Chapter II
The North-West
Territory
At the time
Sebastian Cabot discovered North America, in 1498, the print of the foot of the
white man was not upon its soil. He had
traversed wide, billowy and "hilly seas," and peopled waste and
desert places of the earth, but here, on the sun-down side of the Western Hemisphere, he was not found. It
was the empire of the native American,
barbaric hordes who roamed like untamed beasts over its extensive domain and
secreted themselves in its shady groves and cloistered valleys, unrestrained
and ungoverned by any of the rules which regulate civilized life.
Cabot's discovery paved the way, as also did that of
Columbus, for European immigration. Soon Spain, France and England vied with
each other for the ascendancy in the New World.
Spain had the honor of establishing the first colony
in North America, which was done at St. Augustine, Florida, in 1565, and is now
the oldest city, by forty years, within the limits of the Republic. The French
planted the second in 1604, at Port Royal, in Acadia, the original name of
Novia Scotia, and the English the third, at Jamestown, in April, 1607, which
was the first permanent settlement of the English in America.
England, becoming alarmed at the encroachments of the
French in the northern part of the New World, divided that portion of the
country which lies between the thirty-fourth and forty-fifth degrees of north
latitude into two grand divisions. Then James I., by grant, disposed of that
portion of the country included between the thirty-fourth and forty-first
degrees to an association of merchants, called the London Land Company, and to
the Plymouth Company, which subsequently settled New England, the territory
between the thirty-eighth and forty-fifth degrees. These grants crossing over each other, to some extent, became a source of
trouble to the Crown. The Cabots had visited Nova Scotia as early as 1498,
though there was no European colony established until the year above named.
Henry IV of France, had, as early as 1603, granted Acadia to DeMonts, a
Frenchman, and his followers, and some Jesuits, who, for several years,
endeavored to form settlements in Port Royal and St. Croix. They were finally
expelled from the country by the English governor and colonists of Virginia,
who claimed the country by right of the discovery of Sebastian Cabot. This
grant to DeMonts comprised the lands between. the fortieth and forty-sixth
degrees of north latitude, and hence included the lands at present composing
the (northern half of) State of Ohio.
The grant of James I. of England to the London Company
also embraced Ohio, and the grant of the same monarch to the Plymouth Company
included a portion of it. France, knowing to the importance of seizing and
holding the sway over the much-coveted lands of the western sun, equipped and
sent out her boldest adventurers to explore and possess the country, prominent
among whom appeared LaSalle, Champlain and Marquette. Forts were erected by
them on the lakes and on the
Mississippi, Illinois and Maumee rivers, and the whole North-western
Territory was included by them in the province of Louisiana; in fact our
entire, country, according to their geographers, was New France, except that
east of the great ranges of mountains, whose streams flow into the Atlantic;
and of this portion they even claimed the basin of the Kennebec, and all of
Maine to the east of that valley. As early as 1750 they had strong and
well-guarded fortifications erected at the mouth of the Wabash river, and a
line of communication opened to Acadia, by way of this stream, the lakes and
the St. Lawrence. The English not only claimed the North-western Territory by
reason of discovery, and by grant of the King of England, but by virtue of the purchase of the same, from the
Indians by treaty, at Lancaster, in 1741. By that treaty the Six Nations ceded
the lands or territory to the English, as they claimed. For the purpose of
formally possessing it and vying with the French in its settlement, a company denominated the OhioCompany was organized in 1750, and obtained a grant in that year from the
British Parliament for 600,000 acres of land on or near the Ohio river; and in
I750 the English built and established a trading house at a place called Loramie's Store, on
the Great Miami River, and which was the first English establishment erected in
the North-west Territory, or the great valley of the Mississippi. In the early
part of 1732 the French demolished this trading-house, and carried the
inhabitants off to Canada. Its destruction involved something of a conflict,
and the Ottawas and Chippewas assisting the French, fourteen of the red
warriors were killed and several wounded before it succumbed.
In 1762 the Moravian missionaries, Post and
Heckwelder, had established a station upon the Muskingum River. In 1763 the
French ceded their possessions in the North-west, and, indeed, in North
America, to Great Britain, and from that time forward the English had only the natives with whom to contend.
After many bloody conflicts, in which valuable lives were sacrificed, the
haughty Briton became master of the soil. In 1774, by act of Parliament of the
English government, the whole of the North-west Territory was annexed to, and made part of, the
Province of Quebec.
July 4, 1776, the colonists renounced further
allegiance to the British Crown, and each State or Colony then claimed
jurisdiction over the soil embraced within its charter. The war of the
Revolution terminating favorably to the colonists, the King of England,
September 3, 1783, ceded all claim to the North-west Territory to the United
States. By charter, Virginia claimed that portion of the territory which was
situated north-west of the Ohio River, but in 1784 she ceded all claim to the
territory to the United States.
