A State or a state? - Northwest Ordinance - "An Ordinance for the Government of the Territory of the United States North West of the River Ohio"

Journals of Congress (pages 334-343) FRIDAY, JULY 13, 1787 – Territory west of the Ohio River and the establishment of new states added to the Union - How to convert territories to states...

What is an Ordinance?

Black’s Law Dictionary 2nd Edition

ORDINANCE : A rule established by authority; a permanent rule of action; a law or statute. In a more limited sense, the term is used to designate the enactments of the legislative body of a municipal corporation. Citizens' Gas Co. v. Elwood, 114 Ind. 332, 16 N. E. 624; State v. Swindell, 140 Ind. 527, 45 N. E. 700, 58 Am. St Rep. 375 ; Bills v. Goshen, 117 Ind. 22i, 20 N. E. 115, 3 I* R. A. 261; State v. Lee, 29 Minn. 445, 13 N. W. 913.

Strictly, a bill or law which might stand with the old law, and did not alter any statute in force at the time, and which became complete by the royal assent on the parliament roll, without any entry on the statute roll. A bill or law which might at any time be amended by the parliament, without any statute. Hale, Com. Law. An ordinance was otherwise distinguished from a statute by the circumstance that the latter required the threefold assent of king, lords, and commons, while an ordinance might be ordained by one or two of these constituent bodies. See 4 Inst. 25.

The name has also been given to certain enactments, more general in their character than ordinary statutes, and serving as organic laws, yet not exactly to be called "constitutions." Such was the "Ordinance for the government of the North-West Territory," enacted by congress In 1787.

As with many of the writings being shared, it is important to start with Black’s Law Dictionary (pre-6th edition) to understand the application of words and the context. As with many definitions, the actual law or legal topic in question is directly referenced in the definition due to its impact or level of importance in overall application.

Also notice in the definition the use of the word “organic”. In most cases of legal and common law uses, “organic” indicates “original” or the first. And this was in fact the first ordinance after the “organic” constitution of 1787 that was ratified in 1789.

In the case of the Northwest Ordinance, it was established by the legislative body of the newly formed organization of the Federal Republic Congress. It was intended to be a set of rules or laws that were not to be in conflict with common law (as demonstrated in the definition) and provide a guide in the way to move territories or portions of territories (acquired through treaties - one of the new roles of the Federal Republic) to State status; and the ability to then be agreed by the people to be a sovereign nation-state. Or in some cases, remaining a territory of the Federal Republic. A prime example is Puerto Rico which was acquired, but never converted to a State or nation-state.

There were revisions during the session in July with the final version of the Northwest Ordinance being approved on the 13th of the same month.

Besides the Journal entry this Ordinance is entered by Benjamin Bankson and attested by William Grayson, Chairman, and Chas. Thomson, Secy., in the Register of Ordinances, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 175, pp. 121-134. It is also copied by John Fisher in Western Territory, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 176, pp. 1-14. In printed form, signed by Chas. Thomson, it is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 59, I, pp. 229-230 and Broadsides. The portions of the Ordinance underlined by the editor [in the Papers] were added to the original report by amendment during the debate.

The above is directly from the journals of Congress.

The updated (and with referenced additions) are as follows:

Journals of Congress (pages 334-343)

FRIDAY, JULY 13, 1787.

Congress assembled present as yesterday (July 12, 1787)

According to Order the Ordinance for the government of the territory of the United States North West of the river Ohio was read a third time and passed as follows

An Ordinance for the government of the territory of the United States North West of the river Ohio.

Be it ordained by the United States in Congress Assembled that the said territory for the purposes of temporary government be one district, subject however to be divided into two districts as future circumstances may in the Opinion of Congress make it expedient.

Be it ordained by the authority aforesaid, that the estates both of resident and non resident proprietors in the said territory dying intestate shall descend to and be distributed among their children and the descendants of a deceased child in equal parts; the descendants of a deceased child or grand child to take the share of their deceased parent in equal parts among them; and where there shall be no children or descend-ants then in equal parts to the next of kin in equal degree and among collateral’s the children of a deceased brother or sister of the intestate shall have in equal parts among them their deceased parent's share and there shall in no case be a distinction between kindred of the whole and half blood;saving in all cases to the widow of the intestate her third part of the real estate for life, and one third part of the personal estate; and this law relative to descents and dower shall remain in full force until altered by the legislature of the district. And until the governor and judges shall adopt laws as hereinafter mentioned estates in the said territory may be devised or bequeathed by wills in writing signed and sealed by him or her in whom the estate may be, being of full age, and attested by three witnesses, and real estates may be conveyed by lease and release or bargain and sale signed, sealed and delivered by the person being of full age in whom the estate may be and attested by two witnesses provided such wills be duly proved and such conveyances be acknowledged or the execution thereof duly proved and be recorded within one year after proper magistrates, courts and registers shall be appointed for that purpose and personal property may be transferred by delivery saving however to the french and Canadian inhabitants and other settlers of the Kaskaskies, Post Vincent’s and the neighboring villages who have heretofore professed themselves citizens of Virginia, their laws and customs now in force among them relative to the descent and conveyance of property.

