Governor Tiffin and Governor Worthington and their successors under the first constitution were men of like civic creeds, but all of them were great friends of public improvements and all exerted themselves to open up the roads and waterways and to increase the facilities of the people. All were friends of popular education and labored assiduously to advance these great interests, and they accomplished quite as much in all these directions as they could have done by the exercise of any greater prerogative. And probably Hon. D. J. Ryan, in his work on Ohio, does not overstate Governor Tiffin's share in these great labors when he says: "No man who has ever filled the gubernatorial chair of Ohio possessed greater genius for the administration of public affairs than Edward Tiffin. His work in advancing and developing the state has not been equaled by that of any other

man in its history."

If it could be said that the Legislature, in course of time, came to be of a different political complexion and that progress came accordingly, then it was surely well that the veto power did not come between it and its work.

It is the truth of history, however, that Federalists, whether so in name or in fact, had little to do with developing Ohio. The Federalists of Ohio were found among the New England settlers, and Rufus King has pointed out that the New England immigration to Ohio, contrary to popular supposition, was small; that class had substantially nothing to do with the formation of the Ohio constitution or the organization of the state. When the governor and state officers were to be elected under it, the Federalists refused to vote, they were so much put out with the situation, and Tiffin was elected governor with scarcely a dissenting vote. The northern part of the state was then an Indian reservation and the northwest portion of the state so remained until fifteen years later and for a long period after that was substantially uninhabited. The northeast portion, including the Western Reserve, remained but slightly developed until the canals were constructed, and the main lines were not completed until 1833, and the whole system was not completed until considerably later, and there was very little worth while to speak of in that region until after the state had been builded, its institutions and char

acter well settled and the lines and principle of its growth and greatness fully marked on the basis defined by the Ordinance of 1787, and the constitution of the state, under the auspices of Governor Tiffin and the men of his creed and party or affiliation who continued for so long to hold the offices, establish the policy and make the laws of the commonwealth. The central belt of the state was settled principally by Germans and Scotch-Irish; the Miami country by people of New Jersey and the Middle States; the Virginian district, whose center was Chillicothe, by Virginians both from the Valley and Tidewater, and the Ohio River, with its tributaries, the Miami, Scioto and Muskingum, were the chief channels of the state's commerce. The bulk of the population was in the southwestern part of the state and Cincinnati and Chillicothe the most important towns. Before the northern part of the state had taken on any considerable movement and while its population was quite scanty, the great canal improvement which gave such a tremendous impetus to the state and particularly to the northern portion, was projected, provided for by appropriate legislation, and then constructed by the state under the auspices to which I have referred.

The Ordinance of 1787 and the state constitution adopted by Tiffin and his co-adjutors, declared that "Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged"; and these were classed as "among the fundamental principles of civil and religious liberty which formed the basis whereon these republics, their laws and constitutions are erected."

Governor Tiffin regarded education as the handmaid of religion and morality, and like them essential to the public service and welfare.

His public and official conduct was always guided by profound, persistent, untiring purpose to advance the cause of religious morality and education. But this did by no means have its inspiration merely in a sense of official duty, nor did he ever confine his efforts to official action or public service. In and out of office, his influence was exerted in this behalf. At the same time that canal commissioners were appointed, school

commissioners were appointed. Upon their report, in 1826, the free school system of which we hear so much, was instituted by law and Tiffin, then living in Chillicothe, saw, three years before his death, the fruition of his hopes and efforts in that direction. The system, by gradual development and continued legislative action, has become that which we this day enjoy.

Governor Tiffin was above all else a religious man. In his first message he declared that "The prosperity and happiness of every people is invariably in proportion to their religious morality," and hoped "that the people of Ohio would assume and forever maintain such advanced positions in industry, frugality, temperance and every moral virtue as would gain for them the admiration of the whole world." He both practiced and preached his religion. From the hour when he and his wife, in 1790, the year after their marriage, were "converted"— under the ministry of Rev. Thomas Scott, who also afterward came to Ohio and became one of the judges of our Supreme Court to the hour of death he was an apostle of the creed he professed. He began at once to gather congregations about him on the "Lord's Day" and to press upon his friends and neighbors the beauty of holiness. During life, he continued this same course, and never allowed the duties of his profession or a public station to wean him from what he deemed a much higher service to the community. His religion was of that Christian type which united love to God and to fellowman. Still did his charities abound. His benefactions were unstinted and even when confined to his bed in his sickness, it is said by his biographer, Col. William E. Gilmore, he kept certain days of the week devoted to gratuitously diagnosing cases of, and prescribing for, the poor.

