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The Blackhawk War BY HENRY LITTLE, 1875
Colonel Brown's commission was granted by Stevens T. Mason. It was dated the seventh day of June, 1833, and was to take effect from and after the twenty-first of the previous month. The Colonel took the oath of office before Basil Harrison, on Prairie Ronde, on the fifteenth day of June, 1832. In making the commission, a blank form was used, the same in kind as had been used by Governor Cass when in that office; the blank was probably one that the Governor left when he vacated his office a short time before.
The name "Lewis Cass" in large capitals stands at the head, and is scored with seven horizontal lines across it. Above that name and written with a pen, is "Stevens T. Mason, " and between Lewis Cass and the body of the instrument, is another line of writing, to wit: "Secretary, and at present acting Governor, in and over the Territory of Michigan. "
Although Colonel Brown did really have a commission, yet there can be no doubt but that the greatest part, if not all of his official acts as Colonel were performed by him before he received the commission. That opinion does not depend entirely upon conjecture or public rumor for support, but is strengthened by the fact, that it was to take effect from and after the twenty-first day of the previous month, or twenty-six days before he took the oath of office, showing conclusively that he had acted as Colonel during those 26 days, if not more. The retrospective effect intended to be given to that commission was to legalize Colonel Brown's previous acts. I suppose that nearly, or all of the Colonel's labors, both in the camp, and in the field, were before the said fifteenth day of June. How far, if at all, that Colonel Brown acted under the advice of General Brown then living in Lenawee County, I am unable to state, further than to say that we never heard his name mentioned in connection with those affairs.
Michigan
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