mated cost, $3,532,394; amount expended $831,302; nineteen miles of which was completed at that date, at the southern end, and sixteen miles extending south from Indianapolis were nearly completed.

7. Erie and Michigan canal, one hundred and eighty-two miles in length; estimated cost, $2,624,823: amount expended, $156,324. No part of this work was finished in 1841.

8. The Madison and Indianapolis railroad, over eighty-five miles in length, total estimated cost, $2,046,600, amount expended $1,493,013. Road finished and in operation for about twenty-eight miles; grading nearly finished, and twenty-seven miles in addition, extending to Edenburg.

9. Indianapolis and Lafayette turnpike road, seventy-three miles in length, total estimated cost, $593,737, amount expended, $72,182. The bridging and most of the grading was done on twenty-seven miles from Crawfordsville to Lafayette.

10. New Albany and Vincennes turnpike road, one hundred and five miles in length, estimated cost, $1,127,295, amount expended, $654,411. In 1841, forty-one miles were graded and macadamized, extending from New Albany to Paoli, and twentyseven miles in addition, partly graded.

11. Jeffersonville and Crawfordsville road, over one hundred and sixty-four miles long, total estimated cost, $1,651,800, amount expended, $372,737. Forty-five miles were partly graded and bridged, extending from Jeffersonville to Salem, and from Greencastle north.

12. Improvement of the Wabash rapids, undertaken jointly by Indiana and Illinois; estimated cost to Indiana, $102,500, amount expended by Indiana, $9,539. There had also been paid to the board of Internal Improvements, for instruments, etc., to date, $36,564. By summing up the foregoing, it will be seen that the whole length of these roads and canals was one thousand two hundred and eighty-nine miles, only two hundred and eightyone of which had been finished in 1841. The estimated aggregate cost of all the works was $19,914, 124. The amount expended for all purposes, to that date, was $8,164,528. The state debt, at this time, amounted to $18,469,146. In reference to this condition of the public debt, as well as the means to be employed

for reducing it, Gov. Bigger, in 1841, remarked: "It is due to ourselves, in this state of our affairs, to examine into some of the prominent causes which have produced the present embarrassments. The first of these is doubtless to be found in the number of large and expensive works embraced in the system of internal improvements and their simultaneous prosecution. Also the unexpected increase in the prices of provisions, labor, and materials, was such that a sum much greater than the original estimate was required for the construction of the public works. Two great errors were committed in the progress of the system. The first was, paying the most of the interest out of the money borrowed. This subjected the state to the payment of compound interest, and the people, not feeling the pressure of taxes to discharge the interest, naturally became inattentive to the policy which was pursued. Had the legislature commenced by levying taxes to defray the interest as it accrued, its amount would have been a certain index to the sums expended on the works. This of itself would have done much to check extravagant expenditures. The second error was selling bonds on credit." This led to very disastrous results. The administration of Gov. Bigger closed in a very dissatisfactory manner, though from no fault of the governor. He was succeeded by James Whitcomb in December, 1843.

During the administration of Gov. Whitcomb, the war with Mexico was thrust upon the United States and prosecuted to a glorious triumph in the acquisition of immense tracts of lands in the south and west. Indiana contributed her full ratio to the troops that were sent into the field, and in a spirit of singular promptness and patriotism, adopted all necessary measures to sustain the general government. These new acquisitions of territory opened for discussion the question of slavery, in which Gov. Whitcomb expressed himself opposed to any further extension of the "National sin." It is due to the memory of Gov. Whitcomb to state that through the judicious operations of his government, the public credit of the state was redeemed. Measures of compromise between the state and its creditors were adopted by which, ultimately, the public works, although incomplete, were given in payment for the claims against the govern

ment. In this and other ways, the state was again placed upon respectable footing in the nation.

Gov. Whitcomb was succeeded as governor by Joseph A. Wright, in December, 1849, having faithfully discharged the important duties devolving upon the office, until called, in December, 1848, to represent the state of Indiana in the senate of the United States. Lieut. Gov. Paris C. Dunning was acting gov. ernor from December, 1848, to the same month in 1849. The administration of Gov. Wright, was a successful one. He endorsed the compromise measures enacted by congress on the slavery question in 1850; and in closing his message of this year he remarked: "Indiana takes her stand in the ranks not of southern destiny, nor yet of northern destiny. She plants herself on the basis of the constitution, and takes her stand in the ranks of American destiny." It was also during Gov. Wright's fruitful administration that the state of Indiana started out fully upon the great mission of education. It was in 1852 that the township system was adopted, which has become a truly wonderful success- -the boast of the state. The reader is referred to another part of this volume for a complete history of the superior educational advantages of Indiana. It was also during Gov. Wright's administration that the second constitutional convention was held, and a new constitution adopted. A general banking law was adopted in 1851. This gave a new impetus to the commerce of the state, and opened the way for a broader volume of general trade. This banking law, however, gave rise to many abuses. The currency was expanded, a delusive idea of wealth prevailed, and, as a consequence, much injurious speculation was indulged. In 1857, the charter of the state bank expired, and the large gains of the state in that institution were directed to the promotion of common school education. Gov. Joseph A. Wright was succeeded by Ashbel P. Willard, in January, 1857, as gov. ernor of the state of Indiana.

