John Sherman

This improvement led to the adoption of a system of free turnpikes in most of the counties in Ohio, constructed by local taxation, so that now Ohio is as well supplied with well- constructed turnpikes and railroads as any state in the…

Within twenty years from the first construction of railways they had almost superseded all former modes of communication, and had reduced the rates of travel and transportation to less than one-half the former rates.

And they have made the name and character of Ohio well-known throughout the civilized world, as a name and character of which her sons may be justly proud.

They have facilitated intercourse between different sections of the state, and have thus tended to make the people more united, as well as more prosperous.

They have afforded to the farmer of the interior an easy access to market, and have enhanced the value of his farm and his productions.

The construction of the Erie Canal, and the introduction of steamboats on the rivers and lakes, was the beginning of a great revolution.

But the land was cheap, the title clear, the soil good, and all were on the same footing, willing to help each other.

I have already referred to the pioneers who planted the first settlement, who bore the brunt of Indian warfare, and firmly founded free institutions in Ohio.

It was the same old story of injustice and wrong, of might against right.

In looking back over a period of one hundred years it is impossible to suppress a sense of injustice, and a feeling of sympathy for the Indian in his unequal struggle.

This victory settled forever the occupancy of this territory by the white man, and the irreversible fate of the poor Indian, though, as it will appear hereafter, he struggled for this, his favorite region, for twenty years more.

Nothing is wanting but cultivation to make this a most delightful country.

As a part of this cession and settlement, and almost equal in importance to the constitution of the United States, was the celebrated ordinance organizing the northwestern territory.

This he accomplished, so that when negotiations for peace were entered upon in 1782 our plenipotentiaries could maintain the title of the United States to the northwestern territory, not only by grants to the English colonies, but by…

An event during the war, apparently of small importance, had a controlling influence in securing to the United States the northwestern territory.

It is impossible to overrate the importance of these events upon the future of America.

The result of the expedition of Washington left no choice to the English government, except to abandon their claim to the northwest territory, or to declare war.

While the priests of France were seeking to save the souls of the Indians, the Kings of France were seeking to rob them of their property.

The life of a man is greatly influenced by the place of his birth, the surroundings of his boyhood, and the habits and customs of the community in which he lived.

Such was the military condition of the United States when the War of the Rebellion sounded the tocsin of alarm, and our generation was called upon to meet the gravest struggle in American history.

What boy did not feel the gushings of patriotic emotion when one of these old veterans appeared upon the stage.

I have always regarded our contests in this moot court as the most important part of my legal training.

Then the village blacksmith or shoemaker, the tinker, the carpenter and the mechanic of every trade had his shop and was a far more important and independent citizen than now, when grouped into large manufacturing and machine works.

This was the life of a farmer before the days of railroads, and I am not sure but it was a more happy one than now.

In those days of primitive barter the merchant was the banker of all the farmers dealing with him.