Be it ordained by the authority aforesaid that there shall be appointed from time to time by Congress a governor, whose commission shall continue in force for the term of three years, unless sooner revoked by Congress; he shall reside in the district and have a freehold estate therein, in one thousand acres of land while in the exercise of his office. There shall be appointed from time to time by Congress a secretary, whose commission shall continue in force for four years, unless sooner revoked; he shall reside in the district and have a freehold estate therein in five hundred acres of land while in the exercise of his office; It shall be his duty to keep and preserve the acts and laws passed by the legislature and the public records of the district and the proceedings of the governor in his executive department and transmit authentic copies of such acts and proceedings every six months to the Secretary of Congress. There shall also be appointed a court to consist of three judges any two of whom to form a court, who shall have a common law jurisdiction and reside in the district and have each therein a freehold estate in five hundred acres of land while in the exercise of their offices, and their commissions shall continue in force during good behavior.

The governor, and judges or a majority of them shall adopt and publish in the district such laws of the original states criminal and civil as may be necessary and best suited to the circumstances of the district and report them to Congress from time to time, which laws shall be in force in the district until the organization of the general assembly therein, unless disapproved of by Congress; but afterwards the legislature shall have authority to alter them as they shall think fit.

The governor for the time being shall be Commander in chief of the militia, appoint and commission all officers in the same below the rank of general Officers; All general Officers shall be appointed and commissioned by Congress.

Previous to the Organization of the general Assembly the governor shall appoint such magistrates and other civil

officers in each county or township, as he shall find necessary for the preservation of the peace and good order in the same. After the general Assembly shall be organized, the powers and duties of magistrates and other civil officers shall be regulated and defined by the said Assembly; but all magistrates and other civil officers, not herein otherwise directed shall during the continuance of this temporary government be appointed by the governor.

For the prevention of crimes and injuries the laws to be adopted or made shall have force in all parts of the district and for the execution of process criminal and civil, the governor shall make proper divisions thereof, and he shall proceed from time to time as circumstances may require to lay out the parts of the district in which the Indian titles shall have been extinguished into counties and townships subject however to such alterations as may thereafter be made by the legislature.

So soon as there shall be five thousand free male inhabitants of full age in the district upon giving proof thereof to the governor, they shall receive authority with time and place to elect representatives from their counties or townships to represent them in the general assembly, provided that for every five hundred free male inhabitants there shall be one representative and so on progressively with the number of free male inhabitants shall the right of representation increase until the number of representatives shall amount to twenty five after which the number and proportion of representatives shall be regulated by the legislature; provided that no person be eligible or qualified to act as a representative unless he shall have been a citizen of one of the United States three years and be a resident in the district or unless he shall have resided in the district three years and in either case shall likewise hold in his own right in fee simple two hundred acres of land within the same; provided also that a freehold in fifty acres of land in the district having been a citizen of one of the states and being resident in the district; or the like freehold and two years residence in the district shall be necessary to qualify a man as an elector of a representative.

The representatives thus elected shall serve for the term of two years and in case of the death of a, representative or removal from office, the governor shall issue a writ to the county or township for which he was a member, to elect another in his stead to serve for the residue of the term.

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 five hundred acres of Land 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, 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 Council and house assembled in one room, shall have authority by joint ballot to elect a Delegate to Congress, who shall have a seat in Congress, with a right of debating, but not of voting, during this temporary Government.

And for extending the fundamental principles of civil and religious liberty, which form the basis whereon these republics, their laws and constitutions are erected; to fix and establish those principles as the basis of all laws, constitutions and governments, which forever hereafter shall be formed in the said territory; to provide also for the establishment of States and permanent government therein, and for their admission to a share in the federal Councils on an equal footing with the original States, at as early periods as may be consistent with the general interest,

It is hereby Ordained and declared by the authority aforesaid, That the following Articles shall be considered as Articles of compact between the Original States and the people and States in the said territory, and forever remain unalterable, unless by common consent, to wit,

Article the First. No person demeaning himself in a peaceable and orderly manner shall ever be molested on account of his mode of worship or religious sentiments in the said territory.

Article the Second. The Inhabitants of the said territory shall always be entitled to the benefits of the writ of habeas corpus, and of the trial by Jury; of a proportionate representation of the people in the legislature, and of judicial proceedings according to the course of the common law; all persons shall be bailable unless for capital offences, where the proof shall be evident, or the presumption great; all fines shall be moderate, and no cruel or unusual punishments shall be inflicted; no man shall be deprived of his liberty or property but by the judgment of his peers, or the law of the land; and should the public exigencies make it necessary for the common preservation to take any persons property, or to demand his particular services, full compensation shall be made for the same; and in the just preservation of rights and property it is understood and declared; that no law ought ever to be made, or have force in the said territory, that shall in any manner whatever interfere with, or affect private contracts or engagements, bonafide and without fraud previously formed.

