The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-02-22
Ashland, Ohio Wednesday Morning February 22, 1871

and unwilling TO ask the Governor 10
surrender the perquisite without an
equivalent, they drew up bill giving
him an annual sum, little larger
than the amount received for marriage
licenses, and bill relieving the mar
riage license Of the tax, and offered
them at the same, time for his sigma
ture. He took and read them, signed
the one giving him the salary, put his
veto upon the other, and with bow
and a smile, which the Council con-
sidered contemptuous, handed back
thetwo bills. Gov. Worthington said
that when they formed the Constitu-
lion of OHIO, they were smarting un-
der the tyranny and contempt of the
late Governor, and that he and ma
joritv of the Convention acted under
the impulse; he said time ard expe-
rience had satisfied him that he had
been mistaken and that the govern
ment would be safe.and better with a
stronger executive. / was on the
whole, we'll satisfied with his explana-
ton. He was man of vigorous in
tellect, great industry and force of
character, and he left a favorable i'm
preston when he retired to private
life. ..s.-- .....-.. ......
Duncan Macarthur was an admira-
bic specimen cf the backwoodsman.-
He was a ranger, betwixt boy and man
in the Indian war from 1890 to 1875.
He was once out alcne, on the North
western frontier of Kentucky, when
he approached a.deer lick, and saw in
it three Indians apparently looking
for tracks. lie instantly crouched,
took deliberate aim and fred at the
Indian whom he took to be the most
athletic. and rose and ran. The In
dian fell. Another instantly fred at
him, and the ball passed through Lis
powder horn. He supposed he was
pursued, but no Indian got near
enough TO be seen, and be reached-the
camp of his conlpaniors, unhurt. He
once told me a story illustrative of
the rude morals of the frontier ran
ger.
Lewis Watzel, who preceded Near
thur by several years, was the terror
of the Indians on the Wheeling from
tier. He was little active fellow,
and it happened that he was fired at
and missed so often that they consid
cred him under a spell The usual
remedy, Q piece of silver driven into
the bulles, failed, and he was deemed
proof, even against magic but at last
in one of their excursions, he WIS
surprised and captured, and they bore
him off in tsiusaph1e Sandusky. where
they held council and sentenced him
to be burnt. An old Indian who had
lost his son on the expedition, wanted
to adopt and tried to save him. The
night before he was to be burnt, he
slept between two Indians, his legs al d
aims tied with thongs, to stakes driv
en- into the ground-the Indians lying
on the thongs. Late at night when
all were asleep, the old Indian came,
cut the thongs. got him out without
disturbing the sleepers, gave him the
gun of his lost son, took his own,
mounted horse and led the way,
signing to Wetzel to follow. They
travelled Two or three days without in
terruption, when they came to the
Muskingum at Coshocton. The old
man carried Wetzel across behind
him ON his horse, and when over the
East branch, said he now knew the
way, and turned with lis horse and
gun to return to Sandusl>y. When
he had fairly entered the river, Wet
eel shot him dead, took his scalp, and
his horse and gun-it being the best
of the two-and made his way home
in safety. NVetzel told this story
himself without any apparent ptrcep-
ton Of its atrocity; but his brother
rangers refused to shake hands or in
any manner associate with him after
wards.
I knew Governor McArthur long
and intimately. He was a man of
vigorous intellect, but crude and un-
His daughters, of whom
he was fond, grew up to be fine wo
men but his sons were ruined by the |
and distance of his bearing
towards them. He was their monitor,
1ut not their companion and confden-
ial friend. RE |
1 sat with Benjamin Rugales two
7ears in the United States Senate
He was highly respectable member,
md / perhaps thought the better of
lim as we agreed entirely in our polit-
cal opinions. He spoke seldom and
briefly, and always with deliberation
md Judgment. He was a man of
mark in his part Of Ohio, many years
fter he ceased to be Senator.
Thomas Morris succeeded Benjamin
3uggles in the Senate. He was a
ecided Democrat and generally fierce
n his opinions. " hen he first came
nto professional life, he waged vio- I
ent war with most Of the members OF t
he profession in his county and judic- !
al circuit, in which, my somewhat
,ose information induced me to be f
eve he was the assailed and injured ,
artv. He was indicted for rape, ON q
le complaint of loose woman, was (
led and acquitted, but taunted in '
Il conceivable provoking ways With d
afterwards. About that time th :
gricultural journals were strongly
scommending the turnip or rape as a
Ill crop for winter sheep pasture, and
) the farmers knew but little about 1t
Y the latter name, it was subject
much inquiry Morris prosecutors a
OF up the report that he kept large a
uantity of the seed for the accom- \
of his friends, and for weeks j
h