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��HISTORY OF OHIO.
��or Upper House. These five were Jacob Burnet, James Fiudley, Henry Vanderburgh, Robert Oliver and David Vance. On the od of March, the Senate confirmed their nomination, and the Territorial Government of Ohio* — or, more prop- erly, the Northwest — was complete. As this comprised the essential business of this body, it was prorogued by the Governor, and the Assembly directed to meet at the same place September 16, 171*9, and proceed to the enactment of laws for the Territory.
That day, the Territorial Legislature met again at Cincinnati, but, for want of a quorum, did not organize until the 24th. The House consisted of nineteen members, seven of whom were from Ham- ilton County, four from Ross, three from Wayne, two from Adams, one from Jeff"erson, one from Washington and one from Knox. Assembling both branches of the Legislature, Gov. St. Clair addressed them, recommending such measures to their consideration as, in his judgment, were suited to the condition of the country. The Council then organized, electing Henry Vanderburgh, Presi- dent; William C. Schenck, Secretary; George Howard, Doorkeeper, and Abraham Carey, Ser- geant-at-arms.
The House also organized, electing Edward Tif- fin, Speaker; John Reilly, Clerk; Joshua Row- land, Doorkeeper, and Abraham Carey, Sergeant- at-arms.
This was the first legislature elected in the old Northwestern Territory. During its first session, it passed thirty bills, of which the Governor vetoed eleven. They also elected William Henry Harri- son, then Secretary of the Territory, delegate to Congress. The Legislature continued in session till December 19, having much to do in forming new laws, when they were prorogued by the Gov- ernor, until the first Monday in November, 1800. The second session was held in Chillicothe, which had been designated as the seat of government by Congress, until a permanent capital should be selected.
May 7, 1800, Congress passed an act establish- ing Indiana Teri'itory, including all the country west of the Great Miami River to the Mississippi, and appointed William Henry Harrison its Gov- ernor. At the autumn session of the Legislature
- Ohio never existed as a Territory proper. It was known, both
before and atter the division of the Northwest Territory, as the "Territory northwest of the Ohio River." Still, as the country comprised in its limits was the principal theater of action, the short resume given here is made necessary in the logical course of events. Ohio, as Ohio, never existed until the creation of the State in March, 1803.
��of the eastern, or old part of the Territory, Will- iam McMillan and Paul Fearing were elected to the vacancies caused by this act. By the organ- ization of this Territory, the counties of Knox, St. Clair and Randolph, were taken out of the juris- diction of the old Territory, and with them the representatives, Henry Vandenburgh, Shadrach Bond, John Small and John Edgar.
Before the time for the next Assembly came, a new election had occurred, and a few changes were the result. Robert Oliver, of Marietta, was cho- sen Speaker in the place of Henry Vanderburgh. There was considerable business at this session; several new counties were to be erected; the coun- try was rapidly tilling with people, and where the scruples of the Governor could be overcome, some organization was made. He was very tenacious of his power, and arbitrary in his rulings, affirming that he, alone, had the power to create new coun- ties. This dogmatic exercise of his veto power, his rights as ruler, and his defeat by the Indians, all tended against him, resulting in his displace- ment by the President. This was done, however, just at the time the Territory came from the second grade of government, and the State wa>; created.
The third session of the Territorial Legislature continued from November 24, 1801, to January 23, 1802, when it adjourned to meet in Cincin- nati, the fourth Monday in November, but owing to reasons made obvious by subsequent events, was never held, and the third session marks the decline of the Territorial government.
April 30, 1802, Congress passed an act "to enable the people of the eastern division of the territory northwest of the Ohio River, to form a constitution and State government, and for the admission of such States into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, and for other purposes." In pursuance of this act, an election had been held in this part of the Tenitory, and members of a constitutional convention cho- sen, who were to meet at Chillicothe, November 1, to perform the duty assigned them.
The people throughout the country contemplat- ed in the new State were anxious for the adoption of a State government. The arbitrary acts of the Territorial Governor had heightened this feeling; the census of the Territory gave it the lawful number of inhabitants, and nothing stood in its way.
The convention met the day designated and proceeded at once to its duties. When the time arrived for the opening of the Fourth Territorial
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