Gov. Willard, in one of his messages, thus sums up the history of the state bank of Indiana: "On the 28th January, 1834, an act was approved establishing a state bank. Said act, by its terms, ceased to be a law on the first of January 1857. Under this law the bank commenced and continued its operations as a

corporation authorized to issue and circulate notes, discount paper, and transact all other ordinary banking business until the first of January, 1857. At that time its outstanding circulation was $4,208,725, with a debt due to the institution principally from citizens of the state of $6,095,368. Between the first of January, 1857, and 1859, the bank redeemed nearly its entire circulation, and provided amply for the redemption of that which has not been returned. She has collected from most of her debt* * * ors the money which they owed. The state was interested in the bank. She invested in its stock $1,390,000. The money to make the investment was procured by the issuing of five per cent. bonds, the last of which will be payable July 1, 1866. * * The report of the commissioners shows that its nominal profits are $2,780,604.36. By the law creating the sinking fund, that fund was appropriated, first, to pay the principal. and interest upon the bonds; second, the expenses of the commissioners; and lastly, the cause of common school education."

On the 3d of October, 1860, before his term of office expired, Gov. Willard died at St. Paul, Minn., after which, for the remaining portion of the term the duties of governor devolved the Lieut. Gov. A. A. Hammond. He was succeeded by Henry S. Lane, who resigned to accept the United States senatorship, leaving the duties of governor to be discharged by Lieut. Gov. O. P. Morton. The administration of the latter was full of important events. With the beginning of the year 1861, the war for the union commenced. In this war Indiana acted a noble part, contributing very promptly her quota of men and means. O. P. Morton was succeeded by Conrad Baker, as governor in 1868. The latter was succeeded by Thomas A. Hendricks, in 1873. The governors of the territory and state of Indiana from its organization to the present are:

Territorial Governors. Arthur St. Clair, governor northwest territory; William II. Harrison, from 1800 to 1812; Thomas Posey, from 1812 to 1816.

Governors of the State. Jonathan Jennings, from 1816 to 1819; Jonathan Jennings, (second term), from 1819 to 1822; William Hendricks, from 1822 to 1825; James B. Ray, (acting), February, 1825; James B. Ray, from 1825 to 1828; James B. Ray, (second

term), from 1828 to 1831; Noah Noble, from 1831 to 1837; Noah Noble, (second term), from 1834 to 1837; David Wallace, from 1837 to 1840; Samuel Bigger, from 1840 to 1843; James Whitcomb, from 1843 to 1846; James Whitcomb, from 1846 to 1848; Parris C. Dunning, (acting), from 1848 to 1849; Joseph A. Wright, from 1849 to 1852; Joseph A. Wright, from 1853 to 1857; Ashbel P. Willard, from 1857 to 1860; Abram A. Hammond, (acting), from 1860 to 1861; Henry S. Lane, (a few days), 1860; Oliver P. Morton, (acting), from 1860 to 1865; Oliver P. Morton, from 1865 to 1867; Conrad Baker, (acting), from 1867 to 1869; Conrad Baker, from 1869 to 1873; Thomas A. Hendricks, from 1873 to

Concerning laws and courts, state institutions, educational institutions, etc., of Indiana, the reader is referred to one of the sev eral classes of subjects treated in this volume.

CHAPTER XXVII.

STATE HISTORIES-MICHIGAN.

Michigan forms a Constitution-Sketch of the "Toledo War" - Michigan in the War for the Union.

AS WE have seen, Michigan became a state with Stevens T. Mason as governor, and no sooner was the whole machinery of the state government in motion, than the question of the boundary between that state and Ohio began to attract serious attention. The contest was rapidly approaching a crisis. *"Michigan claimed for her southern boundary a line running east across the peninsula from the extreme southern point of Lake Michigan, extending through Lake Erie, to the Pennsylvania line. This she claimed as a vested right—a right accruing to her by compact. This compact was the ordinance of 1787, the parties to which were the original thirteen states, and the territory northwest of

* Tuttle's History of Michigan.