. The people were told that the government, Virginia,
was going to send a regiment of regular troops for their defense, that the
new governor would arrange and settle their affairs, and that they would
soon become accustomed to the American system of government. In regard to
the election of judges, Clark said: "I pray you to consider the importance
of this choice; to make it without partiality, and to choose the persons
most worthy of such posts."(23) The nine members of the court of
Kaskaskia, the seven members of the court of Cahokia, and the nine members
of the court of Vincennes, as also the respective clerks were French. Of
the three sheriffs, Richard Winston, sheriff of Kaskaskia, was the only
one who was not French.(24)

Military commissions were promptly made out, those of the districts of
Kaskaskia and Cahokia being dated May 14, 1779. So many of the persons
elected judges were also given military commissions that it seems probable
that the supply of suitable men was small. No fewer than fourteen such
cases occur. Of the militia officers appointed at Vincennes, P. Legras,
appointed lieutenant-colonel, had been a major in the British service, and
F. Bosseron, appointed major, had been a captain in the British
service.(25)

The position of Illinois among the counties of Virginia was necessarily
anomalous. All counties, except the County of Illinois, were asked to
furnish one twenty-fifth of their militia to defend the state. Illinois
county was omitted from the western counties enumerated in "An act for
adjusting and settling the titles of claimers to unpatented lands under
the present and former government, previous to the establishment of the
commonwealth's land office." Settlers northwest of the Ohio were warned to
remove. No settlement would be permitted there, and if attempted, the
intruder might be removed by force--"_Provided_, That nothing herein
contained shall be construed in any manner to injure or affect any French,
Canadian, or other families, or persons heretofore actually settled in or
about the villages near or adjacent to the posts reduced by the forces of
this state." These exceptions were made at the May session of 1779. At
this session, there was passed an act for raising one troop of cavalry,
consisting of one captain, one lieutenant, one cornet, and thirty-two
privates to defend the inhabitants of Illinois county. All officers were
to be appointed by the governor and council. The men were to