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

the unappropriated lands belonging
to the different colonies; and in con
sequence Of the different views o
tie subject taken in Congress, and BY
The government Of Virginia, the Legis
lature Of that state passed alaw to pre-
vent settlements on'the northwest sidt
Of the Ohio river, in order TO obviatt
any difficulties orjealousies which nigh
arise before the question was finally
determined. IA Congress, it was claim
ed lhat,as the lands were alienated from
the British government, and the acqui
sition, was to be maintained and de
tended by the common exertions, and
at the common cost of the blood und
treasure of all the states, they should
belong to all the states in common,and
should become a fund out of which the
expenses of their preservation might be
reimbursed. The sovereignty OF the
crown, and with il, the entire posses.
sions and uncontrolled influence Of the
Crown, were said to have been trans.
ferred to the supreme power Of the A.
merican commonwealth, which was the
Congress, and it would be unfair that
any state should receive a larger
share of those lands than others
which contributed an equal amount to.
wards their acquisition. Virginia re.
sisted this claim on the ground that the
territorial limits Of the respective states
must be the same that were prescribed
and defined in their respective charters
as colonies, by which alone their boun-
daries could be determined, and tina,
to deprive any n state Of a portion
of her territory, would be a subversion
Of the confederation. She declared
her willingness, however, to supply
lands in her territory, on the northwest
side Of the Ohio r%iver,without purchase
money, to the troops on the continen'
tai establishment Of such states as had
no unappropriated lands for such pur-
puse, provided the other states which
had such lands would also contribute
their proportions in the same manner.
At length, after The subject had been
much agitated, and had excited consid'
cradle jealousy and uneasiness, Vir.
ginia made a proposition to Congress,
and terms were finally ucceded TO, in
conformity with which in 1884, she ex-
ecuted a deed Of cession and surrender
ed to the United States, all the jurisdic.
lion over the country northwest Of the
Ohio, retaining the right of soil to the
district between the Little Miami river
and the Scioto, for the remuneration of
her own troops. Her claim under her
charter, extended to the forty-frst par.
alIel oflatitude, and all north Of that
line. within the boundaries Of the pres
ent state of Ohio, vas covered by the
charter of Connecticut, by which state
the rights of jurisdiction and soil were
surrendered to the general government,
in 1885, with the exception Of the dis
trict known as the Western Reserve.
the Jurisdiction of which was also &C.
ded in 1900, the right Of soil being re.
In this manner the territory
became the property and care Of the
general government.
While the settlement of the country
on the north side OF the Ohio river was
thus prevented and delayed, Daniel
and those who followed him
were establishing themselves in Ken
That country, when hrst VS.
tied by these adventures, was not in
habited BY the Indians, but was a kind
Of common hunting ground, to which
the tribes to the north and south Of it
resorted in pursuit Of game, and which
was frequently the scene Of their bat
Ties when hostile parties happened to-
meet. The Indians were not az that
in state Of determined hostility
the whites, but they soon be-
gan to consider them as intruders, and
% be alarmed at their advancement in
their country, and encroachment
,pon their lhunting grounds, the certain
consequence Of which they saw, would
L..ll. $3.50 -l1l.--L r Al