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Allen Trimble, of Highland County, next filled the governor's chair for two terms. Born in Virginia, he had spent most of his life in Ohio, and had the unique distinction of having been seven times elected speaker of the State Senate; during one of his terms as speaker he became acting governor of Ohio by reason of the resignation of Ethan Allen Brown, so when elected governor he had already had a year's previous experience in the executive office.

He was a strong friend of the common schools and public improvements; his administration saw the beginning of the Abolition movement and the dawn of another era in the history of Ohio. His successor, General Duncan McArthur, of Ross County, a native of New York, was the last of the pioneer governors.

He had been a part of the beginnings of Ohio, a surveyor in the wilderness, a member and speaker of both branches of the General Assembly and a representative in Congress. His chief distinction, however, is as a soldier; at eighteen he began his military career as a private in Harmar's expedition, served the next year in another Indian campaign, was made captain of militia by St. Clair in 1798, and elected major-general of the Ohio militia in 1808 by the General Assembly of Ohio. In the War of 1812 he enlisted as a private, was almost immediately elected colonel of the first regiment of Ohio volunteers, bore a most creditable part in Hull's unfortunate campaign and made, during the course of this war, in the operations around the western end of Lake Erie, so brilliant a record that he was, at its termination, a brigadier-general of the regular army.

His administration as governor saw the last of the Indian wars, which particularly affected Ohio, the canals in operation, the National Road in use, and the commencement of the era of railways, eleven being chartered at one session of the General Assembly of 1831 and 1832.

In 1832 Robert Lucas, of Pike County, was elected governor; he was a native of Virginia, had served in the War of 1812, obtaining the rank of brigadier-general, and had been a member of both branches of the General Assembly and twice speaker of the State Senate. He had the honor of presiding over the first Democratic National Convention, which nominated General Jackson

for his second term. During Governor Lucas' second term occurred the famous controversy with Michigan over the northwestern boundary of the state. Ohio came out of this conflict victorious, and Governor Lucas was immortalized by having a county named for him at the mouth of the Maumee.

The Whigs elected the next governor in the person of Joseph Vance, of Champaign County; he was a native of Pennsylvania, a soldier in the War of 1812, many times a member of the General Assembly, and for fourteen years a member of Congress. During his administration the school system of Ohio was thoroughly revised and greatly improved.

In 1838 Wilson Shannon, of Belmont County, was elected governor; he was the first native-born citizen to achieve this position. He was a distinguished lawyer, and one of the very few men who came into this office without previous service in other positions. His administration was marked by an increase of the Abolition movement, and marred by hard times. In 1842 he was defeated for re-election by Thomas Corwin. In 1844 was again elected governor, defeating Corwin, and in 1844 resigned to become minister to Mexico.

Thomas Corwin is one of the best known of our governors, famous for his oratory and wit. He was born in Kentucky, acted as wagon boy in the War of 1812, and had served two terms in the General Assembly and five in Congress when elected chief magistrate of Ohio. After his term as governor, he was elected to the United States Senate, and resigned from that body to become secretary of the treasury.

When Governor Shannon resigned in 1844, Thomas W. Bartley, of Richland County, speaker of the Senate, became acting governor. He was a Democrat, and was succeeded in the office by his father, Mordecai Bartley, a Whig. The latter was born in Pennsylvania, was an officer in the War of 1812, a member of the General Assembly, and had served four terms in Congress, from 1823 to 1831.

Mordecai Bartley was the second war governor of Ohio, his administration witnessing the war with Mexico. During his term the Bank of the State of Ohio was chartered, and our present system of taxation adopted. In 1846 William Bebb, of But

ler County, a native of the state, was elected to the executive office. He was a sturdy opponent of "the black laws," and during his term much progress was made in internal improvements.

Seabury Ford, of Geauga County, was the last Whig candidate elected governor of Ohio. He was a native of Connecticut, and had served in both branches of the General Assembly.

The last governor under the first constitution was Reuben Wood, of Cuyahoga County, a native of Vermont, who had been a state senator and a judge of both the Common Pleas and Supreme Courts.

The convention elected to frame a new constitution for Ohio, met during Governor Wood's first term, and the instrument, framed by it, went into effect in 1852, so he was the first governor under the second as well as the last under the first.

His administration was a time of great activity in financial affairs, the free banking system was inaugurated, and many railroad lines opened for traffic. In 1853 Governor Wood resigned to accept the position of consul at Valparaiso. Under the first constitution nineteen men held the executive office. Of these sixteen were elected and three succeeded as speakers of the Senate. All but Tiffin, and possibly Kirker, were natives of the United States. Four were born in Connecticut, three in Virginia, three in Pennsylvania, three in Ohio, one in New York, one in Kentucky, and one in Vermont. The records fail to show to what state Kirker should be credited. Ross County furnished three, Hamilton, Warren and Richland each two, and Adams, Trumbull, Washington, Highland, Pike, Champaign, Belmont, Butler, Geauga and Cuyahoga one each. All but three of them had served in the Territorial Legislatures or the General Assemblies of Ohio, five had been members of Congress, six United States senators, two became cabinet officers, and two had occupied seats on the Supreme bench of Ohio.

The men who were governors of Ohio under the first constitution have now passed before you. In ability they varied, yet each and all were men of good hard common sense. In character they were upright and clean, in achievement they obtained various degrees of success, but each contributed something to the greatness and upbuilding of their state. The devotion of them all

to their duty, as they saw it, is beyond question. They were all representatives of the best citizenship of their day and generation, and each vindicated in his way the faith of the framers of the first constitution that the people could be trusted to select for their governors men whom they knew to be tried and true; men in every way worthy to be called leaders of men.

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THE GOVERNORS OF OHIO UNDER THE

SECOND CONSTITUTION.

JAMES E. CAMPBELL.

The second constitution of Ohio was adopted in 1851, but Reuben Wood, then governor, remained in office until 1853, sc that the topic, "The Governors under the Second Constitution," covers precisely the second half century of the state's existence. During this time there have been nineteen governors. Of these nineteen, all but one were natives of this country, and of English, Scotch, or Scotch-Irish stock. Not only were they natives themselves, but in every case they were descended from many generations of native ancestors; while they have stood for diverse ideas, creeds and affiliations, yet in one respect they have been alike-they have represented in their own persons, longdescended, inborn, thorough Amercanism.

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JAMES E. CAMPBELL.

Of these nineteen men only eight were college-bred, which shows how great a part the "little red schoolhouse" has played in the making of history; of fourteen who came in since the great day of Appomattox, ten were veterans of the Civil War, proving that Republics are not always ungrateful. Two have been president of the United States, one a chief justice. four cabinet officers, three foreign ministers, three United States senators, eight representatives in Congress; evidently their services were not unappreciated by their countrymen.

Let us call the roll.

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