SLAVERY IN ILLINOIS
French adventurers from Canada the first whites in
Illinois--Followed by colonists from Louisiana--Slaves sent from
Santo Domingo by John Law's Company of the Indies--Thomas
Jefferson takes steps to exclude slavery from the Northwest
Territory--The Anti-Slavery Ordinance of 1787--The territorial
legislature authorizes the holding of "indentured servants" for
a limited time--Attempts to repeal the Ordinance defeated in
Congress by John Randolph of Roanoke--State constitution in 1818
prohibits slavery--the pro-slavery men attempt to change the
constitution--Bitter contest in 1824 results in their
defeat--Slavery continues, nevertheless, under judicial
decisions--Trumbull wages war against it in the courts--His
final victory in the Jarrot case, in 1845 23