Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1836-11-02

sire to be distinctly understood as referring |
rather to certain of her public agents than
10 the mass of her citizens, great majority |
of whom, it is believed, with us desire to see
the matter in dispute settled upon terms
mutually honorable and just to all the parties
The state of Ohio exhibits to the world a
lively specimen Of the actings Of our nature,
when uncontrolled by reason, justice and
morality. Her avarice keeps pace with her
growth, in population and resources. Not
content with large and fruitful territory,
and with a great proportion of the southern
coast of Lake Erie-and with the bountiful
appropriations made by congress for the i'm
provements of the harbors upon her coast
as well as for internal improvements-she
also has laid her Unsuitable grasp upon
portion of our comparatively small territory,
and right or wrong seems determined to
cling to it. Not content with her own
princely domains, she like the lordly Ahab
of old also covets the vineyard of poor
Naboth--and We regret to say that Jesebels
are not wanting who would willingly re-en-
act the tragic scenes of that sanguinary
drama.
The history of the pretended Claim of
Ohio presents curious specimen Of the art
OF selfish management-dependent alone
as it is, in point of fact, upon the story of
an Indian trapper, and the glimmering traces
of map of by-gone days! In 1902, her
convention distinctly recognizes her true
northern boundary as established by the
ordinance, and the act of Congress provid-
ing for her admission into the Union, but in
the form Of proviso see fit to add" with
the assent Of Congress" she will extend
her boundaries to the north cape of the
Maumee Bay, and thence northeast to the
territorial line, so as to include the whole of
the waters of Lake Erie into the bargain.
Fearful that her craftiness would not be
overlooked, she wisely struggled her men,
bers into their seats unobserved: What
Modesty Congress, however, did not give
their assent, but on the contrary for the
space of more than thirty years, (even up
to the month of March last past,) refused it.
In the mean time Ohio increased in popula-
ton, resources and political Importance, and
as she had been the darling favorite of Con.
gress, and had grown under their fostering
care TO gigantic strength and Colosseum
magnitude, and this being the only favor of
importance which Congress had not granted
her when asked, she at first only murmured
and complained; but when she found she
could not gain her purpose by whining, she
had recourse to clustering and bravado,
talked of her MILLION OF FREEMEN, and
proceeded at once to nullify the act of Con.
gress of 1905. by erecting counties and
townships within our territory, appointing
officers and organizing courts Of justice, &c.
And in order to support the system of Null.
LITIGATION her Chief Magistrate ordered out a
part of his " Million" and boldly advanced
within five or six miles Of the true boundary
line between Ohio and Michigan, and there
made glorious display of military prowess
AT safe distance from the line claimed by
the refractory inhabitants of Michigan.
The Legislature Of Ohio, and her delega-
ton in Congress also, performed their parts
of the drama in heightened threats and
angry menaces. This course seems to
have had its effect-Ohio must be concilia-
ted. Congress gave their long-witheld as
sent, at a time and in manner which will
forever form most curious and unique
epoch in the history Of American legisla-
ton and as if to secure the smiles of Ohio,
they have undertaken to force an assent
from the people of Michigan, by making it
"sine qua non" of our admission to a
representative share in the Federal Coun-
cils--presenting, on the part of that body,
the moral and political absurdity of admit
i'm cfofc inf fl,<,T AaE
boundaries, and at the same time, by q
species of legerdemain, attempting to force
Michigan to surrender portion Of its sove-
reignty and its people into the hands of a
neighboring rival--in fact, endeavoring to
admit state, received with definite boun-
dairy more than 80 years before, lille
farther into the Union, at the expense of the
people Of another state whose constitution
andgovernment is recognized, in the clearest
and strongest terms, in the self. same actl
Ohio, in her eagerness to secure to her.
self even squatter's title to the territory in
dispute, has harbored and protected from
justice, for many months, the intended as
sasin of one of our legal executive officers
when in the performance of his duty, and
refused to surrender him to our authority,
when legally demanded by our Executive,
in pursuance of the Constitution of the u.
Sizes and by the especial direction of the
President as a fugitive from justice; to say
nothing of an appropriation of three hum
dred dollars from the state treasury as re-
ward for the fidelity of this self-same out.
law. In her eager aspiring after power,
she has been totally reckless of the supreme
laws OF our common country and the laws
of humanity and honor. And however
this controversy may terminate, this stain
upon her escutcheon will continue visible to
the world and to posterity.
And, fellow citizens, it is under law Of
her own state, which the Attorney General
of the United States had declared to be un.
constitutional, that Ohio usurps kind of