ger." It resulted that the attendance of Illinois inhabitants upon
either the legislature or the supreme court was fraught with many
inconveniences. Because of the extensive prairies between Illinois and
Vincennes, "a communication between them and the settlements east of that
river [the Wabash] can not in the common course of things, for centuries
yet to come, be supported with the least benefit, or be of the least
moment to either of them." Illinois objected to having been precipitated
into the second grade of government. In the election for that purpose,
said the memorialists, only Knox county voted in the affirmative, and
Wayne county did not vote, because the writs of election arrived too late.
Since entering the second grade the County of Wayne (Michigan) had been
struck off. It was believed that if the prayer for separation should be
granted, the rage for emigration to Louisiana would, in great measure,
cease, the value of public lands in Illinois would be increased, and their
sale would also be more rapid, while an increased population would render
Illinois flourishing and self-supporting rather than a claimant for
governmental support.(195)

At the same time that Congress received the above memorial, it received a
petition from a majority of the members of the respective houses of the
Indiana legislature. This petition asked that the freehold qualification
for electors be abolished; that Indiana Territory be not divided, and that
the undivided territory be soon made a state. It was said that the people
were too poor to support a divided government, and that as the general
court met annually in each county it was slight hardship to the frontier
to have the supreme court meet at Vincennes.(196) It was probably true at
this time, as it certainly was in 1807, that the general court met as
above stated. Appeal by bill of exceptions was, however, allowed. The
supreme court had no original, exclusive jurisdiction.(197) Nothing
daunted by this memorial from the legislature, Illinois, in a short time,
prepared another memorial--this time with twenty signatures. This adds to
the grievances recited in the previous memorial that the wealthy appeal
cases against the Illinois poor to the supreme court at Vincennes; that
landholders on the Wabash are interested in preventing the population of
lands on the Mississippi; that preemption is needed, and that it is hoped
that the general government will not pass unnoticed the act of