The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-10-28
EARLY ONO SETTLERS.


ComPsny-rhe Pioneer Settlers.
Il was now decided to make direct
md immediate application for the mr.
,hase of land in the territory ndrsb-
vest of the Ohio river, aud a. an sos-.
% negotiate with Congress the assoc
ites chose one of their own pumber
he Rev. Manasseh Cutler. pastar ~
little Congregational church in the
hamlet of Ipswich (now Hamiltonl.
The company could have emploved
no better man than DR. Cutler. In the
prime OF lie. forty-fye years of ace.
be was perhaps. second in general oe-
MUS and culture to no living Ameri- |
can. except Franklin, and his mama
possessed prestige in the literary and |
scientific circles of Boston, New York
and Philadelphia Since his cradua-
ton from Yale, twenty-five years be-
fore, he had studied and taken degrees
in the three learned professions. divin-
ity, law, and medicine. His education
was one of unusual solidity. and the
versatility of his genius was attested
by the fact that IN addition to his cler-
ical duties he had written upon me-
teorology, astronomy. and botany.
his strength was rendered readily eff
fectiye by the possession of : keen in
sight into human nature and of court
ly grace of conversation. He was
further qualified for the duty he was to
undertake by his deep sympathy with
the Revolutionary soldiers. He had
been among them as chaplain through
two campaigns.
Had DR.. Cutler gone forth as the.
a = 0f .f1.l L..
mission could not have been more vast
ly important than it was in his capaei-
city as agent for this feeble, struggling
colonization society, nor could it have
demanded more consummate tact. He
journeyed in humble style in his one-
horse shay or gig. and there was nothing
IN the appearance of the quiet, COM
Portable, dignified New England par
son, leisurely jogging along the coun-
try roads of Massachusetts aud Con-
neeticut. suggestive of the mighty in
tiuence he was to exert in moulding
the future of the West and of the ma
ton. He left his home in the latter
part of June, preached in two towns
Iynn. MASSACHUSETTS,, and Middle
town, ConnectIcut), where lie tarried
for Sunday rest, and arrived in New
York, where the Continental Congress
was then in session, on July 5, ''by the
road. he chronicles, that enters the
Bowery." He put up his horse ''at
the sign of the 'Plow and the Harrow
in the Bowery barns" "
The work which this man was to
perform in Congress was twofold. He
sought to purchase large tract OF
public land at the most advantageous
terms possible, and to procure such
legislation for the territory as would be
satisfactory to those intending immi.
grafton to it. The purchase would
have been almost entirely valueless. in
the minds of a majority of the Ohio
Company associates, if they could moi
have it clothed with the laws to which
they were accustomed. They were al.
most to man fully in accord with the
spirit which seven years before had
prohibited slavery in Massachusetts
Thus it came about that the prospect
i've purchase was used as 4 powerful
lever to effect the formation and pass
age of the ordinance of 1877, or as it j.
commonly called. the Ordinance O
Freedom. The details of the plan BY
which DR.. Cutler accomplished hi:
dual object would fill a volume. Ii
brief, he used every argument, every
element of personal persuasion, every
art of diplomacy, which could have al
effect in his favor. He pictured the
needs of the brave men who sought tC
make the purchase and the debt o
gratitude the nation owed them. He
urged as an important consider
alton the revenue which would accrue
to the government from the sale. anC
from others which would probably
quickly follow. There was at thi
time a strong feeling of disaffection il
Kentucky, and immediate danger tina
that territory would embrace the frs
opportunity to join her fortunes Will
Spain. The planting beyond the Ohio
of strong colony of men whose pa
| triotism was unquestioned, DIR. Cutler
argued. would be a measure well cal
culated to bind the West to the Eas
and promote union. Virginia and The
South generally were intensely patriot
ic, and it is probable that this consid
Grafton was of great Importance in th'
opinion of their delegates in congress
and led them not only to favor com
paratively easy terms of sale to th
Ohio Company. but to permit the en-
actment of such an ordinance as tina
body of men desired. Up to this tim
every ordinance for the government o
the Northwest Territory containing al
antislavery clause had been vote,
down. and even the imperative ordi
nance of 1884, of which Thomas Jeffer
son was the author, had before its pass
age been shorn of its article prohibit
ing slavery after the year 1900. Th
ordinance before congress when ID
Cutler arrived in New York eontaine
no restriction of slavery whatever
Still, it had come down to the 9th {
July, and passed its second reading
Upon that day was appointed q me-
committee, which was prepared to al
thorize to prepare and submit pla
of government for the Federal terr
torv, and four days later, upon th
18th of July, the result of their labor
the Ordinance of Freedom, passed
The committee had sent draft OF tn
ordinance to DR.. Cutler, with leaE
to make remarks and propose amen'
ments, and he found afterward th;
the amendments suggested by him wei
all made, except one (relation to tax
tion), which was better qualltle'
There is evidence extant, indisputabl
!, that the measures introduced by b
agency, and the passage OF which W;
secured through his sagaclty, we
those forever prescribing slavery an
, encouraging religion, morality. al
!, ucation.-ALfred Matthews, sD Har1
er's Magazine for September.