Combined History of Randolph, Monroe and Perry Counties, Illinois . with Illustrations Descriptive of Their Scenery and Biographical Sketches of Some of Their Prominent Men and Pioneers

Combined History of Randolph, Monroe and Perry Counties, Illinois . with Illustrations Descriptive of Their Scenery and Biographical Sketches of Some of Their Prominent Men and Pioneers
Author: Jl McDonough
Publisher: Franklin Classics
Total Pages: 568
Release: 2018-10-11
Genre:
ISBN: 9780342435524

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Dividing the Union

Dividing the Union
Author: Matthew W. Hall
Publisher: SIU Press
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2016
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0809334569

The first indepth examination of the architect of the Missouri Compromise In 1820 the Missouri controversy erupted over the issue of slavery in the newly acquired lands of the Louisiana Purchase. It fell to Jesse Burgess Thomas (1777-1853), a junior U.S. senator from the new state of Illinois, to handle the delicate negotiations that led to the Missouri Compromise. Thomas's maturity, good judgment, and restraint helped pull the country back from the brink of disunion and created a compromise that held for thirtyfour years. In Dividing the Union, Matthew W. Hall examines the legal issues underlying the controversy and the legislative history of the Missouri Compromise while focusing on Thomas's life and influence. As Hall demonstrates, Thomas was perfectly situated geographically, politically, and ideologically to deal with the Missouri controversy. The first speaker of the Indiana Territorial General Assembly and one of the first territorial judges in Illinois Territory, Thomas served in 1818 as the president of the Illinois State Constitutional Convention. That he was never required to clearly articulate his own views on slavery allowed Thomas to maintain a degree of neutrality, and, as Hall shows, his varied political career gave him the experience necessary to craft a compromise. Thomas's final version of the Compromise included shrewdly worded ambiguities that supported opposing interests in the matter of slavery. By weaving Thomas's life story into the history of the Missouri Compromise, Hall offers new insight into both a pivotal piece of legislation and an overlooked but important figure in nineteenthcentury American politics.