on behalf of this State, by proper deeds or instruments in writing, under their hands and seals, to convey, transfer, assign, and make over unto the United States in Congress assembled, for the benefit of the said States, all right, title, and claim, as well of soil as jurisdiction, which this commonwealth hath to the territory or tract of country within the limits of the Virginia charter, situate, lying, and being, to the northwest of the river Ohio, subject to the terms and conditions contained in the before-recited act of Congress of the 13th day of September last that is to say, upon condition that the territory so ceded shall be laid out and formed into States, containing a suitable extent of territory, not less than one hundred, nor more than one hundred and fifty miles square, or as near thereto as circumstances will admit; and that the States so formed shall be distinct republican States, and admitted members of the Federal Union; having the same rights of sovereignty, freedom, and independence, as the other States.

"That the necessary and reasonable expenses incurred by this State in subduing any British posts, or in maintaining forts and garrisons within and for the defence, or in acquiring any part of the territory so ceded or relinquished, shall be fully reimbursed by the United States: and that one Commissioner shall be appointed by Congress, one by this Commonwealth, and another by those two Commissioners, who, or a majority of them, shall be authorized and empowered to adjust and liquidate the account of the necessary and reasonable expenses incurred by this State, which they shall judge to be comprised within the intent and meaning of the act of Congress of the tenth of October, one thousand seven hundred and eighty, respecting such expenses. That the French and Canadian inhabitants, and other settlers of the Kaskaskies, St. Vincents, and the neighboring villages, who have professed themselves citizens of Virginia, shall have their possessions and titles confirmed to them, and be pro

tected in the enjoyment of their rights and liberties. That a quantity not exceeding one hundred and fifty thousand acres of land, promised by this State, shall be allowed and granted to the then Colonel, now General, George Rogers Clarke, and to the officers and soldiers of his regiment, who marched with him when the post of Kaskaskies and St. Vincents were reduced, and to the officers and soldiers that have been since incorporated into the said regiment, to be laid off in one tract, the length of which not to exceed double the breadth, in such place, on the northwest side of the Ohio, as a majority of the officers shall choose, and to be afterwards divided among the said officers and soldiers in due proportion, according to the laws of Virginia. That in case the quantity of good land on the southeast side of the Ohio, upon the waters of the Cumberland river, and between the Green river and Tennessee river, which have been reserved by law for the Virginia troops upon continental establishment, should, from the North Carolina line, bearing in further upon the Cumberland lands than was expected, prove insufficient for their legal bounties, the deficiency should be made up to the said troops, in good lands, to be laid off between the rivers Sciota and Little Miami, on the northwest side of the river Ohio, in such proportions as have been engaged to them by the laws of Virginia. 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 a common fund, for the use and benefit of such of the United States as have become, or shall become, members of the confederation or federal alliance of the said States, Virginia inclusive, according to their usual respective proportions in the general 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 delegates of this State, shall not be executed, unless three of them, at least, are present in Congress.

"And whereas the said General Assembly, by their resolution of June sixth, one thousand seven hundred and eightythree, had constituted and appointed us, the said Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Hardy, Arthur Lee, and James Monroe, delegates to represent the said Commonwealth in Congress for one year, from the first Monday in November then next following, which resolution remains in full force, now, therefore, know ye, that we, the said Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Hardy, Arthur Lee, and James Monroe, by virtue of the power and authority committed to us by the act of the said General Assembly of Virginia before recited, and in the name and for and on behalf of the said Commonwealth, do by these presents convey, transfer, assign and make over, unto the United States, in Congress assembled, for the benefit of the said States, Virginia inclusive, all right, title, and claim, as well of soil as jurisdiction, which the said Commonwealth hath to the territory or tract of country within the limits of the Virginia charter, situate, lying, and being to the northwest of the river Ohio, to and for the uses and purposes, and on the conditions of the said recited act. In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names and affixed our seals, in Congress, the day of, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eightyfour, and of the independence of the United States, the eighth." [Clarke's U. S. Land Laws, 98.]

The foregoing deed of cession was afterwards amended on the recommendation of Congress, so far as to empower Congress to divide the territory into not more than five, nor less than three, States, as the future condition and circumstances of the country might require. [See Act of Virginia, Dec. 30, 1788; R. S. of Indiana, 18.]

X. THE CESSION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

"To all who shall see these presents, we, Samuel Holten and Rufus King, the underwritten delegates for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in the Congress of the United States of America, send greeting:"

[Here follows the recital of the acts of the State of Massachusetts, authorizing its delegates in Congress to make the cession.]

"Now, therefore, know ye, that we, the said Samuel Holten and Rufus King, by virtue of the power and authority to us committed by the said acts of the General Court of Massachusetts, before recited, in the name, and for and on behalf, of the said Commonwealth of Massachusetts, do, by these presents, assign, transfer, quit-claim, cede, and convey, to the United States of America, for their benefit, Massachusetts inclusive, all right, title, and estate, of and in, as well the soil as the jurisdiction, which the said Commonwealth hath to the Territory or tract of country within the limits of the Massachusetts charter, situate and lying west of the following line, that is to say: A meridian line to be drawn from the forty-fifth degree of north latitude, through the westerly bent or inclination of lake Ontario, thence, by the said meridian line, to the most southerly side line of the territory contained in the Massachusetts charter; but if, on experiment, the above described meridian line shall not comprehend twenty miles due west from the most westwardly bent or inclination of the river or strait of Niagara, then we do, by these presents, by virtue of the power and authority aforesaid, in the name and on behalf of the said Commonwealth of Massachusetts, transfer, quit-claim, cede, and convey to the United States of America, for their benefit, Massachusetts inclusive, all right, title, and estate, of and in, as well the soil as the jurisdiction, which the said Commonwealth hath to the territory or tract of country within the

limits of the Massachusetts charter, situate and lying west of the following line, that is to say: A meridian line to be drawn from the forty-fifth degree of north latitude, through a point twenty miles due west from the most westerly bent or inclination of the river or strait Niagara; thence, by the said meridian line, to the most southerly side line of the territory contained in the Massachusetts charter aforesaid, for the purposes in the said recited acts declared, and to the uses in a resolve of Congress of the tenth day of October, one thousand seven hundred and eighty, mentioned.

"In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names and affixed our seals, in Congress, this nineteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five, and of the independence of the United States of America, the ninth." [Clarke's U. S. Land Laws, 102.]

XI. THE CESSION OF CONNECTICUT.

"To all who shall see these presents, we, William Samuel Johnson, 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 Connecticut, on the second Thursday of 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, and deliver, under their hands and seals, an ample deed of 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