faid journal, except fuch parts as are above excepted, to lay before the legiflatures of the several states.

ARTICLE X.

The committee of the ftates, or any nine of them, fhall be authorized to execute, in the recefs of Congrefs, fuch of the powers of Congrefs, as the United States in Congrefs affembled, by the confent of nine ftates, fhall from time to time think expedient to veft them with; provided that no power be delegated to the faid committee, for the exercife of which, by the articles of confederation, the voice of nine ftates, in the Congrefs of the United States affembled, is requisite.

ARTICLE XI.

Canada acceding to this confederation, and joining in the measures of the United States, fhall be admitted into and entitled to all the advantages of this Union : But no other colony fhall be admitted into the fame, unless such admiffion be agreed to by nine states.

ARTICLE XII.

All bills of credit emitted, monies borrowed, and debts contracted by or under the authority of Congress, before the affembling of the United States, in pursuance of the prefent confederation, fhall be deemed and confidered as a charge against the United States, for payment and fatisfaction whereof, the faid United States and the public faith are hereby folemnly pledged.

ARTICLE XIII.

Every ftate fhall abide by the determinations of the United States in Congrefs affembled, on all queftions which by this confederation are fubmitted to them. And the articles of this confederation fhall be inviolably obferved by every state, and the union fhall be perpetual; nor fhall any alteration, at any time hereafter, be made in any of them; unless fuch alteration be agreed to in a Congrefs of the United States, and be afterwards confirmed by the Legiflatures of every state.

AND WHEREAS it hath pleafed the Great Governor of the World to incline the hearts of the legislatures we respectively reprefent in Congrefs, to approve of, and to authorife us to ratify the faid articles of confederation and perpetual union: KNOW YE, that we, the underfigned delegates, by virtue of the power and authority to us given for that purpose, do by these presents, in the name and in behalf of our respective conftituents, fully and entirely ratify and confirm, each and every of the faid articles of confederation and perpetual union, and all and fingular the matters and things therein contained. And we do further folemnly plight and engage the faith of our respective constituents, that they fhall abide by the determinations of the United States in Congrefs affembled, on all queftions which by the faid confederation are submitted to them; and that the articles thereof fhall be inviolably observed by the states we refpectively reprefent; and that the union fhall be perpetual.

IN WITNESS Whereof, we have hereunto fet our hands in Congrefs.

DONE at Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, the 9th day of July, in the year of our Lord, 1778, and in the third year of the independence of America. The aforefaid articles of confederation were finally ratified on the first day of March, 1781; the state of Maryland having, by their members in Congrefs, on that day acceded thereto, and completed the fame. Jofiah Bartlett,

New-Hampshire,

John Wentworth, jun.
(John Hancock,
Samuel Adams,
Elbridge Gerry,
Francis Dana,

Massachusetts-Bay,

James Lovell,

Samuel Holten,

AN ORDINANCE

FOR THE

GOVERNMENT OF THE TERRITORY

BE

OF THE

United States North-west of the River Ohio.

E it ordained by the United States in Congrefs affembled, That the faid territory, for the purposes of temporary government, be one diftrict; fubject, however, to be divided into two diftricts, as future circumftances may, in the opinion of Congrefs, make it expedient.

Be it ordained by the authority aforefaid, That the eftates both of refident and non-refident proprietors in the faid territory dying inteftate, fhall defcend to, and be distributed among their children, and the defcendants of a deceased child in equal parts; the defcendants of a deceased child or grand-child, to take the fhare of their deceased parent in equal parts among them: And where there fhall be no children or defcendants, then in equal parts to the next of kin, in equal degree; and among collaterals, the children of a deceased brother or fifter of the inteftate, fhall have in equal parts among them their deceased parents fhare; and there fhall in no cafe be a diftinction between kindred of the whole and half blood; faving in all cafes to the widow of the inteftate, her third part of the real estate for life, and one third part of the perfonal eftate; and this law relative to defcents and dower, fhall remain in full force until altered by the legiflature of the district. And until the governor and judges fhall adopt laws as herein-after mentioned, eftates in the faid territory may be devifed or bequeathed by wills int writing, figned and fealed by him or her, in whom the eftate may be (being of full age) and attefted by three witneffes; and real estates may be conveyed by leafe

and release, or bargain and fale, figned, sealed, and delivered by the perfon being of full age, in whom the eftate may be, and attefted by two witneffes, provided fuch wills be duly proved, and fuch conveyances be acknowledged, or the execution thereof duly proved, and be recorded within one year after proper magiftrates, courts, and registers fhall be appointed for that purpose; and perfonal property may be transferred by delivery; faving, however to the French and Canadian inhabitants, and other fettlers, of the Kaskaskies, Saint Vincent's, and the neighbouring villages, who have heretofore profeffed themselves citizens of Virginia, their laws and cuftoms now in force among them, relative to the descent and conveyance of property.

Be it ordained by the authority aforefaid, That there fhall be appointed from time to time, by Congress, a governor, whofe commiffion fhall continue in force for the term of three years, unless sooner revoked by Congrefs: he fhall refide in the diftrict, and have a freehold eftate therein, in one thousand acres of land, while in the exercife of his office.

There fhall be appointed from time to time by Congrefs a fecretary, whose commiffion fhall continue in force for four years, unless fooner revoked; he shall refide in the district, and have a freehold eftate therein, in five hundred acres of land, while in the exercise of his office: it shall be his duty to keep and preferve the acts and laws pafied by the legislature, and the public records of the district, and the proceedings of the governor in his executive department; and tranfmit authentic copies of fuch acts and proceedings, every fix months, to the fecretary of Congress: There fhall alfo be appointed a court to confift of three judges, any two of whom to form a court, who fhall have a common law jurisdiction, and refide in the district, and have each therein a freehold eftate in five hundred acres of land, while in the exercife of their offices; and their commiffions fhall continue in force during good behaviour.