At the conclusion of Wayne's War, many of his soldiers settled in the country. Before that time, from 1787 to 1791, the increase in numbers was almost nothing; but that war ending in 1795, the population increased rapidly, as will be seen. So, immediately after the conclusion of the war with England, the increase was rapid; but from 1817 up to the time of commencing our works of internal improvement, in 1825, the increase was comparatively at a stand. The demand for labor, its high price, the low prices of food, with the prospect of being enabled to purchase good farms for what could, by each, be earned in a year or two, by laboring on our canals, induced thousands to immigrate from the East to this country, where there was so little winter to provide for in the summer, by the farmer. These were inducements sufficient to draw into our State vast numbers of young laboring men, who wished to see more of the world, and find a home for themselves and for their posterity. Our population at present, we have reason for believing, increases at the rate of one hundred thousand, a year. In November 1836, we gave two hundred and five thousand votes for President, showing an increase in four years of forty thousand votes. The excitement was not great, as it was clearly foreseen what the result must be, between voting for WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON and MARTIN VAN BUREN, so far as this state was concerned.

It may be supposed, that when our wild lands are all sold, our population will not increase in the same ratio as it has done hitherto. It may be supposed, too, that emigration to the West, from Ohio, will be great; but we think that such is the fertility of our soil, such the mineral treasures found in our hilly region, and the call for labor on our Roads and Canals, for which we shall continue, for ages to come, to pay out millions of dollars annually, that vast numbers will be drawn from all the eastern states, into this. In a country where industry of all sorts is better rewarded than in any other; where provisions must always be cheaper and more abundant than in states which purchase their provisions of us, and then transport them a distance, and there sell them, making a profit on their

business. There are other considerations, not to be overlook. ed in this estimate-we have no slaves in this State; and instead of being disgraceful, labor is honored by all, here. To laboring men, this will always continue to be an inducement to come here, from all the eastern states. Although our institutions, of all sorts, are not yet what we wish them to be, nor what they will be, yet they are decidedly better than they are in any of our western states. Our country, as it respects health, is no longer new-it is as healthful as New England, perhaps even more so, at present.

As to emigration from this state, it has all along been one of the most emigrating states in the Union. A majority of the people in Indiana, went there from Ohio. So of Illinois. On no route through the settled parts of those states, could we now travel, without meeting, every where, old friends and acquaintances from Ohio. We saw them there every where, when in their settlements in 1829. Men, with small farms here, emigrate, and soon own large ones where they go; but, when the farm is sold here, it is transferred to some man immediately from some eastern state, who comes here to better his condition. Eastern men can get along here, very well; but our Ohio people do best in Indiana and Illinois. Their previous training has fitted them to endure and overcome all the hardships incident to a new country-such as a want of mills, roads, schools, good physicians, and the thousand advantages of an older settlement: but suffering, as they must, from the sickness, want of good society, without a school for their children, without a physician to heal them when sick, and without a minister of religion to console them amidst their multitude of afflictions of all sorts, we envy not our old friends, in newer countries than this. We wish them well, and pray for their success, in their new abodes. May God bless them! Many are the tears which they have shed, when they remembered Ohio, and our thousand comforts, compared with their present condition. We have seen them here, and we have seen them where they are; and our tears flowed for them and their children.

To speculate upon our future increase in population, may

be condemned. We care not; because the future is revealed' to us, provided Providence permit it to be so. We certainly possess within our territory all the means of greatness—in our people, their habits of industry and enterprise; in our relative position in the Union; in our mild climate; our fertile soil; in our internal improvements, going onward with a giant's strides; in our freedom from domestic slavery; in our State pride and patriotism; in our love of liberty and abhorrence of slavery; in the ample provision, which we have made, are making, and will make, to educate the rising generation; in our healthfulness, physically and morally; in our mineral wealth, greater than any other country on earth, of its size, can boast. We envy not those who possess the silvery heights of Potosi, the mines of Golconda and Peru, while we possess the soil of Ohio, the mines of Ohio, the free institutions of Ohio, the people of Ohio, and Ohio's temperate and healthful climate. We see nothing, now, to prevent us from having a population of two millions in 1840, three millions in 1850, and of five millions in 1860. Ohio has all the elements necessary to sustain twelve millions of people; and that number is not a large estimate for 1937. That Ohio is eventually destined to be the very first state in this Union, in numbers, wealth and power, we cannot doubt. We envy not any of our eastern states-nor do we doubt, that the wealthy men there, may wish to keep their laboring people where they are, to work for a mere trifle for them; but why those who are poor, and have feet and hands, and can use them, should tarry where they are, we do marvel, while they can walk here with their legs, and when here, can acquire with their hands, independent fortunes for themselves and, their children.