While love of liberty and devotion to religion were the grand passions of his nature they were not all. He loved Ohio. He probably regarded, as did most public men of his day, the office of governor as much greater than that of being one of two representatives of the state in the National Senate. He resigned his seat in the Senate shortly after his service in that body began, but accepted an election to a membership in the State Legislature, which place he held for two terms. He resigned a place at the head of the Land Department in the national capital to become

the surveyor-general of the Northwest, with his office on his home lot in this city. He believed that he could do more good here than elsewhere, and was, above all things, interested in the development of the state.

He was proud of Ohio, the state he had done so much to create. He loved to uphold her prerogatives and maintain her prestige; but Tiffin, like all men then, of his political ideas, was none the less a lover of the Union, quick to combat its real or supposed foes.

During his governorship, when convinced that Aaron Burr was gathering men, boats and provisions and warlike munitions on the Ohio border, in furtherance of a conspiracy against the Union, he did not wait for the action of the Federal Government, nor for any instructions from it or any department of it; he got the Legislature into secret session and, without the veto power, procured the passage of "an act to prevent certain acts hostile to the peace and tranquility of the United States. within the jurisdiction of this state."

The governor acted promptly, seized the boats, provisions,. etc., and the Burr expedition came to speedy grief.

Jefferson in his subsequent letter, commendatory of the prompt state action, said: "It is happy illustration, too, of the importance of preserving to the state authorities all that vigor which the constitution foresaw would be necessary, not only for their own safety, but for that of the whole."

Looking back at this Burr affair in view of all ascertained facts, Burr's alleged treasonable designs seem very much of a myth, but there is no denying that the matter was regarded seriously and that Burr procured one thing at least which was very much to his taste, and that was a dramatic situation..

Although Tiffin was in public service, and that substantially by common consent, during nearly the entire period of his residence in the state, he kept his soul unstained. He utilized no opportunity for private aggrandizement. His industry was unflagging, his fidelity perfect, his tact and wisdom unquestionable. His domestic life was fortunate indeed. He was twice married. His wives were Christian helpmates full of sweet piety and good works. His second marriage was blessed with five

children of whom four were daughters. His son died as the result of an accident in young manhood. Two of his daughters, Mrs. Scott Cook, and Miss Diathea Tiffin, recently passed from among us, mourned by the entire community, leaving behind them the "sweet savor of a life well spent." Mrs. Reynolds and Mrs. Dr. Comegys, of Cincinnati women of like mould — died at an earlier period. His children and his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren, one of whom has had the goodness to grace this day by unveiling the counterfeit presentment of her great and good ancestor, have held high the honor of his name and well sustained the heredity of noble blood.

Edward Tiffin was born in Carlisle, England. This is a famous site. Here the semi-mythical, semi-historical king Arthur is reputed to have held his court and gathered about his Round Table, Sir Launcelot, Sir Galleahad and all that company of knights, the fame of whose exploits furnished material for Tennyson's "Idylls of the King," and filled the lines of many poets and romancers. King Arthur stands in all these wondrous tales the fit exemplar of a noble life, the knight without reproach or stain; and when at last, he yielded his magic sword "Excaliber," and turned his face to die, it is said that gentle hands of ministering spirits carried him away to the enchanted vale of Avalon, whence he was destined in the after times to return and rule a redeemed land and reunite about the "table round" the broken circle of his knights, coming purified from quests of Holy Grail. And now my fancy pictures that the good king in very truth did come again to old Carlisle, and later in a new world found a land redeemed from old-world ways of greed and ruthless power; gathered there about him knights good and true who had proven their valor in wild forests beset with wild beasts and wilder men, in search of the Holy Grail of Freedom and had traversed flood and fell to form a state whose cornerstone should be Liberty and capstone Virtue - Massie, McDonald, McArthur, Worthington, Creighton, Morrow, Byrd, Meigs and all the rest of that gallant train. With reminiscent eyes, we see him now amid that circle of strong souls with noble yet unaffected mien, a People's knight indeed.