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

On the 18th of last December, that date
being the birthday of Indiana, THE SEN-
TINEL published my communication in
which claimed that the celebrated orator
and patriot, Patrick Henry, was the iirst
governor of Indiana. Some OF the his
torical facts upon which based the claim
will bear REPETITION.
Patrick Henry was elected the first gov
ernor of Virginia in I776 and was re-
elected in 1777 and 177S. In 177S as gov
ernor of Virginia, be secretly commits
stoned George Rogers Clark to take COM
mand of an expedition TO capture from
the British forces the country northwest OF
the Ohio river and furnished him money
and munitions OF war for the undertaking.
After the capture of Nincennes, the
general assembly of Virginia passed an act
organizing the country northwest of the
Ohio river into a county which was
named Illinois. The county of Illinois
thus became part of Virginia and Patrick
Henry governor OF the territory now
forming the state of Indiana.
The indianapolis Journal challenged my
claim for Governor Henry, and In an edi-
toriaI said that "it is inaccurate to say
that any governor OF Virginia was. by
virtue OF that Office, governor of Indiana !;
and that Virginia's claim TO the northwest
territory was very shadowy, and her right
of government was never exercised"
This last statement is very inaccurate"
as can readily be proven by any student
of the history of that period. Virginia
not only organized the territory into a
county, but also appointed officers for the
county of Illinois, who were given
civil as well as military jurisdic-
ton. The right of government"
was exercised by these officers. The
disposition of the soil is one of the highest
prerogatives OF government, and this
right Virginia exer cised within the present
limits of Indiana, Gald the property rights
thus acquired were respected and con-
firmed. Her title was not very shadowy,"
for ii was founded on conquest and con-
tinued possession until The treaty OF peace
in l7S3.
According 10 the logic of the Journal it
would be inaccurate" to stare that Patrick
Henry was the first governor of West
Virginia, because that tate, like the coun-
ty of Illinois, was subs,eq gently detached
from Virginia. West Va rginia, with the
people now inhabi:ing the county OF Iii
nois. will not surrender the honor OF hav-
ing bad such a distinguished governor as
Patrick Henry. Although l cannot
agree with the statemeINs and con-
illusions of the Journal editorial, /
must return thanks for it's notice OF
my claim. The early history OF Indiana
has been too long neglected, and these
discussions may serve good purpose II
they lead to n more widespread and earn
est study of the intensely intere sting his
tory of the state. There is mllcl, OF II
that would be facinating Tor the Dung, II
it was properly presented. If | suc'e ed IN
provoking discussion and a study OF this
early history, hope l may be par, to.1ed
for indulging in a little magma tan,
which has so many facts to support it.
Great as was the surprise Of your reA l.
erB at the statement that Patrick HEM y
was the first governor OF Indiana theg
will doubtless be more surprised at the
claim now make for another great his.
torical character.
Patrick Henry was succeeded in I779 as
governor of Virginia by very distin-
guished man who is designated in Hen
ning's statutes of Virginia as Thomas
Jefferson, esq The word honorable was
not at that day prefxed to the name of
every public man. Thomas Jefferson, it
would seem, had only earned the designa-
ton OF esquire.
The claim that l now make is that
Thomas Jefferson was the second governor
of Indiana. The fame, therefore, of the
author OF the declaration ofindependence
is equally the inheritance of Indiana with
Virginia. 1t may be said that it is late
in the day to make this claim. The answer
to this is that it is never too late to write
history which is supported by evidence
which has been neglected by historians.
1t is only within few years that the early
history of the northwest territory
has received any attention. In many
OF the u. s. histories few
lines only are devoted TO the expedition of
George Rogers Clark, and yet, it was one
of the most important in its results OF any
military movement of the revolution. 1t
crushed the power OF Great Britain in the
West, held in check her Indian allies
and confirmed the title to an empire. JUS
tice to the memory of Jefferson requires
that every public service rendered by him
should be placed 10 his credit and treas
ured by the the American people. If some
of these services Injured to tlIe benefit
of the people inhabiting any
particular part of the country, they
are especially under obligations to see
that justice is done in perpetuating the
historic records of his wise counsel and
action and the great results which fol-
lowed them 1t has taken 100 years TO
fully demonstrate the wisdom and fore
sight of Thomas Jefferson. He passed
away without having been permitted to
see the full glory of his deeds. His fame
"a statesman grows with the years. Time
adds new laurels to his brow. The people
of Indiana do honor to the state in claim
ing him as the second governor. His
every act az governor relating to the ter
ritory northwest of the Ohio river is part
of the history of Indiana. This history
cannot be written and the name of JefTer-
son left out. sOn the other hand Justice to
his memory requires that it should have
the most prominent place in its early his
tory.
Great credit must be accorded to Patrick
Henry for his wisdom in fitting out the
expedition of Clark, but to Jefferson must
be given equal. if not greater credit, for
adopting measures to hold and perfect the
title to the country captured. He became
governor few months after the capture
of Vincennes. To prove that as governor
he exercised the right of government over
the territory now included within our
boundaries only few OF the many facts
will be cited. One of these facts presents
his character in different light from that
generally ascribed to him. He was
shocked and outraged at the brutal man
L L