Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1857-07-02
The Old Story Again.

How many free states have been made from the
broad cession Of Old Virginia. DR.. Beckcahs Speech
Aye, how many? Virginia consented that
kentucky. formerly part of the crown colony of
Virginia. should be made distinct and indepen-
dent State. And this ia the only State. added to
the Union by an erclns,pe cesson of Old Virginia
Before she made that cession let it be remember
ed, she covered every foot Of land with titles for
her own citizens, not rood of soil having been
conveyed to the United States, as was stipulated
and understood before the articles of con federation
We're assented to by all the States. But Ken.
lucky is not free State
Following the lead of New York, it is true
that Virginia, Connecticut and Massachusetts
ceded any claims TO those lands north of The Ohio
river. Connecticut and Massachusetts had claim
TO those lands under the original charters, and
| that Of Connecticut had never been annulled
But Virginia at the commencement of the revolu-
,lon' was mere c1own company. with nc rights
in herself north Of the Ohio, her original charter
having been forfeited. Whatever prr,ensions she
had rested on certain conquests of George Rogers
over the Indians and French. AS the charter of
Connecticut did not extend rs far south as some
of The posts captured by Clark, it gave color to
the pre,ensions Of Virginia, though Maryland
and some other States refused to recognize and
admit her claim.
But there being conflict OF titles. and other
States claiming that the Western lands should be
coded as common property to defray expenses of
the war. New York was the first to come forward
and cede her claims in 1881. Virginia did no,
initiate her un,il 1884. and then made a reserva.
ton OF over thre millions Of acres besides the
whole State of Kentucky. to defray revolutionary
expenses Of the State. Connecticut ceded the
whole territory within her ct ar,-re limits, reser-
wing however the right Of soil in what now con-
stilu1rs some twelve counii-s in Ohio, on the
southern shores "f Lake Erie, known as new
Connecticut. or the Western Reserve. To these
lands the federal government never had any title .
they were never surveyed by it. nor patented nv
it. but the title to the whole vi that part Of Ohio
} is derived from Connecticut, aud not from the
federal government
Yet, with these facts before him, here is lead
ing member Of our Legislature in his zeal to sus.
tain The arroga ut assumptions of the slavery Sec
t!onalists ignoring his own State, robbng her Of
her credi, justly due. and asking in his connsd
and written speech. HoU many free States hare
been made t;"na the broad cession ofOd v,re,a,a :?
Aye, DR.. Beck Sith, how many such States are
there and where are they Tell Us Of one. We
would do Virginia no Injustice. nor would we
give her credit that does not belong her at the
expense of Connecticut Such sycophancy and
ahject subserviency among certain Of our politic-
ians deserves rebuke, and had Dr.. B. uttered the
remark on the floor Of the House, he would have
doubtless received it. Virginia. like Connecticut.
ceded whatever claim she had to the territory
north OF Ohio. and with these States may share
me credit OF the cesson. but she must not, as is
tue custom, arrogate that credit 10 herself exclu-
svety, though there may be degenerate men in
J our State to conccde it,
+ Surely Or. B"ckwith cannot have been ignorant
OF the facts to which hive alluded, W., he slurs
over shem' and gives all glory to Odd Virginia. -
/ Hartford Press.