er and as such was not
amenable to civil law.(35)

In the very midst of starvation, the French, unaccustomed to English ways,
were wishing to increase the expense of government. An unsigned official
letter says, in speaking of affairs in Illinois: "I find that justices of
the peace, appointed among them, expect to be paid, this not being the
practice under our laws, there is no provision for it. Would it not be
expedient to restrain these appointments to a very small number, and for
these (if it be necessary) to require small contributions either from the
litigants or the people at large, as you find would be most agreeable. In
time, I suppose even this might be discontinued. The Clerks & Sheriffs
perhaps may be paid, as with us, only converting Tobacco fees into their
worth in peltry. As to the rules of decision & modes of proceding, I
suppose ours can be only gradually introduced. It would be well to get
their militia disciplined by calling them regularly together according to
our usage; however, all this can only be recommended to your
Discretion."(36) Some eight years later the exaction of exorbitant fees
was one of the chief reasons which caused the reform of the French court
at Vincennes.(37)

The plan for concentrating most of the Illinois troops at a single point
was carried out in the spring of 1780. The chief objects sought were to
procure supplies and to prevent the advance of the Spaniards. At first, it
was thought advisable to locate the new fort on the north side of the Ohio
near the Mississippi, and Col. Todd made some grants of land to such
persons as were willing to settle in the vicinity and assist in raising
provisions, but the fact that Virginia currency, although refused in
Illinois, was accepted in Kentucky caused the fort to be built south of
the Ohio, and it is probable that Todd's grants of land at the site first
proposed lapsed.(38) As the troops had a great need for settlers to raise
crops, Capt. Dodge suggested to the governor of Virginia that immigrants
to Illinois should receive aid from Virginia. This would aid the troops
and would stop emigration to the Spanish possessions west of the
Mississippi.(39)

As the French could neither support the soldiers nor do without them,
commissions in blank were sent to Maj. Bosseron, district commandant at
Vincennes, with power to raise a company there, and to assure the company
that pay would be allowed by the government. It was feared that the
sett