220 The Winning of the West 



Todd appointed a Virginian, Richard Winston, 

 as commandant at Kaskaskia; all his other appoint- 

 ees were Frenchmen. An election was forthwith 

 held for justices; to the no small astonishment of 

 the Creoles, unaccustomed as they were to Ameri- 

 can methods of self-government. Among those 

 whom they elected as judges and court-officers were 

 some of the previously appointed militia captains 

 and lieutenants, who thus held two positions. The 

 judges governed their decisions solely by the old 

 French laws and customs. 8 Todd at once made 

 the court proceed to business. On its recommenda- 

 tion he granted licenses to trade to men of assured 

 loyalty. 



Todd also issued a proclamation in reference 

 to new settlers taking up lands. Being a shrewd 

 man, he clearly foresaw the ruin that was sure to 

 arise from the new Virginia land laws as applied 

 to Kentucky, and he feared the inrush of a horde 

 of speculators, who would buy land with no imme- 

 diate intention of settling thereon. Besides, the land 

 was so fertile in the river bottoms, that he deemed 

 the amount Virginia allotted to each person exces- 

 sive. So he decreed that each settler should take 

 up his land in the shape of one of the long narrow 

 French farms, that stretched back from the water- 

 front; and that no claim should contain a greater 

 number of acres than did one of these same farms. 

 This proclamation undoubtedly had a very good 

 effect. 



3 State Department MSS., No. 48, p. 51. 



