thefe republics, their laws and conftitutions are erected; to fix and establish those principles as the bafis 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 perma nent government therein, and for their admiffion to a fhare 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 afore faid, 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 remain unalterable, unless by common confent, to wit: ARTICLE I. S 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 said territory. ARTICLE II. 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 reprefenta tion of the people in the legiflature, and of judicial pro ceedings according to the courfe of the common law, All perfons fhall be bailable, unlefs for capital offences, where the proof fhall 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 judge ment 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 declaredy that no law ought ever to be made, or have force in the faid territory, that fhall in any manner whatever interfere with, or affect private contracts or engagements, bona fide, and without fraud previously 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 utmost 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 Thall be invaded or difturbed, unlefs in juft 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 Congress affembled, conformable thereto. The inhabitants and settlers, in the faid territory, fhall be fubject 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 thall be made on the other ftates; and the taxes for paying their proportion, shall be laid and levied by the authority and direction of the legiflatures of the diftrict or diftricts or new ftates, as in the original states, within the time agreed upon by the United States in Congrefs affembled. The legiflatures of those diftricts or new ftates, fhall never interfere with the primary difpofal of the foil by the United States in Congress assembled, nor with any régulations Congrefs may find neceffary for fecuring the title in fuch foil to the bona fide purchasers. No tax fhall be imposed on lands the property of the United States; and in no cafe fhall non-refident proprietors be taxed higher than residents. 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 shall be formed in the said territory, not less 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 ftate 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 eaftern 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, fhall be fubject 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 of the said states, fhall have fixty thousand free inhabitants therein, fuch ftate fhall be admitted, by its dele [567] gates, into the Congrefs of the United States, on an ARTICLE VI. There shall be neither flavery nor involuntary fervitude in the faid territory, otherwise 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 thoufand feven hundred and eighty-feven, and of their fovereignty and independence the twelfth. WILLM. GRAYSON, Chairman. CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary. Table of Contents. لك A&ts 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- PAGE 5 6 7 13 14 VI. An act concerning certain fisheries of the VIII. An act relative to the election of a Prefident 22 22 27 |