266 HISTORY OF OHIO. 



DEwiTT Clinton's visit to ohio. 



Governor Clinton, attended by his aids, colonel Jones and 

 colonel Reed, colonel Solomon Van Renselaer of Albany, who 

 had traversed the state when a wilderness, as an officer un- 

 der general Wayne; Messrs. Rathbone and Lord, who had 

 loaned us the ramey with which to commence the canal, and 

 judge Conkling, United States district judge, of the state of 

 New York, started from Albany, New York, and landed at 

 Cleveland Ohio, in June 1825. They arrived at Newark 

 near the Licking summit, on the third day of July on a beau- 

 tiful afternoon. Here were assembled to meet, welcome and 

 receive these distinguished friends of Ohio, the governor of 

 Ohio, Jeremiah Morrow, the good, able and patriotic chief 

 magistrate of a state which he had long faithfully served in 

 many high trusts; our secretary of state ; the state auditor; 

 the treasurer; all our members of congress; nearly all our 

 members of the legislature ; the millitary to a great number 

 of all arms, dressed in their best attire, with all their arms. 

 And there were present also nearly all those who had so long 

 and so faithfully written, printed and published so much on 

 the subject of a canal. The whole number amounted to ma- 

 ny thousands. 



As soon as governor Clinton's carriage appeared on the 

 public square, all these thousands rent the air with their loud 

 huzzas of welcome, to DeWitt Clixton, " the fnther of in- 

 ternal improvements." Four companies of artillery fired one 

 hundred guns, in honor of the state's guest. Of this great as- 

 semblage, many of them were personally known to governor 

 Clinton, and all of them were his personal friends, with many 

 of whom he had all along corresponded on the subject which 

 had brought them together. The meeting of so many old 

 friends on an occasion so dear to all their hearts, was deep- 

 ly affecting to all present. 



On the 4th day of July 1825, forty-nine years after the dec- 

 laration of independence, this great work of connecting lake 

 Erie with the Ohio river, by a navigable canal, was comraea' 



