Benjamin Stephenson to James Monroe, 19 January 1816
Benjamin Stephenson to James Monroe
Washington 19th: Jany 181⟨6⟩
Sir,
I feel myself impelled by a sence of duty towards a number of Citizens of the Illinois Territory to remonstrate against the execution of the late proclamation issued by the President to remove setlers upon the public lands after the1 day in March next—should this order be inforced it ⟨wi⟩ll in the above Territory be distressing to many Citizens and not beneficial to the interest of the government, my object in addressing you, is, to solicit that a time may be set for the removal of the above setlers one or two months, after, they shall have an oppertunity of purchasing the land on which they have setled and made improvements. I have the honor to be sir verry respectfully yours.
B. Stephenson2
RC (DNA: RG 59, ML). Redirected by Monroe to “The President.”
1. Left blank in text.
2. Benjamin Stephenson (1769–1822), a Pennsylvania native, moved to Virginia at the age of eighteen and to Illinois Territory in 1809. He fought in the War of 1812 at the rank of colonel in the territorial militia. In 1814 he was elected to Congress as a territorial delegate and served there until 1816, when JM appointed him receiver of public moneys at Edwardsville, Illinois, a position he held until his death. Stephenson was also a member of the 1818 Illinois constitutional convention (Illinois Edwardsville Spectator, 12 Oct. 1822; 13th Cong., 3d sess., 560; 3:51–52).