The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1899-03-01


their parts, in each we have much Il
admire and praise, but savage instinct!
and savage cunning had to give ava,
before intelligence and brains, tht
weak had to succumb to the strong,
and to-day we possess the land. and
hold it as heritage, from those wht
counted not their lives dear unto then
| that their childrens children might
dwell in green pastures, and fertile
valleys, with no savage foe to fear OIL
| modest.
"You call it strange that men wen
| forth to die
And armed hand met armed hand In
strife
You call it strange that, bold of heart
and eye
For love they lived, for love they
died.
The following was the response Of
Prof. John Cuttings to the toast
French claims West of the ALE
ghenles, Prior TO the Revolution.
| ToAsT-"tRENCH CLAIMS WEST Oh
THE ALLEGHANIEs, PRIOR TO REVOLT.
TIoN.
France based her claim pri
marily, to the beautiful valley of the
Ohio, and to all the fruitful wales
drained by its tributaries-to the dis.
coveries of that romantic voyager, La
Sale, and to those of the good mis-
sionary, Father Marquette.
| Following his Indian guides, La
Sale, in the year 1869, penetrated the
vast wilderness from the Lakes, and
lloated in his canoe down French Creek,
and down the Allegheny River to its
junction with the Monongahela.
thence down the Ohio as far as The
Falls-the present site of Louisville.
This was the first time, as far as
known, that white man had ever
looked on the Beautiful River 1t
was only three-years later that the
missionary, Marquette, and the French
explorer, Joliet arrived at the mouth
of the Ohio-claiming all the territory
| drained by it, TO its source-for their
king, Louis XIV of France.
Marquette and Joliet continuing
| their voyage, floated down the Father
OF waters claiming all tne territory
LOT france, Gndt was urdineu Dy tne
mighty rivers they passed, until they
had reached near the mouth of the
Arkansas in 1878, whence they began
thelr return Journey.
But it remained for the chivalric
La oalle 10 compete tne exploration
OF the mississippi. In 1919 ne built
d vessei on Lake Erie, manned ana
armed IL, ana sailed tnrousn Lakes
huron ana michigan, ana pull6 tort
at feoria, ILLINOIS, wnlcn ne garrison
eo, ana returned tnence 10 fort 'FRONT.'
enac, as MS Vessel nad Deen wrecked
oy the storms on the Lake.
Where' renewing ms enterprise Id
iooo' ne again started on voyage OF
ulscovery; tnis Time, passing doWn
tne ILLINOIS Rlver, ne descended and
explored the mississippi river 10 It's
mouth, wnere ne arrived IN April
1867.
Now the Engllsn also lald claim to
S-NN Q ASe~~ UiASJ ~ SAAS OAAAct esdA jas
ed this claim upon the discoveries OF
the Cabots on the Atlantic coast which
they asserted extended their posses
slons from sea 10 sea.
But the French VINO occupied all Can
ada, ana as we nave seen, mad taken
possession, by right OF discovery, of
the OHIO and Mississippi Valleys, now
resolved TO perfect their title, by TAX
"a more formal possession, in curious
way An expedition was sent from
Canada, in the year l749, to plant a
number OF leaden plates along the
Ohio-bearing inscriptions asserting
the claims OF France to the lands on
both sides of that stream even to the
sources OF its tributaries.
Six OF these leaden plates were
planted as follows: the first, on the
Allegheny opposite the mouth of the
Conewando: the second near the mouth
of French Creek; the third at the
mouth of Wheeling Creek; the fourth,
at the mouth of the Muskingum; the
fifth, at the mouth of the Great Ka-
nawha; the sixth and last, at the
mouth of the Great Miami.
One of these plates has been found;
that one planted at the mouth of the
Great kanawha was dug up in the
year ls46.
This plate bore long inscription,
stating it was planted there by "Cel-
oron," the commander of the expedi-
ton, NEAR the river Ohio, otherwise
Beautiful River" as monument Of
renewal of possession, by the French,
of the Ohio Valley sc"
But the English disregarded the
claims of France, and the colonial
authorities OF Virginia continued 10
issue land warrants to be locatad in
the disputed territory.
Meanwhile, the French, in order to
strengthen their position, had COM
menced to establish line of fortified
posts which should extend from the
Lakes to the Forks of the Ohio, and
beyond.
In the latter part OF the year 1853,
Governor Dinwiddie Of Virginia. in
order to ascertain the condition of af-
fairs. despatched George Washington,
with message to the French COM
mandant then stationed OF the upper
waocio v. ouo xAiioen cny li'er' WASH