Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-06-09
Morgan County McConnesve Thursday

On the next day, December 10
1893, the legislature adjourned, bu
before 1t dispersed st. Clair mad,
an address to the members. While
the assembly had not passed all thu
I! laws that st. Clair had asked for
yet he had been able to get through
the ones of major Importance anl
seemed to be in good humor with
the membership. I will quote only
| "a few extracts from his address anG
you will be able to see some of the
things he had in mind: "....I wished
you could have ended earlier... sc
| that....yOu.... who have come a great
distance. might have reached.
home. before the severity of win.
ter. (The session was held a,
Cincinnati, and the members came
from all quarters of the territory
IL acknowledge (the) patience,
temper and the industry which have
been manifested. lin your delibera-
tions.... 1t would have given me
pleasure. If l could have agreed
with you in everything that was
done. (but) I was bound by duty
to follow the dictates of my own
mind. (....The session had before
it proposals to form several new
counties ST. Clair was against this
and his remarks concerning why are
as applicable today as they were
when he made them, nearly 140
years ago....) THE expenses which
....attend the establishment Of coun-
ties fall light when divided amongst
a NUMBER. (but) become a heavy
burden when they must be borne by
few. (and) the expense and in
conveniences.. complained Of. are in
creased in the same ratio as the
counties are multiplied. The erect
ing of new counties is the proper
business of the executive. 1t is
provided. 1.-The boundaries may be
altered. (but) they must exist be-
fore they can be altered. While I
shall avoid encroaching on the
rights of the legislature IL shall
guard. d....those Of the executive.
(....He then went on to soothe them
a little by saying....) "New, as we
are, to the business of legislation,
it is not to be wondered at that
some differences. have appeared. -.
This first essay. would do no dis
honor....tO a more practiced legisla-
ture...." (He then set the time for
the next session by saying) s'This
..of the legislature lis pro-
rogued to the first Monday in No
vember, which will be in the year
1900"
These remarks may be published
q yhnr in hn ,.1 1r Af
Ohio, but just where 1 cannot now
find out. I found them enclosed in
a letter to certain James Ross, of
whom l can find out nothing, but
he must have lived in Philadelphia.
In the letter to Ross, st. Clair
said: "....Our assembly is up. l was
obliged to put a negative upon a
good many Of their acts. ct seems
that some of the land that had been
set aside for educational purposes
had been priced too high, so st. |
Clair, always in favor of univer
5ity, asks Ross to do what he can |
in congress to get the price reduc- |
ed. He suggests g.. (if) the rate
we're two dollars (per acre). land |
The money invested in six percent |
stocks. the interest on $4,000.
would handsomely maintain the in |
land complete the build
ngs.. $50 we see that the esti- |
mated cost of running university |
n those days was not so much as in |
.hese present times.) While no di-
.ect reference is made as to what |
he had in mind, we can /
assume it was the Ohio University |
1T Athens, as this was the first es- |
ablished.
There had been some talk about |
lividing the territory into two parts
md erecting two governments in it,
,wing to it's vast expanse. So st.
Clair writes: You seem to think
t proper measure. ....if not divided
t must become a state soon...A null
itude of INDECENT and ignorant peo~
,e are but i'll qualified to form a
for themselves. they
ire too far removed from the seat
# government. to be impressed
With the power of the United States
=. Their connection with (the old
II states) is very slender. many
eft nothing behind them but cred
tors. whom they would willingly
orget Fixed political opinions
hey have none. :. (while) at present
ttached to the general government
many hold sentiments directly
,pposite.. (they) would be demo-
ratio in form but oligarchic in ex-
cution. the inhabitants (should)
ave the protection of the United
that gratitude and at
achment would become a fixed
labit Of mind
l have given rather extensive
xcerpts from these letters that you
nay know the sentiment of the
'eople of the territory at that time.
This session of the legislature al
o passed, after rather a acrimo-
ious debate, an address to the pres
dent, John Adams) and requested
It. Clair to send it to him with a
ROPER letter of transmission. st.
lair was not very warm friend
f Adams, but did as. requested,
making out as best he could. Just
o show the style Of address custo-
nary at that time I will give short
xtract from it. The address was
igned by Edward Tiffin,s the speak
r of the house: 1.-The general as
emily of the territory northwest Of
he river Ohio, believing the high
st reward a virtuous public officer
an receive is the applause Of his