Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 07.pdf/134

 A Sketch of the Supreme Court of Ohio. attraction of having been in Justinian's days the site of a large and permanent settlement by people whose only history so far as is written in the high conical mounds, great squares of earth, covered ways reaching to the river in the shape of huge earthen em bankments, burial cists, ruins of ancient habitations, memorial and religious mounds, or immense forts of earth or stone.

Some of them are preserved now within the limits of old Marietta. Around these an cient settlements were numerous Indian tribes claiming the land, and jealous of their rights. The pioneer set tlers were for a short period without local government, and like all settlers in a new country felt the ne cessity of laws for the protection of their person and property. No steps had yet been taken towards the formation of the government provided by the ordinance of the Territory of the CALVIN Northwest, and the Governor appointed, General Arthur St. Clair, had not yet arrived. The emigrants were therefore without civil laws or civil authority to enforce them. In this emergency Col. Return Jonathan Meigs, a distinguished Revolutionary officer, who had crowned a long series of brilliant actions in that war by his distinguished bravery in storming Stony Point with Gen. Anthony Wayne, was selected to draw up a system of regulations, which were adopted by the emigrants as their rule of conduct

and protection until the proper authorities should arrive. To give these regulations publicity, a large oak tree standing near the confluence of the rivers was selected from which the bark was peeled of sufficient space, and on it the written regulations were nailed. Colonel Meigs was selected as the authority to en force them, and for that purpose was unani mously invested with full power. This is a striking illustration that# in whatever condition man is placed the necessity of some form of government is felt. As a strong evi dence' of the good character of the peo ple it is said that dur ing the three months of the existence of these rules, but one difference arose among the people, and that was com promised. This well justified the assertion of President Wash ington " that no col ony in America was ever settled under such favorable aus PEASE. pices as that which has just commenced at the Muskingum. Information, property, and strength will be its characteristics. I know many of the set tlers personally, and there never were men better calculated to promote the welfare of such 9 community." The same kind of pro vision for protection was made at Cincinnati, and William McMillan appointed to enforce them. There was, however, but one prosecu tion under them, and that was of a party for robbing a garden of some vegetables, and he received as punishment ten lashes.