University of Virginia Library

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CHAPTER V.

FRENCH AND ENGLISH CLAIMS TO THE OHIO.

The claim of France to all the country watered by the
Ohio and its tributaries, was based upon that recognized law
of nations that the discovery of the mouth of a river entitled
the nation so discovering to the whole country drained by
that river and its tributaries. This claim set up by France
and resisted by the colonies, is precisely the same upon which
we have recently based our title to the "whole of Oregon."

On the part of Great Britain, it was claimed, that independent
of her title by purchase,[26] she held, under the discovery
of Cabot, the entire region lying between the 38th
and 67th degree of north latitude, and stretching from the
Atlantic to the Pacific—a zone athwart the continent. She
also set up another claim,—priority of discovery,—to the
Ohio Valley: a claim utterly absurd and entirely untenable.

Such were the grounds upon which two of the greatest
European nations claimed supremacy in the beautiful and
luxuriant Valley of the Ohio. Without stopping to discuss
the merits of either, we will proceed in the continuation of
our history.

France, convinced of the justness of her claim, and determined
not to be overawed by the threatening attitude of
her great rival, adopted at a very early day, the most efficient
means for maintaining her position in the great valley
of the West. In 1720, she erected Fort Chartres, in Illinois,
one of the strongest posts in its day on the Continent of

2 This was based upon a vague tradition, that John Howard, an Englishman,
crossed the mountains from Virginia in 1742, and descended the Ohio
river.

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North America. It was constructed by a military engineer
of the Vauban school, and was designed to be one of a cordon
of posts reaching from the St. Lawrence to the Gulf of
Mexico. That at Vincennes was established in 1735,[27] at
which time the valley of the Wabash, or Ouabache, was
strongly defended.

Viewing the restless energy of that people, can it be
doubted that they penetrated far up the valley of the Ohio,
and made themselves familiar with the country bordering
"La Belle Riviere," long previous to any account now upon
record? We have now in our possession, a singular and interesting
relic, taken from an ancient mound, near the mouth
of Fishing creek, Wetzel county, Va., which may aid some
little in establishing the era of French visitation to the Ohio.
The relic is a crucifix, and its appearance plainly indicates
great antiquity. The cross is of iron and much corroded,
but the image of the Saviour, being of more enduring metal
than the cross, is as perfect as when it came from the hand
of the artist. (See Wetzel Co. for further notice.) The
mound in which this remarkable relic was found, was one of the
most ancient in appearance along the river. The depth at
which it had been placed, with many other attending circumstances,
leaves but little doubt that it must have lain in that
aboriginal tomb for at least two centuries. The presumption
is, by all who have examined it, that the relic belonged to
some Jesuit missionary who visited the Ohio Valley at a very
early period.

Immediately following the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, (1748,)
"the Court of London formed the plan of several new settlements,
in which they consulted rather the interest of their
own commerce, than the articles of those treaties which
were renewed by that of Aix-la-Chapelle."[28] Among the
projected movements was the formation of the Ohio Company,

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As a preliminary step in taking formal possession of the
Ohio and its tributaries, the Marquis de la Galissoniere,[30]
Governor-general of Canada, determined to place along the
"Oyo" or La Belle Riviere,[31] at the confluence of important
tributaries, leaden plates, suitably inscribed, asserting the
claim of France to the lands on both sides of the river, even
to the heads of the tributaries. One of these plates has recently
been discovered at the mouth of Kanawha (Point Pleasant).
It was found by a son of John Beale, Esqr., in April,
1846. (Mr. Beale now lives in Covington, Ky.) We have
procured an exact drawing of the relic, and made a literal
translation of the inscription; both of which are here given.[32]

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Two other plates, similar to the one found at Point Pleasant,
have been recovered. The first at Venango, and the
other at Marietta, a copy of which is given by Dr. Hildreth
in his Pioneer History. Others were doubtless deposited at
different points between French Creek and the mouth of the
Ohio.

M. Celeron, commandant of the expedition depositing
these plates, having ascertained from some of the traders,
that they acted under commissions from the Governor of
Pennsylvania,[33] wrote to that officer, enjoining upon him the
necessity of preventing his people from trading beyond the
Apalachian mountains,[34] as he had been authorized to seize
the traders and confiscate their goods. Celeron having discharged
the duty imposed upon him, to the satisfaction of his
government, was shortly afterward appointed Commandant
at Detroit.

"M. Celeron was no sooner gone from La Belle Riviere,
than the English traders returned in crowds. They had
orders from the Government, to excite the Indians to take
up arms against France; nay, they even brought them arms
and ammunition."[35]