The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-02-18

Inc Work OF fecalllng 10 lne people vi w
day knowledge Of this superb act Of States
manship, and Of outlining its benefcent in
nuence upon the development Of our Ma
tional lfe has been ably done by Gen.
Wager Swayne, formerly Colonel of the 43d
Ohio and now one of the most eminent
lawyers Of the country. lie has devoted
several years Of painstaking research TO
ascertain all the facts bearing upon the
famous ordinance, and finally embodied
these in m admirable address, delivered
before the New York Commandery Of the
Loyal Legion and which is now printed in
an elegant little book for private circula-
ton.
Not the least interesting Of the facts
which Gen. Swaync sets forth in clear, we'll
chosen English is that the Revolutionary
soldiers were strongly instrumental in not
4 only securing the erection Of the country
northwest Of the Ohio and east OF the Mis-
sissippi into a Territory, but also in conse-
Grating that empire Of fertile soil to Free
dom As in the war of the rebellion, the
soldiers of the Revolution were the leaders
Of public opinion, aud on every matter Of
public interest took ground far in advance
Of the general public 1t is interesting TO
note, in this connection, the heaTtless and
discreditable way in which Congress treated
the men who had fought the war through
and won the couutrys independence. In
1888 when the struggle was substantially
over and the army was only waiting the
/ formal declaration Of peace 10 disband,
memorial was sent to Congress which set
forth that
shadows have been offered us while the sub
stance has been gathered by others. Our situation
compe,s 90 search for the causes Of our extreme
poverty. Our dislrcsses now brought
20 point We have borne an that men can beHTi
| our property Is expended; our private resources
are al end, and our friends are weared out aud
| Disguised with our incessaut applications. The
/ army entfeat that Congress, 20 convince the world
/ that the Independence Of America shall not he
placed the ruin Of any particular class Of our
citizens viii point out a mode for immediate re-
dress.
Congress turned a deaf ear 10 these and
other appeals. In the meanwhile the pre-
liminaries Of peace had been settled, and it
was found that the United States was TO
come into possession Of the immense terri
tory lying between the Great Lakes and the
Ohio River, and between the Allegany
Mountains and the Mississippi River The
officers and soldiers Immediately formed the
plan ofasllng that Congress allot them homes
in this section, and allow them TO constitute
Government for the same. One Of the first
points decided by those old soldiers was
that the total exclusion Of slavery form
an essential and irrcyocable part OF the Con-
stitution."
This was 13 years before New York abol-
ished slavery, and 20 years before New
Jersey did So
Gen. Swayne says IN regard TO this
This has been well said 10 DE thc first known
proposition among men 10 establish Government
whose distinctive feature should be universal free.
dom. u came from those who FOR freedom had
lost all and we shall find their later history fuil o
this proposition and lie ouicome-fulior doubt.
less, than they themselves contemplated.
These men Of whom ] speak first made their coun
Try offerings Of victories then founded States upon
the basis 81 universal liberty, aud aiterwRTd "a d
/ appears TO me, controlled the fortune Of that wal
IN which we were engaged, and stamped their owl
inscription upon lie result
There was a long and troublesome time
T in getting possession Of the domain which
! the old soldiers desired for their homes
Several Of the States, particularly Virginia
laid claim 10 the Territory, on various pre-
texts and Interstate jealousy and jealous.
Of the newly-created General Government
was very great At last, however, many 0
the veterans became Members Of Congress
and their broader views had q salutary ef
feet One outcTOpping Of this jealousy wa
the insertion IN their concessions Of thei
J claims the pFoyiso that no State erecte
Y from the territories so conceded shout
i exceed $50 miles square. This was at firs
= accepted by Congress, but afterward rejected
a aud a leader against the Limitation wa
IS James Monroe, who made a visit to the Tel
o ritoTy and came TO the conclusion that III
land was too poor 10 sustain dense popul:
ton. In 1856 he wrote TO Thomas Jefferson
> A great part Of the Territory II nisorably poo
20 especially that near Lakes Michigan and Erie az
that upon the Mississippi and Illinois CONSISTS
- extensive plains, which have not had, from appea
" auoes aud will not have, single bush on them &
ages. The districts therefore. within which the,
" fall viii never contain Il sufficient number Of Z
habitaulst 10 cutite them 10 membership ia the Col
lcdcrucy, aud la the meantime the people la the
49, viii be governed by the resolutions Of Congress
: in which they Will not be represented.
~ Think OF n man from the sandhlls an
, claylnobs Of old Virginia pronounciug Il
" valleys Of Ohio and prairies Of Illinois +
poor 10 sustain a dense population!
is James Monroe ever reysits this world on
Sc mo0ubean be must be moved with celesti
or amazoment to find nearly 20 times as MAJ
people living in that region as there were
Virginia when be wrote! They manage
On have representation in Congress, too.