Ohio History Journal

Report of John Randolph.            159

 

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, sir, your obedient

servant,                           ALBERT GALLATIN.

The HON. JOHN RANDOLPH, ESQ.,

Chairman of the committee to whom were referred the constitution

and sundry propositions submitted by the State of Ohio.

 

 

 

REPORT OF JOHN RANDOLPH

RELATING TO THE ADMISSION OF OHIO AND THE PUBLIC

LANDS THEREIN.

 

(COMMUNICATED TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, FEB. 2, 1803.)

Mr. Randolph, from the committee to whom were referred

a letter from Edward Tiffin, president of the convention of the

State of Ohio, and a letter from Thomas Worthington, special

agent of the said State, enclosing the constitution thereof, to-

gether with sundry propositions in addition to, and in modifica-

tion of, those contained in the act, entitled "An act to enable the

people of the eastern division of the territory northwest of the

river Ohio to form a constitution and State government, and

for the admission of such State into the Union, on an equal foot-

ing with the original States, and for other purposes," made the

following report:

That the ordinance for ascertaining the mode of disposing

of land in the Western Territory, passed by Congress on the

twentieth day of May, 1785, establishes the principle of reserv-

ing one thirty-sixth part of the lands sold for the use of schools.

That to this principle, equally liberal and wise, your committee

believe it a sound policy to adhere, and to extend it wherever

practicable. They are aware of the objection that the right of

soil in the tract of country commonly called the Connecticut

reserve, having been ceded by Congress without any valuable

consideration, and no reservation having been made for the sup-

port of schools therein, the inhabitants of that portion of the State

of Ohio have not equal claims on the bounty of Congress with

those who, having purchased their lands of the United States,

have contributed large sums to the public treasury. But if it be

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160       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

recollected that the actual settlers are not, generally, those that

have been enriched by that extraordinary donation, but pur-

chasers under them, and at prices, it is believed, not inferior

to those received for the public lands, and that whilst they

are burdened with their full proportion of their expense of

the State government, they are cut off from an equal partici-

pation of the benefits enjoyed by their fellow-citizens; when,

moreover, it is considered that the provision for schools em-

braces not the emolument of individuals, but the interest of moral-

ity and learning, the committee are of opinion that Congress

will perceive the propriety of acceding to a proposition, the ten-

dency of which is to cherish and confirm our present happy polit-

ical institutions and habits.  This last consideration applies

equally to the United States Military Tract, to the military reser-

vation of Virginia, and to lands which may hereafter be acquired

from the Indian tribes.

No objection suggests itself why the lands which are or may

be appropriated for the use of schools within the State of Ohio

should not be vested in the Legislature of that State, in trust for

that purpose.

The appropriation offered in the third proposition of the

act enabling the people within the limits of the present State of

Ohio to become a coequal member of the Union, originating

in the belief that it would at once enhance the value of the public

lands and cement more strongly together the various interests

of the confederacy, it is believed that these desirable objects will

be equally promoted by applying a portion of the proceeds (so

offered to be appropriated) to the opening and repairing roads

within the State of Ohio.

The provision contained in the sixth section of the seventh

article of the constitution of the State of Ohio, respecting the

northern boundary of that State, depending on a fact not yet

ascertained, and not being submitted in the shape of the other

propositions from the convention to Congress, the committee

have thought it unnecessary to take it at this time into consid-

eration.

In relation to the grant to John Cleves Symmes and his

associates, of one complete township, in trust, for the use of an

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Report of John Randolph.              161

 

academy and other seminaries of learning, the committee recom- mend the adoption of a plan suggested by the Secretary of the Treasury, in a letter hereto subjoined, to which they beg leave generally to refer; and they respectfully submit the following resolutions, in addition to, and in modification of, the proposi- tions contained in the act entitled "An act to enable the people of the eastern division of the territory northwest of the river Ohio to form a constitution and State government, and for the admis- sion of such State into the Union, on an equal footing with the original States, and for other purposes," passed the thirtieth day of April, 1802: Resolved. 1) That a donation, equal to one-thirty-sixth part of the amount of the lands in the United States Military Tract, within the State of Ohio, be made for the support of schools within that tract. Resolved, 2) That a donation, equal to one-thirty-sixth part of the county of Trumbull, be made out of the lands within the United States Military Tract, for the support of schools within the said county of Trumbull. Resolved, 3) That a donation, equal to one-thirty-sixth part of the Virginia Reservation, so far as the unlocated lands within that reservation (after the warrants issued by that State shall have been first satisfied) will supply the same, be made for the support of schools in the district contained between the Scioto and Miami rivers. Resolved, 4) That a like provision for the use of schools be made out of any lands which may hereafter be acquired from the Indian tribes. Resolved, 5) That the lands which now are, or hereafter may be, appropriated to the use of schools within the State of Ohio, be vested in the Legislature thereof, in trust for that object. Resolved, 6) That not less than three-fifths of the sum offered to be appropriated by Congress for the opening of roads from the Western to the Atlantic waters, shall be appropriated under the direction of the State of Ohio, for the laying out of roads within that State. Resolved, 7) That in lieu of the township proposed to be granted for the use of an academy, by the act passed the 5th day

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162        Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

of May, 1792, there be granted to the State of Ohio, for the pur-

pose described in that act, one other entire township within the

district of Cincinnati; provided that the State of Ohio shall re-

linquish to the United States all their claim, under the act afore-

said, against the said John C. Symmes.

Resolved, 8) That these propositions shall depend on the

compliance by the State of Ohio with the provisions of the third

proposition and second section of the aforesaid act, entitled "An

act to enable the people of the eastern division of the territory

northwest of the river Ohio to form a constitution and State

government, and for the admission of such State into the Union

on an equal footing with the original States, and for other pur-

poses," passed the 30th day of April, 1802.

 

 

Sir: The committee to whom were referred sundry propo-

sitions submitted by the convention of the State of Ohio, to the

Congress of the United States, have instructed me to request

of you information on the following points:

1. The gross amount of lands comprised within the United

States Military Tract.

2. Whether, through default of John Cleves Symmes, the

intention of the United States to endow an academy or other

public school with one entire township, hath been frustrated?

3. How far the purchasers under the aforesaid Symmes are

bound to make good the said township, or the value thereof.

4. Whether the United States are bound to furnish an

equivalent; and, if not,

5. How far it may be a matter of policy to comply with the

proposition of the convention on that subject.

And such other information touching those propositions,

generally, which the Secretary of the Treasury may deem expe-

dient to lay before the committee.

With perfect consideration, I am, sir, yours,

JOHN RANDOLPH, JR.,

Chairman of the Committee.

ALBERT GALLATIN, Secretary of the Treasury.

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