Ohio History Journal

  • 1
  •  
  • 2
  •  
  • 3
  •  
  • 4
  •  
  • 5
  •  
  • 6
  •  
  • 7
  •  
  • 8
  •  
  • 9
  •  
  • 10
  •  
  • 11
  •  
  • 12
  •  
  • 13
  •  

THREE IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS RELATING

THREE IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS RELATING

TO WESTERN LAND CESSIONS.

 

AMONG the documents relating to western land ces-

sions brought before Congress, that are not found in the

Journals, are the three printed below. They are all of

great interest, and all difficult of access. I am not aware

that the last one has ever been printed. The first two

are found in Hening's "Statutes of Virginia," Vol. X; the

third is printed from a copy furnished by the Secretary of

State of the State of Connecticut. They are given in the

order of their appearance, accompanied by a few prefatory

remarks.

I.

THE MARYLAND DECLARATION OF DECEMBER 15, 1778.

On October 15, 1777, one of the Maryland delegates in

Congress, offered the following amendment to the Articles

of Confederation, then in course of preparation, which

received the single vote of that State:

"That the United States in Congress assembled shall

have the sole and exclusive right and power to ascertain

and fix the western boundary of such States as claim to

the Mississippi or the South Sea, and lay out the land

beyond the boundary so ascertained into separate and inde-

pendent States, from lime to time, as the numbers and cir-

cumstances of the people thereof may require."

On November 17, following, the Articles were completed

and sent to the States, with a circular letter asking for

their prompt ratification. Within a little more than a year

all of the States but Maryland yielded assent and became

parties to the Confederation. Maryland still refused. As

her ratification alone was necessary to close the circle, and

276