The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-12-25

Of Lake Erie, in the beginning OF TIT
expedition. Soon after his voyage ,th'
French missionaries began TO travers
the country through which he had pass
ed, and the government established
military posts on the lakes. Severa
settlements were made on the Missis
|, sippi, above the mouth Of the Ohio, ant
about the year 1875, n was made Of
the Wabash, at V~incennes.
Very little notice was taken Of thu
country on the head waters Of the Ohio
by either the French or English gov
ernments, until about the middle Of th'
last century. Both parties claimed il
but neither took any stepsto occupy it
The French, upon good ground consid
cred themselves as having the best RICH
10 it, because they had been the first te
explore it, and it was situated as a kline
Of connecting link, between their pos
sessions in Canada and Louisiana; but
satisfied with ,raversing the country
undisturbed by the English, they
took no further steps TO establish theil
claims, and made no other settlements
in addition to those on the Mississippi
and Wabash. The English claim to the
country was founded upon the royal
charters to the different colonial gov.
ernments,w which included in their grants
al! the country westward Of the settle.
ments on the Atlantic, within the same
parallels Of latitude, 10 the Pacific; but
this claim like that of the French, was
not carried into effect by any measures
Of formal occupation of the Territory.
About the year 1909 however, both
nations began to be impressed with the
importance Of the country, and to pre-
pare to establish their respective claims.
In that year, the Governor general Of
Canada,sent a party to deposite medals
at the mouths OF rivers and other i'm
portant places in the disputed Terrific
ry, asserting the right Of the King Of
France to all the country watered by
the river Ohio and its branches. About
the same time, a number Of merchants
and other persons Of note in Virginia
and Maryland, and also in England,
formed an association under the name
Of the Ohio Company, and obtained a
grant from the Grown Of England Of
six hundred thousand acres ofland on
the waters of the Ohio, together with
very extended privileges as a trading
company, which assured them an al
most entire monopoly Of the traffic with
the Indians. This company soon com.
menced operations, by sending out sur
veyors and traders, by some of whom
a post was established on one Of the
branches Of the Great Miami river,
was the first known establish
ment made by white men within the
bounds Of Ohio. This fort was taken
in 1852, by the French, who carried
the traders prisoners to Presque Isle,
now Erie, in Pennsylvania, at which
place they had, shortly before that time,
built a fort. They also built a fort on
Allegheny, and began to pursue
their design Of establishing themselves
in possession Of the disputed country,
with so much vigor, that the govern
ments of Pennsylvania and Virginia
became alarmed from their encroach-
ments, and in 1853, George Washington
was sent by Governor Dinwiddie, with
letter to the French commandant, re-
monstrating against their proceed
ings, as an infringement Of the rights
If the King Of Great Britain, The
French disregarded the remonstrancs
and in 1854, built Fort Du Quesne
at the confluence of the Allegheny
and MonongaheIa, where Pittsburgh
now s,ands.q The warlbesween France
and England then ensued;the French
evacuated Fort sDu Quesne in 1885,;
md in l763,at the conclusion ~ofpeace,
France surrendered Canada, and re-
aounced all her claims to any part Of
ne country eastlof the Mississippi.
Between the peace Of I7ss, and the
commencement Of the American revo-
-. aL- WI.AHl ], va, i