Miss Kate Kane, of Wisconsin, was admitted to practice law in the Supreme Court, at Ottawa, in March, 1884, on a foreign license. WOMEN SCHOOL OFFICERS. The first recognition of the law-makers of Illinois to women as public servants, was the passage of an act in 1873, allowing women, married or single, of the age of 21 years, to hold any office under the general or special school laws in this State. Nine women were chosen County Superintendents at the ensuing November election, whose names are as follows: Phoebe A. Taylor, Alexander county; Mrs. Mary E. Crary, Boone; Miss Mary S. Welch, DeWitt; Mrs. Cath. Hopkins, Greene; Nettie M. Sinclair, Kankakee; Mary Ellen West, Knox; Amanda A. Frazier, Mercer; Mary W. Whiteside, Peoria; Sarah C. McIntosh, Will; Mary L. Carpenter, Winnebago. WOMEN NOTARIES PUBLIC. In 1875, an act was passed by the General Assembly rendering women eligible to the office of notary public. The law went into effect July 1, and Mrs. Annie Fitzhugh Ousley was the first woman to receive a commission, which was given her by Governor Beveridge, on that day, and on the same day he issued commissions to six women, from Cook county, namely: Lucy A. Bunting, Helen Culver, Lucy M. Gaylord, Alice C. Nute, Sarah A. Richards and Caroline Wescott, since which time many commissions have been issued to women in different counties of the State, and it is now no uncommon thing to see legal instruments bearing the notarial seal of a woman. In 1879, at the instance of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, a bill was introduced in both houses of the General Assembly, proposing an amendment to the constitution allowing women the right to vote on all questions relating to the control of the liquor traffic; but it failed in both. In 1881, the subject was again brought before that body, with no better success. HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE THEY CAN VOTE? It remains to be seen whether women who have mastered the arts and sciences; who fill the professions; who keep the cash account of the largest mercantile houses in our great cities, or the mother who moulds the character of the man, shall ever, in the minds of the statesmen of Illinois, know enough to know how to exercise the right of suffrage! Women and Chinamen are the only classes of mankind in Illinois who are not allowed the privilege of the ballot. CHAPTER XLIX. ILLINOIS NATIONAL GUARD. When the war for the Union ensued, the State was without an effective military organization; indeed Governor Yates found the law under which the military power of the State was to be brought into requisition, so faulty as to be almost useless, and he relied mainly on the presence of the soldiers of the National Government to preserve the peace of the State and prevent its invasion from without. Since then the General Assembly has amply provided the legislation necessary to bring into existence a most excellent military system, which is styled the Illinois National Guard, whose total strength of men and officers was, according to the official report of AdjutantGeneral Elliott, on the 1st of January, 1884, 4,847. The efficiency of the National Guard in preserving law and order, has not infrequently been attested; but in the great strike of railroad employees in 1877, which permeated all the States, its service in protecting life and property was incalculable. In Chicago, Peoria, Springfield, Galesburg, Rock Island, Decatur and East St. Louis, the mob threatened devastation, and but for the timely presence of the Illinois soldiery, the scenes at Pittsburg would have been re-enacted at Chicago and East St. Louis, and millions of dollars' worth of property would have been laid in ashes, and many lives made a sacrifice to the madness of the hour. The Guard is composed of two brigades, of which the following is a partial roster: John M. Hamilton, Governor and Commander-in-Chief. Brigadier-General J. W. Vance, Adjutant-General. FIRST BRIGADE--HEADQUARTERS AT CHICAGO. Brigadier-General Charles FitzSimons, commanding. Col. W. H. Thompson, Second Regiment, Chicago. Col. Joel D. Welter, First Regiment Cavalry, Chicago. SECOND BRIGADE-HEADQUARTERS AT SPRINGFIELD. Brig. Gen. J. N. Reece, commanding. Lieut.-Col. C. F. Mills, Assistant Adjutant-General. CHAPTER L. GREEN B. RAUM. Among all the supporters of Senator Douglas for the Presidency in 1860, there was no more zealous advocate of his election than Gen. Green B. Raum, and when the flag of his country was assailed, he was as quick to rally to the support of his Government as was his great leader, and to him belongs the distinguished honor of having made the first speech in Southern Illinois in favor of sustaining the Union by war. The fall of Fort Sumter created a profound sensation in this part of the State, as it did all over the country. During the political canvass preceding the election of President Lincoln, political excitement ran high. There was great prejudice against the Republican candidates, and nine-tenths of the voters opposed Lincoln at the polls. When the secession movement was set on foot a number of prominent men in Southern Illinois sympathized with it. Its proximity to Kentucky and Missouri, both slave States, and the free intercourse of the people, back and forth, together with the ties of kinship, brought the people of these States very closely together, and it is not to be wondered at that at the outset there should have been a division of sentiment in that great crisis. Gen. Raum had from the very commencement of the secession movement expressed himself firmly in favor preserving the Union, and when Sumter fell he was prompt in declaring himself on the side of the Government. A few days after this event the Circuit Court of Massac county convened, and Gen. Raum was in attendance as one of the practicing attorneys. As he passed down the Ohio river the rebel flag was seen floating over the city of Paducah. He arrived at Metropolis Sunday morning, and was met by a number of acquaintances, who were anxious to learn his views upon the pending crisis, whereupon he freely avowed himself for the Union. On Monday morning the town was full of people eager to learn the news and to exchange opinions with their neighbors. In the evening, an impromptu meeting assem bled in front of the law office of Green & Smith, and a number of persons were called out to express themselves on the momentous issue of war. All deprecated war as a means of saving the Union, and some took open ground against all such measures, declaring their unalterable opposition to waging war against their Southern brethren. One gentleman declared that he was born in Tennessee; that the bones of his fathers were buried in that State, and under no circumstances would he take up arms against his kinsmen in an effort to save the Union. These sentiments apparently met the hearty approval of the assemblage, as they were frequently applauded. At last Gen. Raum was called upon for a speech, but as it was getting late in the night he stated that he would be glad to address them upon the great question before them, and would do so at the Court House, the next day at 1 o'clock. The next day came, and with it a great crowd of expectant people, many coming from Paducah, to hear the address, for Gen. Raum was widely known in that portion of Kentucky. At the appointed time, Gen. Raum commenced his address, and continued to speak for full two hours. He declared the Union perpetual and unbroken; dwelt upon its benefits, and the futility of every effort to destroy it. He declared it the duty of every citizen to stand by the |