John W. Mitchell, one of the earliest Republicans in the State, had brought two families of contrabands from Cairo, and put them upon his farm, a few miles distant from Harrisburg. They had hardly located in their new home before the news spread like wild-fire among the proslavery men, "that the laws of Illinois were being set at defiance by the introduction of negroes into the county," and a large mass-meeting was soon held at the court house in Harrisburg, to cause their removal. Several violent speeches were made, in which Dr. Mitchell was bitterly denounced, and resolutions were passed strongly condemning him for bringing the contrabands into the community, and a committee was appointed to notify him to return them to Cairo within a given time, or suffer the consequences. In the meantime, Mitchell, being advised of the action of the meeting, had taken the precaution to prepare himself for any emergency, which, coming to the ears of the committee, they refrained from carrying out the instructions of the meeting. As the contrabands were not removed, a second meeting was held-and a similar performance gone through with-and the threat was boldly made that if Mitchell did not return the contrabands his life and property would be destroyed. But time passed, and Mitchell bravely stood his ground. This second failure to drive him into measures caused better counsels to prevail, and when the Circuit Court convened he was simply indicted under the "black laws" of the State; and that indictment remained upon the records of the Circuit Court of Saline county long after the war, notwithstanding the repeal of the black laws in 1865. In fact it was not disposed of until the present State Constitution, which omitted the word "white," came into effect, when it was stricken from the docket. We apprehend that many of the persons who took part in the

ill-advised proceedings would be ashamed to see their names in these pages, and we therefore spare them that mortification. But such is history.

MOBBED ON ACCOUNT OF HIS VOTE.

The intolerance of certain pro-slavery men in the south part of the State was very great during the war, and they therefore committed many acts of folly. In the proposed Constitution, which was formed in 1862, was an Article which prohibited the emigration of free negroes or mulattoes into the State. It was submitted to a separate vote of the people. Rev. W. V. Eldridge, of Golconda, cast the only vote polled in Pope county against this Article. This greatly incensed his pro-slavery neighbors, and on the following Sunday they assembled in the form of a mob at a church in the country, where Eldridge had an appointment, and attempted to prevent him from preaching; but the men and women of his congregation rallied to his support, and put the mob to flight. But a marvelous change in political sentiment has taken place in that community. Mr. Eldridge has had the honor to represent the district in the General Assembly, and at this time is County Judge of Pope county.

FIRST COLORED SCHOOL.

The first attempt to establish a school for colored children in this State was made at Shawneetown, after the proclamation of freedom, by Miss Sarah Curtis, of Evansville, Ind. After a hard struggle she obtained a small room in which to open her school, and for time she taught with great energy and apparent satisfaction, but she was so ostracised by white women that after a few months she gave up the work in utter disgust, and returned to her former home.

BLOOD-HOUNDS.

Many of our readers will learn with surprise that before the war colored men, attempting to escape into free territory, were hunted down by the aid of blood-hounds; but such is the fact. William Belford, of Golconda, was one of many men, in Illinois, who made their living by catching and returning runaway slaves. He kept a favorite blood-hound for this purpose, and was often seen upon the highway, on horseback, with it sitting in his lap. It is said by those who knew him well, that he thought more of this hound than he did of his own children. During the war he was, naturally, a violent rebel, and was often embroiled in quarrels with his neighbors, in regard to the conduct of the war, as waged by the National authorities, and in one of these met his death, at the hands of Wm. Whiteside, of Golconda, in 1864.

COLORED JURORS.

It has been a difficult matter for the white people along the Ohio river to overcome their prejudice against allowing colored people equal civil rights with themselves. As late as 1880, James A. Rose, County Attorney of Pope county, was assaulted in the streets of Golconda, for allowing a colored person to sit on a jury. The person who assailed him was one of the jurors, and was not aware that a colored man had sat with him until after the case had been decided and the jury discharged. The colored juror was a bright mulatto, and had not infrequently been mistaken for a white man.

ADOPTION OF AMENDMENTS.

The Thirteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which declared that "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime,

whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction," was adopted by the Legislature of Illinois, February 1, 1865.

The Fourteenth amendment, which guaranteed to the colored man citizenship, was adopted by the Legislature of Illinois, January 15, 1867.

The Fifteenth amendment, which enfranchised the colored race, was adopted by the Legislature of Illinois, March 5, 1869.

The Constitutional Convention of 1870 framed the State Constitution so as to conform to these amendments.

FIRST COLORED VOTE CAST IN CAIRO.

At the first election in Cairo, after the enfranchisement of colored men, Patrick Kelly, a Democrat, armed himself and declared that he would shoot the first "nigger" who attempted to vote in his ward, which was largely inhabited by colored people. As a matter of course, the colored men were anxious to exercise the right of suffrage, and had assembled in large numbers at the polls; but hours passed, and yet nobody seemed willing to dispute the authority of Kelly, until Col. W. R. Brown, of Metropolis, then on duty in the collector's office at Cairo, asked P. H. Pope to select for him a colored man whom he knew to be a citizen and entitled to vote, and he would see that he voted. John Evans was selected, and Mr. Brown marched him to the polls, and his ballot was recorded without interference on the part of Mr. Kelly. This was taken as the signal for a general rush to the polls, and many colored men voted in rapid succession without the slightest objection by anybody, when Kelly walked away in utter disgust, uttering words of execration upon the "d-d nigger government."

We have been induced to speak of such incidents as are here recorded to show how deeply seated were the prejudices of the people of Illinois against the intellectual or political advancement of the colored race.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

ABOUT WOMEN.

Mrs. Juliet C. Raum-Mrs. Catherine Wilson-Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln-Mrs. Mary S. Logan-Women Lawyers - Women School Officers-Women Notaries Public-How Long will it be Before They can Vote?

MRS. JULIET C. RAUM.

During the war for the Union, many able and eminent women were brought upon the stage of action, and contributed greatly to the success of our arms. We speak here of one whose influence and energy were largely exercised in the cause of her country. Her name is Juliet C. Raum of Golconda, wife of Maj. John Raum, who served in the Black Hawk war, and mother of Gen. Green B. and Maj. John M. Raum. At the time the war was declared, her husband, who had reached his three score and ten, was too far advanced in the infirmities of life to take the active part his patriotism prompted, but she took, as it were, his place, and in her broad, generous nature was ever busy, speaking words of cheer to the departing soldier, caring for the family left behind, or visiting the battle field to look after the wounded and dying. In her sphere she exercised as much power for good in the hour of her country's peril as did any single individual during that long and bloody conflict. She died in 1872, but her