SPRINGFIELD, the capital of the state of Illinois, one of the United States of North America, in the midst of wide, rich prairies, 96 miles N.N.E. of St. Louis. It is regularly laid out, with a public square, and several wide, handsome streets. The chief buildings are the state-house, courthouse, banks, churches, academies, &c. The town was founded in 1822, and had in 1853 about 6500 inhabitants.