the Legislature, and under threats and attempts at a removal of the Capital, work on the State House was suspended for six years. Indeed, so far had this spirit spread in the Legislature that on the 10th of March, 1840, a law was passed repealing the act passed January 26th, 1838, for the erection of the new Capitol. The agitation for the removal of the seat of government was carried on now more earnestly than ever before. At the session of 1842-3 the whole subject of removal was referred to a committee, from which came elaborate majority and minority reports. The majority of the committee was strongly opposed to removal, and claimed that it could be done only by a breach of faith and a violation of the pledges of the State. All of which was true. But the report of the minority recommended that a joint resolution should be passed requesting the Governor to issue his proclamation calling for proposals looking to a site for the permanent seat of government. These resolutions were adopted by the Senate but were defeated in the House by a vote of thirty-six to twenty-nine. No agitation on this subject occurred afterwards. The construction of the new building proceeded and it was first occupied by the Legislature during the session of 1857. Its cost, including grounds, was $1,359,121, and it took fifteen years to build it.

The census of 1840 found Ohio the third State in point of population, having 1,519,467 inhabitants, being an increase of 63 per cent. over the population of 1830. What wonderful growth that represents! In forty years she had sprung from the eighteenth State to the third on the census roll. Since her

foundation she had been almost exclusively an agricultural State, but at this period under the influence of her public works, Ohio exhibited a wonderful development of manufacturing and commercial interests. The census of 1840 indicated that nearly one-third of the population were employed in manufacture and trade. The mining industries were still in their infancy as there were but 620 men so engaged at this time. The cities, while increasing in number, were still small in size. Cincinnati had but 46,338 inhabitants, while Cleveland was a town of 6,000, and Columbus was the same. Toledo, over whose harbor the boundary war occurred, was a small town of 1,222 people. This decade saw the beginning of the railroad system of Ohio. The Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad Company was the first company incorporated for railroad purposes in the State. This was in 1832. The purpose was to build a road from Dayton to Sandusky, but it was not completed until 1848, when it became the first through line to Lake Erie.

Along with this material development went the progress of mind. During the decade the following institutions of higher learning were established: Dennison University, Marietta College, Law School of Cincinnati College, Muskingum College, Lane Theological Seminary, Richmond College, and St. Xavier's College. The common schools showed an enrollment of more than two hundred and fifty thousand pupils. In the three years prior to 1840 Ohio spent $728,664 in the construction of 5,506 school-houses. It was in this period (1838) that the school law was so amended as to make the school

tax a State instead of a county levy, thereby making the common schools more than ever a State institution. At the same time the office of State School Commissioner was created.

In a political way, Ohio made her first impression in 1840, by the nomination and election to the Presidency of General William Henry Harrison. Up to this time the State had but little influence at Washington; so insignificant was her standing that in 1838 an Ohio writer complained that but "two inferior clerks" was the sum total of our greatness at the Capital. Since that date Ohio has furnished three Presidents, one Vice President, one Speaker of the House, two Chief Justices, four Associate Justices, five Secretaries of the Treasury, three Secretaries of the Interior, two Attorneys General and two Postmasters General.

The campaign which individualized Ohio in our political history was a peculiar one; it will probably never have a parallel, either in enthusiasm or magnitude. It was one of exclusively emotional politics; the entire summer and fall of 1840 was spent in gigantic and continuous frolic. The discussion of political measures was relegated to the rear, and fun, music and song ruled the hour. It has passed into history as the "log cabin and hard cider” campaign. The Baltimore Republican, a Democratic newspaper, after General Harrison's nomination, sneeringly remarked concerning him that he was obscure and unimportant; that for $2,000 a year he would be content to remain in his log cabin and drink hard cider for the balance of his days. This sneer, which was fated to become historical, was seized by the Whigs

as their battle cry against the opposition. It was first adopted in the city of Harrisburg, Penn., and on the 20th of January, 1840, a transparency with a log cabin painted upon it was carried through the streets of that place. It spread like wildfire. The log cabin and hard cider became the emblems of the Whig party. In song and display they were constantly kept before the people. Log cabins were built in every village, and carried in every Whig procession. Thus originated the effort to ridicule General Harrison on account of his plain method of living, and thus were the words of contempt turned into a campaign shibboleth, which swept from power Van Buren and his party.

Ohio, being the home of the candidate, was of course the scene of remarkable, in fact, of almost incredible demonstrations. Mass meetings, which indeed were massive meetings, were attended by the entire population. Business seemed to be suspended during the campaign. General Harrison spoke at various points before immense audiences.

The Miami convention of Whigs held at Dayton in September was the largest political meeting ever held in this country. The present day with its cheap transportation and increased population has not furnished its equal. The multitude covered ten acres by actual measurement, and at no time were more than two thirds of the people on the grounds. While General Harrison was speaking, according to Niles' National Register, the ground upon which the crowd stood was measured by three different civil engineers. Allowing four persons to a square yard, the three estimates numbered the audience at 77,600,

75,000, and 80,000 respectively. The size of the meeting was of national concern and notoriety, and in speaking of the number present, the paper above referred to said:

"During the time of making three measurements, the number of square yards of surface covered was continually changing, by pressure without and resistance within. This fact accounts satisfactorily for the slight difference in the results attained, and shows that that difference strengthens instead of weakening the probable correctness of the calculations. No one present would have pretended that there were less than twenty thousand within the limits of the admeasurement of the city, sauntering around the environs, scattered around the booths where refreshments were vended, and lying in large groups upon the plain, discussing affairs of state, and making speeches for themselves. This will swell the number at the Miami Valley convention, including the citizens of Dayton, (whose population is between five and six thousand), which we do, to about one hundred thousand."

General Harrison's march through Ohio was one triumphal procession of oratory, display and song. At Chillicothe he spoke to 50,000 people, and according to a chronicler of the period, he was escorted by a procession of "freeman six miles long. The old soldier stood erect and bare-headed in the carriage while the prolonged and deafening shouts of the multitude made manifest the enthusiasm which pervaded it."

Political meetings at this time lasted for several