The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-02-24


with their keeper" British officers were
terrorized by this order and professeG' sur
prise that it should emanate from II an
of the known character OF N z;
Jefferson. They also ciaimA
that no single state had
the right to make it. Governor Jefferson
submitted the facts to Gen. Washington,
who approved his conduct but recon-
mended to Governor Jefferson a relaxation
of some of the seventies imposed on these
prisoners. The vigor of Governor Jefier-
son in dealing with these British officers
who had violated all the usages OF legiti-
mate warfare doubtless saved many OF
the western pioneers from the scaiplng
knife. The example was salntary. As the
operations of Hamilton were confined
very largely to the territory now forming
Indiana, this order of Governor Jefferson
was for the protection of those inhah-
itants of this section who had escaped the
scalping knife.
1t was during the first year of Governor
Jehersons administration that civil gov
eminent was organized. Dillon says on
page 100 that "for the preservation OF
peace and the administration OF justice,
court was organized at Vincennes, in the
month of June, 1779. The court was COM
posed of several magistrates" Governor
Jefferson not only controlled the IL uItary
movements in the northwest but alNo es-
tablished courts "for the preservation Oh
peace and the administration OF justice.
1t now begins TO appear from these his
torical facts that Thomas jefferson was
not governor merely in name, but in TACT,
of the territory now forming Indiana.
But the great work of Governor Jeffer-
son was that of making absolutely perfect
tn "a
British by Clark. To accomplish this he
engaged q scientific corps to proceed TO
the mississippi and determine by ce-
lestial observations the point where tn
river was intersected by the latitude 30
80 minutes which was the southern boun-
Diary line of Virginia. This was done and
Fort Jefferson on the Mississippi river
was built and garrisoned. George Rogers
Clark who was still in the service of Vir-
GINA, was directed to conduct the military
operations and furnish protection to the
scientific corps.
1t is foreign to the purpose of this paper
| to give detailed account of the military
operations of Gen. Clark under the direc-
ton of Governor Jefferson. 1t is sufficient
to state in this connection that the
captured country was held, and that to
| Governor Jefferson must be awarded the
credit Of adopting measures and having
them executed, which secured the great
result.
Judge Law in one OF his historical adj
dresses saws that at the treaty of
| peace with Great Britain in 1888 the only
pretense OF claim set up By our commits
/ eioners to this vast empire the Northwest
| territory was the conquest of it bY Clark
| and the establishment of the forts and
| garrisons to the lakes by himself aud
troops, serving as the monuments of our
| possession" and that the Mississippi be-
came our boundary on the West and the
lakes On the North. through the wisdom
of Jefferson and the valor and enterprise
| of Clark"
The people dwelling in the five great
states formed out OF this territory have
great reason to cherish the memory OF
! Patrick Henry, under whose orders il was
captured of George Rogers Clark, who so
bravely executed them, and of Thomas
Jefferson, who adopted measures to hold
| possession and perfect the title.
The charge that Nirginia's title to the
| Northwest territory was very shadowy"
is not sustained by the facts. AS to that
| part included IN Indiana her title was clear,
| by conquest and continued possession
until the treaty of peace in 1888. All
claims of other states TO any part of In
diana are so attenuated that they do not
cast even shadow. Indiana is the child
of old Mother Virginia.
The salary of the governor of Virginia
when Mr.. Jefferson held the Office was
10000 lbs of tobacco per annum. The
\ year after his term expired the treasury
I was bankrupt of tobacco and the treasur-
I er was authorized to make loan of to-
bacco to replenish it. 1t is difficult
" fully realize the sacrifices made
to obtain Independence. Time only
il s,reases the admiration of the men who
&C b ieved 1t.
in closing few historical dates may be
jnt,Nr esting. In January, 1881, Virginia
offel,e to cede the Northwest territory TO
the / J. nited States upon certain conditions,
but il was not until September, 1888 that
conprtt as accepted this most munifcent
gift var made by any. government t.
Dec. %, 1888. Virginia passed an act
authori. Ii 1g deed to be made, and March
!. 1884. IL omas Jefferson, Samuel Hardy,
Arthur ]. e,' and James Monroe executed
it for the II lte of Virginia.
1t isfnte n sting to note that General
George Ro re RS Clark continued in the
service OF Y n'ginia until July ,. 1883, and
was then dis charged by Governor Harri-
son solely fol the reason that the state
was forced to economic.
l have no di sposition to be modest in
making claims for Indiana. | am proud
OF her history. While / am making the
claim that Patri,. TX Henry was the first
governor and Th mas Jefferson the Sec
ond, l will not stc1, with them. Thomas
Nelson. r, succ eded Jefferson and he
ranks as the third governor. He was sue.
ceeded by Beniami Harrison, the great
grandfather of our president. Benjamin
Harrison then was I Q fourth governor Of
IDdiana. LEWIS JORDAN.