the western boundary of the eastern district; a line drawn north from that part of the Indian boundary line opposite to the mouth of the Kentucky, the western boundary of the middle district; and the western division to comprehend all the country between that and the Mississippi. The natural advantages would, in this manner, remain to every part. Marietta would most probably be the seat of the government for this district, and sufficiently convenient to every part of it; Cincinnati would continue to be, with equal convenience, the seat of the middle district, and St. Vincennes for the western; not, indeed, equally convenient, but more so than any other place that could be chosen. There are many other advantages which would flow from this measure which I will not trouble you with. I will only observe that almost any division into two parts which could be made would ruin Cincinnati."

A division on the lines suggested by the Governor would have resulted in two conditions at least. It would have destroyed the importance of Chillicothe, the seat of Republicanism, as a political and social center, and it would have delayed statehood. Delegate Harrison was in favor of neither of these results because he was a Republican, a statehood man, and because he was playing politics himself. Therefore, he wholly disregarded St. Clair's suggestions and the prayer of the Vincennes petitioners.

By an act of Congress of May 7, 1800, the passage of which was the direct fruit of Mr. Harrison's labor and influence, the Territory Northwest of the Ohio River was divided into two separate governments, by a line drawn from the mouth of the Kentucky River

to Fort Recovery, and thence north until it intersected the territorial line between the United States and Canada. The territory lying west of this line was erected into, and designated Indiana Territory; the eastern portion retained its existing government and Vincennes was designated as the seat of government of Indiana Territory, and Chillicothe that of the Northwest Territory until otherwise ordered by their respective legislatures.

name.

This legislation had two sequels: it widened the breach between the advocates and opponents of statehood, and it was the cause of William Henry Harrison resigning his seat in Congress and receiving the appointment of governor of Indiana Territory.

We can profitably pause in this narrative to take a bird's-eye view of the principal actors and their surroundings in this, the heroic period of Ohio history. The contest over forming a new state for the Union is always interesting, but it never developed such a conflict of sentiment as did this between St. Clair and the Virginians. From an historical standpoint it is the most picturesque episode of the pioneer period, and reads like a romance.

The conversion of a wilderness into a garden; the invasion of the Virginians; the overthrow of the great Arthur St. Clair; the struggle for statehood; the victory of the people over the political aristocracy; the framing of the Constitution for a people without their consent, are all events that form a background for a picture that has no parallel in American history. And all these scenes were enacted in a theatre of intellect; the only weapons were tongues and pens, but

they were directed by men who for brains and bravery are worthy of every tribute of admiration and respect that the people of Ohio can bestow upon them.

In 1796 there came into the Scioto Valley a young Virginian named Nathaniel Massie. He had served in the Revolutionary War, from his native State at the age of seventeen, and at nineteen started to Kentucky to pursue his vocation of surveying the public lands and placing land warrants for soldiers of the Revolution. He founded Manchester in Adams County, and in 1796 penetrated the Scioto Valley, which was then a beautiful but savagely wild territory. Here he located and laid out Chillicothe. It is easy to understand how he was attracted to this glorious land, which then, as now, bore all the evidence of the richness of nature. It was here that he selected the site that was to be the starting point of a powerful, wealthy and patriotic State.

The territory of the Scioto Valley had for centuries been the selected living place of divers races of men. In the very dawn of human knowledge it was populated by the mysterious race of Mound-builders, and was the seat of their cities, camping places, fortifications and altars. Attracted, doubtless, by the magnificent soil, beautiful scenery and natural resources, both of the animal and vegetable kingdom, they filled this valley in great numbers until driven away or destroyed by a succeeding race. After them came the Shawanese famed for their bravery and numbers, and occupied for perhaps centuries the land along the Scioto River in their populous towns. They, too, lived in this elysium of natural bliss, receiving from bounteous nature all