TOLEDO WAR. A boundary controversy which arose in 1835 between the State of Ohio and the Territory of Michigan. Congress in the Ordinance of 1787 had reserved the right to form new States out of that part of the territory northwest of the Ohio River "lying north of an east am] west line drawn through the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan." Ohio was admitted as a State in 1803, the above line being described in the act as its northern boundary, though the State Consti tution claimed more territory. When in 1805 Michigan Territory was organized, and, later, Indiana and Illinois became States, the most con fused ideas existed on the boundary question. A survey was made by order of Congress in 1817 which established the present line. The old line had included in Michigan the city of Toledo, and this was the main point in dispute. In 1835 Ohio laid claim to all within the new line, known as the Harris line, and proceeded to organize townships therein. Michigan declared the inten
tion of resisting such invasion, and the militia of both sides were called upon to maintain the al leged rights of their respective governments. An opinion of the United States Attorney-General, B. F. Butler, favored Michigan; President Jack son sent out a 'peace commission' with no re sult, and serious conflict seemed imminent. In September, 1835, the Michigan troops occupied Toledo to prevent the formal organization of Wood County by Ohio officers. The latter, how ever. accomplished their purpose secretly and withdrew. The trouble was finally settled by the admission of Michigan into the Union on condition that she accept the Harris line, while as a make-weight that State was given the upper Wisconsin Peninsula, which afterwards proved from its mineral wealth to be far more valuable than the disputed territory.