APPENDIX. 



No. I. 



m CONGRESS, JULY 13, 1787. 



AN ORDINANCE FOR THE GOVERNMENT OP THE TERRITORY OF THE 

 UNITED STATES, NORTHWEST OP THE RIVER OHIO. 



Be IT ORDAINED, by the United States in Congress assembled, 

 That the said territory, for the purposes of temporary govern- 

 inent, be one district; subject, however, to be divided into two, 

 districts, as future circumstances may, in the opinion of Con- 

 gress, make it expedient. 



Be it ordained, by the authority aforesaid, that the estates 

 Ijoth 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 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 collaterals, 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, aad one third part of the personal estate; 

 and this law relative to descents and dower, shall remain in 



