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Done by the United States, in Congress as:embled, the 13th day of July, in the year of our Lord 1787, and of their sovereignty and independence 'he 12th. WM. GRAYSON, Chair man. CHA. THOMSON, Sec.

An ACT to provide for the Government of the Territory north-west of the River Ohio.

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THEREAS in order that the ordinance of the United States in Congress assembled for the government of the territory north-west 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.

SECT. 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 is hereby authorized and required to execute and perform all the duties of Governor, during the vacancy occasioned by the removal, resignation or necessary absence of the said Governor.

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Signed

(Signed)

F. A. MUHLENBERG, Speaker of the House of Representatives. J.ADAMS, Vice-President of the United States, and President of the Senate.

Approved, 7th August 1789:

GEO. WASHINGTON, President of the United States.

An ACT for an amicable Settlement of Limits with the State of Georgia, and authorizing the Establishment of a Government in the Mississippi Territory.

SECT. 1.DE it enacted by the Senate and House of Re

ica in Congress assembled, That the President of the. United States be, and he hereby is authorized to appoint three Commissioners, any two of whom shall have power to adjust and determine with such Commissioners as may be appointed under the legislative authority of the State of Georgia, all interfering claims of the United States and that State, to territory situated west of the river Chatahouchee, north of the thirty-first degree of north latitude, and south of the cession made to the United States by South-Carolina: And also to receive any proposals for the relinquishment or cession of the whole or any part of the other territory claimed by the State of Georgia, and out of the ordinary jurisdiction thereof.

SECT. 2. Be it further enacted, That all the lands thus ascertained as the property of the United States, shall be disposed of in such manner as shall be hereafter directed by law; and the nett proceeds thereof shall be applied to the sinking and discharging the public debt of the United States, in the same manner as the proceeds of the other public lands in the territory north-west of the river Ohio.

SECE. 3. Be it further enacted, That all that tract of country bounded on the west by the Mississippi; on the north by a line to be drawn due east from the mouth of the Yasous to the Chatahouchee river; on the east by the river Chatahouchee; and on the south by the

thirty

thirty-first degree of north latitude, shall be, and hereby is constituted one district, to be called The Mississippi Territory: And the President of the United States is hereby authorized to establish therein a government in all respects similar to that now exercised in the Territory north west of the river Ohio, excepting and excluding the last article of the ordinance made for the government thereof by the late Congress on the thirteenth day of July one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint all the necessary officers therein, who shall respectively receive the same compensations for their services, to be paid in the same manner as by law established for similar officers in the territory north-west of the River Ohio; and the powers, duties and emoluments of a Superintendant of Indian affairs for the southern department, shall be united with those of Governor. Provided always, That if the President of the United States should find it most expedient to establish this government in the recess of Congress, he shall nevertheless have full power to appoint and commission all officers herein authorized; and their commissions shall continue in force until the end of the session of Congress next ensuing the establishment of the government.

SECT. 4. Be it further enacted, That the territory hereby constituted one district for the purposes of government, may, at the discretion of Congress, be hereafter divided into two districts, with separate territorial governments in each, similar to that established by this

act.

SECT. 5. Be it further enacted, That the establishment of this government shall in no respect impair the right of the State of Georgia, or of any person or persons either to the jurisdiction or the soil of the said territory, but the rights and claims of the said State and all persons interested, are hereby declared to be as firm and available, as if this act had never been made,

SECT. 6. And be it further enacted, That from and after the establishment of the said government, the people

of

of the aforesaid territory, shall be entitled to and enjoy all and singular the rights, privileges, and advantages granted to the people of the territory of the United States north-west of the river Ohio, in and by the aforesaid ordinance of the thirteenth day of July, in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, in as full and ample a manner as the same are possessed and enjoyed by the people of the said last mentioned territory.

SECT. 7. And be it further enacted, That from and after the establishment of the aforesaid government, it shall not be lawful for any person or persons to import or bring into the said Mississippi territory, from any port or place, without the limits of the United States, or to cause of procure to be imported or brought, or knowingly to aid or assist in so importing or bringing any slave or slaves; and that every person so offending, and being thereof convicted before any court within the said territory, having competent jurisdiction, shall forfeit and pay, for each and every slave so imported or brought, the sum of three hundred dollars; one moiety for the use of the United States, and the other moiety for the use of any person or persons who shall sue for the same; and that every slave, so imported or brought, shall thereupon become entitled to, and receive his or her freedom.

SECT. 8. And be it further enacted, That the sum of ten thousand dollars be and hereby is appropriated, for the purpose of enabling the President of the United States to carry into effect the provisions of this act; and that the said sum be paid out of any monies in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

JON. DAYTON, Speaker of the House
of Representatives.

THO. JEFFRESON, Vice-President of the
United States, and President of the Senate.

Approved, 7th April 1798:

J. ADAMS,

President of the United States.

An ACT to divide the Territory of the United States northwest of the Ohio into two separate Governments. SECT. I. E it enacted by the Senate and House of Reof united states

ica in Congress assembled, That from and after the 4th day of July next, all that part of the terrritory of the United States north-west of the Ohio river, which lies to the westward of a line beginning at the Ohio opposite to the mouth of Kentucky river, and running thence to Fort Recovery, and thence north until it shall intersect the territorial line between the United States and Canada, shall, for the purposes of temporary government, constitute a separate territory, and be called, The Indiana Territory.

SECT. 2. And be it further enacted, That there shall be established within the said territory a government in all respects similar to that provided by the ordinance of Congress, passed on the thirteenth day of July one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven for the government of the territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio; and the inhabitants thereof shall be entitled to, and enjoy all and singular the rights, privileges and advantages granted and secured to the people by the said ordinance.

SECT. 3. And be it further enacted, That the offcers for the said territory, who by virtue of this act shall be appointed by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall respectively exercise the same powers, perform the same duties, and receive for their services the same compensations as by the ordinance aforesaid and the laws of the United States, have been provided and estab lished for similar officers in the territory of the United States north-west of the river Ohio: And the duties and emoluments of Superintendant of Indian Affairs shall be united with those of Governor: Provided, That the President of the United States shall have full power, in the recess of Congress, to appoint and commission all officers herein authorized; and their commissions shall continue in force until the end of the next session of Congress, And

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