sembling of the Legislature on March 1, 1803, for that body represented the sovereign power of the State. We have seen how Congress also recognized this date as the beginning of Ohio. After a complete and careful consideration of all the dates herein referred to, the General Assembly when it provided for the celebration of the Centennial of the State of Ohio in 1903 declared by joint resolution passed April 21, 1902, that "on March 1, 1803, the first General Assembly of Ohio met and organized and Ohio thereupon became a State." The conduct and charge of the celebration was placed under the control of the Ohio State Archæological and Historical Society, which also after research and consideration declared the date of March 1, 1803, as the beginning of statehood. This celebration was on May 20 and 21, 1903, because of the inclement weather of March and also because March 1 that year fell on Sunday. The fifth date of March 3, 1803, was the date of an act of Congress assenting to certain modifications proposed by the Constitutional Convention relating to lands for school purposes. Mr. Chase intimates that this fixes Ohio's date of statehood. But the fact is everything necessary for that fact was consummated before this date. On March 3, the State was in full operation; its Legislature was in session; its Governor was inaugurated and United States Judges and officials were acting in the State. Ohio was then as she was on March 1, a fully equipped State and had taken her place in the sisterhood of the Union. It may therefore be considered as settled from a historical and authoritative standpoint that March 1, 1803, was the date when the territorial government ceased and when Ohio became a State, and ipso facto a member of the United States. As one of the United States, Ohio soon had an opportunity to express her views on proposed amendments to the Federal Constitution, which came before the Fourth General Assembly in 1805. The first proposition came from Massachusetts, offering an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, “so that the Representatives may be apportioned among the several States, according to the number of their free inhabitants respectively." To this the Legislature would not assent. The reason was indeed worthy and conservative for that period. The Constitution had but recently been formed; many had predicted failure on account of the diversity of interests. The instrument was unquestionably the result of compromise and forbearing on the part of the States. Ohio consequently refused to approve an amendment that would have no other effect but to disturb the relations between the States, and destroy what Gladstone called "the most wonderful work ever struck off by the brain and purpose of man. At the same session came a proposition from Kentucky. It was an amendment which would take away the jurisdiction of the United States Courts over suits between citizens of different States, and between a citizen and a State. To this also the General Assembly of Ohio refused to give its assent because it said, among other reasons named, "that too frequent alterations of the Constitution of the United States, may tend to unhinge the principles on which it is founded." North The first Secretary of State of the State of Ohio. Born in Berkeley County, Virginia. October 29, 1778; emigrated to Chillicothe in 1799; elected Secretary of State, 1803; served until 1808; elected to Congress in 1813 and 1814; served until 1817; again elected in 1826, he served to March 3, 1833; died at Chillicothe, October 8, 1851. |