these republics, their laws and constitutions are erected; to fix and establish those principles as the basis of all laws, constitutions and governments, which forever hereafter shall be formed in the faid territory: to provide alfo for the establishment of states, and perma nent government therein, and for their admission to a share in the federal councils, on an equal footing with the original states, at as early periods, as may be consistent with the general interest: It is hereby ordained and declared, by the authority aforefaid, That the following articles shall be confidered as articles of compact between the original states, and the people and states in the said territory, and forever re main unalterable, unless by common confent, to wit No person demeaning himself in a peaceable and orderly manner, shall ever be molested on account of his mode of worship or religious sentiments, in the said ter. ritory. The inhabitants of the faid territory, shall always be entitled to the benefits of the writ of habeas corpus, and of the trial by jury, of a proportionate representa tion of the people in the legislature, and of judicial pro ceedings according to the course of the common law. All perfons shall be bailable, unless for capital offences, where the proof shall be evident, or the prefumption great. All fines shall be moderate; and no cruel or unusual punishments shall be inflicted. No man shall be deprived of his liberty or property, but by the judge ment of his peers, or the law of the land; and should the public exigencies make it neceffary, for the com mon preservation, to take any person's property, or to demand his particular services, full compensation shall be made for the fame. And in the just preservation of rights and property, it is understood and declared, that no law ought ever to be made, or have force in the faid territory, that shall in any manner whatever 1 1 [565 interfere with, or affect private contracts or engagements, bona fide, and without fraud previously formed. ARTICLE III. - 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 obferved towards the Indians; their lands and property shall never be taken from them without their consent; and in their property, rights and liberty, they never shall be invaded or disturbed, unless in just and lawful wars authorized by Congrefs; 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. ARTICLE IV. The faid 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 fettlers, in the faid territory, shall be fubject 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 fame 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 legiflatures of the district or districts or new states, as in the original states, within the time agreed upon by the United States in Congress affembled. The legislatures of those districts or new states, shall never interfere with the primary difpofal of the foil by the United States in Congress assembled, nor with any regulations Congress may find neceffary for fecuring the title in fuch foil to the bona fide purchasers. No tax shall be imposed on lands the property of the United States; and in no case shall non-refident proprietors be taxed higher than residents. The navigable waters leading into the Missisippi and St. Lawrence, and the carrying places between the fame, shall be common highways, and forever free, as well to the inhabitants of the faid 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, impoft, or duty therefor. ARTICLE V. There shall be formed in the said territory, not less than three, nor more than five states; and the boundaries of the states, as foon as Virginia shall alter her act of ceffion, and consent to the fame, shall become fixed and established as follows, to wit: The western state in the faid territory, shall be bounded by the Mifsisippi, the Ohio and Wabash rivers; a direct line drawn from the Wabash and Poft Vincents 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 Missisippi. The middle state shall be bounded by the faid direct line, the Wabasn from Post Vincents to the Ohio; by the Ohio, by a direct line drawn due north from the mouth of the Great Miami, to the faid territorial line, and by the faid territorial line. The eastern state shall be bounded by the last mentioned direct line, the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and the faid territorial line: Provided however, and it is further understood and declared, that the boundaries of these three states, shall be fubject 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 faid territory which lies north of an east and west line drawn through the foutherly bend or extreme of lake Michigan. And whenever any of the said states, shall have fixty thousand free inhabitants therein, such state shall be admitted, by its deles gates, 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 fo far as it can be consistent with the general interest 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 fixty thousand. ARTICLE VI. There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary fervitude in the said territory, otherwise than in punishment of crimes, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted: Provided always, that any person efcaping into the fame, from whom labour or service is lawfülly claimed in any one of the original states, fuch fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed, and conveyed to the perfon claiming his or her labour or service as aforefaid. DONE by the United States, in Congress affembled, the thirteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and eighty-seven, and of their Sovereignty and independence the twelfth. WILLM. GRAYSON, Chairman. CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary. $ Table of Contents. Acts passed at the First Session of the Second Congrefs. CHAPTER I. An act granting farther time for making II. An act for the relief of David Cook and III. An act making appropriations for the fup- IV. An Act for carrying into effect a contract V. An act to extend the time limited for fet- PAGE 5 6 7 13 14 VI. An act concerning certain fisheries of the VII. An act to establish the post-office and post- VIII. An act relative to the election of a President IX. An act for making farther and more ef- X. An act declaring the confent of Congress to 22 22 27 |