Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-09-12


union and part of a sixth. 1t was fit
ting that Ohio. the first entirely new
state, admitted to the union just twen-
ty years later without the usual tutel-
age as a separate territory, should cast
her first electrical vote for Thomas JEFF
ferson as president of the United
States.
THE causes already mentioned
would have assured to the lineage Of
Ohio strain of Virginia blood, but
this was made broader and finer by
the reservations which Virginia
made in her grant 10 the United
States. She retained large area for
General Clarke and his soldiers. These
were only plain backwoodsmen, but
they accomplished more than any
equal number ever did in all the his
tory of mankind; and they did it by
a combination of courage and endur-
ance for which / know of no parallel
Their leader has we'll been called the
Hannibal of the West, because,
without support from his distant gov
ernment, itself struggling with the foe
on its own soil, he held his conquests
to the end OF the war.
The retreat of the ten thousand
the charge of the six hundred and 9TH
er examples of heroism have been
! limmortalzed, though they mostly
lacked permanent results American
| literature has not vet exalted above
simple narrative the midwinter march
of our two hundred and the capture Of
the entire and more numerous British
garrison of Fort Vincennes, including
Its commander. And this was no
! fruitless display of military genius and
heroism, for 1t protected the patriots
| from further attack from the rear dur
ling the remaining years of the war for
Independence and gave to five great
states a birthplace and a home
Virginia also made reservations for
| her revolutionary soldiers. All these
lands were rapidly settled by families
who both in public and private life
have been large factors in the growth
and greatness of Ohio. They extend
| from the Scioto to the Little Miami
/ and are still known as the Virginia
military reservation. My selection by
the commission has at least one ele-
ment of fitness for on that reserva-
| ton l was born
| Before the great national road was
projected Virginia had established a
highway from Alexandria to Marietta,
and Washington had urged the open
ing of communication with the west
ern country by portages from stream
to stream across the mountains
$50 while Ohio comes, like all the
world to join in celebrating one of
the great events of history-the first
permanent settlement of our race on
comes with more than a general in
terest, because If any state more than
another can be called the mother of
Ohio that state Is Virginia
But the Old Dominion, in making
to the union a grant of her western
rights, did more than secure homes
| for her soldiers. Her councils were
| directed by men whose profound
study of government and far-sighted
purpose We're making our revolution
more than successful rebellion. They
were designing and building republic
on a plan until then untried.
"Our present republic had not yet
been formed, but 1t was apparent that
the old confederation must be replaced
by a more perfect union of the colo
nies which had bocome Independent
states and the character Of that union
was already taking aim In their minds.
1t would be government endowed
with certain powers of the states dele
/ gated to it by them to, be used for
their common protection and welfare.
But, by reason Of its origin and nature
| it could have no existence apart from
the states which composed it, and no
functions except those devolved on ii
by them. The principle of local self
government or home rule was too inn
i portant and too deep seated in the
hearts of the people of all the states
to be yielded or even qualified further
than was necessary to create a last
ing federal union.
"And what use could the federal
government have for a region great
enough for an empire in itself? None
except to open it for settlement And
what relation were the settlers to have
with the states or the new republic
Some of the states could not extend
I their boundaries, and jealousies would
be aroused II those which could
should do so. More than century
Twas to pass before anybody would sug-
gest that the general government has
imperial powers and may acquire and
hold territory for its own aggrandize-
ment without regard to present OF
prospective admission as new states.
! Home rule means a government
created and carried on at home by
home agencies WHICH are thus never
out of touch with the people As Vir-
ginia soon after consented to separate
statehood for Kentucky. because the
government beyond the mountains ai
Richmond was not home rule for Ken
tuckians, though they had a voice In
IL. so she did not seek to impose gov
ernment from a'distance on the people
beyond the Ohio, but secured for them
the same right her own people en-
ljoyed
"That there might be no question
about the political future of the coun'
try she gave up, Virginia made and
congress accepted her grant on the
express condition that "the territory
so eeded shall be laid out and formed
into states, not less than three nOl
more than five, to be distinct repub.
lican states and admitted members OF
the federal union having the same
right of sovereignty, freedom and in.
dependence as the other states.
This was no doubt the precedent
for the similar condition In the later
grant by France of the Louisiana. re-
lgion. which extended our boundaries
to the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific
ocean And the course so provided has
been followed without exception with
respect to all territory settled by
Americans. Arizona. New Mexico and
Alaska alone do not yet enjoy the
rights of statehood. unless Oklah0ma
lis to be STOPPED at the door.
More than century OF experience
lunder this dual form of government
has proved its fitness and sufficiency
for the needs of our people In eacl
state they have built up and carry or
for themselves institutions undei
which protection, justice. education
and public conyenienees are provided
and civil rights defined and secured