APPENDIX. 373 



ordinance, be and the same are hereby repealed and declared 

 null and void. 



REMARKS ON THE PRECEDING ACT OF CONGRESS. 



In March, 1784, Virginia ceded to the United States the 

 territory northwest of the river Ohio, and stipulated that the 

 citizens thereof should " have their possession and title con- 

 firmed to them, and be protected in their rights and liberties." 

 Soon after the cession was made. Congress referred the sub- 

 ject to a committee, consisting of Jefferson of Virginia, Chase 

 of Maryland, and Howell, of Rhode Island. This committee 

 reported an ordinance of fundamental law for the government 

 of the Territory, and of the States to be formed out of it; one 

 provision of which was, " That after the year 1800 of the 

 Christian era, there shall be neither slavery nor involuntary 

 servitude in any of the States, otherwise than in punishment of 

 crimes, whereof the party shall have been convicted to have 

 been personally guilty. "—A motion was made to strike out 

 this clause : " And on the question, shall the words moved to 

 be struck out, stand ? " the yeas and nays being required by 

 Mr. Howell: 

 New Hampshire, ^ . Mr Foster, ay. } 



Blanchard, ay. j ^' 

 Massachusetts . . Mr. Gerry, ay. ) 



Patridge, ay. ^ ^' 

 Rhode Island . . Mr. Ellery, ay. ) 



Howcli, ay.^ ^^' 

 Connecticut . . Mr. Sherman, ay. ) 



Wadsworth,ay.^ •'' 

 New York . . . . Mr. De Witt, ay. J 



Paine, ay. ) ^^' 

 New Jersey, .... Mr. Dick, ay. (1.) 

 Pennsylvania . . . Mifflin, ay. ) 



Montgomery, ay. > ay. 



Hardy, ay. ) 



Maryland . . Mr. M'Henry, no. ) 



btone, no. ) 



(1) To eotitle a State to a vote, she must have at least two members pre- 



