1 thefe republics, their laws and conftitutions are erected; to fix and establish those principles as the basis of all laws, conftitutions and governments, which forever hereafter shall be formed in the faid territory: to provide alfo for the establishment of ftates, and permanent government therein, and for their admiffion to a share in the federal councils, on an equal footing with the original states, at as early periods, as may be confiftent with the general interest: It is hereby ordained and declared, by the authority aforefaid, That the following articles fhall be confidered as articles of compact between the original states, and the people and states in the faid territory, and forever re. main unalterable, unless by common confent, to wit: ARTICLE I. No perfon demeaning himself in a peaceable and orderly manner, fhall ever be molested on account of his mode of worship or religious fentiments, in the faid territory. ARTICLE II. The inhabitants of the faid territory, fhall always be entitled to the benefits of the writ of habeas corpus, and of the trial by jury; of a proportionate representation of the people in the legislature, and of judicial proceedings according to the courfe of the common law. All perfons fhall be bailable, unless for capital offences, where the proof shall be evident, or the prefumption great. All fines fhall be moderate; and no cruel or unusual punishments fhall be inflicted. No man fhall be deprived of his liberty or property, but by the judgment of his peers, or the law of the land; and fhould the public exigencies make it neceffary, for the common prefervation, to take any perfon's property, or to demand his particular fervices, full compenfation fhall be made for the fame. And in the juft prefervation of rights and property, it is understood and declared, that no law ought ever to be made, or have force in the said territory, that fhall in any manner whatever interfere with, or affect private contracts or engagements, bona fide, and without fraud previoufly formed. ARTICLE III. Religion, morality, and knowledge, being neceffary to good government and the happiness of mankind, fchools, and the means of education, fhall forever be encouraged. The utmoft good faith fhall always be obferved towards the Indians; their lands and property fhall never be taken from them without their confent; and in their property, rights and liberty, they never fhall be invaded or difturbed, unlefs in just and lawful wars authorized by Congrefs; but laws founded in justice and humanity, fhall from time to time be made, for preventing wrongs being done to them, and for preferving peace and friendship with them. ARTICLE IV. The faid territory, and the states which may be formed therein, fhall forever remain a part of this confederacy of the United States of America, fubject to the articles of confederation, and to fuch alterations therein, as fhall be conftitutionally made; and to all the acts and ordinances of the United States in Congrefs affembled, conformable thereto. The inhabitants and fettlers, in the faid territory, fhall be subject to pay a part of the federal debts, contracted or to be contracted, and a proportional part of the expenfes of government, to be apportioned on them by Congrefs, according to the fame common rule and meafure, by which apportionments thereof fhall be made on the other ftates; and the taxes for paying their proportion, fhall be laid and levied by the authority and direction of the legiflatures of the diftrict or diftricts or new ftates, as in the original ftates, within the time agreed upon by the United States in Congrefs affembled. The legiflatures of thofe diftricts or new ftates, fhall never interfere with the primary difpofal of the foil by the United States in Congrefs affembled, nor with any regulations Congrefs may find neceffary for fecuring the title in fuch foil to the bona fide purchasers. No tax fhall be impofed on lands the property of the United States; and in no cafe fhall non-refident proprietors be taxed higher than refidents. The navigable waters leading into the Miffifippi and St. Lawrence, and the carrying places between the fame, fhall 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 fhall be formed in the faid territory, not lefs than three, nor more than five ftates; and the boundaries of the ftates, as foon as Virginia fhall alter her act of ceffion, and confent to the fame, fhall become fixed and established as follows, to wit: The western state in the faid territory, fhall be bounded by the Miffifippi, 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 faid territorial line to the lake of the Woods and Miffifippi. The middle state shall be bounded by the faid direct line, the Wabafn from Poft 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 ftate fhall 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 ftates, shall be subject so far to be altered, that if Congress fhall hereafter find it expedient, they fhall have authority to form one or two states in that part of the faid territory which lies north of an eaft and weft line drawn through the foutherly bend or extreme of lake Michigan. And whenever any the said states, fhall have fixty thoufand free inhabitants therein, such state shall be admitted, by its dele of gates, into the Congrefs of the United States, on an equal footing with the original states, in all respects whatever; and fhall be at liberty to form a permanent conftitution and state government: Provided the conftitution and government fo to be formed, fhall be republican, and in conformity to the principles contained in thefe articles; and fo far as it can be consistent with the general intereft of the confederacy, fuch admiffion fhall be allowed at an earlier period, and when there may be a lefs number of free inhabitants in the ftate than fixty thousand. ARTICLE VI. There fhall be neither flavery nor involuntary fervitude in the faid territory, otherwife than in punishment of crimes, whereof the party fhall have been duly convicted: Provided always, that any perfon efcaping into the fame, from whom labour or fervice is lawfully 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 fervice as aforefaid. DONE by the United States, in Congress affembled, the thirteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand feven hundred and eighty-feven, and of their fovereignty and independence the twelfth. WILLM, GRAYSON, Chairman. CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary. Table of Contents. Acts paffed at the First Seffion of the Second Congrefs. CHAPTER I. An act granting farther time for making III. An act making appropriations for the fup- V. An act to extend the time limited for fet- VI. An act concerning certain fisheries of the PAGE 5 6 7 13 14 22 United States, and for the regulation and government of the fishermen employed therein, 15 VII. An act to establish the post-office and postroads within the United States, VIII. An act relative to the election of a Prefident and Vice-Prefident of the United States, and declaring the officer who shall act as Prefident in cafe of vacancies in the offices both of Prefident and Vice-Prefident, IX. An act for making farther and more effectual provifion for the protection of the frontiers of the United States, X. An act declaring the confent of Congress to a certain act of the State of Maryland, and 22 27 |