march july founding political figure state illinois served governor united_states senators illinois governor illinois time place personal influential parties edwards led main factions frontier illinois politics born maryland edwards began political career kentucky served legislator judge rose position chief justice time kentucky highest court president appointed govern newly created held post terms overseeing territory transition democratic second grade government second day session elected edwards conflict rivals damaged politically edwards won unlikely election governor illinois conflict legislature state bank regulations marked edwards administration pursuit indian removal governor territorial governor twice sent illinois militia native americans war war signed treaties native american land edwards returned private life term ended died cholera years later early life born prominent edwards family maryland mother prominent local family father served maryland state convention united_states house_of_representatives filling vacant seat months educated private future attorney general attended graduate leaving college study law son wrote later edwards spent time reading medicine field devoted considerable time later years age edwards moved kentucky manage family land showed great business leadership soon elected seat eligible vote awarded rank major militia moved kentucky won succession public offices circuit court judge presidential voting judge finally chief justice time kentucky highest court joined high court won leadership position educated edwards deliberately cultivated image natural leader writes continued dress like 18th century gentleman long gone style public speaking marked edwards consciously positioned select class men dominated kentucky later illinois politics edwards married relative maryland territorial governorship created included today state wisconsin parts minnesota michigan population entirely concentrated south region later known egypt president appointed kentucky politician governor collected salary position days resigned edwards job kentucky chief justice friends washington helped secure edwards appointment territorial governor meantime territorial secretary cousin edwards assume powers acting governor creating illinois counties appointing officials form new government years old time appointment youngest man govern illinois state territory edwards settled american land received grant appointment governor named new farm wife family edwards brought number slaves free slavery illegal territory law concerning servants governor maintained status people brought territory contract serve trade occupation law remained force illinois territory permitted slavery persist decades guise illinois early governors edwards exception later extra income renting servants labor missouri new territorial governor sworn june edwards tried avoid soon found faction inevitable result power appoint officials distribute government jobs continued define national politics republican parties took hold frontier illinois created personality personal bonds militia service especially distribution patronage early territorial years rival factions grew edwards judge factions formed illinois political landscape time territory years democratic government edwards terms governor showed willingness surrender considerable powers order expand government illinois grade territorial status edwards vast powers appoint county local officials practice consider local opinion making appointments giving weight petitions signed local residents attempted militia officers time letting men unit elect leaders soon abandoned policy impractical edwards successfully persuaded congress modify provision ordinance limiting voting rights acres land long running disputes sold lands illinois qualify edwards urging congress granted illinois territory universal white male suffrage making democratic territory time april edwards held referendum moving second grade government allowing people illinois elect legislature non voting delegate congress referendum passed elections held october sent washington illinois congressional delegate war edwards governor long illinois scene fighting war relations illinois settlers native americans worsened territory june governor edwards ordered construction series called companies militia declaration war convinced edwards territory preparing launch major attack southern settlements capacity commander chief edwards gathered mounted rangers volunteers near personally led expedition north burning villages way militia advanced told short campaign burned villages inflicted dozens casualties returning attack angered villagers government carried native americans loyal leaders joined considered friendly interests second attack captain killed large number french settlers illinois missouri militia joined force united_states infantry drive native american villagers away establish edwards actions alienated native americans friendly region having lost confidence madison administration waited war kentucky second term territorial governor named second terms years territorial governor edwards good deal money profitable ventures including farming land speculation investment mills stores edwards political rivalry continued rest time governor edwards legislature criticized territory judges inactivity complaints judges hold court spent time absent territory legislature passed bill reform territory judicial system judges refused acknowledge act claiming outside jurisdiction legislature issue resolved congress passed law supporting edwards legislature december edwards responding movement led ally recommended legislature illinois apply admission union recommended census taken territory standard practice legislature rejected legislators particularly opposed slavery feared delay allow missouri apply illinois missouri slave state cause turmoil congress delay illinois admission longer order emphasize congress illinois free state legislature passed january bill abolish illinois servant system facto slavery prohibit illinois future constitution governor edwards issued veto send bill legislature revised objections constitutional grounds conflict interest owner slaves edwards terms territorial governor illinois population census finally conducted later year population meet threshold required new state congress expected continued growth senate career illinois quickly proceeded steps constitution finished august elections held september october general_assembly met october stepped inaugurated illinois governor following day new state legislature voted illinois members edwards quickly chosen ballot rival thomas elected fourth edwards thomas drew determine respective terms thomas placed class senate serve edwards placed class iii face reelection february edwards thomas wait congress formally illinois constitution admission union november december senators finally seated leaving edwards mere months term edwards election difficult months lost temporary support thomas allies general_assembly voted narrowly defeated thomas partisan vote influence powerful secretary state thomas ally like members congress senator edwards sat member democratic republican party second term drew joined faction develop national republicans edwards left office edwards voted bill thomas sponsored voted law reducing prices federal land edwards representative targets criticism home cook married edwards daughter julia caused trouble wrote articles washington republican pseudonym attacked treasury secretary edwards alleged known impending failure withdrawn federal money edwards found rivals willing support charges unable produce evidence resigned senate seat march job wanted united states minister mexico route new position edwards called washington testify special house committee concerning unable claims edwards resigned diplomatic post replaced illinois edwards settled belleville town site owned selling lots profit state governorship election returned appeared politician longer loyal coalition general_assembly elect actions lose favor president adams expect federal appointment addition supporters force illinois politics illinois frontier voters admired jackson soon time support national party democrats criticized jackson republican senator jackson growing coalition deeply resented edwards ally cook voted jackson presidential election decided house_of_representatives ran governor edwards good fortune enter way race split state senator lieutenant governor campaign issue edwards focused illinois dire financial situation blaming legislators edwards won percent vote percent rest going administration edwards gubernatorial term period rapid growth illinois decade population nearly era illinois fastest growing territory world edwards administration hampered conflict legislature primarily struggling bank established beginning notes badly helped state deeply debt inaugural address edwards attacked bank officials politicians alike accusing fraud point edwards poor relationship general_assembly term assembly eventually pass bank regulation bill passed measure relieve despite edwards objections state afford illinois established year state received federal land grant build illinois michigan canal work begin years edwards ordered illinois militia join war native americans northern illinois war fought white settlers members tribe broke wisconsin spread lead mining region edwards dispatched militia ordered men recruited force convinced surrender war edwards urged federal government remove remaining native americans northern illinois claiming presence violated rights sovereign independent state dispatch militia force federal government applied diplomatic pressure july ottawa ceded square miles km2 northern land august later life constitution governors limited single term edwards ended december returned private life ran lost edwards devoted charitable medical work belleville giving free care local residents cholera epidemic came area carried troops edwards stayed town care patients caught disease dying july interred belleville later moved springfield family edwards sons son law followed politics named father father childhood tutor served illinois attorney general general_assembly illinois superintendent public instruction married sister daughter married editor son congressman son assistant secretary president abraham_lincoln founded firm missouri son established successful law practice springfield illinois served judge illinois thirteenth circuit daughter married congressman son mayor springfield general union_army american_civil_war legacy illinois named missouri metro east area city illinois named time territorial governor territorial legislature named named founder pioneer trail named war campaign
Ninian Edwards