Article the Third. Religion, Morality and knowledge being necessary 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 never shall 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.

Article the Fourth. 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 Confederation, 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 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 bonafide 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 S. 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 the Fifth. 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 Wabash rivers; a direct line drawn from the Wabash and post Vincent’s 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 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 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 the Sixth. 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 23rd of April 1784 relative to the subject of this ordinance be, and the same are hereby repealed and declared null and void.

New York ; s.n., 1787. (n.d.). An ordinance for the government of the territory ... - library of Congress. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/resource/bdsdcc.22501/?st=gallery

It is VERY important to read Article 6 which was added. It references that there “shall be no Slavery nor involuntary Servitude”. This flies in the face of the idea that we are a racist nation as we clearly made a provision that started a new precedent for added States well before Lincoln’s War.

There is also the clear statement on authority to alter the ordinance as: “It is hereby Ordained and declared by the authority aforesaid, That the following Articles shall be considered as Articles of compact between the Original States and the people and States in the said territory, and forever remain unalterable, unless by common consent, to wit,”

Notice the use of the word “State” in this instance. We have covered how there were very separate stylizing of “state” versus “State” in the constitution, amendments and the Declaration. Here the styling is specifically “State”. This begs the question if this was an intentional styling or an inadvertent deviation of writing. Given the very close timing in 1787 of the first constitution, it would seem this was intentional. These were primarily the same men as those participating in the constitutional draft sent for ratification. This would indicate the “State” is the body of “People” (or company/organization) representing the “people”.

This clarification makes it easy to see why and how the legal system, intertwined with the law, allows for what at first glance appears to be selective interpretation. Instead, it is very deliberate.

So, the selection of States from territories is decided by the PEOPLE. In 1787, this was the unincorporated Federal Republic organization created by the Continental Congress through the agreement of the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. And the States (People) can participate in future modification of the Ordinance with the Congress (PEOPLE). As a result, the States created from the territories seem to be a mirror of the actual 13 states in separation, but may have actually been created as subordinates (in power) to the sovereign nation-states. There is no delineation of the styling in this Ordinance to verify the distinction between states and States. Only that this specific document only uses the upper case first letter styling.

Going back to the definition, an ordinance is differentiated from a statute as it may not get a formal entry as a statute. The founders were very aware of the differences in styling and the definitions of terms. This is evidenced in all other documents until this Ordinance. Perhaps… including the Ordinance.

The 13 colonies were separate and distinct and decided to form a Union of States. This was done with the formation of State assemblies and People (representatives) who then had representatives in the Continental Congress who then formed the Confederacy. The Ordinance is created by this newly formed constitutional government creating a mechanism for the creation of a State that still had federal jurisdiction. It was not people coming together in an existing sovereign defined boundary cooperating with another group of people in a separate sovereign defined boundary. It was the lesser body (federal government) ordaining (Ordinance) the new State with permitted representation in the Federal Republic.

This begs the question on the mechanism, if any, to create a state that is truly sovereign. How do the new States get enrolled into the original States of the Union as a sovereign state and not a State-of-State under the territorial contract of the Northwest Ordinance? This is not defined specifically in the Ordinance. Perhaps, using the original states as a guide, it would seem this would require the sovereign people to vote to decide to be sovereign and have the ability to separate as an independent nation-state. If the intention was to have the States that were created by the provisions of the Northwest Ordinance to actually become states and enrolled in the States of the Union, then it would be logical to deduce that the states (original 13 States of the Union) would need to assemble and allow the new sovereign state to be entered into the States of the Union by sovereign people voting. And this would mean the actual voting would need to occur with people who are not slaves to the Federal Citizenship (wrong jurisdiction), but rather, by the natural born citizens of the states (land and soil jurisdiction) who are not beholden to an foreign entity or government subcontractor.

Food for thought…

The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vince - created in the Golden Ratio - 1498 in the refectory of Santa Maria della Grazie church

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Thank you for reading. i will be covering the 1790 constitution in the next installment. Then we will go down the road of some basics leading up to what we call the American Civil War (commercial mercenary conflict). This will lead into references to other Substack writers who do a great job clarifying details around the evolution of our government including the fiat debt system (federal reserve), conversion of people, the redefinition of persons, and the enslavement system. As Bailiwick News so succinctly shows, it is a (series of) kill box(es). There are more kill boxes for enslavement then we realize. This history is important so there is a framework for people to understand what they have not been taught, how it is ALL voluntary, and how we are unwitting participants in the enslavement systems. But, there is a way out…