the country west of the Mississippi; but the region east of that river, as far as the mountains, remained patented to two of the colonies. Virginia claimed that between the parallels of 36° 30′ and 41° north: and Connecticut that from 41° to 42°. In the treaty of 1783, Great Britain acknowledged the sovereignty and independence of the United States of America. By this acknowledgment, the Congress of these United States were enabled to exercise over the Northwestern territory, a jurisdiction of the same kind which they exercised over the original states;but wanted the pre-emption of the soil, and the power of establishing colonial governments. These were soon granted. In 1784 Virginia resigned to them her whole [79] jurisdiction north of the Ohio, and her title to the soil within the present limits of the state of Ohio, except the tract between the Scioto and Little Miami rivers."8 In 1786, Connecticut ceded her claim to the soil and jurisdiction of that part of her territory which lies west of a meridian line, 120 miles distant from the western boundary of Pennsylvania. In 1800 she relinquished her jurisdiction over the part which lies east of that meridian, but retained her claim to the soil. This tract is known by the name of the Connecticut Reserve, or New Connecticut." It only remained for the United States to purchase the soil and its possession from the Indians, which, in the eastern and southern parts of the territory, was accomplished at different periods. 68 On the subject of land cessions, consult Herbert B. Adams, "Maryland's Influence on Land Cessions to the United States," in Johns Hopkins University Studies, series iii, no. i. The portion reserved by Virginia was known as the "Virginia military reserve," being, under her bounty laws, granted to her Revolutionary soldiers. In 1852 Virginia released to the United States all the unlocated lands, which were in 1871 granted by Congress to Ohio, as endowment for her state university.- ED. "The above is a correct statement of the origin of the Connecticut Western Reserve, wherein the first settlement was made at Cleveland in 1796.- ED. POPULATION The principal inducements for emigration to this state, (as observed by Doct. Drake,) are, the fertility of the soil; the low prices of lands, and entire security of titles; the high price of labor, and the exclusion of slavery. For several years the Indian war opposed the operation of these inducements but the Greenville treaty of 1795, brought them into full effect." Fortunately, they happened to attract most attention, in the northern and middle states, which are at [80] all times able to furnish the greatest number of emigrants. In the northern, especially, where the means of subsistence bear the smallest proportion to the population, these advantages have been fully appreciated, as appears from the prevalence of the manners and customs of New-England over most of this state. The extraordinary emigration from that section cannot be wholly attributed to these inducements, but has arisen in part from a portion of the north of this state being owned by Connecticut. In the same way the retention, by Virginia, of her right to the soil between the Little Miami and Scioto rivers, has been an additional motive with the people of that state for migrations to this. The prohibition of slavery has contributed greatly to the population of this state. The operation of this cause has not been confined to those states in which the practice of slavery is abolished, but has extended throughout the south, and is likely for many years to continue in full operation. It has even turned the current of European emigration from Kentucky and Tennessee, and spread it widely over, not only Ohio, but Indiana and Illinois. The progress of increase, in this state, has been equally rapid with that of emigration. From the abundance of 70 For note on the Treaty of Greenville, see Buttrick's Voyages, in our volume viii, p. 84, note 32; for a brief biography of Dr. Drake, see our volume xiii, p. 161, note 35.- Ed. subsistence, the preventive checks to population do not operate, and marriages are both [81] early and productive. Males generally marry before twenty-one, and females before seventeen. The positive checks are neither numerous nor powerful. The diseases peculiar to new countries, and incidental to those who change their climate, have an effect, not susceptible of estimation, but which is unquestionably considerable. This however, is the only cause to which much should be ascribed. From 1794 to 1812, there were no Indian wars. The loss of lives, in the campaigns of 1812 and 1813, was great, but is not susceptible to observation; nor will it produce a sensible diminution in the ratio of increase. Those who perished were chiefly young men, a portion of population that is always in excess, and which, when reduced, is soon restored by emigration. An inquiry into the causes of increase in the future population of this state, is neither within the power of the author nor the limits of this work; but it may not be improper to devote a moment to the consideration of the leading causes that will secure a rapid augmentation of population in Ohio. The cheapness of land and the high price of labor will continue to promote emigration to this state until the lands owned by the United States are principally sold and settled. The effect of these causes will then be lessened; but the general fertility [82] of the soil, the security of land titles, and the prohibition of slavery, as already enumerated, are inducements equally strong and durable. The extinction of the Indian title to the region watered by the Sandusky and Maumee rivers, will have a very beneficial operation on the progress of population. The uniform richness of the soil in that tract; the facility of removing to it over Lake Erie; its numerous Creeks, Bays and Harbours on the north, and proximity to the Capital of the State, on the south, must inevitably effect a rapid settlement. The formation of commercial and trading establishments on its northern borders, and the construction of good roads, if not canals, between the navigable streams of the Lake and Ohio river, will also contribute greatly to a dense population in the interior. Lastly, the erection of manufacturing establishments will co-operate in the future augmentation of its numbers. To convert into manufacturers the hands engaged in clearing and improving a new country, would be a mistaken policy; and if adopted must soon correct itself. In the case in which a new country is contiguous to an older, of dense population which can exchange manufactures for subsistence, it may even be advisable to defer manufacturing in the former to a later [83] period, But where a new country must transport its surplus of agricultural products to a great distance and import the necessary manufactures from shops equally remote, it may be advisable to commence manufacturing much earlier. It must not, however, attempt to convert its farmers into tradesmen. They should be imported instead of their manufactures. The ranks of agriculture would then remain entire, the simple process of barter at home be substituted for expensive and hazardous commercial operations, and the immergent manufactures with their increase become an addition to the population. The state of Ohio seems to recommend this policy, and it is already adopted. Manufactures have been commenced in various places, and are principally conducted by foreigners, or persons from the Atlantic states. This state is remarkable for certain antiquities, particularly its ancient mounds and forts; a short account of which we here extract from the last edition of the Ohio Gazetteer, by John Kilbourn. ANTIQUITIES "The most prominent antiquities are the numerous mounds and forts of earth, in the state of Ohio, as well as the western states generally, which are found interspersed [84] throughout almost the whole extent of country, as far west and south-west of the Alleghany mountains as the country is much known. The general direction in which these fortifications, as they are called, lie, is from north-east to south-west. The place where they commence, or at least, where they are very remarkable, is in the western part of the state of New-York, near the southern shores of lake Ontario. From thence they extend in a southwesterly direction through the western states and territories and terminate in Mexico. "Various have been the conjectures of the learned, concerning the time when, by what people, and even for what purpose, these stupendous monuments of human ingenuity were erected. Their origin is so deeply involved in the obscurity of remote antiquity, without any light of history, or even authentic tradition, to conduct our enquiries concerning them to the desired result, that no certainty upon the subject will probably ever be attained. The writer will therefore only give an account of facts, or a mere statement of the present appearances of those antiquities; and even within these limits, he will confine himself chiefly to a description of those which have fallen within the limits of his own personal observation. It will likewise be unnecessary to describe, minutely, every [85] individual mound and fortification; for, almost always, the same general plan and principle of their structure is discoverable in them all. Therefore, a particular description of a few will substantially be a description of the remainder. "Some of the most remarkable forts and mounds in this |