FINANCES.

On the 30th of November, 1870, the State debt amounted to $4,890,937, with $3,082,104 in the Treasury applicable to its payment. The receipts of the treasury for the fiscal year ending November 30, 1868, were $2,276,763, and the expenditures $2,126,668. The estimated revenue for 1871 is $3,124,316.

In 1868, there were 83 National banks, with a capital of $12,070,000 doing business in the State.

GOVERNMENT.

Every male citizen, 21 years old, who has resided in the State one year, and in the county ninety days, is entitled to vote at the elections.

The government of the State is vested in a Governor, LieutenantGovernor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, and AttorneyGeneral, and a Legislature, consisting of a Senate (of 51 members chosen for four years, one-half retiring biennially), and a House of Representatives (of 153 members, chosen for two years), all elected by the people. All the State officers, except the Treasurer, whose term is two years, are chosen for four years. The Legislature meets annually on the first Monday in January.

The courts of the State are, the Supreme Judicial Court, 28 Circuit Courts, and Justices' Courts. The Supreme Court consists of three divisions, corresponding to the three divisions of the State, and has appellate jurisdiction only. The city of Chicago has its own

courts.

The seat of Government is established at Springfield.
The State is divided into 102 counties.

HISTORY.

This State was first known to the whites by the name of "The Illinois Country," and was first explored, in 1673, by Marquette (a missionary), and Joliet, who came from Canada, and were followed by La Salle and Hennepin. About the year 1693, mission stations were established by the French at Kaskaskia, Cahokia, and Peoria. During the early part of the eighteenth century the French made several settlements on the lower Mississippi, and a Jesuit monastery was established at Kaskaskia. Towards the middle of the eighteenth century, the British began to advance their claims to the Illinois.

country, and the French commenced to build new forts and strengthen the old ones to resist them. In 1763, all the French possessions east of the Mississippi were ceded to Great Britain, who thus became mistress of the Illinois country.

During the Revolution the British had posts at Kaskaskia, Cahokia, and St. Vincent (the latter now Vincennes, Indiana). They were captured by General Rogers Clark, the American commander in this region, in one of the most memorable campaigns in our history.

In 1784, Virginia ceded her territory northwest of the Ohio River (of which Illinois then formed a part) to the United States. In 1800, the Territory of Indiana was formed, embracing the country between the State of Ohio and the Mississippi, and, in 1809, Illinois was erected into a separate Territory, with its present name. It grew rapidly in population, and on the 23d of December, 1818, was admitted into the Union as a sovereign State.

During the war of 1812 the settlers suffered much from the savages and British. In the year 1812, Captain Heald, commanding Fort Dearborn, which occupied the site of the present city of Chicago, was directed by General Hull, who surrendered Detroit to the British, to evacuate that post, distribute his stores among the Indians, and retire to Fort Wayne, in Indiana. Captain Heald had no confidence in the savages, and threw his powder into the wells, and poured his whiskey on the ground. This done, he abandoned the fort, and set out on his march to Indiana. The savages were particularly anxious to obtain the powder and whiskey, and were so exasperated at failing to secure them that they fell upon the garrison after it had proceeded two miles from the fort, and massacred 41 men, 2 women, and 12 children. This terrible occurrence for a long time cast a gloom over the Territory.

In 1832, during the prevalence of the Black Hawk War, the northern part of the State suffered much from the depredations of the savages.

In 1840, the Mormons, being driven out of Missouri, settled on the east bank of the Mississippi, in this State, and founded a city which they called Nauvoo. They were granted extraordinary privileges by the State, but were the object of the bitter hatred of the inhabitants of the surrounding country. Several conflicts occurred between the two parties, and the State militia was called out to preserve the peace. Joseph Smith, the Mormon leader and "Prophet," and his brother, Hiram, were imprisoned in the jail at Carthage, where

they were attacked by a mob and assassinated, on the 27th of June, 1844. The prisoners were at the time under the protection of the State, and this made the assassination all the more outrageous. Like all such violent acts, it failed of its object, and made the success of Mormonism more certain. Soon after this, the Mormons abandoned Nauvoo, and began their emigration to their present home in Utah.

During the late war, the State of Illinois furnished (to December 1, 1864) 197,364 troops to the service of the United States.

CITIES AND TOWNS.

Besides the capital, the principal cities and towns of Illinois are, Chicago, Peoria, Quincy, Bellville, Alton, Rockford, Galena, and Bloomington.

SPRINGFIELD,

The capital and fourth city of the State, is situated in Sangamon county, 3 miles south of the Sangamon River, 97 miles northeast of St. Louis, and 188 miles southwest of Chicago. Latitude 39° 48′ N.; longitude 89° 33′ W. The city lies near the centre of the State, and is built on the open prairie which surrounds it in every direction. It is regularly laid out, and is well built. The streets are

wide and straight, and are ornamented with shade trees. From the abundance of its shrubbery and floral ornaments Springfield has been called "the City of Flowers." Many of the residences are large and handsome, and the business section contains numerous showy buildings.

The State House is an elegant structure, and stands in a beautiful square of three acres, in the centre of the city. On the streets facing the square are the various public buildings of the State and city. The Court House and State Arsenal are the other prominent buildings. The city contains about 13 churches, several public and private schools, the Illinois State University, 2 hotels, and 5 newspaper offices, and is lighted with gas. It is governed by a Mayor and Council. In 1870, the population was 17,365.

Lying in a country unsurpassed in fertility, Springfield is a place of considerable commercial importance. It has railway connections with Chicago and St. Louis, and with all parts of the State and the West. It is also engaged in the manufacture of flour, woollen goods, and iron ware. In the vicinity are extensive beds of bituminous coal.

The city is noted as having been the home of the late President Lincoln. In the picturesque cemetery of Oak Ridge, two miles north of the city, the statesman lies buried.

Springfield was first settled in 1819. In 1822 it was formally laid out, and in 1837 it became the capital of the State.

CHICAGO,

The metropolis of the State, is the fifth city of the Republic and the second city of the Western States. It is situated in Cook county, on the western side of Lake Michigan, about 30 miles north of its southern end, at the mouth of the Chicago River, on the margin of a prairie several miles in width. It is 188 miles northeast of Springfield, 285 miles northeast of St. Louis, 300 miles northwest of Cincinnati, 928 miles northwest of New York, and 763 miles northwest of Washington.

The site of Chicago is low, being but five feet above the lake, but sufficiently elevated to prevent inundation. "The general direction of the lake shore here is north and south. The water, except at the mouth of the river, is shoal, and vessels, missing the entrance ground, go to pieces in a storm within 100 yards of the shore. The harbor of Chicago is the river, and nothing more. It is a short, deep, slugglish stream, creeping through the black, fat mud of the prairie, and