Fayette County, Illinois - Chapter 7: Additional Acts. Visit of Gen. Lafayette, Etc, 1878

N1823 the following acts were introduced into the Legislature. The latter will probably excite the surprise of many persons in this free-thinking and skeptical age. In those days, however, few men were scoffers, and those (rare not outrage public opinion by the ventilation of their heresies. There was a deep religious senti¬ ment pervading the entire country; and even many of the Indians of that day were sincere Christians, and not a few were sanguine of establishing a veritable theocracy.

" During the sitting of the convention, the Rev. Mr. Wiley and congrega¬ tion of a sect called Covenanters, in Randolph County, sent in their petition asking that body to declare in the Constitution that ' Jesus Christ was the head of the government, and that the Holy Scriptures were the only rule of faith and practice.' The petition was not treated with any attention, where¬ fore the Covenanters have never fully recognized the State government. They have looked upon it as an 4 heathen and unbaptized government,' which denies Christ, for which cause they have constantly refused to work roads, serve on juries, hold any office, or do any other act showing that they recognized the government. For a long time they refused to vote, and

Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the Geneial Assembly, that the Governor of said State be and is hereby authorized i and required to convey to Robert K. McLaughlin, John Wamock and John I F. McCullom, as trustees of the inhabitants of the town of Vandalia, and to I the successors of the said trustees, a piece of land to contain one acre and one half of an acre, south of and adjoining to the towp of Vandalia, for the | purposes of a burial-ground, and to include the place which the citizens of 1 said town have used as a grave-yard. j

Sec. 2. Be it further enacted That, for the purpose of erecting a house of ! Divine worship, - which shall be free to £11 denominations to preach in, - the said Governor is hereby required to select five lots in the town of Vandalia, and to convey the same to the said trustees and their successors, for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of the said town, on one of ; which said lots the said house of Divine worship shall be erected by the said j trustees or their successors, and the four lots shall be by them sold for the purpose of defraying the expense of the said house of Divine worship.

Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That the said piece of ground and the lot I on which the said building may be erected shall forever remain and be under ' the coutrol of said trustees and their successors, to be appointed by the actual settlers and persons of families in the town of Vandalia, in such manner as a | majority of them may agree upon.

In 1825, on the occasion of the visit of General La Fayette to the country j to which he had lent such timely and valuable aid, Governor Coles, in the | name pf the people of Illinois, extended him an earnest invitation to extend his visit, and do Illinois the honor of receiving aud welcoming him. To I the invitation General La Fayette replied as follows: !

welcome could not fail to excite, have increased that patriotic eagerness to ' admire in that blessed spot the happy and rapid results of republican insti¬ tutions - public and domestic virtues I shall, after the celebration of the , 22d of February anniversary day, leave this place (Washington) for a journey to the Southern, and from New Orleans to the Western States, so as to return to Boston on the 14th of June, when the- corner-stone of the Bunker's Hill monument is to be laid ; a ceremony sacred to the whole Union, and in which I have been engaged to act a peculiar and honorable I part."

He arrived at St. Louis in April, 1825, and was received by Governors Clark, of Missouri, and Coles, of Illinois. A large and enthusiastic gath¬ ering of the people welcomed the distinguished patriot. Every attention 1 that a grateful people could devise was paid to him.

delivered an address of welcome on behalf of the people of the State. He also visited Vandalia and Shawneetown, where Judge Hall delivered au address of welcome.