Ohio History Journal

48        Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

for their legal bounties, the deficiency should be made up to the

said troops in good lands, to be laid off between the rivers Scioto

and Little Miami, on the northwest side of the Ohio, in such

proportions as have been engaged to them by the laws of Vir-

ginia. That all the lands within the territory so ceded to the

United States, and not reserved for or appropriated to any of

the beforementioned purposes, or disposed of in bounties to the

officers and soldiers of the American Army, shall be considered

as a common fund for the use and benefit of such of the United

States as have become, or shall become members of the con-

federation or federal alliance of the said States, Virginia inclu-

sive, according to their usual respective proportions in the gen-

eral charge and expenditure, and shall be faithfully and bona fide

disposed of for that purpose, and for no other use or purpose

whatsoever; Provided, That the trust hereby reposed in the dele-

gates of this State shall not be executed unless three of them,

at least, are present in Congress.

 

 

CESSION FROM THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT.

(SEPTEMBER 14, 1786, 1 V. L. U. S., p. 484.)

The delegates from Connecticut having thereupon proceeded

and executed a deed of cession, agreeable to the resolution of

26th May last, in the words following:

To all who shall see these presents, We, William Samuel John-

son and Jonathan Sturges, the underwritten delegates for the

State of Connecticut in the Congress of the United States, send

greeting:

WHEREAS, The General Assembly of the State of Connec-

ticut, on the second Thursday in May, in the year of our Lord,

one thousand seven hundred and eighty-six, passed an act in

the following words, viz: "Be it enacted by the Governor,

Council and Representatives in General Court assembled, and by

the authority of the same, That the delegates of this State, or any

two of them, who shall be attending the Congress of the United

States, be and they are hereby directed, authorized, and fully

empowered, in the name and behalf of this State, to make, execute,

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Cession from the State of Connecticut.    49

 

and deliver, under their hands and seals, an ample deed or release

and cession of all the right, title, interest, jurisdiction, and claim,

of the State of Connecticut, to certain western lands, beginning

at the completion of the forty-first degree of north latitude, one

hundred and twenty miles west of the western boundary line of

the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as now claimed by said

commonwealth, and from thence by a line drawn north, parallel

to, and one hundred and twenty miles west of the said line of

Pennsylvania, and to continue north until it comes to forty-two

degrees and two minutes north latitude. Whereby all the right,

title, interest, jurisdiction, and claim of the State of Connecticut

to the lands lying west of said line to be drawn as aforementioned,

one hundred and twenty miles west of the western boundary

line of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as now claimed by

said commonwealth, shall be included, released and ceded to

the United States in Congress assembled, for the common use

and benefit of the said States, Connecticut inclusive." Now,

therefore, know ye, that we, the said William Samuel Johnson

and Jonathan Sturges, by virtue of the power and authority to

us committed by said act of the General Assembly of Connecticut,

do, by these presents, assign, transfer, quit-claim, cede, and

convey, to the United States of America, for their benefit, Con-

necticut inclusive, all the right, title, interest, jurisdiction, and

claim, which the said State of Connecticut hath in and to the

beforementioned and described territory or tract of country, as

the same is bounded and described in the said act of Assembly,

for the uses in the said recited act of Assembly declared.

In witness whereof, We have hereunto set our hands and

seals, this thirteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord,

one thousand seven hundred and eighty-six, and of the sover-

eignty and independence of the United States of America the

eleventh.            WILL. SAM. JOHNSON (L. S.).

JONATHAN STURGES (L. S.).

Signed, sealed, and delivered, in the presence of

CHA. THOMPSON,

ROGER ALDEN,

JAS. MATHERS.

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50        Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

On motion,

Resolved, That Congress accept the said deed of cession,

and that the same be recorded and enrolled among the acts of

the United States in Congress assembled.

 

 

 

ORDINANCE OF 1787.

(THE CONFEDERATE CONGRESS, JULY 13, 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 purpose 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 non-resident proprietors in the said

territory, dying intestate, shall descend 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 when there shall be no children or descendants, then

in equal parts to the next of kin, in equal degree, and among col-

laterals, the children of a deceased brother or sister of the intestate

shall have, in equal parts among them, their deceased parent's

share; and there shall in no case be distinction between kindred

of the whole and half blood, saving in all cases to the widow of

the intestate, her third part of the real 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 will 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 and sealed and delivered by the person, being of

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