for the defendant that the State of Indiana had no jurisdiction over acts committed on that river. This defect in the laws was promptly adjusted.

* *

It would appear that the legislature of Indiana was painfully backward in establishing an asylum for the poor. Governor Ray, in his last message to the legislature used these remarks: "Let the philanthropical but look at home for opportunities to display his pious benevolence, and his eye will recognize many a friendless, moneyless orphan child, whose soul only waits to be kindled into flame upon education's heavenly altar, that he may leave his rags and wretchedness behind him, and, wielding the sword of the hero, or the pen of the statesman, by the force of moral precept in the pulpit, or of eloquence at the bar, or in the senate, rise to the noblest summit of fame and become a pillar of support to his but without some aid is doomed to die unseen. country Whilst our own unfortunate poor are sold in the public streets to the lowest bidder, many of whom have seen days that possessed them with the means and rank far above their chasers, now compelled to feed upon the crumbs of a scanty meal, and to experience, after a life well spent, just as their sun is setting, their worst days, and even the degradation of mastery, and the separation of kindred ties and while thousands of families are without the word of truth-and tens of thousands of youths, who must soon take the reins of this mighty Republic into their hands, are fast rising to maturity, without sufficient intelligence for the stupenduous business of self-government, we are admonished by everything sacred and dear to look first to the deranged concerns at home."

pur

Governor James B. Ray served the people of the State of Indiana in the high and responsible position of Chief Magistrate of the State, from 1725 to 1831-a period of special prosperity and in December of the latter year was succeeded by Hon. Noah Noble.

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