History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

76

HISTORY OF MICHIGAN.

Blue mounds, they met an Indian half-chief, who had just arrived
from the Menominee camps with the details of the battle. He
stated the slain to be three Indians and 11 whites. The long shaking of hands and the extreme cordiality of this Indian alarmed
Mullet for the safety of his party, but he locked the secret in his
own heart until the next day. They had just completed a town
corner when Mullet, raising himself to his full height, said, "Boys,
I'm going in; I'll not risk my scalp for a few paltry shillings." This
laconic speech was an electric shock to the whole company. Mr.
Jerome, in describing his own sensations, said that the hair of his
head then became as porcupine quills, raising his hat in the air and
himself from the ground; and the top of his head became as sore
as a boil.
July 6, 1834, Gov. Porter died, and the administration devolved
upon the secretary of the Territory, Stevens T. Mason, during
whose time occurred
THE i TOLEDO WAR."
This difficulty was inaugurated by a conflict of the acts of Congress from time to time, made either carelessly or in ignorance of
the geography of the West and of the language of former public acts.
Michigan claimed as her southern boundary a line running from
the extreme southern point of Lake Michigan directly east to Lake
Erie, which would include Toledo, an important point, as it was
the principal terminus of the proposed Wabash & Erie canal. This
claim was made by virtue of clauses in the ordinance of 1787. Ohio,
on the other hand, claimed that the ordinance had been superseded
by the Constitution of the United States, and that Congress had
the right to regulate the boundary; also, that the constitution of
that State, which had been accepted by Congress, described a line
different from that claimed by Michigan. Mr. Woodbridge, the
delegate from Michigan, ably opposed in Congress the claim of
Ohio, and the committee on public lands decided unanimously in
favor of this State; but in the hurry of business no action was
taken by Congress and the question remained open.
The claim of Michigan was based principally upon the following points: The ordinance of 1787 declares the acts therein contained "articles of compact between the original States and the
people and States in said Territory (northwest of the river Ohio),
and forever to remain unalterable, unless by common consent."
This ordinance defines the Territory to include all that region lying
north and northwest of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi rivers.
In the fifth article it is provided that there shall be formed not less
than three nor more than five States within its limits. The boundaries of the three States are defined so as to include the whole Territory; conditioned, however, that if it should be found expedient
by Congress to form the one or two more States mentioned, Congress is authorized to alter boundaries of the three States " so as