New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-16
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
,,ru ar THE NORTHWEST.


SCo ISs2. Two volumes octave VII"
lseeond Noticel
=, nocamher 1899. as the first session OF the nrs'
roc,sIature OF the Northwestern territory wa"
drawing to a close that body prepared naVVci,"s
saa.ass 20 President Adams in which, among other
commitments the signers declare: " 10 your i'"''
mass we attribute the enjoyment OF the rich cum
trv we now inhabt." This is an aiuSion 10 INC
n.ace NEGOTIATIONS at Paris in 1888, when Great
Britain kent insisting as one oil the terms VI w
treaty that the Ohio River should he the llm' Oh ,0
new Republic II was believed that even frahhiln
inclined TO Weld this point matter OF nt"O.
,n,ment if the main object could be gaheu'
Adams declared that he would wlthdra" 'V.1 49,
conference and urge his countrymeh n''' " 80
down their arms until the chaih VI I'm ,s, %
centel rs the boundary line. III Is u'uio"'' ':
construct n map even in the lmag'hd.'On "
Obio Indiana Illinois, Michigan anu "NCono',
should be figured among br''lSn ioo'o9' -,t, g
ID, % Tho time of the treaty the present worth u
~. ~ar,h,roe,ern Territory was about zero ana
h. was nothing in the worlds experience 10 Gu
onroce the most hopeful predict the rapid deVe'
onr,ont NJ which the world has since then mar
yelled.
1ndepenlence was won by a few colonlstS WHO
inhabited narrow strip along the Atlantic coast
and peace found the great inland territory oe'"eo"
the Ohio the Mississippi and the northern i"AoS
"dreatv wilderness, without constitutions goNein-
ment or law" The April OF l77o was Just opening
when half a hundred stout-heartod NeW-Ehs
LADDERS nnder the lead of Rufus Putnam, eStab-
usbed the earliest settlement at the mouth OF tne
Mpskinqum. Three months later Governor ST. CIar
go rooe,vea with military houors blythe garrison
of Fort Rarmer, where he remained until CIVIL gov
eminent was tremendously established on the loth
Of July. On that important occasion the UoN-
o,Dor,s address was greeted with "peals OF ap
plause" from the population OF what was alrca"S d"
city-on the surveyors map. Seven years Ia'e' 'Ho
,bita inhabitants of the Territory numbered
IA 600 the census of 1900 showed population Oh
A5365 an1 twenty years ago million hghuhg ncn
marched out of the same territory and crossed thc
Ohlo-not then the boundary line between ueicn-
dency of Great Britain and the United states Out
the boundary line between Freedom anu 0I''oi9
10 suppress the shareholders rebellion
Tho early growth OF the free West is one OF the
most interesting chapters in American history
The first settlers were mainly revolutionary SOL
diers-men who mad been trained to war anu
whom peace left without an opportunity 10 Wacu90
tner only profession Many of them had lost their
fortunes in the struggle and they chose to brave
the perils of the Wilderness where their prlde Wouu
be subjected to the minimum morthcaloh on az
count Of their poverty. They were not reckless ao-
venturers put their courage and patience had been
who had fought for their rights and who might be
trusted to maintain them The world never lur-
nished better material TO found State with For
tnnately too the great charter under which the
new civil society organized was the rpeheu
fruitage of the highest political wisdom Oh inc
period The Ordinance and Compact not only
guaranteed forever the principles of INSTITUTIONAL
liberty which are the common inheritance Oh the
English stock but a still wider recognition OF
hnman rights was made IN the sections concerning
edocotion. slavery the Indians and contracts. The
Ordinance contained very little specific legislation
but the sagacity of its trainers was manifested IN
the plans adopted for securing the needed enact
meuts based upon the broad principles which were
laid down as fundamental and organic law. The
definite political relations established between the
Territory and the Federal authority, and the pro-
visions fol changing the character OF the local gov
crnment to suit the needs of future states as new
conditions developed, displayed SURPRISING WISDOM
The severe morality Of the Ordinance was no less
marked than its practical adaptablty to the wants
of. the new society. Judge Timothy Walker de
scrbed il as one of those matchless specimens OF
sapacions forecast which the reckless spirit OF
innovation would not venture TO aSsalL" never
in the history of the world" declared Chet Jusuce
Chase (" did measure of legislation so accurately
fulfil and vet 50 nightly exceed the antcipations
oil the legislators" Just what part the Ordinance OF
Isl played in fixing the quality OF the civilization
which prevailed north of the Ohio, distinct from
tho civilization of the South, may not be eStl-
mated But most aSsuredly the bene1cence of the
anti.slavery clause will never more be questioned
The St. Clair papers derive their highest value
from the fresh light which they throw upon the
beginnings of government IN the Northwest as
organized under this Ordinance. The entire second
volume of the work is concerned with correspond
ence addresses and other documents covering the
period from the passage of the Ordinance in 1857 to
the establishment of the first State Government
General st. Clair was president of the Congress
which adopted the Ordinance. He drafted the bill
which was passel bv the first Federal Congress for
carving il into effect. He was Governor. of the
Territory from It's foundation until OHIO became a
State OF course his correspondence Is rich IN
material for history. But Mr.. Smith has not con-
tented himself with arranging and.annotatIng these
papers after exercising the greatest care In secur-
ing complete and correct copies. He has added
much besides from the Harner manuscripts ana
the Worthington collection, so that the spirit
which animated the opposing political. leaders is
distinctly portrayed From the inside view thus
oblai1ed catch glimpses OF bitterness OF par
tisauship which has never been exceeded in the
most exciting contests of later times and persons
who are tempted TO despair of the Republic on ac-
count of the rancorous personal feeling which IS
manifested in the politics of to-day can extract
genuine consolation from the proofs here offered
that we are quite temperate as our fathers WERE
The letter of st. Clair to Secretary Madison with
which the collection closes is model of acridity,
but il was called ont by an act of official and per-
sonal discourtesy by the President and his Premier
which is incomprchensbe when we consider the
character and standing of all the parties But this
was tire when Mr.. JefersOn's friends were de-
nouncing the leaders who had stood by Washington
through all the trials of the Revolution for a lack