s the place
where the greatest immigration of the human race has occurred in
the history of the whole world? There is no spot in this world of
ours of the size of this western territory, where, within a hundred
years, 15,000,000 of free people are planted, where, at the beginning
of the century, there was scarcely a white man living. I am glad
it has been spoken of by such eminent men as Senators Hoar, Evarts,
Daniel, Tucker, General Ewing and many other distinguished men;
and remember, citizens of Marietta, when I speak of this centennial
celebration, I do not mean that on the 15th of July only, but on
the 7th of April and the 15th of July bound together in a noble
wedlock."

I referred to the claims made by several of the old states, based
upon their so-called titles to the whole or to portions of the
northwestern territory. Senator Daniel, who was on the stand with
me, had claimed that Virginia owned all the territory south of the
41st degree of north latitude and westward to the "South Sea."
Connecticut claimed all north of that line. New York made a similar
claim, all based upon grants by King James or King Charles, neither
of whom knew where the South Sea was, and had no conception of or
control over the vast territory covered by these grants. Neither
of these states had either title to or possession of any part of
the northwest territory. The only title based on European law was
that acquired by Great Britain from France in 1763, and that title
was transferred to the United States at the close of the Revolutionary
war. There was no just title to this region except that held by
the Indian tribes of America. They owned and possessed it. Before
the constitution of the United States was, or could have been,
adopted the imaginary claim of the several states was ceded to the
United States for the common use and benefit of them all. Virginia
and Connecticut reserved large portions of Ohio from their several
grants, and these reservations were conceded to them. There is
one title which has always been acknowledged by civilized nations,
and that is the title by conquest. The only valid title of the
United States was that based upon the conquest by George Rogers
Clark, who conquered this country from Great Britain. It was not
Virginia that did it. And, yet, among the illustrious names that
have been furnished by that magnificent state, in the history of
this country, that of George Rogers Clark will be grat