By virtue of this act or deed of cession the General
Assembly of Virginia did, through her delegates in Congress, March I, 1784,
"convey (in the name and for and on behalf of the said commonwealth),
transfer, assign, and make over unto the United States in Congress assembled, for the benefit of said States,
Virginia inclusive, all right, title and claim, as well of soil as of jurisdiction, to the territory of said State lying and being to the north-west
of the river of Ohio." The deed of cession being tendered by the
delegates, Congress at once resolved, "that it be accepted, and the same
be recorded and enrolled among the acts of the United States in Congress
assembled."
Title to the vast territory of the north-west having
thus been secured to the United States, at an early date the prudent
consideration of Congress was directed toward preliminary measures pointing to
the permanent organization of civil government in the same, it now being within the legitimate
province of its legislation. July 13, 1787, that August body, after considerate
investigation, deliberate thought, and cautions inquiry into the subject,
combined with tedious, dispassionate, and exhaustive analysis of the vital issues involved, proclaimed the
outgrowth of their matured action to the civilized world in what they saw
proper to denominate, "An ordinance for the government of the territory of
the United States north-west of the River Ohio," which is popularly, known
as "the Ordinance of 87.'' This
ordinance was the supreme law of the territory, and upon it was joined and in
harmony with it, our entire territorial enactments, and all our subsequent
State legislation. As we are greatly indebted to that document, the product of
a sound, wise, and far-reaching statesmanship, for a large share of our
greatness, prosperity and happiness, we here reproduce it:
Ordinance of 1787
An Ordinance for the government of the Territory of the United States northwest of the River Ohio.
Section 1. Be it ordained by the United States in Congress assembled, That the said territory, for the purposes of temporary government, be one district, subject, however, to be divided into two districts, as future circumstances may, in the opinion of Congress, make it expedient.Sec 2. Be it ordained by the authority aforesaid, That the estates, both of resident and nonresident proprietors in the said territory, dying in testate, shall descent to, and be distributed among their children, and the descendants of a deceased child, in equal parts; the descendants of a deceased child or grandchild to take the share of their deceased parent in equal parts among them: And where there shall be no children or descendants, then in equal parts to the next of kin in equal degree; and among collaterals, the children of a deceased brother or sister of the in testate shall have, in equal parts among them, their deceased parents' share; and there shall in no case be a distinction between kindred of the whole and half blood; saving, in all cases, to the widow of the in testate her third part of the real estate for life, and one third part of the personal estate; and this law relative to descents and dower, shall remain in full force until altered by the legislature of the district. And until the governor and judges shall adopt laws as hereinafter mentioned, estates in the said territory may be devised or bequeathed by wills in writing, signed and sealed by him or her in whom the estate may be (being of full age), and attested by three witnesses; and real estates may be conveyed by lease and release, or bargain and sale, signed, sealed and delivered by the person being of full age, in whom the estate may be, and attested by two witnesses, provided such wills be duly proved, and such conveyances be acknowledged, or the execution thereof duly proved, and be recorded within one year after proper magistrates, courts, and registers shall be appointed for that purpose; and personal property may be transferred by delivery; saving, however to the French and Canadian inhabitants, and other settlers of the Kaskaskies, St. Vincents and the neighboring villages who have heretofore professed themselves citizens of Virginia, their laws and customs now in force among them, relative to the descent and conveyance, of property.
Sec. 3. Be it ordained by the authority aforesaid, That there shall be appointed from time to time by Congress, a governor, whose commission shall continue in force for the term of three years, unless sooner revoked by Congress; he shall reside in the district, and have a freehold estate therein in 1,000 acres of land, while in the exercise of his office.
Sec. 4. There shall be appointed from time to time by Congress, a secretary, whose commission shall continue in force for four years unless sooner revoked; he shall reside in the district, and have a freehold estate therein in 500 acres of land, while in the exercise of his office. It shall be his duty to keep and preserve the acts and laws passed by the legislature, and the public records of the district, and the proceedings of the governor in his executive department, and transmit authentic copies of such acts and proceedings, every six months, to the Secretary of Congress: There shall also be appointed a court to consist of three judges, any two of whom to form a court, who shall have a common law jurisdiction, and reside in the district, and have each therein a freehold estate in 500 acres of land while in the exercise of their offices; and their commissions shall continue in force during good behavior.
Sec. 5. The governor and judges, or a majority of them, shall adopt and publish in the district such laws of the original States, criminal and civil, as may be necessary and best suited to the circumstances of the district, and report them to Congress from time to time: which laws shall be in force in the district until the organization of the General Assembly therein, unless disapproved of by Congress; but afterwards the Legislature shall have authority to alter them as they shall think fit.
Sec. 6. The governor, for the time being, shall be commander in chief of the militia, appoint and commission all officers in the same below the rank of general officers; all general officers shall be appointed and commissioned by Congress.
Sec. 7. Previous to the organization of the general assembly, the governor shall appoint such magistrates and other civil officers in each county or township, as he shall find necessary for the preservation of the peace and good order in the same: After the general assembly shall be organized, the powers and duties of the magistrates and other civil officers shall be regulated and defined by the said assembly; but all magistrates and other civil officers not herein otherwise directed, shall during the continuance of this temporary government, be appointed by the governor.
