n the election of 1822, there were 8635 votes cast,
while in that of 1824 there were 11,612 votes cast. This great increase
indicates a large immigration. Immigration at this time was largely to the
northern counties of the state, and it is a point of prime significance
that each of the seven northern counties gave large majorities against the
calling of the convention, and that without the vote of these seven
counties the vote would have been 4523 for a convention and 4408 against a
convention, thus changing the decision of the state. This vote of the
northern counties can not be explained by an increased immigration from
the north, because no such increase to any significant degree is
discoverable. The admission of Missouri as a slave state would naturally
lead pro-slavery emigrants to go to that state instead of to Illinois.
Another event which tended to influence the vote in Illinois was the
decision of Indiana against slavery, in the summer of 1823, in the midst
of the campaign in Illinois.(521) The unjust action of the Illinois House
of Representatives in unseating an anti-convention member was a powerful
argument against the pro-slavery party.

In his message to the legislature, on November 16, 1824, Governor Coles
said: "In the observations I had the honor to make to the last
Legislature, I recommended that provision should be made for the abolition
of the remnant of African slavery which still existed in this state. The
full discussion of the principles and policy of personal slavery, which
has taken place since that period, resulting in its rejection by the
decided voice of the people, still more imperiously makes it my duty to
call your attention in an especial manner to this subject, and earnestly
to entreat you to make just and equitable provision for as speedy an
abolition of this remnant of slavery, as may be deemed consistent with the
rights and claims of the parties concerned.

"In close connection with this subject, is my former recommendation, to
which I again solicit your attention, that the law as it respects those
held in service should be rendered less severe, and more accordant with
our political institutions and local situation; and that more severe
penalties should be enacted against the unnatural crime of kidnapping,
which then prevailed to a great extent and has since considerably
increased, in consequence of the defects of the present law. Regarding the
former, our laws in general are a mere