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��HISTOllY OF OHIO.
��CHAPTER VI.
AMERICAN OCCUPATION— INDIAN CLAIMS— SURVEYS — EARLY LAND COMPANIES— COMPACT OF 1787 — ORGANIZATION OF THE TERRITORY — EARLY AMERICAN SETTLE- MENTS IN THE OHIO VALLEY — FIRST TERRITORIAL OFFICERS— ORGANIZATION OF COUNTIES.
��THE occupation of the West by the American, really dates from the campaign of Gren. Clarke in 1778, when he captured the British posts in the Illinois country, and Vincennes on the Wabash. Had he been properly supported, he would have reduced Detroit, then in easy reach, and poorly de- fended. As it was, however, that post remained in charge of the British till after the close of the war of the Revolution. They also held other lake posts; but these were included in the terms of peace, and came into the possession of the Ameri- cans. They were abandoned by the British as soon as the different commanders received notice from their chiefs, and British rule and English occupation ceased in that part of the New World.
The war virtually closed by the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, Va., October 19, 1781. The struggle was prolonged, however, by the British, in the vain hope that they could re- trieve the disaster, but it was only a useless waste of men and money. America would not be sub- dued. "If we are to be taxed, we will be repre- sented," said they, "else we will be a free govern- ment, and regulate our own taxes." In the end, they were free.
Provisional articles of peace between the United States and Great Britain were signed in Paris on the 30th of November, 1782. This was followed by an armistice negotiated at Versailles on the 20th of January, 1783; and finally, a definite treaty of peace was concluded at Paris on the 3d of the next September, and ratified by Congress on the 4th of January, 1784. By the second article of the defi- nite treaty of 1783, the boundaries of the United States were fixed. A glance at the map of that day shows the boundary to have been as follows: Beginning at Passamaquoddy Bay, on the coast of Maine, the line ran north a little above the forty- fifth parallel of latitude, when it diverged southwest- erly, irregularly, until it reached that parallel, when it followed it until it reached the St. Lawrence River. It followed that river to Lake Ontario, down its center ; up the Niagara River ; through Lake Erie,
��up the Detroit River and through Lakes Huron and Superior, to the northwest extremity of the latter. Then it pursued another irregular western course to the Lake of the Woods, when it turned south- ward to the Mississippi River. The commissioners insisted that should be the western boundary, as the lakes were the northern. It followed the Mis- sissippi south until the mouth of Red River was reached, when, turning east, it followed almost a direct line to the Atlantic Coast, touching the coast a little north of the outlet of St. John's River.
From this outline, it will be readily seen what boundary the United States possessed. Not one- half of its present domain.
At this date, there existed the original thirteen colonies : Virginia occupying all Kentucky and all the Northwest, save about half of Michigan and Wisconsin, claimed by Massachusetts ; and the upper part of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, and the lower part (a narrow strip) of Michigan, claimed by Con- necticut. Greorgia included all of Alabama and Mississippi. The Spaniards claimed all Florida and a narrow part of lower Georgia. All the coun- try west of the Father of Waters belonged to Spain, to whom it had been secretly ceded when the fam- ily compact was made. That nation controlled the Mississippi, and gave no small uneasiness to the young government. It was, however, happily set- tled finally, by the sale of Louisana to the United States.
Pending the settlement of these questions and the formation of the Federal Union, the cession of the Northwest by Virginia again came before Congress. That body found itself unable to fulfill its promises to its soldiers regarding land, and again urged the Old Dominion to cede the Terri- tory to the General Government, for the good of all. Congress forbade settlers from occupying the Western lands till a definite cession had been made, and the title to the lands in question made good. But speculation was stronger than law, and without waiting for the slow processes of courts.
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