The General Assembly, or Legislature, shall consist of the governor, legislative council, and a house of representatives. The legislative council shall consist of five members, to continue in office five years, unless sooner removed by Congress; any three of whom to be a quorum: and the members of the council shall be nominated and appointed in the following manner, to-wit: As soon as representatives shall be elected, the governor shall appoint a time and place for them to meet together; and, when met, they shall nominate ten persons, residents in the district, and each possessed of a freehold in 500 acres of land,30 and return their names to Congress; five of whom Congress shall appoint and commission to serve as aforesaid; and, whenever a vacancy shall happen in the council, by death or removal from office, the house of representatives shall nominate two persons, qualified as aforesaid, for each vacancy, and return their names to Congress; one of whom Congress shall appoint and commission for the residue of the term.32 And every five years, four months at least before the expiration of the time of service of the members of council, the said house shall nominate ten persons, qualified as aforesaid, and return their names to Congress; five of whom Congress shall appoint and commission to serve as members of the council five years, unless sooner removed. And the governor, legislative council, and house of representatives, shall have authority to make laws in all cases, for the good government of the district, not repugnant to the principles and articles in this ordinance established and declared. And all bills, having passed by a majority in the house, and by a majority in the council, shall be referred to the governor for his assent; but no bill, or legislative act whatever, shall be of any force without his assent. The governor shall have power to convene, prorogue, and dissolve the General Assembly, when, in his opinion, it shall be expedient.

The governor, judges, legislative council, secretary, and such other officers as Congress shall appoint in the district, shall take an oath or affirmation of fidelity and of office; the governor before the President of Congress, and all other officers before the governor. As soon as a legislature shall be formed in the district, the

30. By the act of March 3, 1811, any person holding any office of profit by appointment of the governor, except justices of the peace and militia officers, was rendered ineligible to serve as a legislative councillor. (Document No. 28.)

31. By an act of February 27, 1809, the qualified voters were authorized to elect the members of the legislative council. (Document No. 26.)

32.

By the act of December 15, 1809, vacancies in the office of legislative councillor were filled by a special election called by the Governor. (Document No. 27.)

council and house asserit 1 vie TA

joint ballot, to elect a deeg 2
seat in Congress, with a rigs of tenering
ing this temporary governmen

And, for extending the fundameA STESS
religious liberty, which form the times
their laws and constitutions are eter
principles as the basis of all law sur:
which forever hereafter shall be furni
provide also for the establishment
ernment therein, and for their amaz
councils on an equal footing with se
periods as may be consistent wi

It is hereby ordained and denera. That the following articles shall eve pact between the original States an said territory and forever remain waters consent, to-wit:

Article 1st. No person, densing orderly manner, shall ever be misse worship or religious sentiments,

Art. 2d. The inhabitants of the ar entitled to the benefits of the writ of by jury; of a proportionate represIE VI islature; and of judicial proceeding war common law. All persons shall is a fences, where the proof shall be en All fines shall be moderate; and shall be inflicted. No man shai

property, but by the judgment of ..
and, should the public exigencies
mon preservation, to take any pers
particular services, full compensat
And, in the just preservation of rs.

stood and declared, that no law
force in the said territory, that
interfere with or affect private
fide, and without fraud, previously h
Art. 3d. Religion, morality,

33. The first delegate *on October 3, 1799. By 1 were authorized to elect

to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and
the means of education shall forever be encouraged. The utmost
good faith shall always be observed towards the Indians; their
lands and property shall never be taken from them without their
consent; and, in their property, rights, and liberty, they shall
never be invaded or disturbed, unless in just and lawful wars
authorized by Congress: but laws founded in justice and humanity,
shall, from time to time, be made for preventing wrongs being
done to them, and for preserving peace and friendship with them.
Art. 4th. The said territory, and the States which may be
formed therein, shall forever remain a part of this confederacy of
the United States of America, subject to the Articles of Confedera-
tion, and to such alterations therein as shall be constitutionally
made; and to all the acts and ordinances of the United States in
Congress assembled, conformable thereto. The inhabitants and
settlers in the said territory shall be subject to pay a part of the
federal debts contracted or to be contracted, and a proportional
part of the expenses of government, to be apportioned on them by
Congress according to the same common rule and measure by
which apportionments thereof shall be made on the other States;
and the taxes, for paying their proportion, shall be laid and
levied by the authority and direction of the legislatures of the dis-
trict 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
in terfere 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 propert
United States; and, in no case, shall non-resident pro
taxed higher than residents. The navigable waters lea
Mississippi and St. Lawrence, and the carrying plac
same, shall be common highways, and forever free
inhabitants of the said territory as to the citizen
States, and those of any other States, that may
the Confederacy, without any tax, impost, or du
Art. 5th. There shall be formed in the said
than three nor more than five States;34 and th
States, as soon as Virginia shall alter her act
sent to the same, shall become fixed and estal

34. This change in the number of States in the Nor
mber 30, 1788. (Document No. 12.)