tucky one
of 406,500; in 1820 Ohio had 581,400, while Kentucky had 563,300, giving a
difference in favor of Ohio of over 18,000; and an excess of gain during
the decade, in favor of Ohio, of 93,847. "We are willing to take into
consideration the unsettled titles of land in the last-mentioned state
[Kentucky], and admit that in this respect Ohio had a decided advantage--we
will therefore deduct the fraction of 93,847, believing it equivalent to
the loss of population from this cause--there is still a difference of
100,000."(507) The editor's figures for 1810 were correct and those for
1820 were approximately so. It is also true, and in line with his
argument, that during the same decade Indiana showed an increase from
24,500 to 147,200, while Missouri's increase was from 20,800 to 66,500;
the increase in Illinois being between the two in proportion of
increase--from 12,282 to 55,162.(508) The passing of the slaveholders to
Missouri continued and the discussion of the slavery question became
animated.

In the gubernatorial election of 1822 there were four candidates for
governor, two being anti-slavery and two pro-slavery in belief. Edward
Coles, from Virginia, an anti-slavery man, was elected by a plurality of
but a few votes. His election was due to a division in the ranks of the
opposite party, as is shown by the fact that the pro-slavery party polled
over 5300 votes, while the anti-slavery party polled only some 3300.(509)
In his message of December 5, 1822, Governor Coles strongly urged the
passage of a law to prevent kidnapping(510)--then a regular trade. This was
referred to a select committee which reported as follows: "Your committee
have carefully examined the laws upon the subject, and with deep regret
announce their incapability of devising a more effectual plan than the one
already prescribed by law for the suppression of such infamous crimes. It
is believed that the benevolent views of the executive and the benign
purposes of the statutes can only be realized by the redoubled diligence
of our grand juries and our magistrates, aided by the well-directed
support of all just and good men."(511) The legislature was politically
opposed to the governor, and the committee's report sounds like the
baldest irony. With the report was presented a scheme for introducing
slavery into the state,(512) a scheme which eventually led to the vote of
1824.(513)

The Constitution of Illinois provided that upon the vote of two-t