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Formation of the United States

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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 non-resident proprietors be taxed higher than residents. The navigable waters leading into the Mississippi and Saint 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.

ARTICLE V

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 the 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

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Formation of the United States

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.

ARTICLE VI

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 23d 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.'

'Journals of Congress (ed. 1823), IV., pp. 752–54.

Ordinance for the Regulation and
Management of Indian Affairs
August 7, 1786

(Journal of Congress (1786), pp. 175-78)

Section IX of the Articles of Confederation provided that Congress "shall have the sole and exclusive right of ... regulating the trade and managing all affairs with the Indians, not members of any of the states, provided that the legislative right of any state within its own limits be not infringed or violated." In 1786 Congress sought to establish this control through the Ordinance for the Regulation of Indian Affairs. Two Indian districts were established using the former colonial superintendencies as the models—the southern, which comprised the area south of the Ohio River, and the northern, which included all areas north of the Ohio and west of the Hudson. Each of the two new superintendents, who were to report to and "obey all instructions" from the Secretary of War, had the power to grant licenses to trade with the Indians. Before a trading license was issued though, "every person (had to] produce from the supreme executive of any state a certificate under the seal of the state, that he is of good character, and suitably qualified... for that employment."

Perhaps the best assessment of the effectiveness of the Ordinance of 1786 was written on December 27, 1821, by Thomas L. McKenney, Superinten dent of the Indian Trade, to Henry Johnson, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. The question of how best to regulate Indianwhite relations was again being debated in Congress. McKenney noted that the "system of a private intercourse (the 1786 Ordinance and later regulations] has been tried; its provisions, though apparently so well contrived to screen the Indians from the fire of avarice, and protect them from its fangs, proved useless, and it was abandoned." Despite attempts to regulate those authorized to trade with the Indians, McKenney estimated that “it would be an affectation of respect for the calling to doubt that three-fourths, at least," of those who received licenses were "unprincipled." As a result, the Indians were "subjected to all the sufferings which avarice could inflict," with a consequent shedding of much blood and loss of many lives. Indeed, McKenney attributed most of the Indian wars to "the shameful practices of frand" characteristic of Indian-white relations under the trading regula. tions. Admittedly, McKenney was biased in favor of federal control of the Indian trade, but his arguments against private trade under a license system are compelling.

AN ORDINANCE for the Regulation of Indian AffaIRS

ACTS, ORDINANCES AND PROCLAMATIONS

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tween their citizens and the several nations of Indians, in amity with them: and whereas the United States in congress assembled, under the ninth of the articles of confederation and perpetual union, have the sole and exclusive right and power of regulating the trade, and managing all affairs with the Indians, not members of any of the states; provided, that the legislative right of any state, within its own limits, be not infringed or violated:

Be it ordained by the United States in Congress assembled, That from and after the passing of this ordinance, the Indian department be divided into two districts, viz: The southern, which shall comprehend within its limits all the nations in the territory of the United States, who reside southward of the river Ohio; and the northern, which shall comprehend all the other Indian nations within the said territory, and westward of Hudson river: provided, that all councils, treaties, communications, and official transactions, between the superintendent hereafter mentioned for the northern district, and the Indian nations, be held, transacted, and done, at the outpost occupied by the troops of the United States, in the said district. That a superintendent be appointed for each of the said districts, who shall continue in office for two years, unless sooner removed by congress, and shall reside within, or as near the district for which he shall be so appointed, as may be convenient for the management of its concerns. The said superintendents shall attend to the execution of such regulations as congress shall, from time to time, establish respecting Indian affairs. The superintendent for the northern district shall have authority to appoint two deputies, to reside in such places as shall best facilitate the regulations of the Indian trade, and to remove them for misbehaviour. There shall be communications of all matters relative to the business of the Indian de partment, kept up between the said superintendents, who shall regularly correspond with the secretary of war, through whom all communications respecting the Indian department shall be made to congress; and the superintendents are hereby directed to obey all instructions which they shall, from time to time, receive from the said secretary of war. And whenever they shall have reason to suspect any tribe or tribes of Indians of hostile intentions, they shall communicate the same to the executive of the state or states whose territories are subject to the effect of such hostilities. All stores, 'provisions or other property, which cor gress may think necessary for presents to the Indians, shall be in the custody and under the care of the said superintendents, who shall tender an annual account of the expenditures of the same to the board of treasury.

And be it further ordained. That none but citizens of the United States shall be suffered to reside among the Indian nations, or be allowed to trade with any nation of Indians within the territory of the United States. That no person, citizen or other, under the penalty of five hundred dollars, shall reside among or trade with any Indian, or Indian nation, within the

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produce, from the supreme executive of any state, a certificate, under the seal of the state, that he is of good character, and suitably qualified and provided for that employment; for which license he shall pay the sum of fifty dollars to the said superintendent, for the use of the United States. That no license to trade with the Indians shall be in force for a longer term than one year, nor shall permits or passports be granted to any other persons than citizens of the United States, to travel through the Indian nations, without their having previously made their business known to the superintendent of the district, and received his special approbation. That previous to any person or persons obtaining a license to trade as aforesaid, he or they shall give bond, in three thousand dollars, to the superintendent of the district, for the use of the United States, for his or their strict adherence to, and observance of, such rules and regulations as congress may, from time to time, establish for the government of the Indian trade. All sums to be received by the said superintendents, either for licenses or fines, shall be annually accounted for by them, with the board of treasury.

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And be it further ordained, That the said superintendents, and the deputies, shall not be engaged either directly or indirectly, in trade with the Indians, on pain of forfeiting their offices: and each of the superintendents shall take the following oath, previous to his entering on the duties of his appointment: "I, A B, do swear, that I will well and faithfully serve the United States in the office of superintendent of Indian affairs, for ——— district; that I will carefully attend to all such orders and instructions as I shall from time to time, receive from the United States in Congress assembled, or the secretary of war; that I will not be concerned, either directly or indirectly, in trade with the Indians, and that in all things belonging to my said office, during my continuance therein, I will faithfully, justly, and truly, according to the best of my skill and judgment, do equal and impartial justice, without fraud, favor, or affection." And the superintendent for the northern district shall administer to his deputies the following oath, before they proceed on the duties of their office: "I, A B, do swear, that I will well and faithfully serve the United States, in the office of deputy superintendent of Indian affairs, in the northern district; that I will carefully attend to all such orders and instructions as I shall, from time to time, receive from the United States in Congress assembled, the secretary of war, or the superintendent of the district aforesaid, and that in all things belonging to my said office, during my continuance therein, I will faithful ly, justly, and truly, according to the best of my skill and judgment, do equal and impartial justice, without fraud, favor, or affection." And the id superintendents, and deputy superintendents, shall each of them give bond with surety to the board of treasury, in trust for the United States; the superintendents, each, in the sum of six thousand dollars, and the deputy superintendents, each, in the sum of three thousand dollars, for the faithful

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