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Commissioners of the United States, and the sachems, chiefs and warriors of the Wyandot, Seneca, Delaware, Shawnee, Potawattomie, Ottawa and Chippewa nations. All their lands in Ohio were ceded to the United States forever.

There was really not a Seneca in the Seneca nation. They were chiefly Cayugas, Mohawks, Onondagas, Tuscarawas, Wyandots and Oneidas. But the Mingoes were originally Cayugas, and their chief was the celebrated Logan. After the murder of his family by the whites, the Mingoes were scattered over the territory northwest of the Ohio.

The notorious Simon Girty was adopted by the Senecas. Girty's name was a terror and fiendish horror for many years. He not only led the Indians in their atrocities, but he added barbarism to their native wickedness.

CONCLUSION.

When peace was proclaimed, after the surrender of Gen. Robert E. Lee to Gen. U. S. Grant, the volunteer troops disbanded, and a return to home industries instituted, Ohio, like many other States, gave direct attention to the interests of returned soldiers. The thrift of the State was augmented by a spasmodic, and thereafter recognized as a fictitious, demand for products, commercial and industrial pursuits redoubled their forces. But the great wave of stagnation swept over this fair land-the re-action of a war excitement. Laborers were many, but wages were inadequate. Deeper and deeper settled this lethargycalled by many "hard times"-until the wheels of commercial life revolved slowly, and from the workshops and the factories went up the echoes of privation and distress. There was no famine, no fever, no epidemic, it was simply exhaustion. In the larger cities there was much suffering. Idle people loitered about, barely seeking employment, the task seeming worse than hopeless.

During the years 1870, 1871 and 1872, the stringent measures brought about by the depressed state of business retarded any material advancement in general matters. The years 1873-74 were marked by a preceptible improvement, and a few factories were established, while larger numbers were employed in those already founded. The year 1875 was under the direction of a Democratic Legislature. It was marked in many respects by a "reverse motion" in many laws and regulations.

The Legislature which convened in 1876, January 3, was Republican in the main. It repealed the "Geghan Law" passed by the preceding body. At the time of its adoption, there was the most intense feeling throughout the State, the charge being made that it was in the interests of the Catholics. Among the general enactments were laws re-organizing the government of the State institutions, which the previous Legislature had ordered according to their own belief to follow new doctrines. The office of Comptroller of the Treasury was abolished. The powers of municipal corporations to levy taxes was limited, and their authority to incur debts was limited. Furthermore, this body prohibited any municipal appropriations, unless the actual money was in the Treasury to meet

the same in full. A law was passed for the protection of children under fourteen years of age, exhibited in public shows.

The temperance cause received more vigorous and solid support than was ever rendered by the State previously. A common-sense, highly moral and exalted platform was formed and supported by many leading men.

This year witnessed the serious "strikes" among the miners in Stark and Wayne Counties. The consequences were painful-distress, riots and distruction of property.

The State Mine Inspector reported 300 coal mines in the State, with only twenty-five in operation. Not over 3,000,000 tons of coal were raised during the year, owing to the dullness of the times.

The State charities reported the aggregate number under public care to be 29,508. The taxation for the maintenance of these classes was one and one six-hundredth of a mill on each dollar of taxable property.

The reports given of the year 1877 indicated a revival of business interests and prosperity. The State produced of wheat, 27,306,566 bushels; rye, 914,106 bushels; buckwheat, 225,822 bushels; oats, 29,325,611; barley, 1,629,817 bushels; corn, 101,884,305 bushels; timothy, tons of hay, 2,160,334; clover, tons of hay, 286,265; flax, pounds of fiber, 7,343,294; potatoes, 10,504,278 bushels; sweet potatoes, 126,354 bushels; tobacco, 24,214,950 pounds; sorghum, sugar, 7,507 pounds; syrup, 1,180,255 gallons; maple sugar, 1,625,215 pounds; maple syrup, 324,036 gallons; honey, 1,534,902 pounds.

The year 1878 was marked by a more vigorous and combined effort of the people to entirely overcome the stagnation of business, the influence of the lethargy yet combating the awakened interest. This energy was amply rewarded in 1879, by a general dawning of the "good times" so ardently desired. New enterprises were instituted, manufactories erected, improvements carried on, and agriculture was successful. Before the year closed, the State was basking in the light of prosperity, and the year 1880 was ushered in when the confidence of the people was again a permanent incentive-confidence in the nation, their State, each in the other and themselves. The old-time crown of power, influence and integrity, which Ohio has earned, is conspicuous in this year of 1881. The jewels have been reset, and we confidently doubt not that their luster will remain undimmed intrusted to so faithful and so earnest a people.

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COMMENTS UPON THE ORDINANCE OF 1787, FROM THE STATUTES
OF OHIO, EDITED BY SALMON P. CHASE, AND PUB-
LISHED IN THE YEAR 1833.

[It would be difficult to find a more comprehensive review of the foundations of our system of laws than is given in the "Preliminary Sketch of the History of Ohio," by this distinguished representative of the bench and the bar of America. The work is now out of print, and is not easily obtained; besides, its great author has passed away; so these extracts are made more with a view of preserving old historical literature, than of introducing new; furthermore, the masses of the people have never had convenient access to the volumes, which, for the most part, have been in the hands of professional men only. The publication of the work first brought its compiler before the public, and marked the beginning of that career which, during its course, shaped the financial system of our country, and ended upon the Supreme Bench of the nation.]

By the ordinance of 1785, Congress had executed in part the great national trust confided to it, by providing for the disposal of the public lands for the common good, and by prescribing the manner and terms of sale. By that of 1787, provision was made for successive forms of Territorial government, adapted to successive steps of advancement in the settlement of the Western country. It comprehended an intelligible system of law on the descent and conveyance of real property, and the transfer of personal goods. It also contained five articles of compact between the original States, and the people and States of the Territory, establishing certain great fundamental principles of governmental duty and private right, as the basis of all future constitutions and legislation, unalterable and indestructible, except by that final and common ruin, which, as it has overtaken all former systems of human polity, may yet overwhelm our American union. Never, probably, in the history of the world, did a measure of legislation so accurately fulfill, and yet so mightily exceed the anticipations of the legislators. The ordinance has been well described, as having been a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night, in the settlement and government of the Northwestern States. When the settlers went into the wilderness, they found the law already there. It was impressed upon the soil itself, while it yet- bore up nothing but the forest. The purchaser of land became, by that act, a party to the compact, and bound by its perpetual covenants, so far as its conditions did not conflict with the terms of the cessions of the States.

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This remarkable instrument was the last gift of the Congress of the old confederation to the country, and it was a fit consummation of their glorious

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