The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1879-08-13
surlsdiclion Of tlle Ohio River.

y uFtsNActlOh Oh tne ONO River.
STEENRop. August Z 1879.
Editor ofthe Register:
i see that questions are stillraised
as to the jurisdiction of the State oy.
er the Ohio river. In 1S4S a joint
commission on this subject was rails.
ed between Ohio and the State of Eir.
ginia. William G. Riyes, William
Green and myself were Commission.
ers on the part Of Virginia, and
Thomas Eging, John Brough and
James Collier on the part of Ohio
AT the time | prepared the article,
virginia: Her ancient title to the
Northwestern Territory, and her
rights upon the Ohio river vindicat.
ed" which was published in the
Southern Literary Messenger, Of April,
llS4S. ! think itimportant that this
article in some way should be pre-
served in permanent and accessible
manner among the archives of West
Virginia, so that the members Of the
legal profession and Of the judiciary
could have the benefit oft. A mum
Der Of the historical authorities
which have adduced in favor of the
title Of Virginia, nov Of West Viz
ginia, were destroyed in the Con-
gressional library by the freof4SA-2
and ceeaallaa rot now be readily, if at
all, replaced.
Previous to the Commission Of 1913,
Virginia, on several occasions had
asked of Congress that provision be
made for the benefit of her rank and
file in the army Of the Revolution,
out of the public lands Of the United
States, and placed the equities Other
request upon the munifcence of their
grant of the Northwestern territory
to the General Government. North
ern men, lead especially by Mr.. Col.
lamer, the Senator from Vermont,
habitually assailed the title Of Vir.
.glnia to this territory, and pronounc,
ed itarrogantand unfounded. have
the qualification of saying that | sent
IA copy of this article to Mr.. Collamer,
and that he was never heard from af.
forwards upon this subject.
also, among other personal
friends sent q copy to Mr., Edwin M,
Stanton, late Secretary Of war under
Mr.. Lincoln, and upon the "rights
of navigation on the Ohio river as
embodied in that article, he institu-
ted his suit in the name Of Pennsyl.
yania, for the benefit of Pittsburgh.
against the Wheeling bridge, in
which the Supreme Court of the
United States entered its decree that
the bridge should be destroyed or
taken down. AT this juncture in
troduced my bill into Congress, then
being member of that body, for the
preservation Of the bridge. By this
bill | reversed the decree of the SUI
preme Court, or set it aside, and saw
ed the bridge. | use the personal
pronoun, for it was my conception
and execution, aided by Judge Wood.
ward, Of South Carolina, chiefly, that
the bridge was saved against the ex.
ertions ofJames McI.anahan, of Penn.
sylvania, Chairmano of the Committee
of the Judiciary in the House, and
MIR. Hamlin, Of Maine, that the
bridge is now standing.
As to this bridge controversy, ]
may have something more to say
With respect. GEO. W. THOMPSON.
P. SD. Odds, of Ohio, as Chair.
man of the Committee on Postofices
and Post Roads, was active, energet.
lc and able in support of the bill, and
he afterwards suffered an ignomi
nous and fatal imprisonment in the
fortress of Boston.
In 1863 Fort Fincastle stood at the
mouth of Wheeling Creek, near the
site of the B. q o. depot.
In ITO the settlement at Grave
Greek was made.
Ia 1856 the lands from Wheeling
Creek to the Kanawha were "grant.
ed by royal proclamation" as mill.
tary bounty lands, to the soldiers
and settlers Of Virginia.
All the country northwest of the
Ohio, Including Ohio, Indiana,
Michigan and Illinois, vas once the
county" Of Illinois, in the State Of
Virginia - Wheeling RegiSter.