Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-08-09
Jurisdiction ofthe Ohio River.

SrEENROD, August Z, 1919.
Editor OF the Register
see that questions are still raised as
10 the jurisdiction of the State over the
Ohio river. In lS4S Joint commission
on this subject was raised between Ohio
AMI the State OF Virginia. William Z.
Riyes. William Green and myself were
Commissioners on the part OF Virginia,
an Thomas Ewing, John Brough and
James Collier on the part OF ONO. At
the time | prepared the article, lr-
yinia: Her ancient title 10 the North
western Territory and her rights upon
the Ohio river yindiCated, which Was
published i'm the Southern Litsrary Mes
senyer of April, lS+S. | think it import
ant that this article in some way should
be preserved in a permanent and acces-
sibIe manner among the archives Of
West Virginia, so that the members OF
the legal profession and OF the Judiciary
could have the benefit ut il. A number
of the historical authorities which |
have adduced in favor OF the title OF
Virginia, now OF West Virginia, were
DESTROYED in the Congressional library
by the fire Of lS5l-2, and could not now
be readily. il at all, replaced.
Previous To the Commission OF ISIS,
Virginia, on several occasions had ask
Ell OF Congress that provision be made
for the benefit of her rank and tile m the
army OF the Revolution, out OF the public
lands of the United States, and placed
the equities Of her request upon the
muniticence OF their grant OF the North
western territory to the General Gov
ernment. Northern men, lead especial
ly by Mr.. Collamer, the Senator from
Vermont, habitually assailed the title OF
Virginia to this territory, and pronoune-
ed ii arrogant and unfounded. have
the qualification Of saying that | sent a
COPY Of this article to Mr.. Collamer, and
that he was never heard from afterwards
upOn this subject.
I also. among other personal friends
sent a copy 20 Mr.. Edwin NJ.
Stanton, bate Secretary of war
under Mr.. Lincoln, AMI upon the
legal or judicial view as 20 the rights
of navigation TN the ONO river" as en-
bodied IN that article, ne instituted his
suit in the name OF Pennsylvania, lor
the benefit OF Pittsburgh, against the
Wheeling bridge, in which the supreme
Court Of the United States entered ITS
decree that the bridge should he des-
troyed OF taken down. At this June
ture introduced my bill into Congress,
then Oeing member of that bo,iy, for
the preservation OF the bridge. By tins
bill reversed the decree Of the supreme
Court, or set il aside, and saved the
bridge. use the personal pronoun, Tor
il was my conception and execution,
aided by Judge Woodward, of South
Carolina, chiefly, that the bridge was
saved against the exertiOns OF James
McLanahan, Of Pennsylvania, Chair
man OF the Committee Of the Judiciary
in the House, and Mr. Hamlin, OF Maine,
that the bridge is now standing.
As 20 this bridge controversy, may
have something more 10 say. Win
respect, GEo. ". THOMPSON.
P.S.-D. Olds, Of Ohio, as chairman
of the Committee on POStOffices and
Post Roads, was active, energetic and
able in support Of the bill, and he after
wards 50 Tered an ignOmlniOus and ttd
imprisonment in the fortress at Boston,
In 1859 Fort FlAcastle stood at the
mouths al Wheeling Greek, near the site
of the Is. & o. depot.
In 1770 the settlement at Grave
Creek was made. .L.-~
In 1856 the lands from Wheeling
creek TO the Kanawha were granted by
royal proclamation, Is military bounty
lands, TO the soldiers and settlers OF Vir-
ginia ....... ........., ...
AT the country northwest Of the
Ohio. including Ohio, Indiana, Michi-
gan and Illinois, was once the county"
OF Illinois, in the State OF Virginia.