We have said that many considerations naturally attracted eastern people to this country, as a home for themselves and their posterity. We alluded more especially to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and all the states east of them. But, even the Virginians are coming here in considerable numbers; and as to the Marylanders, we call them Ohio people now. They are, always were, and always will be, our natural friends, in peace

and war, in prosperity and adversity. Maryland has always stood by us, as friends, whom we esteem, admire, and love. The Kentuckians are bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh we are one people. And do what they will to prevent it, at home, the young Virginians who travel will visit us; and having seen us, they will tarry here. The young men of Virginia, having seen us, our Canals and River, our Lake and our Roads, all covered with moving, active, and enterprising people, having seen all our people, in their towns, or on their farms-all employed, all engaged in active industry of some sort, naturally forsake dull, old Virginia, now "tired" out, and settle down here. The political power is departing from the East to the West-even now, a majority of the nation live in the Valley of the Mississippi. What then, will be the relative strength of the East and the West twenty-three years hence? And what will it be one hundred years hence, when the old Northwestern Territory alone, will contain thirty millions of people?

GENERAL CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE.

The act of congress of 1787, justly considered as the Magna Charta of Ohio, and all of the states northwest of the Ohio, river, ordained that there never should be here, slavery, or involuntary servitude. That act widely promulgated, all over the world, arrested the special attention of all the genuine lovers of liberty and haters of slavery, in all lands. Hence we have had flowing towards us, a flood of immigrants who love liberty. Made up of such ingredients, it is easy to conceive, that with the addition of the young, the enterprising, athletic, bold, daring and ambitious, of all states and all countries, the whole mass would be such as never was found any where else in the world. The result of their labors, thus far, is seen, in this volume and we challenge all history to produce its parallel. In vain do we look into the tomes of history, or listen to the tales of gray tradition, in order to find any other state, now, or ever in existence, that, in fifty years, increased from.

three thousand souls to one million six hundred thousand. Du ring this very period, we have had two wars to pass through, prosecuted by England, with all her means of annoyance; and she was assisted, too, by hordes of the wildest, most cruel, most brave, and warlike savages on the globe. We had, too, an immense forest to clear off a sickly climate, originally, to contend with, as all settlers in any other new country have.

It may be said that congress has done much for us. We answer, not much. All the lands which congress have granted to us, to the very last acre, have been paid for, either directly or indirectly. Being weak, when admitted into the Union, we made as good a bargain as we could with congress; but still a very poor bargain, by agreeing not to tax congress lands. It was on our part a most wretched bargain. "But congress gave us some lands to assist us in making our canals." Yes, congress gave us five hundred thousand acres of land, which congress could not sell at any price, on condition that we made a canal through congress lands; and by means of our improvements, the remaining lands of the United States have sold for six dollars and upwards, on an average, an acre, which congress could not otherwise have sold, to this day, for six cents an acre. We feel grateful that we have had many votes for western measures, in congress, at different times, from all the states except New Hampshire and Maine, and the New York Bucktails. Ohio has, in return, been friendly to her friends, in congress.

In the west, our young men take precedence, of the older men, whereas in our eastern Atlantic cities, the younger lawyers and physicians, complain, with what propriety, we do not pretend to know, that the older men of their professions, keep all the business in their own hands. Should these young men visit Ohio, they would find every thing reversed. They would see placed on the bench, very young men, generally, presiding there; and the older and more experienced lawyers, standing before them, at the bar! And as soon as a judge becomes qualified for his station, some younger man, who per