Illinois is supposed to be free territory, but it is not so many years ago that a vote was taken in Illinois to have slavery here, and it was defeated by no very great majority.

And now the Illinois laws are rather strict as to colored people.

The country is beginning to be feverish about the slavery question.

I saw evidence of this in New York and on the way here; though just in this place the matter is not so much agitated.

Yet the other day a copy of a periodical arrived here called _The Liberator_, and it made much angry talk.