New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-28
THE GREAT NORTHWEST
IT'S PLACE IN TIE CoUNTRy's HISTORY.

INTERESTING PAPERS READ BEFORE THE AMER
ICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
Washington Dec. 27.-Thc American Historical As
ISOLATION met again In session this morning In tho
lecture room OF the National Museum. A. c. Nc
faucbin assistant professor OF history In the Uni
yersty Of Michigan, read paper upoU the influences
OF Governor Cass upon the development Of the North
west Mr.. Mclaughlin reviewed In detail the ser.
vices OF General Cass while Governor OF the then
Territory OF Michigan ana superintendent oil ih"ian
Affairs.
Frederick ]. Turner, OF Johns Hopkins University
read paper prepared by Professor W. /. Allen OF
the University OF Wisconsin, on the position OF Tho
Northwest in general history. Professor hiieh EN-
phaszed four points Of special INTEREST," nfs tat
the title to the Northwest belonged To three gfe"
nations, spain, France and England, which In tho
sixteenth seventeenth and eighteenth centuries TO
spectlvey possessed the acknowledged leadership
among the European states second that the loader
ship acquired By England In the eighteenth century
was integray associated with the building up OF tho
British Empire and the decisive fact In the formation
of this Empire the acquisition from france Oh
that enormous tract Of territory Of which the NORTH
west Is the centre third, that the imperial destiny OF
the United States hung upon the possession OF the
Northwest anfbut for the military OF George
Rogers Clark and the diplomatic skill OF the COM
issoners I'm negotiating the treaty OF peace IN secur
Ing Just this territory the domain would have been
contracted and IL Is not likely that there "ouid nave
been the courage 10 make the purchase OF Louisahs
and the subsequent acquiston fourth, that the 90
vclopmeat OF the National policy was closely con
Deced with and In fact first TOOK shape III the olu
nance which organized this Territory. -, 49,.
Professor George V. Knight, OF the ONO sta'e
University, read paper upon the history Oh hsher
educ alton In the Northwest
Major J. W Powell, Director of the United states
Geological Survey exhibited a language map u North
America and planned its compilation lie sad mat
there were about seVenty-thfee dsunet s'oeh isn.
guages I'm North America, each having one or moro
dialects The work OF investigating the subject, ne
sad. had occupied seventeen years The tfaclngs OF
the map showed the boundaries OF the greater Ian
gllage divisions - - -,
At the evening session, Professor J = Jameson, OF
Rrown University read paper on " The od federsl
Court OF Appeals The Canadian Archives was tho
tito Of he paper OF Douglas Irymer Dor inon Archy-
list Dr James G. yelling, of the Columbian Uni
versity read a paper The states Rights Conflict
over The Public fands- lie said that the conflict
had como down from Colonial days and that the form A.
ton OF political union Of the thirteen original states
was more obsiructcd by THIS cause than any other:
The report OF DR.. Clarence winthrop Bowen, OF New;
York CITY of the association was presented
and showed tho total resources OF the Association at
the present time to be F3,40s.