Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1937-12-30

The. lands along the Mississippi
and Illinois rivers are fine and the
climate inviting. (the price, should
be moderate one for 100 acres....
open an Office. where any person..
| might purchase land in small guam
titles and obtain orders for laying J:
| out. (and) receive patents upon
paying for it,. The purchase mon
ey might run upon Interest,". The
United States would receive. 1.-The
same advantage as if the money had
been paid in the first instance.
There is no great danger off,. (it)
being abandoned. after much labor
has been expended upon it,. (and)
| if abandoned the land would remain
state to be regranted.... This is not
a visionary project. (buD war
ranted by experience. Pennsyl-
vania, while it remained in the
hands of the proprietaries, was set
tied in this manner. The sale of
land. (as) ordered by the congress
is over.... The price is too high. lit
requires too great a combination to
purchase million acres which is
present be disposed off,. The fear
that the most valuable only....would
be taken....is not reasonable. the
choice spots would certainly be taxi
en- first but the intermediate.
though of less e....wOuld soon
become of equal value.... The ex-
pectation that the domestic debt
might be paid. by the sale of land.
was never we'll founded. 1.-The real
is to be paid out yet...in completing
the surveys. would have bought up
more of the debt than what has been
paid into the treasury"
The above analysis of conditions
and prospects was made by one who
was on the ground and had looked
over the country with the idea Of
settling in the Northwest Territory,
and did do so. He was an ancestor
among us today
In 1898 it was found there were
more than 5000 white male inhab-
itants in the territory and it was en-.
titled to elect it's first legislature.
There were nine counties at that
time and they were to send repre-
sentatives to Cincinnati to select ten
from whom the president was to
chose five as legislative council.
We were in Washington county, then
and our representatives were Paul
Fearing and Return Johnathan
Meigs. These representatives met
on February 4, 1893, and after max
ing the nominations adjourned to
September 18th. Governor ST. Clair
addressed the assembly and outlined
what he considered necessary legis-
lation. Some of his opponents got
out pamphlet deriding him and
his ideas and he in turn issued q
broadside against them. A copy of
wrote st. Clair: II have read it
with. pleasure. (it) is a mastery
refutation of it's antagonist. in the
manner and style Of a gentleman.
seasoned with no more than was
useful and agreeable of Attic Salt.
Happy am l to fnd.... (such) just |
sentiments countenanced, encourag-
ed....in the Northwest Territory.
Mankind will not learn wisdom by !
ment.... They get rid of all such |
systems BY. Sarcasm. (and) say it |
is in favor of democracy. say
that theory is altogether in favor of |
mixed governments, as well as ex-
perience...."
When the assembly met there |
were some strange bills introduced. |
Among the odd ones 1 note one on
Wednesday, Oct. 9th: "a petition |
of Chillicothe, in the county of Ross. |
was presented. praying for leave to
make a lottery to raise $4,000 for
the purpose of erecting Presbyte
rian church in that town"
l note 80 acts passed by this first |
assembly, but do not find where they
the lottery, SO it must be
assumed the church had to be built |
some other way.
(No part of these articles may be |
reproduced without the written perl
mission of the publisher).