UNI. whatever, interfere with, or affect private contracts or engagements, bona fide, and without fraud previously formed. Art. 3d. Religion, morality and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged. The utmost good faith shall always be observed towards the Indians; their lands and property shall never be taken from them without their consent; and in their property, rights and liberty, they shall never be invaded or disturbed, unless in just and lawful wars authorized by Congress; but laws founded in justice and humanity, shall, from time to time, be made, for preventing wrongs being done to them, and for preserving peace and friendship with them. Art. 4th. The said territory, and the states which may be formed therein, shall forever remain a part of this confederacy of the United States of America, subject to the articles of confederation, and to such alterations therein, as shall be constitutionally made; and to all the acts and ordinances of the United States in Congress assembled, conformable thereto. The inhabitants and settlers in the said territory, shall be subject to pay a part of the federal debts, contracted or to be contracted, and a proportional part of the expenses of government, to be apportioned on them by Congress, according to the same common rule and measure, by which apportionments thereof shall be made on the other states; and the taxes for paying their proportion, shall be laid and levied by the authority and direction of the legislatures of the district or districts, or new states, as in the original states, within the time agreed upon by the United States in Congress assembled. The legislatures of those districts or new states, shall never interfere with the primary disposal of the soil by the United States in Congress assembled, nor with any regulations Congress may find necessary for securing the title in such soil to the bona fide purchasers. No tax shall be imposed on lands the property of the United States; and in no case shall nonresident proprietors be taxed higher than residents. The navigable waters leading into the Mississippi and St. Lawrence, and the carrying places between the same, shall be common high-ways, and forever free, as well to the inhabitants of the said territory, as to the citizens of the United States, and those of any other states that may be admitted into the confederacy, without any tax, impost or duty therefor. Art. 5th. There shall be formed in the said territory, not less than three, nor more than five states; and the boundaries of the states as soon as Virginia shall alter her act of cession, and consent to the same, shall become fixed and established as follows, to-wit: The western state in said territory, shall be bounded by the Mississippi, the Ohio and Wabash rivers; a direct line drawn from the Wabash and Post Vincent's due north to the territorial line between the United States and Canada; and by the said territorial line to the lake of the Woods and Mississippi. The middle state shall be bounded by the said direct line, the Wabash from Post Vincent's to the Ohio; by the Ohio, by a direct line drawn due north from the mouth of the Great-Miami, to the said territorial line, and by the said territorial line. The eastern state shall be bounded by the last mentioned direct line, the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and the said territorial line: provided, however, and it is further understood and declared, that the boundaries of these three states, shall be subject so far to be altered, that if Congress shall hereafter find it expedient, they shall have authority to form one or two states in that part of the said territory, which lies north of an east and west line drawn through the southerly bend or extreme of lake Michigan. And whenever any of the said states, shall have 60,000 free inhabitants therein, such state shall be admitted, by its delegates, into the Congress of the United States, on an equal footing with the original states, in all respects whatever; and shall be at liberty to form a permanent constitution and state government: provided the constitution and government so to be formed, shall be republican, and in conformity to the principles contained in these articles; and so far as it can be consistent with the general interests of the confederacy, such admission shall be allowed at an earlier period, and when there may be a less number of free inhabitants in the state than 60,000. Art. 6th. There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said territory, otherwise than in the punishment of crimes, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted: provided always, that any person escaping into the same, from whom labour or service is lawfully claimed in any one of the original states, such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed, and conveyed to the person claiming his or her labour or service as aforesaid. Be it ordained by the authority aforesaid, that the resolutions of the 23d of April, 1784, relative to the subject of this ordinance, be, and the same are hereby repealed and declared null and void. Done, etc. —Reprinted from "Fournals of Congress: containing their Proceedings from November 6, 1786, to November 5, 1787. Volume XII. From Folwell's Press. Philadelphia, 1801." See p. 58. AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE TERRITORY NORTHWEST OF THE RIVER OHIO. Whereas in order that the ordinance of the United States in Congress assembled, for the government of the territory northwest of the river Ohio may continue to have full effect, it is requisite that certain provisions should be made, so as to adapt the same to the present Constitution of the United States. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in all cases in which by the said ordinance, any information is to be given, or communication made by the governor of the said territory to the United States in Congress assembled, or to any of their officers, it shall be the duty of the said governor to give such information and to make such communication to the President of the United States, and the President shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint all officers which by the said ordinance were to have been appointed by the United States in Congress assembled, and all officers so appointed shall be commissioned by him; and in all cases where the United States in Congress assembled, might, by the said ordinance, revoke any commission or remove from any office, the President is hereby declared to have the same powers of revocation and removal. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That in case of the death, removal, resignation, or necessary absence of the governor of the said territory, the secretary thereof shall be, and he is hereby authorized and required to execute all the powers, and perform all the duties of the governor, during the vacancy occasioned by the removal, resignation or necessary absence of the said governor. Approved, August 7, 1789. -Reprinted from U. S. Statutes at Large, Vol. I., p. 50. AN ACT RESPECTING THE GOVERNMENT OF THE TERRI TORIES OF THE UNITED STATES NORTHWEST AND SECTION I. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the laws of the territory northwest of the river Ohio, that have been or hereafter may be enacted by the governor and judges thereof, shall be printed under the direction of the Secretary of State, and two hundred copies thereof, together with ten sets of the laws of the United States, shall be delivered to the said governor and judges, to be distributed among the inhabitants for their information, and that a like number of the laws of the United States shall be delivered to the governor and judges of the territory southwest of the river Ohio. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the governor and judges of the territory northwest of the river Ohio shall be, and hereby are authorized to repeal their laws by them made, whensoever the same may be found to be improper. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the official duties of the secretaries of the said territories shall be under the control of such laws, as are or may be in force in the said territories. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That any one of the supreme or superior judges of the said territories, in the absence of the other judges, shall be and hereby is authorized to hold a court. SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the secretary of state, provide proper seals for the several and respective public offices in the said territories. SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the limitation act, passed by the governor and judges of the said territory, the twenty-eighth day of December, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight, be and hereby is disapproved. SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That the expenses incurred by John Cleves Symmes and George Turner, two of the judges of the said territory, in sending an express, and in purchasing a boat to go the circuit, in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety, shall be liquidated by the officers of the treasury, and paid out of the treasury of the United States. Approved, May 8, 1792. -Reprinted from U. S. Statutes at Large, Vol. I., p. 285. |