uscle, mental as well as bodily; men who
did not so much expect to live by their wits and other people's folly,
as by their own industry and enterprise. Among the early inhabitants of
Chicago and other important towns, were some whose talents and character
would have been valuable anywhere. Public spirit abounded, and the men
of that day evidently felt as men should feel who are destined to be the
ancestors of great cities. In 1837, when the business affairs of Chicago
were in a distressing state, and private insolvency was rather the rule
than the exception, many debtors and a few demagogues called a public
meeting, the real though not the avowed object of which was to bring
about some form of repudiation. Some inflammatory suggestions, designed
to excite to desperate thoughts those whose affairs were cruelly
embarrassed, having wrought up the assembly to the point of forgetting
all but the distresses of the moment, a call was made for the mayor, who
came forward, and in a few calm and judicious words besought all present
to pause before they ventured on dishonorable expedients. He entreated
them to bear up with the courage of men, remembering that no calamity
was so great as the loss of self-respect; that it were better for them
to conceal their misfortunes than to proclaim them; that many a fortress
had been saved by the courage of its defenders, and their determination
to conceal its weakened condition at all sacrifices. 'Above all things,'
he said, 'do not tarnish the honor of our infant city!'

These manly words called up manly thoughts, and the hour of danger
passed by.

At one time the legislature were induced, by means of various tricks,
together with some touches of that high-handed insolence by which such
things are accomplished, to pass a resolution for a convention to alter
the constitution of the State, with a view to the introduction of
SLAVERY. One of the newspapers ventured an article which exposed the
scandalous means by which the resolutions had been carried through the
House. The 'proofs' of this article were stolen from the printing
office, and the parties implicated in this larceny attempted to induce a
mob to demolish the office and the offending editor. But the pluck which
originated the stinging article sufficed for the defence of the office.
The effort to establish slavery in Illinois was kept up for a year or
more, but the bold editor and other friends of freedom labored
incessantly for the h