Sec. 8. For the prevention of crimes and injuries, the laws to be adopted or made shall have force in all parts of the district, and for the execution of process, criminal and civil, the governor shall make proper divisions thereof; and he shall proceed from time to time as circumstances may require, to lay out the parts of the district in which the Indian titles shall have been extinguished, into counties and townships, subject, however, to such alterations as may thereafter be made by the legislature.
Sec. 9. So soon as there shall be five thousand free male inhabitants of full age in the district, upon giving proof thereof to the governor, they shall receive authority, with time and place, to elect a representative from their counties or townships to represent them in the general assembly: Provided, That, for every five hundred free male inhabitants, there shall be one representative, and so on progressively with the number of free male inhabitants shall the right of representation increase, until the number of representatives shall amount to twenty five; after which, the number and proportion of representatives shall be regulated by the legislature: Provided, That no person be eligible or qualified to act as a representative unless he shall have been a citizen of one of the United States three years, and be a resident in the district, or unless he shall have resided in the district three years; and, in either case, shall likewise hold in his own right, in fee simple, two hundred acres of land within the same; Provided, also, That a freehold in fifty acres of land in the district, having been a citizen of one of the states, and being resident in the district, or the like freehold and two years residence in the district, shall be necessary to qualify a man as an elector of a representative.
Sec. 10. The representatives thus elected, shall serve for the term of two years; and, in case of the death of a representative, or removal from office, the governor shall issue a writ to the county or township for which he was a member, to elect another in his stead, to serve for the residue of the term.
Sec. 11. The general assembly or legislature shall consist of the governor, legislative council, and a house of representatives. The Legislative Council shall consist of five members, to continue in office five years, unless sooner removed by Congress; any three of whom to be a quorum: and the members of the Council shall be nominated and appointed in the following manner, to wit: As soon as representatives shall be elected, the Governor shall appoint a time and place for them to meet together; and, when met, they shall nominate ten persons, residents in the district, and each possessed of a freehold in five hundred acres of land, and return their names to Congress; five of whom Congress shall appoint and commission to serve as aforesaid; and, whenever a vacancy shall happen in the council, by death or removal from office, the house of representatives shall nominate two persons, qualified as aforesaid, for each vacancy, and return their names to Congress; one of whom congress shall appoint and commission for the residue of the term. And every five years, four months at least before the expiration of the time of service of the members of council, the said house shall nominate ten persons, qualified as aforesaid, and return their names to Congress; five of whom Congress shall appoint and commission to serve as members of the council five years, unless sooner removed. And the governor, legislative council, and house of representatives, shall have authority to make laws in all cases, for the good government of the district, not repugnant to the principles and articles in this ordinance established and declared. And all bills, having passed by a majority in the house, and by a majority in the council, shall be referred to the governor for his assent; but no bill, or legislative act whatever, shall be of any force without his assent. The governor shall have power to convene, prorogue, and dissolve the general assembly, when, in his opinion, it shall be expedient.
Sec. 12. The governor, judges, legislative council, secretary, and such other officers as Congress shall appoint in the district, shall take an oath or affirmation of fidelity and of office; the governor before the president of congress, and all other officers before the Governor. As soon as a legislature shall be formed in the district, the council and house assembled in one room, shall have authority, by joint ballot, to elect a delegate to Congress, who shall have a seat in Congress, with a right of debating but not voting during this temporary government.
Sec. 13. And, for extending the fundamental principles of civil and religious liberty, which form the basis whereon 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 said territory: to provide also for the establishment of States, and permanent 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:
Sec. 14. It is hereby ordained and declared by the authority aforesaid, That the following articles shall be considered as articles of compact between the original States and the people and States in the said territory and forever remain unalterable, unless by common consent, to wit:
Art. 1. 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 territory.
Art. 2. The inhabitants of the said territory shall 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 course of the common law. All persons shall be bailable, unless for capital offenses, where the proof shall be evident or the presumption 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 judgment of his peers or the law of the land; and, should the public exigencies make it necessary, for the common preservation, to take any person's property, or to demand his particular services, full compensation shall be made for the same. 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 said territory, that shall, in any manner whatever, interfere with or affect private contracts or engagements, bona fide, and without fraud, previously formed.
Art. 3. 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. 4. 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 highways 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. 5. 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 the said territory, shall be bounded by the Mississippi, the Ohio, and Wabash Rivers; a direct line drawn from the Wabash and Post 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 Mississippi. The middle State shall be bounded by the said direct line, the Wabash 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 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 sixty thousand 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 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 sixty thousand.
Art. 6. 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 labor 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 labor or service as aforesaid.
Be it ordained by the authority aforesaid, That the resolutions of the 23rd of April, 1784, relative to the subject of this ordinance, be, and the same are hereby repealed and declared null and void.
Done by the United States, in Congress assembled, the 13th day of July, in the year of our Lord 1787, and of their sovereignty and independence the twelfth.
