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1845.

Cincinnati Observatory.

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answer the charge for "abating the Nauvoo Expositor," a mittimus was issued on the evening of the 25th, and the two Smiths were committed to jail on a charge of treason, "until delivered by due course of law." On the morning of the 26th, another interview was had between the Governor and the accused, and both parties seemed to be satisfied. Instead of being confined in the cells, the two Smiths, at the instance of their friends, were put into the debtor's room of the prison, and a guard assigned for its, as well as their security. During this time their friends, as usual, had access to them in jail, by permission of the gov ernor. On the same day, (June 26,) they were taken before the magistrate who had committed them to prison, and further proceedings, on the complaint for treason, were postponed until the 29th. On the morning of the 27th, Governor Ford discharged a part of the troops under his command, and proceeded with a portion of the residue, a single company only, to Nauvoo; leaving the jail, the prisoners, and some two or three of their friends, guarded by seven or eight men, and a company of about sixty militia, the Carthage Grays, a few yards distant in reserve.

About six o'clock in the afternoon of the 27th, during the absence of Governor Ford, the guard stationed at the prison were overpowered by an armed mob in disguise; the jail broken and entered, and the two Smyths, (Joseph and Hyrum,) without any pretence of right or authority whatever, were wantonly slain. Having effected their object, all of which was accomplished in a few minutes, they immediately dispersed.*

The Mormons, who appear to have ascribed the outrage to persons from Missouri,† were prevailed upon to continue quiet, and no farther outbreak occurred, until those troubles began which have so lately ended in their expulsion from Nauvoo.‡

In June of this year occurred a rise of the Mississippi, which caused vast suffering and extensive damage. Many towns were entirely under water.

1845. ·

May 8th. On this day the first observations of consequence were made at the Cincinnati Observatory; they were upon the Transit of Mercury. This Observatory, one of the first in the world in respect to the power of its Equatorial, is entirely the

Brown, 487.

The account of the Mormons in Illinois we take entirely from Brown. A trustworthy and full history of Mormonism up to the destruction of Nauvoo, is much to be desired. † See the letter of Richards and others (leading Mormons) in Brown, 489.

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Cincinnati Observatory.

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1845.

result of the energy, perseverance, and patience, of one man, Olmsted M. Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell, then a Professor in the Cincinnati College, in the spring of 1842 delivered in Cincinnati a course of lectures upon Astronomy, in order to see if the subject could be made popular. He perfectly succeeded. About May 1st of that year he began to ask the citizens of Cincinnati to contribute toward the purchase of a Great Equatorial Telescope to be mounted in or near that city. During the same month, through his exertions, a Society was organized whose object it was to found an Observatory and prosecute Astronomical researches. This Society soon took into consideration the best mode of procuring a first rate Instrument, and upon deliberation, authorized Professor Mitchell to go to Europe and obtain one. He left Cincinnati for this object on the 11th of June, 1842. Having visited London and Paris, Mr. M. determined that his mission could be satisfactorily accomplished only by going to Munich, where Frauenhofer had established his celebrated manufactory of achromatic refracting lenses. At that place Mr. M. made his contract, and returning to England stayed for awhile as an operative in the Greenwich Observatory, in order to learn the detail of observation, and thence returned to the United States.

In November 1843 the Corner Stone of the Cincinnati Observatory was laid by John Quincy Adams, and an address was delivered by that venerable statesman and student. The building, however, was not really commenced until the following May, and was then carried forward only by the energy and untiring perseverance of Mr. Mitchell, who at the same time planned, directed, contracted, raised, or rather made funds, acted as paymaster, advised the mechanics, and labored by their side. In April, 1845, the Observatory building was finished. Meantime the Telescope had been paid for, mostly by the single subscriptions of men laboring to support their families;-its cost being $10,000. It was received at Cincinnati in the spring of 1845, and was mounted about the close of April; every arrangement having been made by the projector and executor of the whole plan.

This we note, as the First Observatory ever erected by "The People" in modern times.

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treats with the Indians,
hears of Hamilton's plans,
marches against Vincennes,
his efforts and sufferings,
summons Hamilton to yield,
takes Vincennes,

embarrassed by paper money,
builds fort Jefferson,

attacks Indians on Miamis,

to attack Detroit,

made commander in west,

attacks Indians on Miamis,

his commission withdrawn,

grant of land to,

proposition to take, 1776 and 7,
might have been taken by Clark,

proposal to attack in 1780-1

steps relative to, in 1783,

in 1804 and 5,

222 Delawares, treaty with, at Pittsburgh, 1778, 200

224 Delaware objects to land claims of Vir-

treats with Indians, 1786. 276 to 278 & note Defiance, fort, built, &c.

goes up Wabash and fails, 1786,

his illegal acts at Vincennes

becomes leader under Genet's influence, 421 D'Iberville,

Clarkesville founded.

ginia, &c.

226

234 Debts in west in early times,

242

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260 Deposite, fort, built,

405

404. 410

279 Dearborn, fort, (Chicago) taken, 1812,
281 Diego Miruelo visits Florida,

530

1

31, &c.

260 Disunion, Spanish plan of,

4928

Cleveland founded,

Clay, General, 1813,

463

Dog feast of Indians,

note-7

543

Connecticut cedes her western lands, 284 and note
reserve settled,

Company, Mississippi, (company of West
and company of Indies.)

Coxe, Dr. Daniel, claims to Carolana,

his accounts, &c.

Contrecœur commands at fort Duquesne,

Connolly, John, explores west,

owns part of Louisville,

his conduct at Pittsburgh, 1774,

Donaldson, Col. deeds of Kentucky to, 107--note
Doughty, Major,
273. 321

457. 473

Dorchester, Lord, his speech to Indians,
395. 396-note

34 to 36

Dress used in west in early times,

43

Duquesne, fort, plan of,

235. 236
63-note

43. 44

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80.85

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129

sends Conolly to fort Pitt,

122

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his land at falls,

Cornstalk tries to preserve peace,

at battle of Point Pleasant,

makes peace,

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130

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prepares to invade Indian country,

130

129

enters the Shawanese country and

130

makes peace,

131

132

his conduct in 1774,

133 and note.

betrayed by the Americans and killed, 162

153-note

Cornplanter.

347 and note

denounces Transylvania company, 137

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131 Dunmore's war,
234 Dunmore fort, at Pittsburgh, built, &c.
259. 383. 390 | Duer, Col. his connection with the Ohio

121 to 133

123

Convention, first Kentucky,

265

second

do

company,
271 Dudley, Colonel, at fort Meigs, 1813,

289. 454--nots

543

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272

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