Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/136

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��HISTORY OF OHIO.

��to do regarding these various items, and, at once, set themselves to tlifi task. Laws were passed re- garding all these ; new counties created ; officers appointed for the same, until they could be elected, and courts and machinery of government put in motion. President Judges and lawyers traveled their circuits holding courts, often in the open air or in a log shanty ; a constable doing duty as guard over a jury, probably seated on a log under a tree, or in the bushes. The President Judge in- structed the officers of new counties in their duties, and though the whole keeping of matters accorded with the times, an honest feeling generally pre- vailed, inducing each one to perform his part as eflPectually as his knowledge permitted.

The State continually filled with people. New towns arose all over the country. Excepting the occasional sicknesses caused by the new climate and fresh soil, the general health of the people im- proved as time went on. They were fully in ac- cord with the President, Jefferson, and carefully nurtured those principles of personal liberty en- grafted in the fundamental law of 1787, and later, in the Constitution of the State.

Little if any change occurred in the natural course of events, following the change of govez'n- ment until Burr's expedition and plan of secession in 1805 and 1806 appeared. What his plans were, have never been definitely ascertained. His action related more to' the General Government, yet Ohio was called upon to aid in putting down his insurrection — for such it was thought to be — and defeated his purposes, whatever they were. His plans ended only in ignominious defeat ; the breaking-up of one of the finest homes in the [ Western country, and the expulsion of himself and j all those who were actively engaged in his scheme, whatever its imports were.

Again, for a period of four or five years, no exciting events occurred. Settlements continued ; mills and factories increased ; towns and cities grew ; counties were created ; trade enlarged, and naught save the common course of events trans- pired to mark the course of time. Other States were made from the old Northwest Territory, all parts of which were rapidly being occupied by settlers. The danger from Indian hostilities was little, and the adventurous whites were rapidly occupying their country. One thing, however, was yet a continual source of annoyance to the Americans, viz., the British interference with the Indians. Their traders did not scruple, nor fail on every opportunity, to aid these sons of the

��forest with arms and ammunition as occasion offered, endeavoring to stir them up against the Americans, until events here and on the high seas culminated in a declaration of hostilities, and the war of 1812 was the result. The deluded red men found then, as they found in 1795, that they were made tools by a stronger power, and dropped when the time came that they were no longer needed.

Before the opening of hostilities occurred, how- ever, a series of acts passed the General Assembly, causing considerable excitement. These were the famous "Sweeping Resolutions," passed in 1810. For a few years prior to their passage, considera- ble discontent prevailed among many of the legis- lators regarding the rulings of the courts, and by many of these embryo law-makers, the legislative power was considered omnipotent. They could change existing laws and contracts did they desire to, thought many of them, even if such acts con- flicted with the State and National Constitutions. The " Sweeping Resolutions " were brought about mainly by the action of the judges in declaring that justices of the peace could, in the collection of debts, hold jurisdiction in amounts not exceed- ing fifty dollars without the aid of a jury. The Constitution of the United States gave the jury control in all such cases where the amount did not exceed twenty dollars. There was a direct con- tradiction against the organic law of the land — to which every other law and act is subversive, and when the judges declared the legislative act uncon- stitutional and hence null and void, the Legisla- ture became suddenly inflamed at their independ- ence, and proceeded at once to punish the admin- istrators of justice. The legislature was one of the worst that ever controlled the State, and was composed of many men who were not only igno- rant of common law, the necessities of a State, and the dignity and true import of their office, but were demagogues in every respect. Having the power to impeach officers, that body at once did so, having enough to carry a two-thirds majority, and removed several judges. Further maturing their plans, the " Sweepers," as they were known, construed the law appointing certain judges and civil officers for seven years, to mean seven years from the organization of the State, whether they had been officers that length of time or not. All officers, whether of new or old counties, were con- strued as included in the act, and, utterly ignoi'ing the Constitution, an act was passed in January, 1810, removing every civil officer in the State.

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