Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/135

 HISTORY OF OHIO.

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��Legislature, the convention was in session and had evidently about completed its labors. The mem- bers of the Legislature (eight of whom were mem- bers of the convention^ seeing that a speedy termination of the Territorial government was inev- itable, wisely concluded it was inexpedient and unnecessary to hold the proposed session.

The convention concluded its labors the 29th of November. The Constitution adopted at that time, though rather crude in some of its details, was an excellent organic instrument, and remained almost entire until 1851, when the present one was adopted. Either is too long for insertion here, but either will well pay a perusal. The one adopted by the convention in 18l>2 was never submitted to the people, owing to the circumstances of the times ; but it was submitted to Congress February 19, 1803, and by that body accepted, and an act passed admitting Ohio to the Union.

The Territorial government ended March 3, 1803, by the organization, that day, of the State government, which organization defined the pres- ent limits of the State.

" We, the people of tlie Eastern Division of the Ter- ritory of the United States. Northwest of the River Ohio, having the right of admission into the General Government as a member of the Union, consistent with the Constitution of the United States, the Ordinance of Congress of one thousand seven hundred and eighty- seven, and of the law of Congress, entitled 'An act to enable the people of the Eastern Division of the Terri- tory of the United States Northwest of the River Ohio, to form a Constitution and a State Government, and for the admission of such State into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, and for other purpo- ses ;' in order to establish Justice, promote the well- fare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish the follow- ing Constitution or form of government; and do mu- tually agree with each other to form ourselves into a free and independent State, by the name of the State of Ohio.'"* — Preamble, Constitution of 1802.

When the convention forming the Constitution, completed its labors and presented the results to Congress, and that body passed the act forming

siuthern lioumlaiy. Its origin is somewliat obscure, l>ut is com- monly ascrilied to the Indians. On this point. Col. Johnston says: " The Shawauoese called the Ohio River '■ KU-ke-pirla, Sepe, i. e., 'Eagle River.'' The Wyan lors were in the conntry generations before the ShawanoesB, and, consequently, their name of the river is the prim- itive one and should stand in preference to all others. Ohio may be called a'l improvement on the expression, '0-he-zuh' and was, no doubt, adopted by the early French voyagers in their boat-songs, and is substantially the same wor i as used by the Wyandots: the meaning applied by the French, fair and beautiful 'la belle river,^ being the same precisely as that meant by the Indians — 'great, grand and fair to look upon.' " — Howe's Collections.
 * The name of the State is derived from the river forming its

Webster's Dictionary gives the word as of Indian origin, and its meaning to be, " Beautiful."

��the State, the territory included therein was di- vided into nine counties, whose names and dates of erection were as follows:

Washington, July 27, 1788; Hamilton, Janu- ary 2, 1790; (owing to the Indian war no other counties were erected till peace was restored); Ad- ams, July 10, 1797; Jefi"erson, July 29, 1797; Ross, August 20, 1798; Clermont, Fairfield and Trumbull, December 9, 1800; Belmont, Septem- ber 7, 1801. These counties were the thickest- settled part of the State, yet many other localities needed organization and were clamoring for it, but owing to St. Clair's views, he refused to grant their requests. One of the first acts on the as- sembling of the State Legislature, March 1, 1803, was the creation of seven new counties, viz., Gal- lia, Scioto, Greauga, Butler, Warren, Greene and Montgomery.

Section Sixth of the "Schedule" of the Consti- tution required an election for the various officers and Representatives necessary under the new gov- ernment, to be held the second Tuesday of Janu- ary, 1803, these ofiicers to take their seats and as- sume their duties March 3. The Second Article provided for the regular elections, to be held on the second Tuesday of October, in each year. The Governor elected at first was to hold his office until the first regular election could be held, and thereafter to continue in ofiice two years.

The January elections placed Edward Tiffin in the Governor's office, sent Jeremiah Morrow to Congress, and chose an Assembly, who met on the day designated, at Chillicothe. Michael Baldwin was chosen Speaker of the House, and Nathaniel Massie, of the Senate. The Assembly appointed William Creighton, Jr., Secretary of State ; Col. Thomas Gibson, Auditor ; William McFarland, Treasurer; Return J. Meigs, Jr., Samuel Hun- tington and William Sprigg, Judges of the Su- preme Court; Francis Dunlevy, Wyllys Silliman and Calvin Pease, President Judges of the First, Second and Third Districts, and Thomas Worth- ington and John Smith, United States Senators. Charles Willing Byrd was made the United States District Judge.

The act of Congress forming the State, con- tained certain requisitions regarding public schools, the " salt springs," public lands, taxation of Gov- ernment lands, Symmes' purchase, etc., which the constitutional c(mvention agTeed to with a few minor considerations. These Congress accepted, and passed the act in accordance thereto. The First General Assembly found abundance of work

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