The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1863-11-25

crn boundary of the United States. shall, for
the purposes ct a temporary government.
constitute separate territory, and be called
Michigan
An act passed the Congress of the United
States, April 30, lSO2 to enable the in-
habitants of the eastern portion OF the
Northwest Territory, known as Ohio, to
form u constitution and q state government.
in which it was provided that the boundu-
ries of this State on the north should bc hy
an east and west line drawn through the
southern extreme of Lake Michigan. and
running east until it shall intersect Lake
Erie on the territorial line, and thence with
the same, through Lake Erie to the west.
ern boundary of Pennsylvania. In the sixth
article of the Constitution of Ohio, which
was enacted in 1902, and confirmed 10y the
| Genral Government, it was ordered that il
the southern bend or extreme of Lake
Michigan should extend so far north that n
line due east from it should interseCt Lake
Erie, east of Miami River emptying into this
lake. then, and in that case, with the assent
of the Congress of the United States. the
! northern boundary of this State should be
! established by, and should be extended to,
a direct line running from the southcrly ex.
trcmity of Lake Michigan to tie most north.
crly cape of Miami Bay, after intcrsccting
the due north line from the mouth of the
Great Miami, or the line of the western
boundary of the State, thence northeast by
the Territorial line, and by this line to the
Pennsylvania line.
These several National and State enact
mcnts were made the basis of the dispute
between the States of Ohio and Michigan.
The disputed territory was n strip of land
about fifteen miles wide, and extending
from Lake Eric to Lake Michigan.
| Great importance was attached to it. from
| the fact the soil was extremely fertile that
| il contained the mouth of the Miami River
and, also, from the fact that tho Eric and
| Wabash Canal, Il work of magnificent enter.
| prise was to terminate within the limits OF
| the disputed territory. 1t was contendcd,
on the part of Michigan, that the Ordinance
of 1857 was solemn compact between the
| United States and the people comprised in
the Northwest Territory, and thai it was
unalterahle, except by common consent ;
and that this compact established the
! boundary line of Michigan, as Il direct east
and west line, drawn through the souther.
| ly bend, or extreme of Lake Michigan. 1t
was also claimed that the act of 1905, or.
gaui2ing the Territorial Government, CON
|
prescribing, as her territorial domain, all
that part of the Indian Territory which lies
north of line drawn east from the south.
ern bend or extreme of Lake Michigan until
it shall iutcrscct Lake Erie.
1t was claimed, on the part of Ohio, that
the line p. escribcd in the Ordinance of 81
was not, in a legal and technical sense, i
boundary line but merely limit desig-
mated for the purpose of circumscribing
| temporarily, the jurisdiction eff the States
! below; and that the right boundary was
defined in the Constitution of Ohio, whicl
had been accepted by Congress. as the line
running from the most southcrly extremity
of Lake Michigan, to the northerly cape OF
| the Miami Bay. 1t was also maintained by
| Ohio that the Ordinance of 'ST was super.
ccdcd 10y the adoption of the Constitution
of the United States maintaining this argu-
ment by the clause in the Constitution which
has pcrplcNcd the minds of our modern
politicians so much, viz: Congress shall
have power to dispose of aud mako all
ncedful rules and regulations respecting the
territories or other property belonging to
the United States" 1t was alleged, ON the
other side, that this clause Of the Consttu,
! ton referred to the public lands; but, if il
did not, the argument was fully met in
another clause of the same instrument, pro-
viding that all debts contracted and engage.
meRtS entered into, before the adoption Of
the Constitution, should be valid against
the United States under the Constitution
the same as under the Confederation.
Here, then, arose a grave question o
| jurisdiction, and it was finally determined
| by the people of Ohio, to have the North
! ern boundary line, claimed by that State
surveyed anew.
About the same time Michigan passed al
act prohibiting any aggression, by another
State, upol her domain. Here the difficulty
began to assume a serious aspect. Stevens
T. Mason, who was then Secretary of State
and acting Governor, identified himself
strongly with the interests of the State
and as soon as intelligence was received
that the Ohio Commissioners were engaged
in running the boundary line he immedi
atcly issued an order calling ont the militia
of the State. The call was made pursuan
TO the requirements of the old militia sys
TEN, and drafting was Immediately com
mcnced. Many amusing anecdotes are tolC
of those who exercised their ingenuity tC
evadc the law. Some hid themselves il
the woods, others in their closets and gar
rcts, and there was general rush tO
Canada. But the patriotism of the majority
of the people led them to come forward a
their country's call, and in very shor
time an army was in the field, ofliccrcd b.,
the most prominent men of that day. Thu
wcll-known General Brown was next il
command to Governor Mason. Colone
Hascal, now resident of Flint commanded
regiment from Oakland County, called thu
" Black Horse Cavalry" and Judge Warner
Wing, Of Monroe, was commander of {
cavalry regiment from his native town ant
vicinity. An infantry regiment was raiset
in Detroit, which was commanded 10y Col
Peter Van Every, then resident OF Oak
land County Among the residents Of De
troit, who were identified with this move
ment, may he mentioned Peter DesnOyers
e. Ten Eyck, who was Quartermaster
General of the forces Colonel Winder, ant
our new Senator, Hon. Jacob NJ. Howard
whose patriotism led him to shoulder hi
musket and take place as private in tn
ranks. In short, nearly all Detroit turneC
out, beside the neighboring villages of Por
tiac Ann Albor, Monroe, Adran, aud othe
settlements and, as an evidence of tn
/ magnitude Of the movement, il may he sal
} that every man in the village Of Tecumse
turned out, with tho exception OF one oil
man, who was left in charge Of the wome
and children. The habits of pioneer If
are such that warike attitude may be al
: sumed at a moments warning, and the FRI
quent collisions with the Indians which ha
, occurred previous to that time, had pei
7 lccted the soldier.like qualities of the pi'
, ueers of Michigan, and the forces called OF
. on this occasion, presented wide contras
!, so far as efficiency is concerned, with III
/ I 4 l., ~