Evening star., 1946-09-22
Capital Sidelights
BIZ Will P. Kennedy.

By Will P. Kennedy.
Members of Congress from six great
Northwestern States are cooperating
toward celebration next year of the
160th anniversary of initiation of settle
ment, government and progressive de-
velopment of that territory out of which
have been carved Ohio, Illinois, Mich
igan, Indiana, Wisconsin and the south
ern part of Minnesota. There was not
a single white mans settlement in the
entire area prior to 1888, except an
occasional fort, a few French settlers
and lone missionaries.
On July 13, 1857, during the same
time that the Constitutional Conven-
ton was meeting in Philadelphia, the
Congress OF Confederation then meet
ing in New York City adopted IAN Ordi-
nance for the Government Of the Terri
tory of the United States, Northwest of
the River Ohio" An outstanding fea-
ture of that ordinance was that it pro-
hibited slavery in the vast territory.
Other clauses embodied most of the
provisions of the subsequent Bill of
Rights, first amendment to our Con-
stitution, such as civil and religious
liberty, the right OF habeas corpus, trial
by jury, nonexcessive bail and other
freedoms.
The late President Theodore Roose-
welt said this ordinance "in truth, so
wide-reaching In its effects, was drawn
In accordance with so lofty a morality
and such far-reaching craftsmanship,
and was fraught with such veal for the
Nation, that 1t will rank among the
foremost of American state papers. 1t
marked out definite line of orderly
freedom along which the new States
were to advance"
Authorship of the ordinance has been
claimed by several men. among them
Rufus King, native of Scarborough.
Me.-then part Of Massachusetts-and
Nathan Dane, native of Ipswich,
the Continental Congress. The funda-
mental principles underlying the Ordi-
nance of 1887, however, came from the
pen Of Thomas Jefferson several years
previous. But at the time the ordinance
was adopted Jefferson was in France,
as the United States Minister to that
country.
One of the most careful students of
history in Congress, Maj. Alfred L. Bull
winkle of North Carolina, especially
well versed in the origin of laws and
yeo1ifico1 frerdc hoe IND III
colleagues that the first New Deal in
America was drafted in 1869 by John
Locke, famous English philosopher, and
known as "Our Grand Model of Gov
ernment." 1t is found in The Funda-
mental Constitutions of North Caro-
lina," which concluded: These funda-
mental constitutions, in number 100
." shall be and remain the sacred
and unalterable form and rule of gov
ernment of Carolina forever" They
were promulgated as perpetual" five
times In 10 years; had little weight in
North Carolina; definitely strengthened
the tendency toward dominant landed
aristocracy in South Carolina; actually
never went into effect in the colony.
al 0OuUAA SdlO4A10 tllCoC COllSJlGuUlOIS
led to the ballot and certain land own
ership requirements for voting and
oficeholding.
Solicitor General J. Harold McGrath,
former Governor OF Rhode Island, and
now candidate for the United States
Senate, is to make the main address at
the celebration Of Commodore John
Barry Day, on the portico Of the old
Sub Treasury Building, Wall and Mas
sau streets. New York City, october 13
He will be introduced by Mayor William
ODwyer. The celebration is being ar
ranged by the Ancient Order Of Hi
bernians and associated Irish organiza-
tions, with Maj. Elizur Yale Smith,
executive secretary Of the Bill Of Rights
Commemorative Society. as master Of
ceremonies. The Sub b-Treasury occupies
the site Of the original Capitol Building
where Washington was inaugurated,
Congress first met, and there Commo-
dore Barry besought just treatment for
| officers of the Colonial Navy at the
close of the Revolution. Solicitor Gen.
eral McGrath while Governor of Rhode
Island signed the law directing annual
| observance Of Commodore John Barry
Day, and issued three proclamations
| calling for celebration in the schools
and by patriotic and civic organizations.
Governor Maurice Tobin Of Massachu-
| sets issued Barry Day proclamation
on August Is, under the law passed dur
| ing the administration of Governor Ely.