ture commenced in 1808, and lasted for several years, to the great disturbance of the proper administration of law. It appears that in 1805 the Legislature gave Justices of the Peace jurisdiction, without a jury, to the amount of fifty dollars. As the Constitution of the United States guaranteed trial by jury in suits in which over twenty dollars was involved, the Supreme Court very properly, in a case before it, decided the law void and unconstitutional, for the Constitution of Ohio said that "the right of trial by jury shall be inviolate." The judicial decision was construed as an insult by the Legislature. As a result, resolutions of impeachment were offered in the Sixth General Assembly against Judges Huntington and Tod, of the Supreme Court, and Judge Pease, Presiding Judge of the Third Circuit. Nothing was done at this session. While these articles of impeachment were pending, Judge Huntington was elected Governor, and of course resigned the judgeship. But the efforts at impeachment went on. Charges, however, were not made against Governor Huntington, but were preferred against Judges Tod and Pease. Their answer to the charges of impeachment was the Constitutions of the United States and of Ohio. The result was an acquittal in both cases.

These proceedings do not reflect any credit upon the legislators of that early day. Indeed, it is hard to reconcile the attack on the independence of the Supreme Court with intelligence and patriotism. The idea of impeaching judges for deciding against the validity of laws was a new method in American politics, and had no precedent in our history.

Equally high-handed in our legislative history was the "Sweeping Resolution" passed in 1810. This resolution, passed in January, swept out of office every Judge of the Supreme Court, and of the Court of Common Pleas, the Secretary of State, the Auditor and Treasurer of State, and also all the Justices of the Peace throughout the State. This resulted in interminable conflict and confusion, and it was several years before the people became reconciled to what was generally denounced as an unconstitutional and dangerous proceeding.

The temporary location of the State Capital at Chillicothe expired under the Constitution in 1808. Knowing of some dissatisfaction as to continuance at that place, the citizens of Zanesville petitioned for its removal to their town; and upon the assurance being given that the State would not be put to any expense, the Legislature removed the seat of the State government to that point in 1810. It remained here for two years.

The first seven years of Ohio as a State was a period of most marvelous advancement. The year 1810 found the population of the State to be 230,760, an astonishing increase of more than 400 per cent. over that of 1800. The immigration was of a healthy, constant, and valuable class. The establishment of eighteen new counties within this period shows that the newly added element to Ohio's population was scattering itself all over the State, for these counties were in the southern, central and northern portions. Out of the wilderness, by industry, came wealth; and we find in 1810 that the taxable property in Ohio was valued at $25,000,000.

The natural resources of the State became known in this period. The first blast furnace was operated in 1808, in Mahoning county, and coal was first mined in 1810, in Summit county. Thus two of the greatest factors in the growth and importance of the State were contemporaneous in their development.

Education had secured a substantial start in the new state by the establishment of the Ohio University at Athens in 1804, and the Miami University at Oxford in 1809. The former had been originally chartered by the territorial legislature. These two institutions of learning, which for many years exerted a powerful and intelligent influence in Ohio, received their endowments from Congress in the shape of townships of land, the annual incomes from which, furnished a partial support. In addition to these public institutions there were private schools, few in number, established at various points in the state. But up to this period there was no system of public education in Ohio. No legislation had been attempted on this subject, notwithstanding it was especially enjoined in the Constitution.

The condition of the political parties during this period can best be judged by the newspapers of the day. In 1810 there were fourteen newspapers in Ohio. Chillicothe, the Capital, possessed two Federalist papers-the Supporter and the Scioto Gazette, and two Republican (or Democrat as the party afterwards became known), the Fredonia and the Independent Republican. Cincinnati had the Whig, and Liberty Hall, both Republican, and the Advertiser, a neutral paper. Marietta published the Ohio Gazette, and the Commentator, opposites in politics.

Republican papers were also published at Zanesville, St. Clairsville, and Lebanon. At Lisbon and Steubenville were the Ohio Patriot, and Western Herald, respectively, but they were not partisan organs. Through these newspapers were carried on the early political struggles of the State. The Federalists rapidly lost ground after the departure of St. Clair. Edward Tiffin was twice elected Governor by the Republicans, and during his second term was elected United States Senator. He was succeeded by Thomas Kirker, who became Acting Governor by virtue of his position as Speaker of the Senate. In 1807 Colonel Return J. Meigs was elected Governor over Nathaniel Massie by a majority of more than 1,200 in a total vote of over 10,000. General Massie contested Meigs' election on the ground that he had not been a resident of this State for four consecutive years next preceding the election. This was one of the constitutional requirements for eligibility; it was a fact that he had been a resident of the Territory of Louisiana within four years prior to his election. Nothing remained for the General Assembly, upon hearing the evidence, but to declare Meigs ineligible, and that General Massie was elected Governor of the State of Ohio. He never claimed it, however, and Thomas Kirker continued to serve as Governor until 1808, when Samuel Huntington, whose attempted impeachment as Judge has been referred to, was elected. The popularity of Colonel Meigs was very great, and he had the confidence of the people of the State; when his disability of non-residence was removed by time, they demanded him for Governor in 1810, and he was elected over Thomas Worthington.

The towns throughout the State continued to increase both in number and population. It may seem strange, but up to 1810 but comparatively few towns were incorporated in Ohio. These were Lancaster, Dayton and Steubenville in 1805; St. Clairsville in 1807, Springfield in 1808, and Hamilton and Lebanon in 1810. There were quite a number of other towns but they had no legal existence. Cincinnati, Marietta, Chillicothe, and a dozen other places were still settlements.

Cincinnati then, as now, ranked first in importance and size. In 1805 it consisted of fifty-three log cabins, one hundred and nine frame buildings, six brick and four stone houses. In 1810 its population had increased to 2,540. In the northern part of the State, Cleveland was the principal point, although it was still a small settlement, having at this time but three hundred inhabitants. Steubenville was the principal town in southeastern Ohio at this period. Marietta and Chillicothe both maintained their importance in every respect. The scarcity of towns and their slow growth is due principally to the fact that the greater portion of the population of the State was devoted to agriculture, and lived upon the farms beyond the reach and influences of the thickly settled towns. Ohio in its earliest stage was purely an agricultural State.

The year 1810 closed with Ohio occupying a positive and prominent position in the Union. When she was admitted she was the eighteenth state in population, since then she had become the thirteenth.